Big Rick

One thing to consider... If you fish shallower lakes with stumps, logs, and such to get hung on you don't want a boat with ribs that run the length of the boat. You'll want a smooth bottom like a fiberglass boat hull. My G3 is smooth and I seldom hang on a stump. On the other hand, the Ranger boats and others have these ribs that run the length of the boat. While this could improve turning on throttle it is a nightmare if you're fishing shallow with lots of underwater structure. Now, if you're fishing deep waters with very little on the bottom to bother you the deeper V hulls will handle big water much better and will be a bit more stable on throttle. Tracker boats have HUGE keels that protrude way down. My best friend has a Tracker and I can easily fish 3 ft shallower than he can. He runs aground and I'm still fishing. Just a few things to consider in the style of boat you need all depending on the waters that you'll spend most of your time on.

I've got the same boat, different size motor. It handles very well. I have thoroughly enjoyed mine. The biggest upgrade that forever changed my fishing was an Ultrex 80 trolling motor. It's a bit pricey but WELL worth it. Just a thought for the future since, you know, you came in UNDER budget......

When I bought my boat I determined that it would be my first and last boat. I intended to upgrade components as necessary but to keep the boat itself forever if possible. That said, I made sure it had the exact features I wanted with no compromise on the important ones. I upgraded the outboard and the trolling motor at the beginning. Now, a few years later, it's all paid off and I am still so thrilled with it every time I walk into the garage and see it. I have absolutely no regrets. BUT, I did a LOT of hard research and asked a lot of questions before pulling the trigger. I didn't want to regret my purchase 6 month in. And, I'm so happy to report I wouldn't change a thing. Now, I recently upgraded the trolling motor again and some of the electronics. That was easier to do with the boat paid for. And, it makes my experience with my boat that much better. And in theory, I got a "new" boat experience all over again. I said all that to say this. Please take your time and make sure you're happy with the boat you've picked out. Don't rush to buy the first boat you come to. DO NOT be pressured by incentives and special rates as they come and go and will come again. Don't buy a boat just because it fits the budget. You'll forever regret not getting the features you really want. After all, that is the whole point of the boat. The experience and the enjoyment of being on the deck of a boat that is tailored to your desires and style of fishing is beyond description. Other than that, it seems you just need to make up your OWN mind. You've been given lots of advice from every angle possible. Analyze it to your hearts content then make up your OWN mind and pull the trigger on what ever decision you've made. Above all, be at peace with yourself. And I am more at peace with myself and others when I am on the deck of my boat enjoying God's wonderful creation. There's no feeling like it in the world.

If this was an internet article please post up the link. I'd love to read it myself as I have no clue about using pop rivets on flukes.

This is my first experience with force beads. Siebert beads are powder coated and smooth. I plan to use them next week on a several day excursion, weather permitting. So, I hope to have a better idea of how well they work.

BPS Speed Shads. Great ribbed paddle tail swimbaits. Never had an issue with them. Much more durable than Keitech and others yet has great action.

Nope. Didn't intend to. I was just curious if this was intentional. And if so, what the advantages were. These won't. The magnetism is too strong. Now, I could use lead weights, but that defeats the whole idea.

So, I got my order in from Siebert Outdoors. Very pleased indeed. Highest quality components. I'm yet to fish any of it yet, but I'm definitely looking forward to using this stuff. That said, when I opened my size 6 Force Beads they were all clinging together. I took one out and it immediately latched on to the tungsten weight I had purchased from them. So, I tried other metal items. Sure enough, all the beads are magnetized. Which kinda defeats the purpose as I was intending to use them as a noisemaking clacker between my weight and hook. Can anyone give me some input here? I even dropped them several times to demagnetize them to no avail. I'm stumped as to the point of magnetism. It's not in the description on the website either. As you can see in the pic, I held them up with my needle nose and they all clung together.

Braid has a propensity to slip on the spool. So, use some sort of mono/flouro first to lock the line to the spool.

So, there are TWO different Fishmas??? Fishballer posted his rules 7 hours ago.....

Wow, you never know what you'll learn when you open a thread. Boat seat covers to wood fired ovens. I love this place. And that oven is awesome.

Did you happen to have a professional over run? So many of these "strong" lines will lose their strength when kinked due to a backlash. And you won't even realize it until you set the hook or even bomb a cast. Flouro has a lot of strengths going for it. But the few weaknesses are glaring. And often costly..

In most cases the snap/swivel isn't correctly matched to the rod/line test. Using a snap or swivel on a stiff rod with braid is a recipe for disaster. Utilizing a mono leader can lessen the shock factor and prevent failure. If I am fishing an application that requires braid I tie directly. However, I have had great success with the Mustad Fastach Clip using mono or flouro. I've caught bass up to 7 pounds this year using that clip and mono on a medium action rod. Ultimately, you have to match your equipment to make the snap or swivel do it's job.

BPS makes a "Double Down Plopper". I don't own one but it looks like overkill to me.... Most of their baits are inferior, IMO.. https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/Bass-Pro-Shops-XPS-Double-Down-Plopper

Give this video a watch and you'll be more in tune with what the fish do when you get a strike. It's amazing.

It's just a matter of the mods perusing the last few posts... They'll either edit out some of the last few posts or the thread closes entirely. They don't put up with vulgar language. And neither should they. We've got kids on this forum trying to learn how to fish. The mods aren't on this forum 24/7...

My Dad always said that using vulgar language proves that an illiterate mind really struggles to express itself...... Did you really have to go around the editing to drop an F bomb?? We've all already experienced your ire and angst at a guy who is bragging about his abilities by bragging on your own abilities..... This thread cracks me up!!

Go to the Local Fishing Forums to find fishing advice that's much more accurate for the time of year you're in. I'm in Mississippi and couldn't help you much as my local water is still 75 degrees. All the above advice is spot on for a newbie. Just remember that when you fish a Texas rigged plastic you have to SET THE HOOK!! and HARD!! Otherwise you'll be very frustrated as you reel a few turns with a fish on and he comes unbuttoned. And you CANNOT fish a T-rigged bait TOO SLOW. Especially, in the current water temps you're dealing with. You most certainly will have a tendency to fish it too FAST. It's human nature. Best of luck.

Step over to the Rods, Reels, and Lines Forum, do a little search, and you'll melt your computer with all the available opinions and advice found there.

Just today I went to my local tackle/hunting store (K&S Outdoors - Columbus Ms). I had bought a rod from them and knocked the eye out of the tip. I had spoken to Chad, a manager, about it and he told me to drop it off one day and he'd replace the tip for me. As I said, I stopped by today. Chad grabbed my rod and went to work. He had the tip replaced in 5 minutes and refused to accept any money. Customer service at it's finest. True, he got the replacement tip off a broken rod, but who cares! It works and I'm back in business. Now, guess who will get my business, even more than they already did? You can't replace customer service by lowering prices. Cheaper prices only work ONCE. If the service is bad then there will be one time purchases and no return business. On the flip side, I will gladly pay a little more to support a business that puts me, the consumer, first and foremost. Customer Service drives business. And the lack thereof also drives business.....AWAY. My local store is across the road from a DSG and yet is thriving. That's all because of the awesome service. Want a special bait? gun? They'll order it and call you when it's in. While the internet has put the brick and mortar stores on the edge of extinction those stores that put customer service first and foremost will survive. That's because people will pay a little more to be treated like royalty.

I have 3 Veritas that I use for spinnerbaits and small topwater plugs. They all are 7' Medium with a fast tip and work beautifully. There is just enough parabolic bend to prevent the bass from throwing the lure yet enough backbone to allow me to land fish up to 7 pounds thus far. I actually have 7 Veritas of different ranges and lengths and they are nearly bulletproof. Like a Timex, they take a licking and keep on ticking.

My favorite fishing holes are filled with cypress trees, stumps, and knees. That makes fishing a bladed jig very frustrating as they will hang up on EVERYTHING that they brush against. So, I try a spinnerbait first. If it's a no-go I'll pursue a paddle tail swimbait before I resort to trying a bladed jig. Now, if the fish are out in the open, it's on with the bladed jig. I can fish it faster and deeper which allows me to cover lots more water to find the fish.

Try this thread. It'll make you spend money you weren't planning to. But, you'll die happy!!

I've tried many brands and the closest I've found is the BPS Speed Shad. They have nearly identical actions. I test them in my pool. They biggest difference is the Speed Shad doesn't have the squid scent that Keitech uses. You can correct this somewhat by putting some scent on them, of course, and it seems to soften them just a touch which makes them that much better..

He also builds some of the best poppers in the business! TW carries them..