K1500

Does it have a HIN (hull id number) on it anywhere?

I feel bad when it happens but fish mortality is part of it. Some of the fish you think are healthy die after you release them. And more die if you run them around the lake in your livewell for 7 hours before weighing them in and releasing them. It’s all just part of it. Last fall I had to release a SMB that was about 1/4” short of the length limit on the lake. It sucks because I would have eaten it, but I am sure something in the lake dined well that night.

I like Senkos and Keitech better than the off brands, but based on fish per dollar, I don’t think any of the soft plastics are a ‘bargain’. I have hard baits that have caught 50+ fish in a single day, and will continue to do so until I lose it. Most soft plastics tear after a few fish. It seems like the soft plastic I like is less durable than some of the off brands, but a $10 jerk bait that catches fish year after year nets out to be cheaper than bags and bags of plastic. That being said, I don’t mind spending money on any of it if it will catch fish for me.

I don’t know about that specific prop, but I always carry a spare TM prop and wrench ‘just in case’ but I’ve never had to use it. I also carry a spare main prop with drive sleeve and tools if I go on more than a day trip. My spare is pitched lower and I swap it out in the summer when pulling a tube.

I used to get sucked in by the off brand or bargain bin baits. The. I would also buy some nicer baits and I realized that I almost always tied on the high end baits, so I mostly stopped buying bargain bin stuff. That being said, I have some H2O Express stuff that works just fine. On the other hand, I have never found a spinner bait or in-line spinner that was even close to the name brand stuff.

A trailer like that is probably going to bounce regardless of what you do. Perhaps adding weight that is securely strapped down may help. I tow a double axle camper with essentially no bounce, a 20 foot bay boat with some minor bounce, and a utility trailer that is substantially bigger than that (maybe 10’ by 6’) with larger tires and it bounces and rattles quite a bit when empty. It is the nature of things, but too much bounce can be dangerous. I would also look at kayak specific websites, as folks undoubtedly tow small trailers like that and have had to deal with that problem. Rough roads are going to be a killer for sure. Is there any way you can add a roof rack and ditch the trailer altogether?

No trailer tire that I am aware of is rated to go below 25 psi. The required pressure depends on the weight, the lower the weight the lower the minimum pressure. Table You may benefit from a hitch anti-rattle clamp. These can tighten up the slop between the hitch and receiver. Anti-rattle Finally, you may benefit from a bigger trailer and/or bigger tires.

I was a longtime spinning rod/LH retrieve fisherman. I had a few bait casters in LG retrieve before I got my first RH retrieve. It was a bit strange for a while but now it’s no big deal. In fact, I have several of both and don’t even think about the handedness of the reel when I fish. The hand transition is no big deal. It happens as the cast is landing and becomes natural. It also spreads the load out on your arms and shoulders to be able to switch. Both are nice, and I imaging you will end up with a few of both before it’s all over.

On a more serious note, have the guy in the back fish a Ned rig behind the boat. They will likely out fish the front angler.

Key question...who owns the boat?

I’ll be the dissenting voice. I have two BPS pro qualifier 2 limited edition reels. One went back for a replacement it was such a bad caster. The two I still have are both my least favorite reels. They don’t cast nearly as far as anything else I have, from cheap to expensive. I’m not sure what’s wrong with them, but there is substantial drag on the cast, regardless of the tension and magnetic brake settings. I won’t buy another one, and it kind of soured me on the BPS reel line in general.

I have generally been pleased with the mid range lews that I have (mach 2, etc). I have two American hero combos and they are low end for sure. I still use them but curse them when I do.

My American hero reels do the same thing, and it’s really annoying. Also, the mag dial numbers all wear off with a week or two of buying the reel.

Thanks for the advice, and I’ll still accept more. I figured the only major difference was the color of the plastic and the anode. I think the anode is actually built into the prop nut, and I believe I can simply buy the anode/nut from the saltwater version to gain that protection.

I’ve got a Motorguide Xi5 freshwater and an thinking of taking a week trip to the gulf. Any issues using a freshwater motor in the salt? I will pull the boat out of the water every day and rinse well with freshwater.

I sit if the fish aren’t biting much and stand if the action is fast. That means I usually sit...

It is never a bad idea to have too much tow vehicle. Be sure to check the cargo capacity. Generally speaking, 10-20% of the towed weight should be on the tongue. For a 3,000 pound tin boat and trailer, that’s 300-600 pounds. Most trucks run out of tongue weight far before ‘towing capacity’ remember that with small trucks, it is easy to max out the truck with a stout buddy in the truck and some gear in the back. This is before the tongue weight gets applied. A quick search netted a Tacoma with an 1,155 pound payload. So...if you and your fishing buddy weigh 250 each and you have the usual 250-350 pounds of junk (cooler, gear, camper shell, etc) you have about 300-400 pounds of cargo capacity left for tongue weight. Add your lightweight boat and you are at or over max. Throw in a third passenger and you are maxed out before you even hook up. I’m not saying it can’t be done, I’m just saying to run the numbers first. I drive 3/4 ton trucks, because I am hauling a family of four and have truck steps, a camper shell, and gear in the bed while towing. I’ve never wished I was in a smaller truck, except when filling up the tank. My guess is you would be more comfortable towing with a newer 1/2 ton than a Tacoma.

1. They are inexpensive 2. You can fish VERY skinny water 3. They are inexpensive 4. You can fish water without a launch 5. They are inexpensive 6. You can fish small streams 7. They are inexpensive I started in a kayak and it was/is a nice way to get on the water. I can only take a few hours before I want out, whereas I can fish all day in my 20’ boat. The kayak was a great ‘proof of concept’ that helped justify a bigger boat, and they open up so much more water than bank fishing does. They are the best ‘bang for the buck’, but I really love fishing out of my boat.

I would advise you to hang out at the boat ramp of the lake you want to fish and bend the ear of anyone who is willing to talk to you about their boat. Most folks won’t need much prompting to talk boats, especially if you mention you are looking for your first boat. In particular, ask folks in the smaller boats you are considering about the factors you care about. Things like seaworthiness, handling wind, waves, and wakes. How many days they get ‘blown off the water’, etc. Would they buy a bigger boat? Would they take their current boat out on bigger water. You can learn LOTS by asking folks at the ramp.

I’ve done it in cold temps before, but it wasn’t pleasant. It is doable, especially if you have a towel to dry your feet and calves off.

Crocks and roll your pants up. Stow the crocks and put on regular shoes once aboard.

Same date check is appropriate with signaling pyrotechnics. Some stores have out of date or nearly out of date stock.

He fishes alone and far from the ramp. The jumper cable suggestion is in addition to replacing his batteries. Some folks don’t think of it, and he mentioned how he really wants to endure his boat starts. Even new batteries can go bad and jumper cables can save a tow or a really bad day. But...you probably knew that.

Why do people bump 8 year old threads?

Throw some jumper cables in and you can always jump your main motor from one of the trolling motor batteries.