Krux5506

I use a Minn Kota 330PC and it remains plugged in whenever the boat is not in use, unless in storage for the winter.

Every body of water is different and there is no one size fits all when it comes to fishing them and using plastics. Then factor in the occasional bulk sale, and it can be pretty easy to start getting overrun with different plastics.

True. It's not a small 'ducer, but it does fit my Predator PDL dang near perfectly.

Something else I kept noticing when shopping for them online...I had to keep reading the descriptions carefully. The ones that appeared to be better deals than others, often did not even include the transducer, especially those on Amazon. They would show the same box, package etc with very similar descriptions but mention transducer not included! Seemed weird to me...

That may be the price with the updated transducer. I just kind of went through this same thing buying mine, I paid $850 for it because it has the newer (supposedly better) GT56 transducer.

95% of people in my home waters abide by the no wake/5mph going through channels leading from the bay to Lake Ontario. I was out on a jet ski last weekend going through a channel when a big lake fishing boat came up behind me and passed me in that half on plane "plowing water" speed that just totally swamped out the channel and everyone else in it. He may as well have just gone 30 through there as his wake would have been half that of what he was doing. At the end of the day, in my opinion, there's not much you can do about it. If by chance a sheriffs boat or maybe coast guard witnesses it, "maybe" they'll stop them and "maybe" they'll get a ticket, but I've never seen it or heard of it happening around here.

My garage isn't the neatest but everything does have it's spot, including the kayak...for now. Maybe once it's not brand new I'll start storing it outside but for now it's doing just fine in the garage.

Always good to have those back up spots for the harsh weather days. Don't worry though I'm over 4 hours away from it, lol.

After finally getting my Predator pdl I can say for sure kayaking is worth it.

Depends greatly on how much you use the boat per season. I might be around $300 annually, on average for typical service. I'm not using the trailer much at all - I tow the boat to my family's cottage and back and the boat stays down there from about April til early November. I hardly even use the boat during the dog days of summer the past few years. Part of me is amazed when I see people say that you should change certain things like plugs or a water impeller annually. But again, I really think if you're putting heavy hours on your boat every year, that would be more necessary.

If I'm fishing new water I get more excited than if I'm just going down to my "home port" where the cottage is and getting out on my boat. Even though I do love it down there, I feel like I've fished the heck out of that bay and it's generally the same. Exploring new waters, using new methods and especially finding fish in those new waters is what still excites me. I just don't feel quite as obsessive over it all anymore now that I have a family and things I just have to prioritize over fishing, without question. So, when I do get that rare fishing day to myself, I'd say I'm pretty excited. I remember when I used to fish every day the excitement switched to "burn out" pretty quick during the summer.

I always knew I liked kayak fishing but my first kayak I had for years was a cheapo Field and Stream Talon, super uncomfortable and actually pretty much crippling. Just last week I received my Predator PDL and I've been out only once on it but I can now see how much more addicting it can be with an actually NICE kayak that allows for such easy rigging, tons of storage and comfort. Night and day difference from my first kayak. I still like my Lund but it lives at my family's cottage on a hoist - I do not travel much with it. I figure that's what the kayak is for. It'd be hard to sell my boat since my kids like it too but I just don't have the time to use it like I did before they were in the picture. Now I really just like the simplicity of throwing the yak in the back of the truck and going anywhere.

Already ordered one after saying I'd never get into using electronics on a kayak. There were fish surfacing everywhere but I don't think they were bass.

I hit up Hemlock lake last week with a new kayak...Not the best day to fish that place for the first time ever, with 20+ MPH winds there was white caps out there. Still got into a bunch of small fish but could absolutely not believe how fast I drifted from the launch. Really looking forward to getting back there on a somewhat calmer day, and once my kayak is rigged a little better. Mostly just fished along shore catching dinks along the way. Any suggestions on depths if I want to target smallies out there? Hard to tell with no fish finder at the time.

Welcome. I'm about an hour and a half from you in Rochester but keep my boat at my family's cottage in Fair Haven. Never fished the Oswego river but I've seen plenty of impressive fish pulled outta there.

@VTFlier what do you have this unit mounted on? Boat or kayak?

Most powder coats have a curing window meaning you can over bake them for a certain amount of time before you'd get adverse effects. Not exactly sure if powders like pro-tec provide those numbers but in more industry standard products everything has data sheets that provide info like that.

My rule of thumb is if you're within casting distance of my boat then it's too close. I especially get annoyed when approached in that regard, as well as when someone acts all standoff-ish. Like, dude, you came up to me, not the other way around. If you're friendly and cordial, I'm the same exact way, and could care less if you're fishing too close. If you're a jerk, get lost...

The car market must have gotten a lot worse since last year when I bought my wife's new Subaru Ascent. That car was under $40k, AWD, supposed tow capacity of 5k. I also got 6 years interest free on it through Subaru and the dealership gave me way more than I expected for a Chevy Cruze trade in. It was a far better deal than buying low mileage used at that point.

I keep my boat on a hoist at my family's cottage. If I'm down there and using it, it's going to stay uncovered all weekend rain or shine. Boats are meant to get wet, but the sun will just absolutely cook them after a while. Even though it's the biggest pain in the A, I make sure it's covered and strapped down before I leave it for the week. Someday I would like to have one of those roof frames + canvas tops they make for these hoists, but last I checked it would run about $1500 and that was a few years ago.

Maybe if you're towing it with a Honda Civic....

What kind of boat and what's the current finish? I've pondered this a bit with my Lund. They are factory powder coated so the most I would do is scuff it down, epoxy + urethane it...But I own a paint shop and still don't even really want to do it quite honestly.

I dunno, people do weird stuff. I probably would have just politely asked if I could get by to use the ramp. As I get older and far less interested in confrontation, the old saying about catching more flies with honey than vinegar seems to ring more and more true. That's just me though, as a recovering hot head.

Still waiting for my Old Town predator pdl. Ordered it I think in April, maybe early May. Old Town has been so screwed up with their inventory and shipping though, I expect I'll see it maybe in August.

When you defy the odds with a specific bait it's when we start going a bit nutty in our fishermen heads. I fished bluebird skies yesterday, with calm conditions throwing ned rigs, T-rigs, and drop shot with practically zero luck. I picked up my spinnerbait rod with a half oz Z-man spinnerbait and a smallie smashed it first cast. Didn't happen again after that, but still...