Jig Man

Look at Lure Parts on Line, Jann's Netcraft, Barlow's Tackle Shop, Lurecraft, Bear's Baits, Stamina Inc, Caney Creek, Jacob's, Del Mart Molds. There are lots more but I use them most. If you go for the silicone cups. Google nor por and you can order them. Bed Bath and Beyond has some but they can't stand the heat. Harbor Freight Tool Sales have the cheapest infrared thermometer I have found.

Plastisol starts out looking like milk. As you heat and stir it begins to look like epoxy. Then it thins out and turns clear. After it turns clear you add the colorant and glitter. As you can see smalljaw was 100% correct with his answer.

There are two types of molds (hand pour and injection). Be sure you buy the one you want to use. If you get the injection type you will have to buy injectors to go along with it. You need a dedicated source of heat (hot plate or microwave). I have both but prefer the microwave. Good gloves to handle hot stuff. I use the ones from Bears' Baits...good to 500°. Colorant and glitter. Softener, hardener, and heat stabilizer. Plastisol Pans if you go hot plate Cups if you go microwave (Pyrex or silicone). I prefer the silicone except for pouring swirls then I use a divided Pyrex. You will save lots of plastisol if you buy an infared thermometer. You also need a place with ventilation (not in the house) for your work station. The list is nonending but this will get you started. My stick mold is from Del's. It is a 4 cavity 5" for pouring. It allows me to pour single, laminates and swirls. You can also make your own molds but that is a whole different ball game.

It is. I had a limit of keepers last night and they were caught on 4 different bait all of which I made. My advice to you is pick something that you like to use and don't mind having lots of colors and several hundred on hand and start making them. When you decide what you are going to make let us know and we may be able to point you in the right direction.

Use the 10 am setting not the 2 for charging.

The thermocline is the snowy looking stuff that starts about 28' in this screen shot.

If you have any accessories running you may not get a good charge especially with today's electronics without a charger. I'm no mechanic so I can't speak to his statement. All I can say is I use a dual pro 3 bank charger that is always hooked to my cranker and have been doing it for 12 years with no ill effects.

Those are two different ends of the spectrum that need totally different equipment. You can't ever make enough bullet weights to offset the cost of a lead melting pot. For plastics you need a dedicated microwave, pyrex or nor por cups or some hot plates and dedicated melting pans. Then you need a mold, some colorant, plastisol, gloves, and goggles. The list goes on and on but you can get started with just this. If you are doing it to save money DON'T because it won't. If you are looking for a hobby then by all means jump in but I'll warn you in advance whether wire baits, soft baits or hard baits there is no end and it can become an expensive hobby. My first injected tube cost me over $300. Slowly the cost is coming down but it will take a long time to get down to store costs but I'm not in it to save money. I'm in it for the pleasure of catching fish on stuff I make that no one else has.

The sky was bright blue and the wind was very low. I looked at the placement of fish and bait in the water column. There was a thermocline at 25' and almost nothing below that. Most everything was in the top 10-12'. I hit a couple of points and picked up a couple of keepers in less than 10 fow. We kept the boat less than 20' and threw to around 3'. After a couple of hours we stopped fishing the bait all the way back as we got no bites deeper than about 8-10 and most were shallower than that. We had a lot of short hits no matter what bait we threw. We only wound up catching 16 before we left but 8 of them were keepers. All the fish were on plastics.

Your mounting is fine. The slower you go the less arches you will see. Really slow the fish can look like flat lines. You also have to remember that if fairly shallow your boat may spook them before you can see them on your screen.

Blue bird skies are usually the toughest. Sometimes they go deeper and sometime they hang close to cover. I try shallow cover first then move deeper. I have the same conditions today. I'll be fishing the late afternoon and night. I'm starting out with jigs, grubs and worms trying to cover the water from 3-10 feet. If that doesn't work, I'll go deeper. When I leave the launch ramp, I idle around looking for the bait fish to see what depth they are using. That should give me a hint as to the depth to find feeding fish.

One of my favorite jigs for summer night time fishing is white with a blue trailer. I also use them in brush when the water is high.

It is better to have a plug and unplug it when you charge the batteries.

I wouldn't mention second ownership. I'd call BPS tell them the problem and see what they have to say. Here at the main store in Spfld MO they exchanged a fly rod once that had been in a house fire. You never know unless you ask.

One of my friends goes to trade show with ammo, cammo, knives, sunglasses, etc. He has been took some of my baits with him over the winter. He does pretty well with his stuff but the crowd at those shows don't buy much fishing stuff.

A couple of hours before sunrise to a couple of hours after sunrise is my favorite time to be fishing. For pleasure it is sundown and moon rise.

My F-I-L towed a boat with his Lincoln Town Car for 20 years with no problems.

Here a fish has to be hooked in the mouth to be legal.

I used to use the D reels until about 10 years ago. A guy got me to try a S. Since then all of my Ds have been sold and replaced with Ss.

I wear good jogging shoes. My feet get hot but they don't hurt.

Cheapest would be to get some scrap wood and make a top water bait. Anything else just keeps requiring more and more and more.

NADA will give you an average retail value if you list all of the components on the unit. Be sure to check and see if the motor and or trailer are listed or if they are separate.

When you decide check out BBG and BOE marine for prices.

If you are looking aluminum decide what you want to have as far as storage, t motor, and cranker. Don't just jump on the first thing that comes along or you'll be sorry in a little while. Most Trackers are made for first time buyers and are way under powered both with tmotor and crankers.

I have bought several items from BOE marine. They always beat everyone else for me.