DaubsNU1

Outstanding @gimruis!!! Strong work!!!

And #8 Miami is currently down to Cal. Crazy times!!

Up until a few years ago, I had some casting reels spooled Fenwick IronThread from the 1990's. It was faded, but performed well. 30lb test I think. I used to change out my Trilene XL every few months on spinning rods. Now I run 10lb bright yellow PowerPro braid, and only change it when I have had to cut off a bunch, and the spool is low. Tie on fluorocarbon leaders...swap them out when get too short.

100% agree with you here! Hands on experience was a HUGE factor in me switching from Garmin to Humminbird. I really liked my Garmin Echomap on previous boat. In 2020 my brother got his dream boat, and fitted it with Humminbird Helix 9 and Ulterra. We fish a lot together...and at first, I did not like the Ulterra | Helix combo. But the more I fished with him, drove his boat, controlled the Ulterra, and used the Helix....well, you can see where I landed. Like @gimruis I really wanted a true cable-steer trolling motor. There are downsides to the Ulterra, but the upsides (at least for me), make this a much better trolling motor for me. Good luck with your search!

If you are considering upgrading everything, and going with one brand for TM & graphs, and networking them all together so they can "talk"....Whelp, it's very cool! Something to consider.

Sold my old boat, Accord, and Silverado via FB marketplace... All three were sold relatively quickly, buyers had cash-in-hand. I've tried selling smaller items -- microwave, bunk-beds, snow-blower. No takers.

I really like the NED and wacky. Never really fished Neko. In general, I start with a buzz-bait and spinnerbait to start the day. I always have a squarebill tied on and ready to throw. I'm initially looking for aggressive, active LMB's (sorry, no SMB's in the lakes I fish). If the bite is on, I will stick with power-fishing. If the bite is slow, I'll throw a t-rigged worm, NED, or weighless t-rigged Senko. Sometimes a wacky senko. If the wind is calm, or relatively calm (rare here in Nebraska), I will continue to toss NED and Senko, and mix in drop-shot. Those three will usually put fish in the boat. If the wind is a blow'in...it's back to power fishing, or pitching a jig-n-trailer. Good luck!

Get the Ghost, and don't look back. Buy once, cry once... Better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.... There is no substitute for cubic inches (okay, that's a vehicle reference...but you get my point...)

On my old boat, I mounted the Garmin Echomap transducer on the bottom of the old 40lb Minn Kota trolling motor. Quickly realized I needed to keep the TM running straight in order to get good side imaging, but it did work. On the new boat, I do have side imaging on the bow mounted TM, but rarely use it. Like @gimruis I use the console mounted finder and rear transducer to side image and mark brush piles, etc.

Wonderful memories @jbmaine! Thanks for sharing, and helping me remember fond times in past Fall seasons. Like @gimruis, fall here in Nebraska have gotten warmer and warmer. My Dad (now 83 years old), remembered having to pull the blind off river before Thanksgiving due to ice. This was in the 1970's and 80's. Now we rarely have to pull the blind before the end of the season in January. I really love, Love, LOVE the fall. It is most definitely my favorite season. I'm lucky to be able to still talk with my Dad, get him out on the boat. He doesn't hunt any more, bad shoulders...but we still remember and talk about great hunts -- pheasants, ducks, turkeys, etc.

Strong work @gimruis!!! Congrats!

I can count on one hand the number of times I've thrown a "swim jig." I do have white, and rigged with a white rage tail...it sits in my jig box largely unused.... Okay @papajoe222, you have my attention....how do you present this to fish? In what type of cover? with what type of retrieve?? Educate me!!

Those are some absolute FOOTBALLS! Excellent work!!

I opted for the Helix 9's. Looked hard at the 10's, but for the money...I can live with the 9's. I really like Humminbird's side imaging...much better then my previous Garmin Echmap unit. Note, I also considered the Solix, but after owning Garmin touch-screen, it's not that big of deal to have a non-touch screen fish finder. And I don't have to keep wiping my finger marks off the screen : )

Scheels clearance rack, $9.99 each.

Note: I am not good fishing off-shore brush-piles. I am even worse fishing crankbaits. Yesterday was slow...so tied on a Shad Rap, and worked the brush-piles... Eight LMB's in a little over two hours. Ended with a 17", 17-1/2", and 17-3/4" in a ten minute span. Good fun!

It's been years since I caught fish on a Shad Rap (...maybe even never....hard to remember....) Yesterday I was working some off shore brush piles, and having no luck. Tied on a Shad Rap...and started catching fish. Hit Scheels yesterday and Shad Rap Elite 75 Balsa were on sale for $9.99 #BaitMonkey

@islandbass, ugh!! I will be watching this thread close...as I have pretty much the exact same granite, and sink...

Ashamed to say I paid $150 for a Curado via eBay...it's in mint condition...however, my best find was a swap-meet Citca for $40. Local guy went through it, cleaned up, installed new bearings...that reel is SMOOTH! Casts like a dream. Wow. I have four Citca's and four Curado's....I know, weird(!)

Have to admit @Swamp Girl, I saw this thread and thought, "man, I'm going to be typing for a long, long time..." Then realized you are only asking about fishing | tackle-wise. Whew! I like fishing power baits with spinning gear -- throw cranks because I can get more casting distance, t-rigged plastics as well. Most of my rods are Cabela's branded purchased in the 1990's. They work, and I love them. All of my casting reels are old school Shimano Curado and Citca's, again from the 1990's. I'm so obsessed with them, when it is time to get a new casting reel...I'm all over eBay looking for this! I love Berkley power worms and will rarely throw anything else. Blue fleck is my color of choice...but I have recently ventured forth in to a few other colors. @gimruis, the debate is still out for me on drop-shots. The very first time I threw a drop shot...BAM, 3.5 lb bass(!). I still throw it here and there. Same with live-bait. Two lakes near me prohibit live-bait, but other lakes allow, and have good population of pan-fish and walleye...and live-bait is fun and easy for my 83 year old Dad. He cannot cast, but can vertical jig.

Although I have never fished the north for Musky, there are some stocked lakes around here. I've caught six in Missouri while fishing for LMB's, all back in the 1990's and early 2000's. There are a few lakes here in the Metro Omaha area stocked with Musky. I landed one this spring.

I've always enjoyed fishing alone...even as a young kid. Connecting with God / nature / satisfaction of figuring things out myself / freedom to come and go as I please / peace and quiet. As I have gotten older, and now manage a team, their primary role is customer service...I find myself fishing alone even more(!). My first boat was pretty small...could fish two, but not comfortably. And the wife wasn't about to hang with me in the old Rich Line. Last summer upgrade to the Lund...and the wife loves it! I'll head out pre-dawn to my home lake, just 10 minutes from home. Wife will drive out and join me around 10 AM, bringing snacks and her book. It's a great way to relax on the water. She usually lasts about an hour, to an hour-and-a-half, and then we head home together. I do fish with my 83 year old Dad and brother, which is GREAT! But aside from that, it's me and me alone on that boat. I have a ram mount that my phone goes in...it's easy to take pictures of my fish...

Sounds like a d**n good plan to me!! : )

Thoughts and prayers to you and Lynn, @A-Jay She's is one tough, determined lady....and your unwavering support is fantastic! #StrengthToYouBoth!!