Big Rick

I was so surprised by the weight, or lack thereof, I brought my wife out and got her to hold the battery with one hand. She was as shocked as I was. It's one thing to read a weight. It's a totally different thing to FEEL that weight.

I have a 2009 G3 175 Eagle with a 2011 90 Yamaha.

Got my stuff in and just installed it. I was really surprised at how light the batteries were! I knew they were lighter but actually holding them was very surprising. My battery compartment pic was taken a bit prematurely. I hadn't cleaned up the cables and wires yet. One battery sits a little higher than the other due to the live well drain running under it, the joys of putting a 24V system in a boat designed for a 12V system, I guess. I got them charging up now and can't wait to get it on the water next week to see if my investment was worth the effort.

Look at the second topic in this forum. Once you get through it you will have a better grasp on one of the best "fake" worms ever made.

Slightly off subject but have you used their swayback swimmer? If so, how'd you like it?

Ever since I dipped my toe in the BFS water finesse fishing is much more palatable to me. I still prefer power fishing, but I sure don't mind finesse applications with BFS gear.

I always use a relatively short leader on trebled topwater baits because I manage to get the hooks tangled in the braid on walking retrieves. Seems every time I pause the bait the limp braid gets in my front hook. I use P-Line Topwater as a leader. It floats really well, has just the right amount of shock absorption on hook sets to prevent tear out or bending, and is just stiff enough to keep the braid away from my hooks. All other single hook applications get straight braid. I use 30# Power Pro.

@bulldog1935 is the resident guru on BFS. Maybe he'll weigh in and share some pics of his amazing gear as well.

I won't get into a debate with you, but I said exactly what I meant. We ALL justify our expenses and ultimately make whatever sacrifices necessary to buy what we really want. I'll say this and then shut up about the matter. I daresay a smoker would put priority on cigarettes over other items. I don't smoke. At $5 a pack that adds up quick and could put a LiFePo battery in ones boat quicker than one would realize. It's all about priorities. We ALL justify where we put our money. That doesn't give us reason to complain because we choose one thing over another. Choices are made and consequences are paid. And anyone that has the ability to solo launch a boat, fish for hours, load the boat back up and drive home can also find some source of income in this day. Jobs are a dime a dozen with employers paying more than ever. If I am healthy enough to fish solo out of a boat, I am healthy enough to work at least a few hours a day as well. YMMV Rant over.

Those were my top reasons for upgrading as well, along with the thought that I may never have to dive into the battery compartment to replace batteries ever again. 3,000 discharges may well last me the life of my boat.

Healthy debate here. Sides are pretty adamant about their choices. The people that have "upgraded" to LiFePo batteries say they'll never go back to lead acid. The people that haven't yet "upgraded" are saying they can't justify the costs. Both sides have valid points. I guess it all boils down to your budget, fishing habits, and what your intentions for your boat are long range. I'll play the guinea pig here as I have waited this long to upgrade due to inhibitive costs and availability. I don't fish weekly, but I may go twice in a week, so these batteries will see some use for sure. I'm looking forward to the adventure and trying new technology (to me anyway) to improve my fishing experience.

How about...... consistent. We'll leave it at that.

I completely understand budgeting for a project. I have 5 boys and 3 girls.

Considering the times you can discharge and recharge the lithium batteries versus the standard lead acid batteries LiFePo batteries are actually cheaper over the life of your boat.

Well, I went with the Tracker Batteries. I had $140 in points and they had free shipping so I saved a 4 hour round trip drive with gas at $4.00 a gallon as well. I also got a NOCO charger on the order. I'm excited to see how well my Ultrex will perform with the LiFePo batteries. Barring some issue with them this could very well be my last battery purchase for this boat. And saving 100 pounds on the stern of a 17.5 ft G3 will also reap positive benefits as I fish a lot of shallow water. Thanks to everyone for your input and advice. I weighed it all carefully before pulling the trigger on my choice and your input definitely had an influence on my final decision.

True, but BPS has a great reputation on product returns that gives me confidence in purchasing a "kinda new" product from them and taking the chance they'll take it back if defective.

Glad to hear it. I intend to buy from there. I know I can save $100 on the front end buying online, but I'm leery of a warranty issue and shipping costs to get one replaced.

While I do agree that this thread has taken a turn, it is still on topic, generally, and isn't bashing any person on here or any company in particular. As I have stated in other threads, I love free speech. Even speech I don't agree with. That's what has made America what it is. And what we are quickly losing sight of: individual thought and ideas. That said, I have learned some things about lithium I didn't know and gained some other insight as well. I appreciate the forum mods allowing some leeway with statements and thoughts that may push against the barrier a bit. Otherwise, we might as well all be robots on here with no individual thoughts or ideas. Let's leave the thread open and truck on. Thanks. I'm confident your larger boat dealerships would keep a line of lithium batteries.

Welcome to Bass Resource. Be prepared to see many posts from brand fanboys touting the wonders of their brand. Most all the brands have reels that are quality and will fit your need. I have found that it is mostly trial and error as different reels fit your hand differently so you really need to go to a brick and mortar. That will allow you to palm several reels and narrow your choices. Because at the end of the fishing trip if your hand is all cramped up due to trying to hold your reel securely you'll end up not using it as much. I can't speak to an MGL because I don't own one. I do have a K and it is a nice reel and smooth as butter. I will also clarify that I own more Daiwa than any other brand, so my opinion is limited on your two chosen reels.

True, but the relion comes with a better warranty. If that even means anything. I'm torn about ordering a battery online versus a brick and mortar purchase for warranty/issue purposes.

Curious if anyone has experience with this Tracker Marine Lithium Deep Cycle Battery. I'm looking to upgrade and these 60ah units look to be my size and power. I run a 80 lb Ultrex 24v on my 17.5 ft G3. I only have room for group 24 batteries. Any input or advice?

Seems to me your best time to buy a boat is November 1st. First, the new wife is still enamored with you and you can get away with the new boat purchase with little to no flak. Two, the feds just raised interest rates today for the first time since 2018. Look for sales to stagnate with $5-7 fuel. November looks to be your magic month. If you hadn't already painted yourself in the corner with the above quote I would solidly be in the corner with @A-Jay and tell you the time to buy is when you're ready to buy.

I love mine. I have several Tatula's in differing styles and definitely get more enjoyment jig and frog fishing with the Elite pitching reel. The larger handle is a definite plus. It also skips very well. I've had it 3 seasons and caught a lot of fish with it.

Quick update: I finally got to use my new setup for a few trips. Caught some fish and actually kept getting lighter lures out until I was throwing the lightest I had, which was the Jackall PikuPiku at 1/10th of an ounce. I could cast it as far as I desired, which was a bit surprising to me since it is shaped like a crescent moon with trebles on each end causing all kinds of floating and drifting on the cast. What this foray has really done is caused me to want a sho nuff BFS reel instead of putting a spool on an existing reel. But, inventory is pretty much non-existent right now, so I'll just have to bide my time. Anyway, here's a pic of a nice fish I caught yesterday on a 2.8 Keitech. The bass made several runs with the drag set light and I thoroughly enjoyed the flex of the Majestic Rod (thanks again, @bulldog1935). I can't wait until the fish are hitting topwater so I can make the most of my PikuPiku.