Jig Man

The thing which would concern me is the type of 2 stroke. If it is a carb or EFI then there are several lakes which won't let them on because of EPA ratings. I'd look around at the lakes I fish and be sure that this motor is allowed. If it is allowed, $2000 is a lot of money to save.

Tackle underground has some good tutorials. A word of caution. This can become a very addictive habit. ;D ;D I have been doing it for years and have at least 3 lifetime supplies of baits. :

I use the San Diego Jam for all terminal tackle with all lines and have no complaints with it. However, I am still experimenting with knots for fluro to braid.

I don't pay much attention to battery brands. I buy good ones from marine dealers or sporting goods stores. For motor batteries I get a good battery with lots of cold cranking amps. For trolling motor batteries I get deep cycle ones with lots of reserve amps (200 if possible). Maintaining the batteries by charging after fishing and keeping the water level correct will keep batteries going for years. I would keep the tmotor and depthfinder on seperate batteries. I would mount the depthfinder in the front. I have one in the front of a 21' boat and can see it just fine from the driver's seat or the front fishing seat. A Ram mount is a good option with the depthfinder for convenience. I also advise you to get the biggest tmotor you can reasonably afford.

Another issue may be the weight of the bait you are trying to cast. You may need a little heavier bait for your setup.

I know a guy who may have what you want. What state are you in?

I got one of those you can't buy 'em rods as a gift with a Stradic once. I was letting a guy use it last year and he broke it on the first cast. He said he would buy me a new one so I called Bass Pro and told them the story stating that the rod was several years old. The reply was he can not buy that rod but if he will bring the broken one in we will replace it free. They are kind of cheaply made but they seem to have a lifetime warranty, at least in the main store.

That organization is so big the left hand doesn't always know what the right hand is doing. Lots of times the ad people and the purchasing people aren't on the same page. Another thing you may be seeing is some of their rods can only be purchased in combos. You never see them on a shelf.

Tying braid to terminal tackle I use the same knot (San Diego Jam) that I use on mono. I have used the Palomar but I can tie the SDJ and get in a cast before I can tie the Palomar. If you want to watch how they are tied, here is a link: http://www.animatedknots.com/knotlist.php?LogoImage=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.animatedknots.com

It would help to know what kind of reel you have, how old it is and what kind of condition it is in. If it is a decent reel in good condition then you probably have the spool knob turned down too tight. Try loosening it and see if that helps. I have 8,10,15,and 30 on baitcasters and all do just fine.

Be sure to check out the reserve amps on the battery. If they only talk cold cranking amps, get something else. Get as close to 200 reserve amps as you can and it should be as strong at the end of the day as it is at the beginning.

I mostly use fluro or fluro coated with braid. I have used mono and can't see much differenct.

JB Weld is all you need. A friend of mine kept a Lowe jon dry for 25 years with that stuff. ;D

I can't see how that would be quieter passing through the guides on my rods.

Thanks. I'll give it a try. I have used uni to uni, Ablright and Stren knots and don't really like any of them. I take it that glue isn't necessary.

I am getting tired of hearing the knot go through the guides when I use a fluro leader on my braid. I really don't want to spend all day tying and measuring different knots. Can anyone tell me the smallest knot which will hold the two of them together.

I hope I understand the question. I assume that you mean that the jig head after being painted isn't nice and shiny. If that is what you mean then, yes, you don't have it hot enough. If, however, you are talking about the jig head before painting, it doesn't matter. Surely you are talking about fluffing up the powder. I shake the bottle a few times before I open it and it works most of the time.

I hate to hear about your problems. I have just the opposite feelings about the flatfoot which I have on my deck. It makes standing or sitting a lot more comfortable and is a lot easier on my knees and back since I am standing line a person instead of a dog taking a leek. I have had it for 2 years and wish I had done it a long time before that.

I go about half and half on trailers. I like a double curly tail or a single tail 5" grub when I am using trailers on spinnerbaits. However, if by trailers you mean chunks, I don't use them on spinnerbaits. For me, it makes a difference an night. I get more bites with than without a trailer.

Be sure to use that little inline fuse.

I'm not sure that you can get answers without motor specifications. If they all had the same amp draw then the 100 lb would only be running at 1/2 power and would draw a lot less amps than the 50 at full power. The 75 would fit somewhere in between. It also depends on whether the units are the same volt systems as 12v draws the most amps. You have to know the motor's amp draw and the battery's reserve amp capacity before you can estimate the length of running time. For example, if you had a tmotor that draws say 30 amps at full speed and a battery with 150 reserve amps it should run close to 5 hours on high. As you use slower speeds you use less amps. That tmotor may only use 10 amps on low and you battery might last 15 hours. I think I am confused now. ;D

Go to www.tackleunderground.com do some searches and read what those guys have to say. You will find some very good stuff and lots of options from which to choose. Good luck and good pouring.

The first thing I would do is loosen the bolts and drop the td as low as it will go and try it. Before you go drilling a bunch of new holes, you might want to find out how the transducer board works on a Lund. You mount the td to the board and never have holes below the water line. That would give you some margin for error and potential movement trying to find the perfect place. Very few alums have smooth enough water flow to read much past 30 mph when the water is calm.

Personally, I'd go for a 480X480 pixel unit. Right now I am saving my pennies for one myself.

You might try going to the mfg and see what they have to say. http://www.trackerboatcenter.com/contact_tracker_boat_center.asp?formtype=10&bvdid=5881& I wanted to modify a Ranger once and they sold me everything I needed and let me hang around the factory to see how it should be done.