Tennessee Boy

Welcome to BR!

I have a Minn Kota Ultrex i-Pilot link and two networked Humminbird Solix. Here are some random thoughts on all of the features this set up provides. Lake Master Maps - Check to see if Lakemaster maps are available for the lakes you fish. There are a lot of things I don't like about Humminbird but I would never consider another brand of fish finder because Lakemaster is that much better than any other maps I've seen for the lakes I fish. Spot Lock - This is available on i-pilot and i-pilot link TMs. I use it all the time and could not live without it. i-pilot link sharing - like @slonezp said above. It's nice being able to mark a spot on the FF and be able to tell the trolling motor to go to it. Also, I usually hit spot lock on the TM as soon as I set the hook on a fish. A waypoint automatically shows up on the map screen marking the location which is very nice. Follow the contour - I use it sometimes but not as much as I thought I would. With Lakemaster maps and 360 imaging, following offshore structure is as easy as following the bank. Autopilot - If I'm not setting on one location with Spotlock, I usually have autopilot on. With i-pilot link, my Lake Master map shows two lines, one shows the boat's heading and the other shows the autopilot heading. I really love this feature and it's probably why I don't use follow the contour as much as I expected. It's easy to tweak the autopilot heading with the remote and see exactly where it's going to take you on the map. You must install a heading sensor for all of this to work as described.

I second that idea. Mono is the best line for learning to cast a baitcaster. Nothing is worst than a bad backlash with braid.

@Texicans you're doing it all wrong. You're not suppose to judge a rod by how comfortable it feels in your hand. You are suppose to judge a rod by how much it cost. If you're not careful, you're gonna end up with a bunch of inexpensive rods that you really like. This is very bad for the industry.

So, lets say you have a chain and you notice that one of the links in the chain is damaged and clearly weakned by the damage. Would it help to damage some more links in the chain?

Welcome

Welcome!

Welcome

I'm approaching retirement so I'm at a point in my life where I have plenty of money and not enough fishing time. I'm trying to maximize my catch and I don't worry at all about the cost of plastics. If a bait is damaged in a way that affects it fishability, it gets replaced. After retirement, when my income will be much lower and my fishing time will be much higher, I'll probably pay more attention to fishing cost and will probably try to get the most out of a plastic bait.

I remember well my last trip to Walmart several years ago. I was walking out to my car after a terribly long wait to check out with terrible service. The tower clock at the side of the building donged 4 times. I thought to myself, it can't be four o'clock already. I looked up at the clock and it showed 2:30. I thought, this place is nuts, and I haven't been back since.

Interesting info @TnRiver46. This is an informative video by the TWRA staring Bill Dance. It shows a gizzard shad and a young silver carp side by side. They look a lot alike as you can see.

You might want to go to a store that has several models and play with them to see which one you like. Ease of use is always a consideration.

I have a Minn Kota Ultrex and I use the built in Universal Sonar 2 (US2) transducer with a Humminbird Solix. I'm very happy with it and recommend it. It is nice having the transducer wire inside the TM shaft. What @PAbasser927 is saying about the power source does not make sense to me. It is usually a bad idea to power your fish finder and trolling motor with the same battery. People who do this often see noise on the sonar when the TM is running. This may be what PAbasser927 is refering to. With US2, you power the fish finder as you see fit and connect the built in transducer to it just like you would any transducer. The transducer does not need a seperate power source. It is just connected to the fish finder like you would connect an antenna to a two way radio. You could disconnect the trolling motor power completely and the fish finder and transducer would still work. I won't try to recommend a fish finder for you because I don't have any recent experience with fish finders in your price range. If you do decide to use the built in transducer, make sure you buy a fish finder that is compatible with US2. You will have to buy an adapter cable for the one you choose. Here is a link to the Minn Kota web page that list compatible fish finders and the adapter cable required for US2. https://www.minnkotamotors.com/learn/technology/trolling-motors/universal-sonar-2

Welcome!

I sometimes use my iPad on the boat. I can use the Humminbird FishSmart app and it gives me the same maps that are on my two Humminbird Solix. The thing cost $800 and it displays, zooms, and rotates the maps much faster than a $2,300 Solix. It's great to be able to have a dedicated map screen at the console so I can use the full Solix screen for viewing sonar images. I download the maps in advance so cell coverage is not an issue. I don't use it if it's raining or very hot. The maximum recommended operating temperature for the iPad is only 95 degrees. I don't use it very offen, maybe one in ten outings when I know I want to do a lot of scanning. I don't have a mount for it. I hold it or put it on the floor in the shade under the console. I'm just using it to guide the boat to the structure that I want to scan. When I don't have it with me, I use the Solix in the front of the boat for mapping which is hard to see or I use a split screen which reduces the resolution of the sonar viewing area. If I had a new iPad, I might be a little reluctant to take it on the water.

Welcome to BR!

Welcome

No.. I feel your pain but what choice do we really have. The selections at even the largest tackle stores are disappointing. Even if they do have something of interest, it's hard to know if you'll like it until you fish with it. It's a pain returning a rod that you've ordered online. It's a pain shipping a rod if you decide to sell one that's not working for you. Lots of pain..... now I need an aspirin ?. Good luck in your search.

There are very few rules, most of what you mentioned should be considered guidelines. When we hit the water, we have to decide what to try first. There are almost endless options when you consider bait, color, presentation. Use guidelines and your past experience (hopefully documented in your fishing journal) to decide what you will try and in what order.

Yes, they don't know better ?! .... just kidding. Angers that "do it wrong" include most pros so obviously you can catch fish that way. I will say that I'm very glad that 25 years ago I decided to switch to left hand reels on my slow retrieve rods. It didn't take long to get used to "doing it right" and it offers many advantages and no disadvantages beyond the initial time getting used to the change.

Personally, I can’t imagine not having both in my boat.

I hope someone can find a silver bullet that will get rid of the carp for good but I think that's a longshot. If we have to learn to live with them, I think commerical fishing can make a big difference. They are being caught and shipped frozen to China. They say the chinese prefer the wild caught from the US to their local ones that are farm raised. Apparently, they are endangered in their native habitat...go figure. Everything I've read says they are delicious. If they catch on here in the US, there could be considerable demand for them.

Amen!

Welcome!

I can say for sure that I'm still catching small bass on KY lake. In the areas that I fish, the bass are still spawning. Most of the carp horror stories seem to come from the northern part of the lake so maybe I haven't seen the worst of it. I am certainly not suggesting that it's not a big deal. It's a big concern for me and I encourage authorities to do what they can to fight the problem. I do think a lot of people are overreacting. These fish have been in some public waters for over 20 years. Can anyone name a body of water that used to have bass but doesn't anymore because of asian carp? I'm no expert and I welcome any new information that can help me better understand the problem but I'm seeking facts not myths.