PECo

I must have missed the post where someone tried to tell the OP that glass is better than tin, but having owned both tin and glass bass boats, I can tell you for certain that glass boats have a much, MUCH better ride than tin boats. Does it matter when you're motoring around slowly using your trolling motor while fishing? Heck no. Do tin boats blow around more in the wind? Not that I ever noticed in mine. Does it matter when you're making a five mile run down a tidal river against the incoming tide and wind during the winter in the northeast? Heck yeah! Is a glass boat worth the expense and relative fragility? To some, no. To me, yes. I'm old and comfort is more important to me than expense. Plus, I store my boat in a garage, and have a tow vehicle with four-wheel drive and a HEMI V8. But could I be happy with a tin boat? Sure I could. If I had to store my boat outdoors, I probably would have bought another tin boat. Even with a garage, I'd bet if I had that 18 TX, the thought of trading it in for a glass boat would never enter my mind.

Here's a good primer on the different battery types: https://www.batterystuff.com/kb/articles/battery-articles/battery-basics.html The cost/benefit analysis of flooded wet cell versus AGM is different for different people. Like Angry John, I'd go with flooded wet cells, especially for the cranking battery, because: 1) They're much less expensive to buy; 2) I'm not concerned about the relative safety of flooded wet cells; 3) My batteries get used often, so I don't need AGM's advantage regarding storage length; and 4) I sometimes run them down below 50 percent, which reduces AGM's advantage regarding the number of cycles they can last. My new boat came with Interstate Marine (green top) Group 27 flooded wet cell batteries. When fishing an eight-hour tourney with the livewell pumps running, the charge in my cranking battery gets so low that my fish finders reset when I start my outboard motor. I definitely need a larger cranking battery and plan to replace the 27 with a 31 when the 27 dies. Mercury recommends a cranking battery with at least 1,000 Cold Cranking Amps for my motor, which the current 27 does not supply.

Folgers!

In order to operate a boat with a motor in Connecticut, residents, real property owners and persons with Connecticut registered boats must have a Safe Boating Certificate, Certificate of Personal Watercraft Operation or USCG vessel operator license. You should check whether your state has a similar requirement. Whenever I go fishing with someone who has the proper certificate or license, I encourage them to operate my boat. I've had some incidents, including a damaged prop, scrapes on the hull and a bent guide bunk on the trailer, but it's nice if your fishing partner can take control of the boat when needed. My tourney partner drives my boat whenever I need to re-rig or we simply need a change of pace. I agree that "A boat is a tool and a platform used to catch fish." I'd rather focus on fishing than operating the boat.

I'm not sure whether Minn Kota's US2 transducer is compatible with the new Raymarine finders. US2 stands for "Universal Sonar 2" and you have to get a brand-specific adapter to use it, including for a Humminbird (aka Johnson Outdoors, which is also the parent company of Minn Kota) finder, oddly enough, but I'd send an email to Minn Kota to ask.

I have two Humminbird Helix 12 G2s on my boat. I have SI on the console, but use the built-in US2 transducer on the Ultrex, so I only have regular sonar on the bow. As much as I like them, if I could do it all over, again, I'd probably give the newer Raymarine finders a shot. I've found that the electronics on the G2 Humminbirds are a little buggy. I think that they were rushed to market a little bit too fast. The Raymarine Dragonfly 7 is a nice fishfinder that provides very clear images. If you have the budget to step up, the Raymarine Axiom 9 and 12 are even nicer.

I agree with, "You get what you pay for", but disagree with going overboard with equipment. My motto is, "Keep It Simple, Stupid". While a couple of my buddies bought Nitros with 150 horsepower motors, I got a 115. Why? I live in Connecticut, where the speed limit on our largest lake (i.e., Candlewood Lake) is only 45 miles per hour. In a tourney with two anglers and a full livewell, my boat can easily go over 45. Why would I need to be able to go 60? I have a buddy who spends more time messing with his electonics than he does actually fishing. He put a Helix 12 with side-imaging on his bow, mounted the external SI transducer on his Ultrex and networked them with the Helix 12 on his console. He can use a detailed map to automatically follow bottom contours. But guess who gets in more casts and does better in our club tourneys? I've found that a good sonar with a big screen and a detailed map (I like the Lakemaster chip for Connecticut) is all that I need. If you DO go with a Minn Kota Ulterra or Ultrex that has Spot Lock, you really wouldn't need shallow water anchors, unless you fish in lakes with a lot of heavy vegetation or large shallow flats. I've never seen anyone deploy them in my club tourneys. My first boat was an aluminum 2006 G3 Eagle 165 with a Yamaha 60 horsepower four-stroke. I sold it because one of my fishing buddies is 350+ pounds and I got tired of motoring around with the bow in the air in slow left-hand circles. He moved to Virginia. If I still had that boat, I'd be a happy camper with a lot more money in the bank. I sometimes fish with the guy to whom I sold it and he says, "Nope, you can't have it back." You're new to boating. It'll take a while before you figure out what you really need. In my case, I decided that the softer ride and better handling of glass is worth the expense. But I'm CERTAIN I'd be happy with that 18 TX, too.

I own a 2017 Triton 179 TrX with the 115 Mercury Pro XS, which is a glass boat, but my first two fishing boats were aluminum. The reasons I switched to glass were ride comfort and storage, which are both superior with glass. I took a look at the listing you posted. It's a very nicely equipped boat. Aluminum is definitely a good choice for your first bass boat. Actually, I'd go as far to say that it's the RIGHT choice. You WILL make some noob mistakes while operating it. For example, don't forget to make sure that your bung hole is plugged. I'd also plug the livewell drain to keep it dry. The less weight on your boat, the better. And don't unhook the boat from the winch until the stern is in the water. You wouldn't want to drop it onto the ramp. Regarding the Triton brand, I know that most boat brands are owned by Johnny Morris, but the quality of the components used on newer Triton boats is better than those used on other Johnny Morris brands. My Triton compared to a couple of buddies' Nitros is like a GMC compared to a Chevy. Nitro definitely gives you more bang for your buck, especially if your "bang" is performance. However, as others have already said, I'd choose performance, quality and features over brand. Almost all newer boats are actually pretty good. Regarding the 115 Mercury Pro XS, it's a terrific motor. The motors on my first two boats were four-stroke Yamahas, a 60 and a 115, and I thought that I'd never switch to a Mercury, but I was impressed enough with the newer four-stroke Mercurys on buddies' boats to give it a shot. In my opinion, the quality of Mercury's four-stroke motors is finally on a par with Yamaha's. The motor in the listing you posted has the Command Thrust gearcase. Mine has the standard gearcase. The Command Thrust gearcase is the lower unit from Mercury's larger motors (i.e., larger than 115 horsepower). It has a larger diameter torpedo, which allows it to use larger diameter propellers. There are many, many more larger diameter propeller options available than for the standard gearcase. In general, a larger propeller will give you more torque, which will give you a better hole shot, unless it bogs down the motor. On my motor with the standard gearcase, the standard three-blade propeller didn't provide enough torque, but I solved that problem by swapping it for a four-blade Mercury Spitfire X7 propeller. In my opinion, the Command Thrust gearcase isn't necessary even for my relatively heavy glass boat. It's probably overkill on the lighter 18 TX, but that's not a bad thing. I like the look of the center rod locker on that 18 TX; I wish mine were laid out that way. If you fish with spinning gear, take your longest rods with the biggest guides to the dealer and put them into the locker. As much as I like rod tubes, most don't work well with spinning gear. If you anticipate often fishing in cold or rainy weather with a partner, consider getting a port console, unless you'd enjoy their discomfort. The 24 volt Maxxum trolling motor would work great, even in wind or current. I learned how to use pedal steering with one. Although I now have a 24-volt Ultrex with electric steering, I steer it using the pedal, rather than the remote. Hands-free, baby! However, electric steering is necessary for Spot Lock, which I would not like to live without. The three-bank onboard charger is also the way to go. Although the alternator on the outboard motor will charge your cranking battery when it's running, the drain from electronics, lights, and, especially, livewell and bilge pumps will deplete it. It's best to top it off with a plug-in charger after every use. One of the photos in the listing shows that the boat has Baystar hydraulic steering, which is an upgrade from the standard no-feedback teleflex cable steering. Cable steering works fine on a 115, but hydraulic is better. Make sure that the boat has a keel guard installed. I highly recommend Boat Buckles for the trailer, too. Once you use them, you'll never go back to untethered straps.

Thanks for this topic. I'm in the same boat. Well, my own boat, not yours, but you know what I mean.

One of the many kayaks I've owned was a Hobie Pro Angler. I had to get a trailer to haul that one. But, now, I have a bass boat on a trailer in my garage and don't want another trailer. If the Catch 120NXT is too much for me to handle in my Jeep, I'll have to get rid of it.

I've been fishing out of a 36-pound sit-inside Hurricane Santee Sport 116 kayak for the past seven years. It's not designed as a fishing kayak, but out of the eight or nine kayaks I've owned over the years, it's the one I've used for fishing the most. Why? Because it's super light and easy to handle, both on and off the water. My Santee Sport is a little worn out, now. A couple of years ago, I had to patch the worn-through keel and put a keel guard on it, but, now, the keel guard has worn through. So, I recently ordered and just received a new Pelican Premium Catch 120NXT. I haven't even gotten the Catch 120NXT onto the water, yet, but I can already tell you that, at 69 pounds, it's way more difficult to move around and load through the flipper glass into my Jeep Grand Cherokee. The hard plastic side carrying handles deflect pretty spectacularly under the weight of the kayak when they're warm from sitting out in the sun. I'm already beginning to wonder whether the increased comfort, stability and function (e.g., the ability to handle bigger water, the ability to mount a fish finder with an in-hull transducer) will be worth the extra weight.

Yeap, the USPS sucks at shipping fishing rods. It delivered a six foot shipping tube that used to hold seven foot rods:

Yeap. http://perko.com/catalog/fills_and_vents/478/deck_plate_key/

The Nitro Z18 is a sweet boat. A couple of buddies of mine just got them. I haven't seen a better new boat value for the money. Did you get a single or double axle trailer? If you're only planning to trailer short distances, I think that the ease of trailering a single axle trailer makes it a better choice. Which motor did you get? If you got the Mercury 115 four-stroke, I'd suggest that you look into getting a Mercury VesselView Mobile. It would give you accurate real-time date from the motor, which helps with managing the break-in process.

The OP is a high school kid who wants to access carry-in only ponds. While a canoe might fit YOUR requirements, I suspect that the kid doesn't need an 800 pound load capacity or room to take along his wife. The vast majority of paddlers find that kayaks have the best balance of attributes and features for the purpose of fishing (e.g., cost, size and handling characteristics).

Small rivers don't damage nicer kayaks. People damage nicer kayaks.

Regarding liability, some states protect landowners from liability when they allow recreational use of their land without charge. Connecticut is one of those states. In fact, the original 1971 law was broadened in 2011. You have to read the statute in context, including the definitions, to properly understand it, but here's the gist of it: That said, I once received permission from a riparian landowner to launch my kayak from his property and fish. The next time I saw him, he refused, because a bunch of shore fishermen made a mess on his property. That's why I get really ticked off at litterbugs, especially when they're fishermen.

Um, no. A kayak is a much better platform for fishing. There are many kayak hull designs that are much more stable and maneuverable than any canoe, and they're available on even inexpensive kayaks.

I fished my first black bass tourney on May 11, 2013. It was a kayak fishing tourney, in which the winner was decided by the total length of each angler's longest five-fish bag. We fished a shallow reservoir separated by a causeway that had to be portaged to be crossed. A field of 25 kayakers was expected, but threatening rain resulted in a field of only 12 boats. I said "boats", because canoes and one trolling motor-powered dinghy were also allowed to participate. A buddy and I helped each other portage our kayaks over the causeway. Only one other boat, a canoe, attempted to portage, but dumped and gave up. It did rain, but it wasn't very windy and there was never any electrical activity. Portaging was definitely the right move. I easily took first place and my buddy took second. My five-fish bag was 82 inches and had four roughly three-pound pre-spawn females, including the 18-1/2 inch lunker. My buddy's five-fish bag was 68-1/2 inches. A great thing about it being an early season kayak fishing tourney is that I released all of the pre-spawn females right back over their bedding area after I measured and photographed them. It was the first tourney ever organized by the guy who did it. He had trophies made for first, second and third place. I still have the trophy. It has the wrong date on it, May 1, instead of May 11, and the fish on it is a trout, not a bass. ?

Although the Ultrex is cable steer, the cables don't physically turn the shaft of the motor like they do on a Fortrex. The cables pull on solenoids that actuate a motor that turns the shaft of the motor. Since the shaft of the motor turns normally when on Spot Lock, it seems likely that you have a problem with a solenoid.

I stopped at a Dick's Sporting Goods in Woodbridge, New Jersey, today that had them in stock. It also had a "3 for $20" sale on the Double Whopper Ploppers:

I think that the newer Humminbird units all have software glitches. I have two Helix 10s on my boat and a buddy has two on his. We both have the same types of problems you describe. Humminbird support has been running through its checklist with him to eliminate potential sources of interference. He's tried different ways of grounding everything and ferrite cores on the cables. The last thing that Humminbird support did was send him a big EMI filter. However, I really think that the problem is with the software in the units. I'll update you if it turns out that I'm wrong about that.

I prefer Minn Kota's Ultrex over its Ulterra, because it has a much more robust mount and I prefer using the cable-steer pedal over the push-button remote. It doesn't power trim for shallow water, but you can trim it up by simply pulling on the stow/deploy cable. That said, my buddy with the bad knees who prefers to use the push-button remote over the pedal LOVES his Ulterra. And the US2 transducer that's built into either of the motors is compatible with a sonar-only Helix 7 graph.

I've been using mostly Shimano spinning reels and rods for a while, and have broken more than my fair share of rods. I've gotten warranty replacements for most of them for just the cost of shipping. However, Shimano has a new Express Rod Service Plan that replaces broken rods with "no questions asked" for fifty percent of MSRP and it even pays for two-day shipping: http://fish.shimano.com/content/dam/shimanoweb/fish/sac-fish/en/techdocs/Shimano EXPRESS Rod Service.pdf

Dick's Sporting Goods is the best place I've found to buy Senkos. Recently, it was selling four packs for $25. I'd buy eight packs for $50 and use a $10 off $50 purchase coupon. That's eight packs for $40, which is $5 per pack.