Tennessee Boy

Welcome to the forum! Absolutely look for structure first. We always get interesting discussion on this forum and lot of different view points. I'll be surprised if anyone disagrees that you should always start with structure. To me it is second most important rule in bass fishing. Second only to you catch more in the water than on dry land.?

Many years ago while fishing docks in a night tournament, I started getting sleepy and was having a hard time focusing. I realized at one point that I didn't know where my line was. I started looking with my light and found that it was on the other side of the boat and moving toward deeper water. I set the hook and reeled in the big fish for the tournament. So yeah I've done that.... Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good.

I'm just going to be honest here. I'm REALLY jealous of you retired guys ?. I've got about three more years of labor. Work really interferes with fishing.

I think a lot like you do. I get more enjoyment from a comfortable boat vs a fast boat. Also, a good trolling motor and electronics will catch more fish than a big outboard. I have a Ranger RT188 with a 90HP Merc. Almost a third of the cost of the boat was for an upgraded TM and high end electronics. The boat tops out at 40MPH but I spend very little time running at that speed. I love being on the water and enjoy the extra time it takes to make a long run at 30-35MPH. All of that said, 20HP on a 178 is too small. I'm guessing your top speed will be in the low 20s at best. Getting the boat on plane with 3 people with 20HP will be painfully slow. You will spend a lot of time running at wide open throttle which will shorten the life of the motor. The small motor will also make resale a challenge. I think spending an extra $3K for a 50HP is money well spent or look for a used boat.

I'm not sure exactly what you mean when you say it is "overlapping over each other". You can't tell the age of the line by how its spooled. I will say this, if you are completely new to baitcasters, you might want to remove the braid and spool the reels with mono. Mono is much better for learning to cast a baitcaster. A backlash with braid can be a nightmare to get out. If you're a beginner you will have a few backlashes.

If you think the cables are bad, the five port ethernet switch cost $269. If you network more than two things, you need the switch. I have two fish finders, 360 imaging, and an Ultrex on my network. Ethernet switch and all the required cables cost a fortune. It does use the standard protocol and I thought about making my own cables and using a regular $20 switch. I wasn't sure a regular old ethernet switch could handle the harsh environment of a boat so I chose not to go the cheap route. Nothing worse than going on a week long fishing trip and having your network die.

They have different connectors than your standard ethernet cable. Yes they are expensive like all Humminbird cables. I looked into building my own and found that I could save about $15 a cable but decided it wasn't worth the trouble and I was concerned that my homemade cable might not be as reliable as a factory made cable.

You will need units with G3N in the title. I don't think they make a Helix 5 that is networkable but two 7s would work. All you need to connect the two is an ethernet cable. A 10ft cable cost $55.

Why not just use a smartphone? There are so many mapping apps available with different data sources. Can any portable GPS compete with Google Maps?

Anything you feel through the blank came through the line so I would rather touch the line. A short foregrip makes that easier.

I was wondering about you. We've missed the wisdom and experience you bring to the site.

@WRB is correct in suggesting that Bill Dance did more for Strike King than it did for him. Ray Scott's first bass tournament in 1967 was won by a guy from Tennessee named Stan Sloan. Bill Dance is credited with catching the first fish in that tournament. There was another guy from Tennessee in that tournament named Charles Spence . Charles Spence was the founder of Strike King. Bill Dance was an early partner with him in the company but left the partnership after a few months. That was probably a big mistake. In my mind, Strike King and Bill Dance will always be tightly linked. He sold a lot of lures for them on his TV show over the years. They were an important sponsor for him. It's very sad that Strike King is leaving Collierville, it's home since 1987 and the home of Bill Dance.

Your move to Tennessee won't be complete until you become obsessed with Tennessee football like all us crazy natives. If you live in Knoxville it will happen eventually. ?

I'm sure Strike King will continue to be one of the top fishing lure brands. It's always sad to me when a once great company is reduced to being just another brand within another company. Strike King has a great history in Tennessee. Bill Dance wouldn't be where he is today without Strike King.

I think you mean transducer, not transponder. A transducer sends and receives sonar pings. A transponder broadcast position, speed, and course information to other ships to help prevent collisions in busy shipping lanes. You should be able to price and buy an extra transducer for your unit on the Garmin website.

Where are you located? I’m in the south and I use my boat in the winter. The only thing I do differently is make sure I let the water drain out of the motor when I pull it out of the water. You might talk to a local dealer about what they recommend.

I don't use 2/0 hooks very much but I keep them in the boat and on rare occasions I will use them to fish a weightless finesse worm like a Slider. I think the action with the 2/0 a little better than a 3/0.

It’s easy to learn how to fish. It takes a lifetime to master it.

I actually think it makes it harder for some beginners. I'm convinced that most anglers would be better off if they forgot half of what they've heard, threw away half their tackle, and focused on getting really good with what they keep. It's hard to focus when you are constantly being exposed to new ideas that you don't have time to learn properly. There is no substitute for TIME ON THE WATER.

I'm thinking the same thing. Small diameter braid.

I just watched a special on CNN about the CBD craze. It contradicted half of what’s in this thread. You would think an organization like CNN would check bassresource.com to get their facts straight before airing a special like that.

@Jim- Indiana I know exactly what you’re saying. I think MLF/BPT has created a much more enjoyable format for the average spectator. The competition plays out over hours not days. The anglers fish more like the average angler fishes because most anglers fish for numbers more than for size. There’s also more action to keep your attention. That’s why it’s been so successful. I’ve been very critical of the new format because I don’t think it’s a good test of what I consider to be real fishing skills. Maybe I’m just old fashion. The good news is, as the sport becomes more of a numbers game and the next generation focuses more on numbers, there will be more big fish for us old guys.

MLF had to do this. They need a farm system to provide new talent. My guess it the FLW tournaments will switch to the MLF format. If I was BASS, I would allow all former Classic champions to fish the classic. That's the only way the classic can continue to be the most prestigious tournament in bass fishing. That would also give some of their anglers a chance to make a name for themselves fishing against the best in the world.

Yes, that is my understanding. There maybe a way to get service from Shimano Japan that I'm not aware of. They are not supported by Shimano America. It could also be difficult to get parts for the reel. Looking at the Scorpion DC parts diagram, it looks like most BUT NOT ALL of the parts are the same as the Metanium DC. I can't say that for sure but it looks like it to me. I'm sure others here have more experience with JDM reels and can share their experiences. Personally, I've owned more reels in my lifetime than I can count and I have never had one serviced under warranty so I'm willing to take the risk. It is a risk though.

For several years I charged my batteries with everything connected and never had a problem. There is no guarantee that a charger won’t damage your equipment. I now have switches on my batteries that I turn off when I pull the boat out of the water. Switches are cheap and provide a layer of safety against a number of things that can go wrong.