Junger

So I've had instances where I saw big schools of bait on SI but not DI, and that didn't make sense to me. I figured if SI picked it up, it must be in the same cone as DI, but this video seems to explain it pretty well. Most of you probably already understand it, but I fish shallow cover a lot and don't use electronics all that much so it was helpful to me, and maybe will be for others. 10:30 mark explains it pretty well.

Yep, I read the fine print, no prepayment penalty or any issue with the cashback with prepayment. I paid $1.25 in interest (1 day) after I paid it immediately, and have the cash back points pending.

So, PayPal has a 20% off CashBack offer right now, using their Pay Later option (use that option then pay it back immediately if you don't want to pay interest). They basically give you rewards points that you can transfer to cash and your checking account. I used it at another vendor and worked, and says my reward points are pending. I think I may have to try it with Tacklewarehouse, they take PayPal.

NP, 24v is plenty of thrust, I just had room for 3 12v batteries and went with 36v for more time on the water at Little Seneca Lake which is a 500 acre electric only reservoir. Also the Quest has a feature called Drift Mode, which is a great feature if you're fishing ledges or contour lines a lot. Both Ultrex's have the same steering, the Quest is brushless in the way the lower unit prop works, it doesn't have brushes on the armature. Brushes generate heat and noise and lose efficiency. The Quest is really quiet on speeds 1-4, virtually silent. I had to replace my old Ultrex's brushes and armature ($250) in year 3 of ownership, but I ran it hard and on high speed a lot. Tacklewarehouse has a sale on Ultrex and Quest, 7-9%, and if you're military another 10% off.

I had an Ultrex, and now have an Ultrex Quest (brushless version), so I can give you my thoughts on the Minn Kota product. Stowing - The Ultrex is heavy. The original gas piston it comes with barely helps stow/deploy. The Quest is heavier, but comes with a 2 stage piston assist, it's much much better. So if you're younger, the Ultrex shouldn't be an issue, with one caveat. If you go Mega Live 2 and want to add the target lock mount, you'll probably need to update the gas piston for the added weight. Spotlock/Thrust - I had the Ultrex 36v 112lb thrust, and have the Quest running at 36v 115lb thrust on a Lund PVB 1875. The Ultrex comes in 24 or 36v, and the Quest comes in one model which auto-senses 24/36v. It's plenty of thrust for my tin boat. It's not jerky at all, you can set the boat scale from -2, -1, 0, +1, +2. I have mine set at -1. Cable Steer/Feel - I came from a MotorGuide cable steer, so that's also the feel I wanted. The Ultrex has that feel, but it's not cable steer. I really like the feel of it. Remotes - The Ultrex LCD remote is big and bulky and touch screen, I didn't like it and if the LCD touch screen was faced down on my chest, it often got inadvertently pushed. The Quest LCD remote is smaller, and not touch screen, no issues with inadvertent remote commands, but the Quest only comes with a small basic remote, the advanced LCD remote is like $300 extra. You may not need it at all, but I found it helpful when I fish with my dad and put him up front while controlling the TM from the back. If you run any kind of electric only reservoir, think about going with the Quest since it's brushless. It is more efficient, and pair with LiFePO4 batteries, it can keep you fishing for a long long time, this the the primary reason I switched to the Quest. But the Ultrex is perfectly fine if you think you'll have no problem stowing/deploying.

This is the time of year when the Fuente Anejo's come out. I think the #77 Shark is the best all around value to complexity cigar there is, though any of their larger ring gauges are fantastic.

You're probably ready for the Padron 1926 if you can get through a 4000 Maduro and is probably what you're looking for. Oliva V Melanio Maduro torpedo is my favorite in that line up. A fuller proof whiskey definitely helps the palette cut through the lighter notes of a cigar, and enhances the deeper, earth, wood, sweet notes.

50/50 water vinegar, and some dawn dish soap, so it suds up and stays on the hull longer. Then just elbow grease. Don't forget your boat plug. Make a list of things to do on your phone. Practice it at home, revise the order as necessary, I like to start from the back of the boat with the boat plug first, then move to the bow. Then do it at the ramp, if someone is going out on the boat with you, tell them nicely to not distract you. Practice backing up in a parking lot first, put some cones down. Try to hit the ramp when it's not as crowded.

I use a 5/0 Owner light twistlock with my 10" power worms, great hook up with the lightwire. They make a 6/0 too. You're probably good with the 4/0, I use that with my 8.5" power worms. https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Owner_Twistlock_Light_Hook/descpage-OTLL.html

I'm generally a fan of the single barrel Jack Daniel offerings, and this has been dropping around my area so I picked it up. The last time JD dropped a heritage release, was their 2019 special release and it was very good, and this is supposed to be a regular shelf offering going forward. Lots of caramel and marshmallow on the nose, very sweet caramelized brown sugar on the palate. The proof is just right, and is more viscous than I would expect at 100prf. For $70 SRP, it's a tad on the higher side considering the JD barrel proof is $65, but the toasting process is an extra step so I guess like many other toasted products out there, they charged a premium for it. It would be a killer shelf product if it were $50, but I'd probably buy it again for $70.

3000 is handrolled, it draws great, I meant the named 1964 sticks are box pressed. I wouldn't fret much over hand/box for the Padrons. They draw great and smoke evenly. Try starting a "which is better, casting or spinning reel" thread and see how far down the pit you go there!

Just FYI, the Padron naturals are named weird. The 3000 is a robusto, the 7000 is a toro gordo and are handrolled. Their named sizes are box pressed.

Give the Padron naturals a try, one of their long box press sizes like the chuchill or palmas. Easy draw, not overpacked and usually a nice even burn. I always keep a stash of Padron 3000's around for my hiking cigar.

I'm both, it just depends on the cigar, but I use a cocktail pick and hold my pinky out to be fancy! Some cigars I toss the last third, they just become too strong or have too much bitter wood flavors, but the first 2/3's are fantastic. @casts_by_fly Do you frequent the same cigar shop? I go to a local shop and have built a repoire with the manager, he keeps a log that he can reference and I pick his brain. I try to have a new stick every month from his recommendations. Example, I want a 60 minute smoke, with good cedar wood notes, some light leather, pepper, cocoa or creaminess. His suggestion, My Father Flor De La Antilles Toro, he nailed it.

If your Solix works 100%, try to connect the Ultrex directly to it and see if you get 2D, DI, SI, but I think it requires a different adapter cable than the Helix. My setup was 2 Helix 10's connected to a MK ethernet hub, with an Ultrex MSI. Similarly, my TM built-in sonar wasn't showing right. I verified both Helix's with my stern transducer, and then connected them directly to the Ultrex and got no sonar. On a whim, I replaced the Ultrex sonar adapter cable for the Helix and everything worked fine.

I'm worried that once prices go up, they won't come back down. It's easy for big corporations to blame supply chain costs, or tariffs for increased consumer prices, and then fail to lower them after the pricing pressure goes away, because most consumers get used to it and accept it.

The shelfie WFDO can be too tannic and light, but seems like you found a winner SiB. I've had a WFDO pick similar to yours, and combo profile is just amazing.

I think I would be most worried about the seals in the lower unit in heat, expanding/softening into a size that no longer blocks/seals the armature gap.

I have the 1875 PVB and I float in 12", possibly less. I don't have talons or a jackplate on the back, just a 200HP Merc though. When I see skinny water, I'm generally not afraid to try it, the Ultrex 36v pulls me through pretty much everything. I don't recall Lund stating drafts on their models, but I assume the Renegade can go even skinnier with the mod-V hull.

The Aird-X is definitely slower than Daiwa's Tatulas, but not whippy to me. Whippy to me would be an UglyStick. I don't love the Aird's reelseats, and keep them as backups for friends who come along and fish with me once in a while, but they perform well for $50.

For my area, Navionics seems better for tidal water, but Lakemaster is good enough for local reservoirs. I switch between the two. The functionality you’ll lose is just follow the contour. But you can get around that by creating an iTrack which works as an overlay on Navionics. Everything else is just GPS based and will work, go to WP, go to SL, drift mode, iTracks.

If you're fishing some saltwater, go with a reel rated for it so you're not maintaining it as much, just a light rinse of water should be fine. You'll spend a little more upfront, but a 3000 size reel will pair with whatever rod he keeps upgrading to as he grows. https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Lews_Custom_Inshore_Speed_Spin_Spinning_Reel/descpage-CISS.html That's on clearance at Tacklewarehouse. I don't have specific experience with this reel, but generally Lew's has pretty good quality gear at this price level. For his current height, I'd go with a 6'3-6'6 medium power rod. That'll work for fluking, bottom fishing, and light cover bass fishing. https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Daiwa_Fuego_Spinning_Rods_2-Piece/descpage-FG2.html This is also on clearance, and for the price, it's a very good rod.

Are you in demo mode?

I've sent a rod to get the AGS guides repaired twice. I filled out the warranty form request and attached a copy of the invoice and I received a rod back in less than two weeks. You should call the CA customer service line during their hours to see what is going on, they're generally pretty responsive. Maybe they're waiting for a part.

Longer cigars, like Toros, Torpedos, Churchills work best for me. I have them in my jaw while my hands are on my rod and reel. It's hard to explain, but you don't want them burning too hot where they're producing smoke the entire burn, but you want them to produce smoke when you puff with your mouth fully closed. If they're producing too much smoke, you inhale air with your mouth and nose by making a "smile" where there's a gap between your mouth and cigar, so when you inhale the cigar isn't producing too much smoke and you're letting air bypass the cigar. A slight breeze definitely helps so that your exhale of cigar smoke isn't being retrohaled into your lungs. Also, the better the cigar, the easier it is to fish and smoke. Don't smoke a crappy $8 cigar for this situation, get something nice so that you're enjoying the fishing, cigar, and scene.