Marc Hufnagel

Anyone know about possible smallmouths in Southern Illinois? I've asked around and am always directed to Arkansas, Kentucky or Tennessee. Would be nice to know if there were really any here more local.

I just found a BR 10e NXT in stock this weekend at Bass Pro in St. Charles MO.

How did this turn out? Decided to live with it I'm thinking?

Looking to get a new mini-boat. I've researched the heck out of the Pelican Bass Raider 10e, the new model NXT with better seats and a new gray/silver color and found lots of love for it. I've also heard a few really strong recommendations for the Bass Hunter line, especially the 120 model. Looking to hear from any Bass Hunter 120 owners on her perhaps? Pros/cons? I know they are more money but seemingly better construction? I'll be using a minn kota 55lb endura max with it on freshwater lakes - smaller than 100 acres mainly. Myself and wife most times. Ny comments about these two in comparison would be very much appreciated. thank you

It seems as though you are trying to do something with a 650.00 boat that it was never meant or intended to, have a motor almost double the design strength.

I'm thinking about a used jet-ski trailer for my Bass Raider 10e. I see them mentioned here and there on the web; if you are using a jet-ski, what brand and model is it? Pics if you have any?

I know I don't have the experience of some of you but I have a st croix premier 6'6" M/F with vanford 2500, and a pflueger president xt/ lews carbon fire speed stick 7' - can't tell much difference... I like my zebco bullet on a ugly stik gx2 too. Maybe if I had more experience...

Ok mystery solved. It has the incorrect sticker on it; it has one from a lesser-capacity boat in their lineup. It is in very fine print at the bottom of the sticker. Now that is solved but they cannot provide me with a correct one. Ugh.

Just picked up a 29DC Everstart Maxx battery and a minn kota box for my 55# trolling motor. Two questions immediately come to mind: 1. Can the battery be charged through the terminals on the outside of the box? 2. Is there a preferred brand/model of charger? It will not be inboard so I've been looking at Walmart, amazon and see conventional and deep cycle ones. Suggestions or advice here? I don't want to ruin the battery by using something wrong on it right out of the gate. Thank you!

Drove over and picked it up from a retail Academy store in Missouri.

Interesting. Now with that, it was sold in Missouri and I am in Illinois. I shall look for similar regulations.

I called Pelican this morning and was told that they are built in Canada and would not be putting a USCG sticker on it. They asked that I send a picture of the sticker to them for their 'senior team' to see so I did. Then called the General Manager of the Academy store where we got it and had a conversation with him about it and he was only able to tell me what Pelican tells them -- 600 total. He said if it were him he would not know which to go with - did offer to allow a return if I so desired based on that. Not wanting to return it but do wish I know why that is on there if it's built to 600 capacity. ugh.

lol

Then why are they stating in videos and product descriptions that it is 600? Pretty deceptive I'd say since that label is in one corner of the inside of the boat. I didn't see it until we were home and academy says 'all sales final once you sign'. Seems I have to have some recourse.

Ok, just picked up a Bass Raider 10e today from Academy. I'm really confused by what I am finding about weight capacity. The product description says 600# capacity, then a few lines down it says 400# and up. THEN Pelican says 600# in a video on their site. I figure I understand it's 600#, people, all gear and whatever motor (trolling/outboard). NOW, after a contactless pickup in the back of my truck and getting home, there is a sticker on the inside of the boat that mentions US Coast guard capacity/limit is 2 persons or 395 #, OR 420 with PEOPLE, GEAR and a 6HP motor. Everywhere else it says max is a 3.5hp. How can you get 2 people, gear and a 6hp outboard on this boat unless it's 2 young kids? So, 600 or 420/395? Also they show people standing up in the boat and then in the owner's manual say never to stand... ahhh this is not making a lot of sense..

Thanks for the advice. I'm down south, almost to the bottom so our cold is the month of January in any given year. I think last year some lakes didn't even completely freeze. We do have a handful of nights in the single digits though. We plan to move in the next year or so to east TN which should be different in fishing I think and maybe some weather too. Wacky weather. I put some 10 mono trilene xl on it before before I started trying any further. How do you like that patriot?

GREAT NEWS! I tried some of the suggestions here from you guys and was able to throw a 1/2oz topwater spinnerbait over an hour with not a single birds nest on a M/F 6'6" carbonlite 2.0 BPS rod. I did have to apply a slight thumb at the end of the cast but I was able to get it quite far out. Did I master it? Heck no, but I managed to make it work for one lure and well I have a bit of knowledge to apply to make the other lures perhaps a bit easier. I didn't even touch the spinning setup I took along as I was sure the BC would birds nest. Yay me! thanks to those here that have contributed and helped. A great step in the right direction, I think I'll keep the reel now!

Well, I'm not sure but I know you all possess a lot more knowledge than I - that's why I'm asking you all!

Out of curiosity what are your MH/F rods?

It was in a display case, not one out where everyone could play with it like the floor demos. I'm trying not to just give up and go back to my spinning setup only. Well because I don't have real experience I'm at a disadvantage to picking through the issues of course. I'm trying the suggestions - setting it so it just drops very slowly, and trying both the setting 2,3 and 4. I can try more weight on the t-rig, I have plenty of stick worms also. I'm seeing some suggestions that are out there that maybe the reel is dodgy. If they had another one I would do an exchange. Unfortunately stock is shot right now.

I may hold onto the DC and swap the mh/f for a m/f and try that. On inventory of my stuff it is mostly lighter. The heaviest I have is a 1/2oz topwater spinner. Everything else hard or soft is below that. I don't know the weight on the hollow body frog, it might be 1/2. I also have access to a BPS carbonlite 2.0 mh/f as well and have tried that with the same results. In that setup of the DC what type of rod would you be using? They did not fill it up for me, I did it and it is tight enough that I can't get a fingernail into the line spool. From what I read that's the recommended way.

Hi I'm thinking some of you have read about my issues with getting my new curado dc to work with my rod (MH/F) and lighter lures. Mainly plastics /weighted plastics with a few light crankbaits/jerbaits and a hollow-body topwater frog. Using trilene xl 8/10/12# It's been mentioned that perhaps I have two issues going on - the DC being a heavier-spooled reel better suited to throwing crankbaints and the fact that I am using a (recommended at academy) a MH/F casting rod. So, with that being said I'm going back this evening and getting a M/F rod (I believe) and another reel that I'm hoping will be easier to use with a lighter weight spool. Can I get some suggestions on a readily available retail baitcaster and a rod action and weight to start over with? I am determined to learn this BC reel tech but I feel I started out way too off-course and ambitious, getting the dc only because it was priced as a slx dc. I did see a Piscifun Spark Pro which TA really liked on a website but it's not at retail of course.

I don't really know anyone else with a BC, a few I know still use closed-face spincast and a couple use spinning outfits. Feel like now I'm in over my head with an area I know very little on.

Hmm. Back to the drawing board and rethink this I guess. I want to retain the ability to toss a hollow-body frog though..

I tried a different rod, a BPS carbonlite 2.0 MH/F 3/8-1oz. On the tension dial just enough so it drops slowly to the ground without a nest. I've tried the DC brakes on 4,3 and 2 even. I tried last night with the brakes on 4 and the tension so it would not drop at all and got a nest that is still in the reel after an hour of trying to clean up. I even handed it to my wife lol. My BC experience is very little to none to be honest. I have 10# trilene xl on it now.