Jig Man

I don't know about the 2 chargers but if you haven't left a bunch of stuff on then you better plan on a battery in the near future.

The general color of a fish also depends on whether or not it was actively feeding. Fish on the prowl are more colorful because of hormones than those just hanging around. OR at least that is what the big boys told me.

Across the line here in "warm toasty MO" I fish the same conditions as you do. Several years ago I bought a Browning Hydro Fleece coat and bibs from BPS. It cost a bunch but I have been wearing it for 9 years and it still is in great shape. http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/common/search/search-results1.jsp;jsessionid=W4W3KEJLH0W11LAQBBJSCO3MCAEFIIWE?&QueryText=Browning+Hydro-Fleece&N=4887&Ntk=Products&Ntx=mode+matchall&Nty=1&Ntt=Browning+Hydro-Fleece&noImage=0&rid=0180101070502&cmCat=perf&cm_ven=performics&cm_cat=Google_NonBrand&cm_pla=menshuntingclothing_lightweightcamo_general&cm_ite=browning%20hydro-fleece&_requestid=3362 Last winter I added Under Armour to the mix and it is well worth the money. The really good thing I have added is a fleece hood like the ones worn by football players. It keeps cold air off my neck. Additionally when motoring in cold weather, I slip a pair of shooting muffs on over my hood and cap. That keeps all the air out.

I did look at the St Croix warranty and decided to try the instore. I am sure that St Croix will replace the broken rod for the shop without an up charge. I feel like they made $20 off me for their trouble. It still burns my butt since I bought 4 of them at the time and that didn't make any difference to the store.

I bought a $150 avid for my grandson for his birthday. He has been away at college and didn't get to use it until last week end. He came to the lake and made one cast. The rod shattered between the grip and the first eyelet before the bait hit the water. I took it back where I bought it and was told that they don't make that rod any longer. The newer rod is $20 more so I had to pay $20 for an exchange. That seems a bit much for a rod with a lifetime warranty. >

One way to mount a transducer on the back of a boat is to use a transducer board. You put the transducer on the board and drill holes above the water line to mount the board to the boat. You could even use C clamps instead of drilling.

You can do quite well and be under budget with a Shimano (Stradic or Symmetry 2500 and a Gloomis IMX SJR 782 or St Croix Avid 6'6" MF spinning rod. I have both and they are very versatile.

It sounds like your batteries are on their last legs. When you replace them get RA not CCA batteries. You need deep cycle batteries not starting batteries. Get 185-200 RESERVE AMP batteries. On the water thing, it is normal for water to evaporate out of open cell batteries when they are being charged. I check and top off mine every months.

What you are seeing is a view of history. The closest to you will be what is immediately showing on the right side of the screen. Some of the stuff on the left side and middle may be as much as a hundred feet or so behind you. I know nothing about your unit but on mine as long as I can get stuff in the cross hairs of the depth and sonar cursors I can mark a waypoint and find out how far behind me it actually is and return to fish it if I choose.

I always spool off the top like a bait casting reel. I do not have twisting problems. I do have some twisting with mono when I do a lot of drop shot or tube fishing. When that happens I tie a good ball bearing swivel to the line, hook it to the fence and walk out all the line. I hold the line with a cloth and wind it back on the spool as I walk to the swivel. It takes care of the problem.

If you have the right battery to start with, then you should be able to go all day. Batteries come in different series sizes 24/27/29/31 etc. If you have room in your boat get a 29 series deep cycle battery with 200 or more reserve amps then be done with it using only one battery and adding a few extra pounds. What ever you do be sure it is a deep cycle battery made for trolling motors and has at least 185 reserve amps. Then you should be good to go all day long.

You might consider putting some stuff in an established business like a C store on the way to the lake. Cut them in for a part of the profit and see how it goes. That is the way Bass Pro Shops started out. Johnny had both sides of an isle in a liquor store, then in 2 stores, then three, then bought an old bowling alley, etc. Now he is worth a gazillion dollars. He even gave his kid a jet airplane and pilot for his 21st BD.

I have wanted to own one of those myself and have watched the area for many years and just can't pull the string on it. I live in an area where there are 6 good lakes withing 100 miles with the Bass Pro Nat. Hdq. in the middle. Bait shops on most of those lakes have a tough time and bait shops in the little towns around the lakes come and go. Many of them mom runs the shop while dad guides or has a day job. There isn't enough tourism to let the owners eat well in the off season and people in the area stock up at BPS and don't even stop at the little shops. Competition with the big boys is really critical. A friend of mine was being interviewed by a nation mfg of baits for a rep job. When he asked about pricing the owner said the price is ... for 1 dozen. If they want 25 dozen we cut that in half. If they want 50 dozen we cut the 1/2 in half. Do it again if they want 100 dozen. So based on what he was told the small guy may be paying 8X as much as the big guy for the same thing.

X9

Yes I think that they can in clear water. That is why I use a fluro leader on my Hi Vis yellow Power Pro.

Babbet is a great product when you can find it. The problem is its melting temp is around 1000° and I have to melt and ladel it. My lead pot won't get hot enough.

I use the Gloomis IMX 783 and the Avid 6'6" MF.

Factually, that is about what I do on the clear highland lakes that I fish. I use 30# yellow Power Pro with a 15# fluro leader. I believe you may be right on target.

I am going through the same thing. I think the shad have moved and the fish have gone with the food bar. I am going to be looking for schools of shad with stuff suspended under them.

Triton is more top of the line than Stratos.

All the ones I have seen are different colors depending on the season. They vary in brown/red/green tones. But I use plumb and black craws most of the time. It doesn't seem to make a difference.

The first thing I'd do is try walley world.

That depends on the size and configuration of the spinner. If you mean 1/16 oz in line then you better get an ultralite. If you mean a 1 oz tandem then a heavy rod.

It has gotten to the point around here that if you are caught on the water with a motor larger than allowed even if it is trimmed all the way up, you get a ticket by a sherriff's deputy or a city policeman depending on the lake.

X2 Plus I do deep vertical jigging in the winter and FnF. Baitcasters are worthless for those applications.