Shimano_1

Swim jig. I know lots of fish are caught on em and I've decided to dabble into them some this year. Have had several for a few years just never really gave em a chance. My local lakes are heavily pressured so anything that works I'm down to try. I hate throwing a shakey head but it flat out catches fish so I throw it

Some form of green pumpkin or something with some brown and green pumpkin and black and blue are the only 2 I use anymore. Basically the same for whatever trailer I'm throwing on it

I've used several in the 8 ratio and still have 2. I've settled on the 7 ratio with ipt around 30-31 inches being thr sweet spot for me. Seems the higher speed reels don't have the torque and seem more susceptible to geary sounding. I now flip, jerkbait, topwater, etc with the 7 ratio. I personally wouldn't want anything faster than 35 ipt. Had a revo rocket and found it basically useless for me. Even flippin it seemed too fast for my taste.

I always use a paper towel or q tip with alcohol to remove any from those areas

Dobyns for sure between those 2

Apparently your results with megabass differ from others...mine included. I wish I hadn't had the results I've had with megabass because my bank account would look a little better. I've personally witnessed a vision 110 dominate every other jerkbait my buddies and I have tried, including rapala, kvd, spro and lucky craft....sometimes. Obviously there are times others likely work better. Maybe we just aren't fishing the others correctly. Or maybe the megabass just catches fish? At 25 bucks a pop they work or places wouldn't constantly be out of stock. When I find something that's close to equivalent I won't buy them anymore myself....til then I'll roll around with a bunch!

Like everything else opinions are gonna be all over the place. I love everything I've ever used by megabass. If a guy doesn't wanna spend the $ I totally understand. Just don't act like they're not good or can't be "better" because you don't wanna buy em. I put off trying one for years because of the price. I now own many. It's a rabbit hole for sure. If you're not ready to buy many don't buy one. Tell urself they're not better and enjoy not knowing

I tow my aluminum rig with a ram. The hemi is nice and has pulled other 21ft glass boats easily. I personally have 2 buddies that tow a 21 ft bullet and a 20ft ranger with Tacomas all over the state and outta state several times a year. Both guys are older, one is retired and one close and both aren't hurting financially so they do it by choice. Both boats are 2020 models they bought new last year. I personally would feel better in a tundra but they've shown me the Tacomas are more than capable of towing basically any bass boat

Stand most of the time. Keep the butt seat handy in case I'm in rough water I'll use it to lean on for balance. I'm sure in a few more years sitting down will be the logical choice. Of course my dad is 60 and doesn't get around good at all but stands as much as I do when we are fishing! Like everything else I think it's just a habit type of thing. I surely don't think it has anything to do with toughness or who's a better angler. And A-Jay shows us in that pic that age definitely has nothing to do with it...quite impressive regar of age. Try both and see which "you" prefer

Boats don't see near the usage that cars do so if care for they don't deteriorate nearly as quickly. If an older boat has been cared for it can hold its value. Use common sense and a good mechanic when buying anything older. Now is a bad time to be buying since the market is crazy!

Everything that's already been said. Realize that it's gonna happen. The 3 biggest bass I've ever hooked all managed to get away. Maybe I'm not the guy to give advice lol. I always try to keep the rod tip down if they're coming to the surface and make sure I keep pressure on em. Don't try to horse em in unless u have em on big heavy tackle. Good luck!

If ur using mono I'd try fluoro. I know lots of guys on here disagree but I personally feel there's no comparison in what I can feel. Other than that maybe a little more sensitive rod? Slow rolling a spinnerbait is definitely effective my pb came doing this very thing a few years ago on a cold nasty day.

Most of the pond bass I've ever seen or caught on beds have been spawning close to or on the bank. If it were stained enough that you can't see, I'd go at it with a jerkbait, rattlebait, and a jig or plastic flippin bait. If your catching them well on the jerkbaits or rattlebaits away from the bank, they're likely in prespawn mode, they're aggressively feeding up in preparation. If you're catching them on or near the banks on the flippin baits they're likely spawning. Lotta times I've figured this out in dirty water because they pick it up and maybe run with it but aren't eating it. If this happens just be patient and keep flippin back to em til you swing and connect!

I've used basically every form of braking out there with the exception of the DC shimano reels. I love my shimanos but as a reel that's just strictly easy to use and manage nothing compares to the sv daiwa reels in my opinion. Set the spool tension to very little or no side to side play and turn the dial to 10 and ur golden with most anything.

Yes I throw both on same rod and have never had any issues with either! Obviously people like different rods for different things. Use what works for u and if u wanna use the same rod for both it'll work just fine

Well said!

Any rig I've ever had I had to remove the batteries etc and it can be done. Kinda tricky but do able. Pretty sure we used simple green as well last time and a scrub brush and then just rinsed it all out good while the front end was higher and let it drain good and air dry!

Si all day. Rarely use down imaging but id be lost without my mega side imaging

7'2 med heavy fast action. Realize lots of guys prefer the more moderate but I've never felt I needed it and have always had excellent hookup and landing ratios with chatterbaits. My old man lives with one in his hand and he also uses similar rod and even sometimes a heavy fast if he's in heavy grass ripping it out.

Was putting new graphs on my rig a month ago. While I was under the console I thought...ull probably trip the kill switch so remember that. Grt everything done an hr later and hit the key...just clicks and nothing. We think it's the battery, plug it back in and full charge in like 5 minutes. I'm freaking out thinking we've screwed something up. My buddy gets up in the boat and as he's crawling under the console looks at the kill switch and I immediately realize what I've done. I knew a few lines into ur post where it was going lol. Happens to the best of us!

I'm sure any dealer could do it but don't know how cost effective it'll be. I'd offer my services but ur 2.5 hrs away so may not be cost effective in that regard. I own a triton 18tx so basically identical rig to urs. If u have any questions holler. Ive swapped graphs on mine 3 times and just put helix 12's on it a month ago! Ull love the ranger!

They say the 56 is closing the gap but I have yet to see anything comparable to mega. My buddy is putting new garmins on his rig this weekend with the 56 so I should know soon for sure! I personally think....guys are flocking to the livescope...with good reason. As guys so often do...they then wanna believe their equipment is superior. If u want the best imaging...get birds. If u want bang for ur buck and livescope...get garmins. Or run a bird for side and down imaging and garmin for livescope

Whichever one gets bit that day. Black and blue is always my go to in any kinda colored water. Clearer water green pumpkin or some variation of it gets the nod

I just replaced my cranking battery in my triton 18tx last weekend. It was less than 2 years old but I recently upgraded to helix 12's and they were killing the 24 series that came with it. I went with the duracell agm 31. Ive ran these before and for the money I've had excellent luck. Plan on replacing both of my trolling batteries in the near future with the same battery in the 27 size. My boat is aluminum and rumor has it the acid from wet cells doesn't play well with aluminum. So...for piece of mind etc ill run agm's. Like u I have no desire nor the wallet to replace them with lithiums. My rig has the mercury 115 pro xs 4 stroke

Only baits I have any confidence in for those conditions are spinnerbaits and jigs! I've caught a few on other baits, chatterbaits and even jerkbaits in a lot dirtier water than you're supposed to fish a jerkbait in.