billmac

Never mind. I found it.

It's difficult to tell, but I think the collar assembly itself may be warped. Can you buy parts for these mounting brackets? I can't find them.

I've tried locking it in higher, but with the same results.

What do you guys use to cut braid, like the tag end when you tie on a lure or a leader?

Yes, full range of motion. Not sure about level.

That's where it binds (pulling it up). The mechanism isn't binding as such, but as you can see, the prop end of the motor is hitting the mount as I pull it up. The collar is trying to force the shaft downward. Something may well be bent or twisted but I can't see it.

That's where it binds (pulling it up).

The used bassboat I purchased came with a 40lb Minn Kota Edge trolling motor and mount for lowering it into the water. I can't seem to quite get it right. The mount is already attached to the bow but if I lock the trolling motor into the bracket, it binds when using the mechanism to lower it into the water. I have to loosen the collar holding the shaft of the TM significantly to give it enough play to get down into the water. Ditto for hauling it up out of the water. It will come up but not sit flat onto the gunwale unless I loosen that collar. I'm sure I'm doing something wrong but I can't figure out what. I'm not sure I'm explaining this very well, but I'm hoping it's something obvious I'm missing. Thanks.

Daiwa Millionaire

I agree with others that confidence is key. While I've caught fish on spinnerbaits, I don't have a great deal of confidence in them. But I absolutely love the jig and spinner combo (like the Meeny Spin) which is effectively the same thing. I've always had more confidence in curly tail plastics as opposed to straight ones. I can't imagine anything wanting to bite a hair jig, but one of the top teams at the recent college BASS tourny cleaned up on hair jigs.

I can't say enough about the reactions of the teams as they came across the stage. They just shook their heads in wonder at this fishery, mixed with a little frustration for a lot of them that the biggest bags of their lives couldn't even get them in the top 50.

Sam Houston ended up taking it. I was working the weigh in. One of the top teams had a 22 lb bag in their first 7 casts. I'm the faculty advisor for the Clarkson team (the tournament hosts) and they were 7th every day so we are very proud of them. Even with only 12 teams on the water, the beds were pretty much depleted today and they had to rely on more traditional fishing. Several of the anglers complained that their hands were torn and bleeding from landing so many fish. One team said they caught about 40 4 pounders on the final day but a 16 lb bag didn't cut it this week. The overall weigh in record was smashed by 1000 lbs with 50 fewer boats.

Yeah, today is the final day and there's only 12 boats on the water today. Good luck.

Yesterday was tougher. Rained all day but the anglers still hauled in a bunch of 20 lb bags. The anglers are coming to the stage just shaking their heads. Most of them have never fished anyplace like this. It's a nice day today for the final 12. I imagine they'll spend the day scouring beds for the biggest 5.

I have had the privilege of volunteering and working the weigh-ins at the BASS college tourney in Waddington NY on the St. Lawrence river. The catches have been unbelievable. On day 1, a 20 lb bag (the biggest bag some of these guys have ever caught) was good for 85th place. The average bag over 147 boats was 20lbs and the combined weigh in broke the previous record by 600 lbs (set by a field of 200 boats). Only 2 teams failed to weigh in a 5 bass limit. One student was asked whether he would come back, and he replied that he might never go home to Indiana. Top 12 compete today.

It's amazing you guys have never caught a pike, unless you are fishing waters that have bass and not pike. On any given day, pike are the more aggressive fish. Pike are a blast, especially on topwater lures.

A lot of people don't bother, but if you like to eat fish, pike are a great eating fish. The filet techniques are a little different to get around the Y bones, but on big pike like those it's well worth it. Pike have a firm, white flesh and are delicious (if you like fish).

Is there a cheaper, but decent alternative to the jigging rap? Thanks I did pick up some Berkely snap jigs but I haven't tried them yet.

I saw the skeet reese rods but they didn't have the action listed, and the color was pretty awful. Good price though.

On the used boat I purchased over the winter, I have a Hook 7 mounted on the console. I would like to put something on the bow so I can adjust my position when I'm up with the trolling motor. But as always I'm on a limited budget. I'm assuming I would put the transducer on the trolling motor. What are your recommendations? I'm thinking in the $100ish range. Thanks.

FYI dodgeguy, it was the Dick's in Poughkeepsie where I bought the rods. I don't live near here but I'm down for a training class. I'm going to give the leaders a try and see what happens. I'm normally a uni-knot guy but I've been looking up Alberto knots and I'll see how it goes. My M/F was meant for crankbaits anyway, so maybe I'll spool that one up with mono. What size mono is typical for crankbaits? I'm kind of an "8lb mono fits all" guy but that might be a little light for a crankbait setup.

All the specs I can find on the Carbon Fire don't mention microguides. They seem small to me, but they might be fine.

These things have tiny guides. I had planned to use braid with a fluoro and/or mono leader. Will the tiny guides hurt my casting?

Well, I picked up 3 Lew's Carbon Fire rods. MH/F casting, M/F casting, and M/F spinning. Not exactly the specs I was looking for, but they were on sale for $40 each and I think I can make do with these. They had a surprisingly low number of bare rods, and about a million rod/reel combos. It looks like if you want something other than a Fast tip, you have to order online. At least with the stores I have access to.

I see a lot of guys recommending super-gluing plastics to jig heads. I've never done it, but I understand the why. I was just wondering if it messes up the jig head. Eventually that plastic will get torn up and have to be replaced. Does it leave little chunks of plastic and glue residue on the jig head? I just kinda see this making the jig life a little shorter. But maybe it peels right off. I don't know.