Jig Man

G, Matt is correct with his rod statement. I have 2 name brand spinning rods both of which are MF 6.5' and they aren't even close to being the same. So the brand can make a big difference.

Nope, I use ketchup and rub the blades.

The hook that I use in them doesn't bend before my 15# line breaks.

I think it looks good. I use a lot of Pro Tech clear and silver hollow flake or just plain old hard as nails polish.

Those are good looking jigs. The unpainted head unless you sealed it with a clear coat may tarnish and turn a dull gray in a short time.

Tracker boats are made by Tracker Marine group which is owned by John L. Morris of Bass Pro Shops.

Since I have never heard of either one owning and operating mfgs for baits, my guess is the lowest bidder like the BPS rods and reels.

Last I heard was they made her an offer and she declined. She asked for a severance package instead of returning to them.

I don't know who owns Lowe now but in the past they have been better than Trackers. I have owned both and might consider a second Lowe sometime if I move back to aluminum but Tracker would be way down on my list.

I use the rubber net with a handle that slides in so it doesn't take up much room in the boat. I always make sure the other person knows how to pull the handle back and snap it into position, just in case.

When I can toss a dime in Bull Shoals in 20 fow and see if it land heads or tails up the water is clear. ;D

X2 It is all I use.

I'm thinking it should. But be sure you are saving them to the card. When you mark them you are putting them into the memory of the head unit. You will have to save them to the card then load them to the other unit.

I make jigs, plastics, spinnerbaits, spoons, etc. I only do it for myself and a few friends. Brush hogs and slider grubs are the only plastics that I don't make myself but plan to make molds one of these days when my supplies get low.

You can take it to an auto parts store and get it load tested. You can also check the specific gravity of the cells with a hydrometer. They should be 12.7 volts when fully charged. If either of those things show bad then trade it in for the core charge because it won't be worth keeping.

If it is the mold that uses fg12 I use house romex 12g when I pour. After I paint and bake them I drill out the holes and put a dab of superglue gel in the holes. I have no problem with them. I have tried a bunch of ways to cover the weedguard and then bake the heads. None of them have worked.

Looks like a little bucktail mixed with silicone

The rip rap I fish is deep and most of the time the fish won't respond to baits up in the water column. I fish tubes and jigs as light weight as possible depending of the wind.

I say keep it simple. Choose one of those baits and make some so you don't get in over your head to start.

Bass Boat Saver

I have been recycling a table saw motor for over 10 years and it looks like I have another 10 years of wire left in the thing. No matter where you get your lead you will find some imputities which will float or sink. Once in a while I dip the stuff off the top and a couple of times a year I empty the pot and give it a good cleaning. The rest of the time I flux.

You can get a fair estimate on the nada guides site. A 16 boat is not big enough for 4 people.

I have used a lot of Pledge on glass boats in the past. But now I use BBS.

I don't bed fish and think the season should be closed during the spawn. That is a lot more important than catch and release during the rest of the year.

"Get the larger boat(19') Do not under power it. Minimum 150 H.P. No 115H.P. or 135 H.P. motors will do. If you decide to go with a larger boat(20') Nothing less than 200H.P. The boat will perform to it's high end range and if you decide to sell it it will be easier to sell. Check the transom, floor, and stringers Have a certified mechanic check the motor. Best money you will spend. Put the boat in the water and fish it. Don't just drop it for a few minutes and put it back on the trailer. Power up all electrical components. Go over the trailer from end to end. Make sure the titles are current and available. If the transom is weak, stay away from it. It's a minimum of $4,000.00 to repair. Compression should be within 10% on all cylinders." This is sound advice.