rdj735

I just picked up my first boat this spring (Tracker 190/115 Opti), and have put some time in trying to learn it. I'm struggling trying to find the sweet spot on trim, though. If I trim out just until the steering starts to lighten up, I'm around 42mph/5k rpm in light chop. I can continue trimming out and get to 44-ish at about 5250 rpm, but the boat's beginning to torque left at that point with each tap up on the trim switch, and will bite and pull right the first time I trim back in. I can still gain a bit of speed by trimming out more, but the boat starts to feel "loose" so I don't go farther (maybe that's just me being inexperienced). I have a 22p Laser II currently, with motor in lowest position (no jackplate). Any advice or suggestions?

I just upgraded from the Hook2 to Elite Ti2. I'd opt for the Elite just for the touchscreen. I think that setting waypoints is much easier if you can just touch the screen when you see something you want to mark. Also, the imaging just seems to be better.

I'm about to pull the trigger on a new depth finder, but I'm confused when it comes to software options. Depth finders in my $ range mention C-maps, Genesis Live, Navionics, etc, but I really have no idea what I should be looking for. Navigating safely on unfamiliar Southeast US waters is my first priority, but any extra benefits would be a plus.

What I did may or may not be what you'd want to do. For that money, I bought a 2013 18'7" aluminum with a 115. That being said, what I wanted was the longest (and highest passenger capacity) I could get, while still being able to tow it with a minivan. And, like you, the idea of trying to repair/maintain an older boat was a big concern of mine. Barkley and KY Lakes will be the biggest bodies I'll ever fish with it. I don't know anything other than what I ended up with - but I'm pleased so far.

The boat I got this year has two Lowrance units. Unfortunately, neither has maps available, and it's a feature I really want so that I can safely navigate the river-fed reservoirs nearby. I plan to buy a mid-range (1000-ish) console unit in the next couple of months, but wouldn't be able to buy upgrades ("360" transducers, trolling motors, etc) for possibly a year or so. In your opinion, what current brand/series do you see as having the most "life" left in it? The thought of dropping $1k on a unit that doesn't get software updates by the time I have it fully utilized makes me a bit queasy.

I like fishing some larger lakes near my hometown, so when I finally decided to buy my own, I got one big enough to handle that water. But if I was only fishing small lakes and/or calm water, and just going alone or with one other person, I would've bought something smaller. For me, it was about what water I needed to handle, and what my intended use was. Nothing wrong with a 10' 2-person boat and a trolling motor if that gets you where you want to fish safely.

I grabbed one of these, too. My old BPS Extremes were discontinued years ago, and I believe that Pfleuger made those, so I thought that the XT was worth a try, especially for the price.

Finally broke down and got a boat - a 2013 Pro Team 190 TX with a 2-stroke 115. Came with a couple of Hook2 7's and an 80lb Minn-Kota. Looking forward to getting some experience from the front of the boat this year!

I like fluorocarbon for slow, bottom-contact lures, because I'm a line-watcher, and it seems as though its sinking properties give a more direct path from rod to lure vs braid or mono I've tried. That being said, I'm gonna try some co-polymer stuff this season to see if a different sinking line could offer that same advantage. I typically use mono when the lure is being reeled continuously. To answer the OP's question, I'm with others in that I don't like the second knot. Not only is it a weak point, but I just can't get over the sound of it going through the guides.

So I just bought a used boat, and on it were the former owner's Lowrance 7xHDI and 7xTS. I've discovered that both have GPS, but don't support contour maps. But, the TS has a card slot. The instruction manual I've found online makes no mention of that slot. What's the purpose of an SD card slot if you can't use maps - maybe for software updates only?

Hey, folks! I'm not new to the forum - just to posting. This site has been a great resource to me for some time now. Anyway, I grew up fishing the north end of Lake Barkley, in KY. Through college, I fished and competed locally with my dad, but fishing was pushed aside due to work and family for several years. I finally committed to joining a local club here in TN, and plan to fish most all of the schedule as a non-boater. I also just bought my first boat (a Tracker 190tx) so I'll be spending some time this year learning about the pointy end of the boat ? I look forward to picking your brains!

Thanks, everyone, for the welcome! Fishnkamp - It's funny... Having grown up around all those TN lakes, I've never been on most of 'em. We recently sold our house and are shopping for a new one, so we're in an apartment for now. Wife keeps saying something about "house first, then boat," so I'm gonna have to take your word on the quality of those lakes for the time being. Hope to be on some of them before next spawn!

Hello, all! My name is Bobby, and I'm from Clarksville, TN. I grew up in Western Kentucky, fishing the north end of Lake Barkley. My dad was crazy about fishing, so it's no surprise that I was at it from an early age. These days, I'm "Dad" to 4 and 6 year-old girls. I also manage a business in a neighboring town, so fishing time is scarce. I'm hoping that a boat is in my near future, as the girls are getting old enough to enjoy it, as well. After having been led here several times through web searches, I thought I might as well join, and see what I've missed since I took paternity leave from the water. Hoping to learn some new tricks from you guys. Any questions - just ask!