Jig Man

If you experience cross talk then you can change the angle of the trolling motor transducer just a few degrees making it point more forward. I have done this with success in the past.

Do It is where I'd look for molds. But you are going to need a lot more than molds. You'll need: a source of lead a way to melt it a source for hooks (Shorty's Hook Sales if you have a tax ID) skirt material (fishing skirts . com) a good pair of leather gloves and eye protection A guestimate is between $200-300 for startup depending on which and how many molds and skirts you purchase.

You can put the ducer either place. I started out with 1 hds8 and put it at the console. I got a deal on another one and put it on the bow. I etherneted both through the lss bow and really liked to see it up front but finding and fishing stuff was hard to do so I added another lss unit and ducer. In my opinion that is the perfec world because I can see side and down from the front or the back.

The way it was explained to me is down scan shows slices in the water instead of a cone like 2d sonar does. I know that it reaches out to the side some but have never been told how far because fishing on bluffs it will show ledges that actually aren't under the boat but out to the side. I have been running hds units for a couple of years and have gotten to the point that I don't run 2d sonar except when I am driving the boat at plane speeds. I have to do this as the stern down scan ducer comes out of the water and I wouldn't get a reading. Here is a school of white bass I saw last winter on Bull Shoals.

Check out Bear's Baits, Jann's Netcraft, Lure Craft, and Barlows. Some of them if not all will have starter kits. In addition to the kits you will need an old microwave oven, a pair of gloves, and some pyrex or silicone containers in which to melt the plastisol. Take a little trip over to tackleunderground.com and read the dos and don'ts for newbies. That will give you a ton of info and save you a lot of grief.

You should try swimming a black bucktail with an Uncle Josh #11 after the smallie spawn. Sometimes it is awesome.

The fumes from plastisol are indeed toxic if you cook it till it turns black and burns. Otherwise it isn't a problem. When you melt it keep a close watch and if in a microwave do it with short bursts with lots of stirring between bursts. A good infrared thermometer will tell you when it reaches 350° and is ready to pour.

tbone you line on the reels will have a lot of memory come spring. You can run warm water over the spooled up line to lessen the memory and spray with line conditioner before you head for the water.

I use medium plastisol and add hardner or softner as needed. I remelt but haven't used softner in any of it. JUNE BUG 4 oz plastisol 1 drop purple maybe 2 1 drop black 1 drop red 2 drops blue green & purple flake

I have the same situation with my A-Rig wire. I can't get it straight by hand and haven't found any other way.

I have owned most of the digitals and found them to be inconsistant with readings so I bit the bullet and bought a Boga Grip.

After last winter don't forget the A-Rig.

I use the one small shop when I can. The nice thing about them is special orders. I can get a rod or a 300 yd spool of a particular line without any hassel. The last time I wanted to special order a rod from BPS the guy said I'd have to order 200 of them.

I don't bleed my system. What I do is turn the wheel slowly all the way to the right then slowly all the way to the left (with the cap off). I add fluid then repeat the turning adding more fluid if necessary.

I own several Curado E7s and decided to get a slower reel for cranks. I bought the E5 and that thing outcasts all of my E7s. It is the throwingest reel out of the box that I have ever seen. You must have a dud or wrong setup.

I never change mine. I have never heard of a reason to change it out. It has a small leak that we have never been able to find so I add a couple of table spoons of fluid about 2 times each year. The brand I use is Sea Star hydraulic steering fluid.

Being just east of you I probably have similar weather. I fish all winter long except when the water gets hard then I can always go to upper Bull Shoals where it doesn't freeze. I have a Merc Optimax and run Quick Kleen in it all the time. I have been told that I don't need a stabilizer with it so I do nothing to the gasoline. I change my lower unit fluid in the fall to make sure there is no water in it. Then when I leave the lake I lower the motor and let it drain. I raise it up and lower it again and let it drain. I repeate this a third time so that all of the water gets out. That is my winter routine. I have been doing it for a very long time and have never had a problem.

I have kept meticulous records for years and the phase of the moon is one of the items that I log after each trip. The phase of the moon is most important to me when I am night fishing. I like the week before and up to 3 nights after the full moon. Frontal conditions, wind speed and wind direction play a much bigger role for me than moon phase.

D31M X2

I am a firm believer in matching the equipment. That way I don't have to adjust to the feel of a different rod every time I change especially at night. The only non matching setup for me is cranking. All of the other bc rods are from the same mfg and have Shimano Curado E7s mounted on them.

Your losing bottom should be a transducer problem not a head unit problem. Since you have moved the head around, I assume that the ducer stayed put. If so then it has to be a head problem and I'd be calling Lowrance asap.

Either or but not both JMO.

If you are going to tie by hand get you a large rotating whip finisher. It will cut your time way down and do a lot better job. Then finish off with clear nail polish. http://www.jsflyfishing.com/cgi-bin/item/OF-900440-0000?source=google_base&kw=OF-900440-0000&gclid=CKWercnjt7MCFRBgMgodun8A9Q

If you don't want it to move with boat bouncing on waves get the 2" ball. I have an 8 on the bow with one and it stays put. Be advised that the bracket holes won't align with the gimble mount holes on your hds 8. Line up the two you want bolt it down, mark where you need the new ones and drill them.