AJ Hauser

Hey fellas, Today my BP Extreme blessed me with new, horrible noises while I was having all sorts of fun throwing a new wakebait around. I wasn't sure if you guys did any reel diagnosis as this seems rather difficult on a forum - but let me describe what happened: All of the sudden, when I would make a cast, there was a loose rattle on the right side of the reel, which is the side the handle is on. This rattle continued for about 75% of the cast, and as the lure would slow down, the noise would let up. It is not a screech. The reel has a magnetic braking system, not the tabs that fly out. I just cleaned it and oiled 'er up, but it made no difference. I also tightened the plastic screw on the front of the guide (not sure on the terminology here) that moves back and forth on the worm gear. When I remove the spool, there is what looks like a little gold castle nut on the side with the handle. The spool slides through it. While still holding the reel sideways, if I press the thumb bar, this little gold nut seems to move down slightly. When I reel, it pops back up, and it makes a bit of a rattling noise when I move the handle. The thing is though, this part has always made a rattling noise when the spool has been removed. Today was the first day the extra rattle with everything all put together started. I haven't oiled it since last year, been using it every other week, f not weekly, but I'm not sure what to do next. Any suggestions? Many thanks.

Hey fellas, Had a quick question for ya - not too long ago I found myself fishing some steep banks in really clear water. After much trial and error, and possibly a bit of cursing, I found that baits with a slow, spiraling fall seemed to work the best when it came to getting a bite from the bass sitting underneath exposed root systems, or other cover hanging over the bank. "How steep was it!?" Well, not straight up and down, but sitting about 15 feet off of shore, I was in 25 feet of water. Jerkbaits were "meh", stickbaits were "meh", and wakebaits were ignored. What are some of the best ways that you know to fish a bait (plastic or otherwise) to get it to spiral and slowly sink, like a dying minnow? I was using a tube on a jig, but I lined up the weight and line tie near the middle of the plastic... and that kinda worked, but I know there must be more tricks and tweaks out there to get the action I'm really looking for. Please let me know what you think - thanks!

Nice! How do you check your power level on the water - or do you? Also, do they come with a charger, or do you need to purchase a special charger for this kind of battery?

Does Dakota have an app for checking level by chance? I'd just be using it for all day trolling, not a starting battery even. Thanks! Good Lord a 200ah Weize is listed at $650... I'm skeptical but intrigued...

Not to dredge up a quiet topic - but what do you all think about the Dakota (very expansive) batteries compared to the Ionic (more reasonable) batteries? 100ah Dakota on Amazon Ionic 125ah on Lithium Hub Seriously considering upgrading and doing the payment plan to get it paid in full before next spring... either way it's about the same coin, based on these listings. Would love to hear any first hand experience - thanks!

Nice!!

Awesome - thanks @papajoe222 - I have a few I think I need to dedicate more time to... have a great evening!

@A-Jay thank you so much for taking the time to share all of that with us - really appreciate it. Good tips all around, and very cool to see someone else doing so much with such a little rig. @Woody B, you too - thanks very much for that info. Thanks @Tennessee Boy for that info too - the whole "operate with the remote" thing seems goofy... but... man I don't know, some of these features are pretty neat. More research is required - thanks all, and goodnight!

@Tennessee Boy and @casts_by_fly does the PowerDrive 55lb (12v) with iPilot (not the iPilot link) use any sort of additional GPS puck or heading puck or something else or is the GPS internal in the actual trolling motor?

@A-Jay if I get a trolling motor with 70 lbs of thrust I'm going to be able to go like 60 miles an hour!! ?

@A-Jay

Thanks @casts_by_fly and @AlabamaSpothunter - so dumb question - I have a Garmin Striker 9sv, and if I were to grab a Minn Kota Power Drive 54" 55lb with iPilot, how would I go about creating a route to follow? Is this something that can be done in advance, or do I need other tool(s) in order to set routes up before I'm on the water?

At @AlabamaSpothunter and @casts_by_fly and @A-Jay and @GaryH and @J Francho I'm now currently looking at these iPilot units daydreaming about setting up a route that one will follow so I can work some shorelines hands free in my little bathtub of a boat. You guys have any thoughts on these - or products that do the same thing? The trolling motor would be worth more than my boat and trailer combined but... after fighting with the wind and trying to cast by myself these past few weeks I'm considering some side jobs (I do web development and graphic design + online marketing) to get some upgrades... after the new battery, of course. Paddling back to civilization twice was enough ??

Hubba hubba! That looks awesome, like it came right out of a transformer's rear end! I too am a poor... please let me know if you pick one of these up. ??

This sounds helpful. Here I am looking for an "inline battery tester" as we speak so I can avoid another paddle workout... Beat me to it. Whatcha' up to over there?

I appreciate the tips, my fellow Illinoisan! Thanks man - this sounds similar to where I'm at. One big flat, one big rock ledge, and a LOT of steep bank all around the rest of the 25 acre lake. I was actually wondering about the tubes and hair jigs... both seem like they should work and either is a confidence bait for me yet. How are you fishin' that hair jig? Thanks guys. This is good stuff!

Thanks again @FishTank - that bait looks worth a shot, I'd probably drop the dressed treble though. For whatever reason I never have much luck when I'm using those around here...

... you mean good luck with my bathtub?!? ?? Actually most bathtubs are nicer...

Thanks man - and ok, so this was something I was really worried about. I was coming through these areas fishing the walking bait, keeping my line low to the water and it would smack it or snap out of it every few twitches. I did this because TOPWATER - we're always supposed to start there... right? ... right? Maybe... maybe I use the topwater if I'm moving TO one of the good areas I've marked, then I approach from deep water, anchor up and start to quietly cast? The awesome thing about this is how difficult (or maybe a better term is just "different") it is. I love that. I'm getting beat up pretty good lately, but I love the challenge.

... I feel like that was a personal attack... Here is my bathtub.

Thank you both so much! Hey @FishTank - I thought I noticed yesterday that my line was scaring the fish, if it landed anywhere near them (if I cast well past them, for instance, but the 8lb test fluoro landed right over where they were at). You ever notice this? I have marked a few really good spots. Thinking about approaching them from the deep water instead of coming down the bank to them - and anchoring up so I can bomb some casts... what do you think? @J Francho thanks for the popper suggestion too - I need to work that in...

Hey fellas - happy Friday! Hoping to get some feedback on lures & presentations for ultra-clear water. I've searched the forum and found a few helpful older posts on fishing pits and clear lakes with steep banks & drop offs. Y'all have also been extremely helpful with my recent battery situation, and I really appreciate everyone that took the time to share a response. Here was that post: I've been having no luck fishing from the bank at my usual lakes this year. Decided to take the jon boat out after putting it off and looking deeper. Ended up fishing in a crystal clear quarry lake, which is beautiful, but very challenging. I'm really enjoying the challenge, but yesterday I saw darn near 100 bass up and down the sunny, steep shoreline and caught 10. I'm hoping to better attract these bass... because they are healthy, and this is a really cool location for Illinois! Here's what's worked so far: Water temp: 65° Visibility: very high Zara Puppy (small spook) - 3 largemouth Powerbait Minnow (on a weedless jighead) - 4 largemouth 3" Dinger (under a float) - 7 largemouth 4" Ocho (under a float) - 2 largemouth The float has mainly been trailing me while I cast the spook or jig, but so much of the shoreline drop is so steep that it's almost worthless unless I cast it and move it around, actively. Yesterday, casting at exposed root systems on steep banks resulted in the most fish, but I saw a TON of bass around the flats - problem is, they could see me. I've also seen many minnows up shallow. Yesterday was the first time one got coughed up on my shirt - not sure if this is a tiny crappie or green sunfish, or something else? How would you guys attack a situation like this? I'm considering wakebaits, tubes, small swimbaits on down-sized line, small erkbaits, Crickhoppers... but... I'm all over. What lures or presentations do you know of that could mimic the forage in that pic really well so that these bass - who have all day to inspect the bait even from yards away - will buy it? Or are there other baits that work well for you in similar situations? I'm hoping to get out a few more times before winter shuts me down - any help would be very appreciated. Thanks guys, Tight Lines & Godspeed!

10-4, thanks @MN Fisher!

So two things... 1. I caught a few nice bass today. 2. I stayed out too long and my battery got pretty low & slow again... I REGRET NOTHING!! ?? Now... I think a battery upgrade is in my near future. Those 12V 100Ah Deep Cycle Lithiums are looking like a good investment... with my draw of 15 amps on average, would that be good for (hypothetically) 6.5 hours? I had to get out the paddle again. Good workout. Said some words. Happy I caught fish though.

Also great post @Big Hands - thanks!