HenryPF

Had your style of boat with a 9.9 kicker on it only for that purpose, hp restricted lakes. Boy did that suck. I think i could get out and walk the shoreline faster than that thing at 100% throttle. Definitely do not get a kicker. Unless your current 40hp (even if it is a 2 stroke) doesn't weight that much, removing it and putting on a 9.9 is the way go to. However since I couldn't lift off a 40hp 4 stroke by myself, I wound up going to harbor freight and installing a cheap $60 winch (+$10 for bolts) on my garage ceiling. I also bought a $20 Mercury Lifting Eye for the motors. I built a motor stand outta 2x4s for almost nothing to keep the motors on. Made swapping the motors super, super easy and comfortable. Nobody wants to ruin a possible weekend throwing your back out or possibly dropping your motor. OH, here is your DO NOT DO THIS, horrible bad life pro tip to fix your issue. Just get a sticker and hope nobody notices:

My 2011 Hyundai Elantra came with no spare and that was a car. I'm guessing some manufacturers are skipping "normal" extras to save $$. My boat had no spare either and like others, I bought the matching rim, tire and mount. See this thread on helpful hints to go along with your spare (don't forget a lock):

Went out today like an idiot caught 2 and my hands got cold in like 10 mins, don't know what I was thinking so I went back inside. Fish are still cold would have though this is pre-spawn but fish tell me otherwise. Can't wait for warmer days where I can goof off all day long.

Don't need any research on the wood - you cannot use ACQ2 treated wood as the bunks behind carpeting or otherwise. The copper in that preservative reacts with aluminum and eats the aluminum. Here ya go: https://www.buchnermfg.com/pressure-treated-wood-and-aluminum

Same - caught like 12 in 45 mins. Already in stupid lure mode which means I throw whatever stupid thing I feel like which I haven't caught anything on. Think on Monday I am going to bust out the spinning gear and go with a Original Floating Rapala which I haven't used in like 40 years.

Just helped someone do this - move the bunks on the lift to match the spacing on the trailer so they don't hit the strakes - otherwise you going to eventually rip the carpet apart on the lift bunks. Are you worried about something like this? Where the bunks on the lift are vertical and the boat is lifted at the edge of the bunk where the boat trailer is angled? If so, unless you are trailer the entire boat and lift as one giant unit (which would look incredibly funny) you are fine. The bunks being angled on the trailer are designed to fully support a boat bouncing along with the trailer as you tow it. However, on the lift, you have no such pounding from the boat to the lift and you are putting almost no pressure on the edge unless somehow magically drop it up and down on the lift. Most boat lifts (I dunno about yours) allow you to angle the bunks if you want a more angled support like so but this is more for really deep v boats (like offshore) not a bass boat or mod v which have pretty flat bottoms. For even more trust, next time you are cruising your lake, look at how all the other lifts with bass boats are setup.

I have caught the same fish, in the same place on the next day. Caught a bass, hook was buried in the gut so I cut the hook in 1/2 with wire cutters and released. Next day, same fish still hit my bait with the hook down it's throat (I could see it). Have done the same with catfish. Awesome video:

https://www.aliexpress.com/w/wholesale-daiwa-handle-100mm.html?catId=0&initiative_id=SB_20230418210033&SearchText=daiwa+handle+100mm&spm=a2g0o.productlist.1000002.0 If you wait a few days, mine is due any day now according to tracking. I ordered these, because whatever handle and grips that came with the daiwa catalina from that tackle trap sale a long time ago, I do not like at all (powergrips). Would personally just buy from SDS customs if I knew they existed with war going on in Ukraine.

Skip the whole "it shows fish" thing. In perspective mode (15ft or less) and in forward or down mode, you would be amazed how well you can start understanding structure, rock piles, road beds, beds, etc. It really helps you understand what you are fishing, how far your bait is really in the water, etc. I have found bluegill beds in places where I never thought of, rock piles that look like no other on the entire lake, two sunken canoes, aluminum row boat and an atv. Downside: it really, really shows you fish laugh at your presentation.

v1.0. I need to not use so much foam, Forward and Perspective work just fine, everything breaks down to small parts and angle of the transducer is not an issue...

You are overthinking this, ANY mount from amazon will outlast your trailer including a simple U bolt depending on location (throw some anti-sieze on the threads). Your trailer/boat combo doesn't require a angled mount (and these I found a pain to mount the spare to/remove). I do not like the ones that mount underneath the front of the boat as sometimes they are a pain to get to on the side of the road and water sits on the rim rusting it out) Do not like (personal preference) Something like this will suffice: DO NOT do this (mounting area): The spare mounted in front can cause issues on crap boat launches where the spare starts dragging on the ground (rare) before the boat floats away. I leave it like the 2nd photo close to the tire (but not too close where I can't use the step) and sometimes it helps me get centered on the bunks on a windy day. Important! Make sure your lug wrench fits the same size nuts as the spare tire carrier. Make sure your vehicle's spare is accessible! Many trucks have that spare in front of the tow bar underneath the bed and that spare tire let-down system rusts out and you can't even let it down. For this trip or any other, make sure you have tools! Last week I sliced my sidewall wide open and I just had the normal tools that came with the vehicle while my many impact guns and sockets were sitting at home. They are in the suv now. Safe trip!

Semi-long post a coming. I had the Terrova and hated the transducer or ffs mounts available as sometimes I fish in the goop and those will just be giant weed catchers. I replaced it with a Force and motorized LMounts pole for the Force but I will zero on what you need: PVC and RAM mount, 2nd cheapest option. Works but hated the flip the pole in an out every time I went to different spot. Also didn't like leaning over to move the transducer or ffs around but this should not apply to you as you are running a single transducer and not ffs. The angle of the pole in the water to the side of the boat should not be a big deal with a transducer than with FFS. You will have to deal with a cable coming over the side of your boat to the unit. I then moved to Summit Transducer Pole With Quick Disconnect Transducer Mount with Summit Boat Mount Kit (still mounts via RAM) for a cleaner look (and I could use it for ice fishing) but again, you flip the pole in and out as you move spots and in my case worry about angle it is in the water. Most Expensive: you can go with 50 other non-motorized options as you will be basically looking for a Livescope transducer pole or any of the 100 homemade versions. If you worry about the angle the pole is in the water, you can get ones that slide up and down only when you move spots. This looks goofy on the side of your boat while you run, but it is aesthetics at that point. Cheapest option: regarding mounting the transducer to the terrova, the cable to the transducer must be precoiled to allow for spot lock using something like a hard plastic air hose or I saw some guy used a kryptonite coiled cable for a bicycle. https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=tranducer+to+terrova It will be as you said a PITA for cable management but it works but is cheaper than the PVC stick mount but either solution is running you under $20 (less RAM mounts). I have seen kayakers run the tranducer and FFS on the same pole. Also - look into something like the Scotty Transducer Mounting arm where you can mount the scotty base on the SIDE of your gunwhale and the arm just drops into place bypassing any worrying about the angle and massive amount of cords flailing about.

Still loving the cooling lakes this time of year, LaSalle been on fire since I like that launch more than Braidwood and I didn't feel like catching anymore largemouth bass off the shorelines. Again, 45 mins from Plainfield. The ponds in your area turn on this week due to the weather. Rain this weekend will funnel the fish to the normal spots. I caught so many fish this Saturday, my hands hurt and I'm taking the week off the re-coup. Watch the rod in the background, there is no sound.

I use 4 knots: Improved clinch for fluoro or mono to lure if I expect a snag Uni for leader fluro or mono to braid (fg is a giant pain) Palomar for braid or flouro to lure (this is going away) Double Pitzen knot for braid or floro to lure, its easier to tie but leaves 3 tag ends Other thoughts: I don't use superglue on double uni, it scraps my thumb on a baitcaster if the leader is long

Being the engineer that I am, I have solved your issues. Here is my technical diagram:

I am over 50. I deal with technology in the high end, so computers and etc. are my thing. I have 3 livescopes, 2 in the boat, 1 for shore fishing. I use them in a 50/50 ratio. 50% to find the fish, 50% to see the fish laughing at me. It removes a TON of dead water. However, I can sit with livescope on and be highly entertained with just a worm, split shot and hook right over the side of the boat. I just bought the 3rd one for shore fishing so i can watch the bluegills swim around in the backyard while I soak a piece of hotdog. It is either stare at the screen or stare at my rod tips. I choose livescope.

Soon as the water temps are around 55 degrees, the bass spawn. In about 2 weeks if the weather holds, the crappies if you ponds have em turn on. Checking my video records, I see that I usually start Around May 1st for the bass bite, red chatterbait, rattletrap, and crank.

I found out this year, but yes, they removed the 10hp limit and made the whole lake no wake. You can run any size motor there. You can also run the big motor within 200 feet of the launch for loading and unloading. I'll be heading out there soonish. Last I heard that the docks are going in (1 is already) and water temps are high 30s.

Natural ponds/lakes by you (I'm in Plainfield, near Shorewood) are still cold. temps for water are like 37 degrees and my retention pond is only 7ft deep. Fishing is still slow so I am out by the cooling lakes where its a balmy 70 degrees water temps. By the time cooling lakes go up too much, Heidecke should be turning on so I'll be heading out that way.

Bass it it's name, I am counting it.

AGM vs. LiFePO4s Everything is hyperlinked. A 70ah Group 27 AGM is around $180 (your posts) Two batteries for your 24v system, $360 You should discharge a wet cell or agm battery to no more than 50% This gives you for a 24v system 70ah usable between charges. A 50ah LiFePO4 battery is around $200. Two batteries for your system, $400 You can discharge a LiFePO4 battery to around 100% This gives your system 100ah usable between charges. LiFePO4s seem the way to go, but the on-board charger, $129 (2 bank, 5 amps per bank) or $220 (2 bank, 10amps per bank) will be your breaking point. So: $360 for two new group 27 AGMs, or $620 for 2 LiFePO4s w/battery charger at 10amps, $530 for 2 LiFePO4s w/battery charger at 5amps. $260 or $170 will solve your issue of space (50ah LiFePO4s are much smaller and lighter) and give your more of usage. Charging time is up to you. However LiFePO4s should not be charged in the cold (30 degrees or less) but discharge is the same in the cold as AGMs at -30% less ah overall. I am not choosing some crazy 10 year warranty LiFePO4s, just 5 year like the AGMs, price out LiFePO4s with a bluetooth functionality or LiFePO4s with BMS cold charging protection.

For these prices, I would just buy a Chinesium Battery at $329 with a 5 year warranty unless you need bluetooth. They even make mini 100ah batteries now. I won't replace my AGMs for another few years, but this one is on my short list unless I want bluetooth.

Here ya go, HUGE smallmouth! But I normally take video, put it on youtube but it is unlisted as it's most me goofing off, swearing and adding stupid sound effects for my enjoyment. Video editing is way too much work, so I do it during the winter months.

If you have a bunch of 18v batteries for your powertools, buy an adapter and run the Livescope from that. Saves you the charger and battery weight.