Vilas15

It looks like they're close enough it could come down to the styling. Do you like the blue accents and SLX on the side? I've got an MB and haven't had any problems with it.

The fish's "angle" is different in every encounter. They don't look at baits from a perfect side view every time like the photo. Crankbaits especially roll and wiggle so that even eyes on top of the head are probably visible from the side.

All mine got hooks on them ?

If you're looking for large walk-the-dog baits there are plenty of options in the musky world starting at 6" on up. Weagle, one-eyed willy, jackpot, etc.

Is this at a super steep boat ramp? You may just need to stop even shorter and crank it up more, or maybe use a little power to get it on and crank the rest. If the hull is on the bunks then the bow should be high enough.

Only thing i dont like about them is that spinning reels are a pain in the rod box.

This is why I think it's unlikely anything can/will be done.

First thing to check if it doesnt even turnover is always the killswitch. Maybe the lanyard got pulled somwhow. Rule that out before you spend any money like many people have before.

Walleye and pike/musky can be held by the gill plate as long as you keep your fingers out of the gills and gill rakers (for their sake and yours). Otherwise walleye can be held by the belly, or a hand over the back behind the head. Watch out for the spines in their dorsal fin. Don't use a fish grip to hang a big pike/musky vertically, but it can be useful for holding them still while getting hooks out. Hold them horizontally with one hand on gill plate and another on the belly, or one hand wrapped around the tail and the other under the belly near the head.

I've got one and it's great for everything listed. That 1/8 to 1/4 oz range is perfect.

1000 acre lakes with a 16' deep V. I'd say 15 mph is my max. There's a big scratch on the side of the boat from a day with 20 mph winds gusting to 40 when I didn't get off the water in time and wind was blowing into the launch.

Same, there's some lily pads in one corner of the 10 lakes I fish and I don't go near 'em.

15 lb braid to 8 or 10 lb mono.

I agree that would likely be the solution, but the problem is it's not an option.

I think at that point the 5th wheel might end up towing the sentra. My average musky bait is 3 oz, and yes sometimes it does feel like I'm just lifting weights out there when I don't see a single fish all day ??

I think as long as the line tie isn't centered in the middle of the back it would be able to dive. It's about where is the force pulling it located vs. where is the force of the water resisting. The lure dives until it reaches equilibrium and the angle of the line is just right where the upward force (line) equals the downward force (water pressure on the bill or flat surface as you pull it). Buoyancy/weight can fall in either category depending if it floats or sinks.

I was going to suggest the same. I'd think superglue would work too. Make sure to set the bait straight and not on its side so the rattles wouldn't end up stuck to one side or the other, you want them in the middle to keep balance right. Maybe try a sacrificial bait and crack or cut it open to see where the rattle chamber is so you know where to drill the hole. If you want to remove them entirely for a silent and lighter bait, then good luck with that!

I checked it out thinking how bad can it be? ? I agree with one of the comments "sounds like it has gravel for bearings".

Only good thing is I can't get bit off by a small pike ?

Haven't seen a bill like those before.

That's the plan this spring! This is why I'm thinking I might only break the warts out at night during the summer when the smallies come shallower, otherwise during the day they'll be god knows where probably in 15-20'. They make a deep flat wart, but I'm hesitant to try it. That's why I was thinking about trying the Rk Crawler since it dives deeper and would work better for me in the summer. I'll look into the two you mentioned.

How and when do you fish wiggle warts for smallmouth? Only grind them in the rocks or are they good for weedlines, or over the tops of weeds too? They're known as a colder water spring/fall bait, but does that prevent you from using them in the summer? Do you only use them dawn/dusk during summer when fish would be up shallower on rocks within the diving range of a wiggle wart? Im thinking about putting some lead strips on mine to cast better and get them down deeper. Do you prefer similar baits like Spro Rk Crawler, 6th Sense Curve 55, Major Craft zoner hunter?

They come with a snap on them if i remember right, so thats what ive used.

I agree they should try to account for those things in their pricing. But what does that have to do with tipping? Tipping shouldn't be expected to make up the difference, unless you think that a tip should depend on the price of gas at the time, etc. "I wasn't going to tip but the guide said he had to fix his truck and get a license." Tipping should depend on the service provided, and maybe if you break something then it would be nice to offset the cost. If the guide doesn't price the service appropriately and needs tips to break even, then maybe include a mandatory 15% tip like when you've got a large party at a restaurant.