Wayne P.

detroit1, It may have been Virgil Ward, I can't remember which. I've only got about a couple dozen of those spinnerbaits left.

c17Lat, add a Big Foot switch to one of the wire leads on your trolling motor and you can eliminate the reaching for the on/off part.

Opinion on long leaders: the main reason I use braid is the lack of spool memory. Using a fluoro or nylon mono leader that is long enough to wrap around the reel spool defeats the purpose of using the braid.

My favorite spinnerbait

3'-5'

If the sun is shining, fish the sunny side of bridge/road rip rap.

Bass Buster Scorpion spinnerbait 1/4oz.

I have the most sucess with those smaller baits from post spawn to around mid summer.

Thanks BassBandit35, you have a newer version than I do that requires a larger SD card.

What was the solution without going thru all the steps?

wasabi_VA, call me at 434-242-1116 and I'll describe how to do it or I will do it for you. It is real easy with that type of steering cable. You have a single push/pull cable with rack and pinion.

BassBandit35, yes it takes a little longer to read installed software. I assume the slowness is due to the processing power of the unit when it is reading the additional 512mb inserted. I don't find it cumbersome though when navigating.

My choice is the XPS Fluorocarbon and a uni-uni knot connection. About 95% of the fishing I do with the braid and fluorocarbon combination is with 30# braid and 20# fluorocarbon. When I tie the connection, I use 6 turns on both lines and cut the tag ends flush with the knot. Never a problem with knot failure or casting performance. I keep 7 rods rigged with that combo-two baitcasters and 5 spinning.

I use 50# Spiderwire Stealth on all my spinnerbait/buzzbait rigs no matter what the water color is.

The Navionics Hotmaps Premium is compatible with the XOG. Check the compatibility list on the Navionics site.

THe Minn Kota Maxxum is a variable speed motor available in 40 and 55 lbs thrust 12V. The Motor Guide Freshwater model FW54 HT Digital is also a variable speed wth 54 lbs of thrust 12V. You answered your own question about how much thrust is needed. More is better. I would suggest that you put a Big Foot switch in the electrical circuit for convenient on/off operation. That way you can fish more and fool with the motor less while fishing.

If you want the straight scoop, go to the Humminbird website and download the manual for the 580. You will see that the user can select what and where on the screen a digital display can be placed. When the manual downloads, the picture of the unit on the first page shows a split screen with GPS mapping and sonar along with temp, depth, and speed.

I fish it only occasionally now but used to a lot and have been since the late 1970's. It is my least favorite body of water to fish, just too crowded for my taste. I don't have any difficulty finding and catching largemouth bass there. I purchased my first fiberglass bassboat at Sturgeon Creek Marina in 1988.

senile1, I tried both Hotspots and Hotmaps Premium East in 2006 and preferred the Hotmaps due to the bodies of water contained. I got the Hotmaps Premium South 2007 also. The most important choice one has to make is to be sure the waters you are interested in are included. The 2008 version of Hotmaps Premium has more lakes that I fish regularly, but I haven't purchased that version. I probably won't upgrade any more since I have gotten away from the tournament scene and glitter rockets. Small bodies of water (1,000 acres >)are what I concentrate on now. My GPS usage now concerns saved waypoints and a map is not even required for that. I defer to Jig Man for his opinion of the newer versions.

The gear ratio is 4.7:1

The 565 has a higher resolution display and a dual beam transducer with 20 and/or 60 degree coverage.

Jig Man, I really don't like the 1' contours for a couple of reasons. First, for regular navigation, its too much clutter on the screen. Second, the accuracy is not absolute since it seems the contour lines between the actual survey points are filled in for a general contour of an area. I know of several places that the software contours are completely opposite of the actual contour such as a long point represented on the map is really a steep drop off and some places show a steep drop when a long sloping point is.

When I go fishing, I like to catch all that bite so I use the regular Octopus hooks. I only use the circle hooks for pre-tournament practice when I don't want to catch any. Do you remove the barb? I do, it makes removal easier for you and on the fish.

senile1, the only extra button pushing required for Lowrance units is to tell the unit to use the inserted Navionics software. You do that once the SD card is inserted and don't need to do it again unless you tell the unit to not read the Navionics card. That procedure is outlined in your manual in the mapping section. Not all bodies of water have the 1' contours, only the HD surveyed ones.

Yes, but not for the line visibiliby issues some are concerned with. I use the fluorocarbon as weight to make the braid sink for weightless soft plastic presentations. The uni-uni connection is the only one I use. As far a line twist is concerned, using braid does not lessen any twisting caused by the tackle or presentations, its just not affected by twisting like the stiffer mono lines are. XPS is my choice for fluorocarbon line.