Wayne P.

F.B.L, Osprey's post is incorrect. The Lowrance HDS 5X has a color screen, the Humminbird 570 has a gray scale screen. Both units are dual frequency 83/200 khz The Humminbird 570 has a higher resolution screen with 160 more vertical pixels (640 vs 480). The Lowrance has a square screen and the Humminbird has a rectangle screen with the height being more than the width. The Lowrance is upgradeable to Structure Scan, the Humminbird is not upgradeable to Side Imaging. The Lowrance has GPS, the Humminbird does not and is not GPS capable. The Humminbird cost $200 and the Lowrance cost $550 plus an extra $600 to add Structure Scan.

I use a crochet needle for rigging Flukes on Falcon weighted hooks.

Yes, I have tried the Invisi-braid in 30#. From what I could tell, the finish is so slick that it digs in the spool when under tension and that digging-in makes the next cast almost a non-cast. I don't use it anymore. BTW it ain't "Invis"-able.

There is not much published contour lines for the rivers, but the James and Chick are on the Navionics software. Mostly you will have the river channel shown pretty good. I have the 2009 edition of the Hotmaps Premium; this is the area of the Rt.5 bridge

hookingem, I use a Gamakatsu Octopus hook 3/0 #02413 for Trick worms and either a Gamakatsu Octopus 2/0 #02412 or Owner Mosquito 2/0 for finesse worms. I've tried the Finesse Wide Gap hooks and they cause missed hook sets in sizes less than 4/0. I occasionally use the Weedless Finesse Wide Gap hook in the 5/0 size for wacky rigging Senkos, but the weedless hook I make is much better using a 4/0 Octopus hook.

Paul, I caught a couple more string stretchers today. Both had red teeth with about a 1 minute struggle and water temp being 75 degrees. This one had the most red color:

Use the REAL swimming frog, the Zoom Horny Toad. It weighs more.

Simple and easy test: Switch the charger leads to the batteries to see if the "problem" transfers to another battery. If it does, one bank of the charger is bad. If the same battery still does not charge, it's a bad battery.

Mount the transducer on a board and then use a "C" clamp to hold it on the transom. There are commercial versions in metal that do the same, but you can be functional for about $2. http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/pod/horizontal-pod.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/pod-link.jsp_A&_DAV=netcon&rid=&indexId=cat21402&navAction=push&masterpathid=&navCount=1&parentType=index&parentId=cat21402&id=0000844

Computer Log: Date, Place, Air Temp, Water Temp, Total Number of Bass, Number of Bass from 4#-6#, Number of Bass Larger Than 6# On a paper log: Date, Place, Individual Weights of Bass 4# and Larger, Total Number of Bass

There are three sites that can help you understand that technology: http://forums.sideimagingsoft.com/index.php BassResource Yahoo Groups-SideImaging I'm still learning how to get the best images.

.dsaavedra, that is the best rigging for Senkos. A perpendicular hook does a better job of hooking the fish than the parallel hook.

Yes, Paul. That one was 9 pounds and 1 ounce.

frogtog, the 389 is the 18' 10" hull rated for 175 hp.

Paul, I caught this one today and if offered quite a lot of resistance and got wrapped up in some stumps. It took several minutes to get unwrapped. It only had a slight pink on it's lips. The rest of the ones I caught had no lip color.

Yes, gasoline. Supposedly (according to the "experts") fish cannot smell petroleum because the molecules won't fit in their scent receptors. I know a guide that has done that test several times to prove to his clients that they shouldn't be concerned about forgetting to bring their "attractants".

Running multiple sonar units with the same frequency transducers may and probably will have cross talk when the cone signals overlap. Probably won't happen in shallow water but may in deeper water.

LOL, Nitofreak, just lazy I guess about cleaning up. I have plastic worm parts in various places on my new boat. They get blown around when on the highway. The SPF number was posted so the next question about using sunscreen as an attractant wouldn't be "which one did you use?" Thanks for asking.

Dock Master, Nitrofreak, more than a year ago there was a discussion about odors that repel bass from taking a lure. The thread was a question about how important it is to wash your hand after applying sun screen. I decided to test that "theory" under actual fishing conditions. I invited a guy to go with me for the test. After I established a pattern (took about 10 minutes), I put the sunscreen on a plastic worm rigged like I usually do and caught 3 bass on consecutive casts. After I had caught about 8 bass the guy wanted to try the "fish attractant" I was using. When we quit fishing, we had caught 60 bass (edited:correction it was 65 bass on 8/7/08) with most of them on a Coppertone SPF 50 Lotion coated plastic worm. I had a tube of it along with SPF 30 spray that I have to use due to my sun sensitive skin. I did a test with insect repellant the next day at a different lake using OFF with DEET (supposedly the worst chemical for repelling bass). Along with the Off, I used Megastrike, Kick'n Bass, Smelly Jelly, gasoline, Jack's Juice, a couple more "attractants" along with using no scent at all, and just a dirty old worm that was laying on the floor of my boat for several months. My catch rate wasn't negatively affected with or without anything. My conclusion was that the "scientific" tests used to sell scents and scented baits is BS. Those tests may indicate the advertized results in a laboratory, but for wild bass in public waters during actual fishing conditions, those results are meaningless. Basically you can believe what you want about the effectiveness of "attractants" and scents, and what may repel bass, but I know for a fact, it makes no difference what substance or no substance is on a lure. A wild bass will eat whatever it can when it can.

Yes, use the HB epoxy, it is the correct kind. Just follow the instructions included.

Dink, where the transducer is now will be the smoothest and cleanest place to mount the new one if the diameters are the same. If the new one is larger, then you will have to remove the access epoxy to get the area completely flat. Just chip it away with the screw driver or chisel. Clean away the debris, and clean the area with some solvent to make sure there is no oil/gas residue, then use the correct epoxy to mount the new one.

When I was shopping for a 3-bank charger, the smallerst footprint I found was the Dual Pro SE 10A per bank. It is 9" long, 8" wide, and 5" tall.

You can get the aluminum prop rebuilt and the money you don't spend on a stainless prop can be used to purchase a prop guard.

new2BC4bass, yes you are partically correct. Of the couple dozen baitcast manuals I have, two of them do state 1/16". The rest state 1/8" or 3mm and some of them are Abu.

(Steve) be sure to add a tiedown strap when you bolt on the mount. Sometimes in rough water the catch that holds the motor in place when folded up will release. That is not a pleasant experience. I had 4 of those bow mount motors.