Jig Man

INMO your boat size, lake size, fishing style, wind conditions and time on the water should help you make that decision. My friend and I fish the same water. We both have 20+ foot glass boats. He has always had a 36v and I have always had a 24v. His is the 106 MG and mine is the 82 MG. Neither of us has a problem with power and we both fish windy conditions on Stockton and Table Rock lakes as well as the current on upper Bull Shoals in the early spring. I have been running 82s for 12 years and currently have 3 year old Optimas in mine. They are holding up all day long so far.

Not all brands of boats will give you that option. What boat are you going to buy.

If properly maintained they will go or a long time. My Optimax is almost 13 years old and has given me no problems. It gets a thorough check up yearly by a certified tech and he does what ever is needed to keep it in good shape.

Most of what I do is finesse fishing. I always point the boat into the wind for maximum boat control. I use what ever size weights to allow me to fish the bait the way I want to fish it. I may use anything from a 1/16 head to 1/2 oz on the same bait as the wind dictates. I have an 82 # thrust trolling motor and don't fish with anyone who doesn't have a strong one. In my type of setup boat control is the most important factor that there is. I never drift as I lose all of my boat control and presentation.

I make my own so I don't carry brands.

Kind of sad but true in this day of planned obsolescence in which we live. I jumped over the Gen 2 to the Touch and don't have it mastered yet now Gen III seems to be on the way.

I carry 2 5' Fenwick HMG rods that I use for finesse fishing. They handle grubs and my buck tail jigs very well. I have caught bass to 6.5 # on them. I have Shimano Symmetry 1000 reels mounted on them. There are only 2 kinds of line that I use on these reels; Original P line in 6# test and Power Pro braid in 8/1. I use the braid most of the time but switch spools to mono when it is windy. This has worked for me since I bought the setups in 2001. I don't use them every trip but they never leave the boat.

I wouldn't need a boat if I could hover like a humming bird. Till I figure that out I'll have to keep the boat.

Messing with battery acid is one of the major factors for me moving to AGMs.

If you want it to stay put get the 2" ball.

X2

This will be very interesting to watch. Some of the boat companies that he has bought have disappeared like the Kenner which was beating his Mako. Some of the others have been reduced in quality in my estimation. He has improved the quality of the Nitro in the last few years. It probably will take a few years to see which way he goes.

One thing to know is it will blow around quite a bit if you have any wind. So if you get it and don't already have a trolling motor. I suggest you get a fairly powerful one with at least a 45" shaft.

I'm not sure that you can get a good side and down in that price range. I use side for locating cover like logs and lay downs that are below the surface. Then I mark them and fish them either fan casting or vertical. I use down scan most as I can see the limbs and brush piles and sometimes the fish in and around them. If you can find a unit that you like, go for both but for me down is the most important.

I'm a Bear's, Lurecraft and Jann's customer.

The A rig would not even be in my top choices for April fishing at Table Rock. Spinnerbaits, crankbaits, jigs, worms, even top water would be used before A rigs.

It worked like a charm with my black USG golf rain gloves but didn't work at all with my beaded jerseys which I wear in colder times. Thanks for the tip and added clarity Wayne.

That I'll try. Your previous post brought up images of dipping a finger into that icy water and using it all day long. I'm heading to the boat right now to give that a try.

Mike that may be so but not around here. All anyone has been able to show me is the very small ones so I'll have to keep pulling off my gloves cause I'm not having a wet finger when the air is 27° and the water 39° like it was yesterday morning.

Most people who have something like that have it way over valued. They are not realistic in what something like that is really worth. $1500 is an insane asking price for a small motor that is 25 years old. If it is pristine $700 should be top dollar and that is probably too high.

I have a T9 and like everything about it except having to pull off my gloves to change anything. I can't find any gloves except ladies small in this whole area. I have tried several styluses and non of them work except bare handed. I am holding off on getting another touch as it is ranging from 20s t09 40s here and I am fishing with gloves and my G 1 HDS 8 has those nice buttons that I can push.

X2

Same here. Except I use paraffin wax instead of bee's wax. I have to add lead if I am doing several large jigs. I have never had a problem adding lead to a hot pot. I do hold it with pliers and slip it into the pot so I won't burn my fingers.

First of all you are carrying too much crap. When I bank fish I carry my spares in a shirt pocket. You know what works best so only carry that and leave the rest in the vehicle or at home.

Probably like it was1/2 full of water.