Smalliefan2

Little River. Used to be JR's long ago. Good rooms, marina with slips. Use Navionics card, since this is not a navigation lake, channel is marked, you just have to look for the markers. Our club uses Little River. Fun lake to fish.

Cabela's and another site.com also use some heavy duty tubes and packing so your purchase arrives intact. I was never impressed with Dick's. Really not hunting and fishing retailer.

Very cool idea. I use an old commercial rack I bought at a store closing. Holds 48 with reels on. Have my dad's custom, read craft show, rack for my 7'6" + rods.

Parents gave me a photo sitting on my grandfathers dock fishing at 3 years old, circa 1952. Than would mean just 67 years of chasing fish. Looking forward to the next 67.

Advertising and marketing are an expense, like wages, cost of materials, utilities, etc. $$$$$$$$ are built in the budget for expenses,and sales dollars cover that, and make the profit. Sponsor an angler, event, or use media, the folks with that budget responsibility make the decisions. If the result isn't satisfactory, you do something different next year . It is exposure, brand awareness, and sales. The question is how many of us made a purchase or ten because an angler used a particular item ? I plead the fifth.

If the question is speed, 150 trumps 115 everyday of the week. If it is quality, fit and finish, Ranger wins. Also look at the basic packages, electronics, trolling motor thrush etc. Both are probably pretty basic. For trailers, if I remember, Tracker is a rectangular tube, Rangertrail is channel. The ranger trailer will last much longer than the Nitro. Ranger always had a premium price, but is top of the line. I am also bias, I own a Ranger VS 175, 115 HP, had 13 years.

Both of the above are right. Fished BFL and opens as a co. Ask about the type of fishing your boater plans on, flippin, deep cranking or whatever. If they have a specific plan, you can bring the proper equipment, and have some idea how you may be able to fish. You are in their boat, and will have limited space. I would suggest no more than five rods, and a smallish soft side tackle bag. Watch the boater, some. If they are on fish, you can learn how and what they are doing. If not, you will always learn something from fishing with someone new. Most importantly, have fun.

There was an interview years ago with the Uncle Josh folks. They said the quality of the raw material decreased, and too much was unusable. Just wasn't cost effective,and if you don't make a profit, you won't stay in business. Secondarily, Uncle Josh was merged. I still have and use my pints of pig, plus own about 40 jars of U-2 pork to go with my hair jigs for smallmouth.

Check Kelly Blue book for boats, that will give an idea of worth, if you had to talk to a bank. They won't loan a lot over book. The x-135 is old, 10+ years. HDS 7 not so much. Toxic is on point with the other considerations. The other thing to consider is how long do you plan on keeping. Paying a little more for a boat you are not selling soon isn't a bad thing. I over paid for one, and had it almost twenty years, so that wasn't too bad.

Do your homework. Check Kelly Blue book, boats. All the above comments are spot on.

Mine ride in the truck bed, diagonally, reels at the front of the bed. Rods are in rod socks. I have a full rubber bedliner, and ARE tonneau cover. They do not shift around, and are protected.

Chattanooga, Tn. Weather is nice , no hotter in July than Tx., La. or Al. #2 lake , Chickamauga, with G'ville about 45 minute drive. Great Smokies are less than an hour. Work at home, whole city is fiber optic cable for the internet. No state income tax, property taxes low. Major medical facility here, plus support services. Atlanta is 90 minutes in normal traffic to downtown.

The 752 is '79 to '82. I have three, plus the 753. The other two should be the same timeframe. The 652 may have bushings rather that ball bearings, just my guess.

Sent a 3/4 football jig and trailer to the deep on 20#. Blew up the line on the reel also.

The sport is more expensive than it used to be. I really don't want to go back to the old rods and reels. New is lighter, smoother, more sensitive and cost more. Like others, I have a limited number of set ups I use on my home lake, but use others on different lakes. My newest electronics are five years old, oldest is 13 years. you know stone age. Baits, I could stock BPS. Again, different baits for different lakes, fish. Got a Ranger, 13 years old. I fish tournaments, team and solo. Team out of a friends boat, and never seem to have the rod or bait I need, because I carry a limited amount as a passenger. I do have what I need on my boat for the technique when necessary. Took a lot of my unused tackle and baits and donated to the local high school team. The other piece is I don't buy top end items,mid range is a good value at a reasonable cost. The difficulty is so much information, different , new techniques, you can have brain overload, instead of just fishing. I don't golf, go to sports events, travel much, plus I live on Chickamauga. Fishing is my passion, and release, so I don't feel I over do it, too much.

I use 6'8" St Croix Avid, M, XF with Revo S 30. 10# floro. Casts well, and drive the hook in. Enough flex so I don't lose too many fish.

Quality reels, if cleaned and lubed properly can last forever. I fish with 20+ year old 4600C's and they work just fine. I tear them down during the " slower" fishing season on Tennessee clean, lube and replace or install better parts as needed. I also have spare parts, like springs which disappear, pawls, screws, "C" clips etc. so when needed I can complete a cleaning w/o waiting for parts. Then I order my spares. Also, using several of the same models, my parts supply doesn't need to be very extensive.

My bad. I didn't realize anything goes in the boat that isn't required safety or bass related.

All of the above. Watch what the angler is doing, and file the lesson away for future use. I learn something every time I fish with someone new. May not be a lot, but it helps someplace down the line. Fish your strengths, and have fun. Good luck. Dean

I would recommend Dual Pro. Have a 12 yr old 15 amp, 3 bank in my Ranger. Absolutely no issues. Had a Dual Pro in my last boat. I would say one bank per battery, and 15 amps minimum. I can totally recharge within seven hours or less depending on how hard I run the TM, and be ready for my next day.

I use the 4600's, have seven in my boat. I also have a new low profile. The low profile has more features than the 4600's. The round reels are indestructible, and easy to maintain. The low profile is not comfortable to hold as my round reels. A matter of personal preference. I also have the 4500, 5500, 3600. A twenty -five year old 3600 Pro caster is my swimbait reel.

Coffee to start the day, black xtra strength. Gatorade on the water. Molson red or Labatts blue once the boat is in the garage.

I agree with Toxic. Get the highest thrust you can have. If you are limited to two 12v batteries because of space, like my Ranger 175, get an 80lb. thrust. I ran at 80 to 100% in two tournaments on the Tennessee river in the last two weekends, in the current to fish cover or an eddy. That was just to hold my boat in position.

I always use snaps on crankbaits. Gives a free pivot point for the baits action. Most come with a split ring, and I use a black snap, visibility isn't an issue IMO. Also, easy to change colors or styles, faster than retying. I don't have a downside.

Look at McClain rods. That is the Morgan McClain that owned All Star originally, until he was bought out by Shakespeare. Saw them at a fishing expo, just like the originals.