DaubsNU1

Yep, them new gas cans are trash. I swapped out all mine with this kit...you can find at Menards and Amazon. Much better!!

I haven't fished there in 20+ years...but I remember big bass, and MUSKY! : ) Good luck!

Welcome Jordan! I lived in Kirksville in the 1990's through 2005...fished @ La Plata, 1000 Hills, and Hazel Creek. Love me some Missouri fishing!

All of my casting reels are either Shimano Curado or Citca's from the 1990's. I like them so much, resorted to pickup up used ones via eBay. Love the performance and feel. Most of my spinning reels are old Shimano's, but I do have some newer Shimano reels.

That's a good question...started with nothing...and really just wanted to know depth. Round about 2000, got a Bottomline Fishin' Buddy, and could see depth, ledges, and basic bottom composition, and water temp. Pretty cool. In 2021 upgraded to Garmin Echomap 7SV, with down & side imaging, mapping and marking spots, water temp. Even neater. Last August new boat got two Helix 9 G4N's networked. I love, Love, LOVE to cast at shallow targets (trees, stumps, rocks, docks, weed-lines, etc.). That's the way my Dad taught me to fish...and is usually my go-to when starting the day. In these last few years with upgraded electronics, I find it very challenging and satisfying to find deep structure and get on fish. Bass, crappie, walleye, sunnies, etc., it's a hoot to find them and catch them using my electronics.

Shouldn't have any issues with braid damaging your rods...I've been running braid in my 30+ year old casting rods for, well, thirty years. No issues. I switched over all my spinning rods to braid and fluoro leader about three years ago after finding this site. Game changer!!! All are spooled with 10lb power pro high visibility yellow, and mated to either 8 lb, or 10 lb fluoro. LOVE fishing NED rigs with this set up. It's probably my favorite bait to throw. Enjoy!!

I have two Cabela's branded casting rods from the early 1990's...they have spiral guide system and are my favorite rods. They get fished all the time! I don't take them on my brothers boat for fear of accidental breakage. Of my 16 fishing rods, 10 are the Cabela's branded from the 1990's. They all get used a lot.

My old boat was pretty much a one-man set up. And with my work (supervise 11 people), when I'm on the water it is quiet time...alone time. I do not have a set fishing partner. @Captain Phil, yep, launch and recovery is a pain doing by myself, but I get along. After getting the new boat last August, the wife has joined me on warm, sunny afternoons. She likes to bring a book and some wine, and just chill. We brought the dogs a few times...the Yellow Lab thought my spinnerbait was a retrieving dummy, and LAUNCHED from the casting deck in to the lake : ) Most days I fish by myself. I do fish with my brother and 83 year old Dad a lot.

Two things for me: Green moss: grows on everything, trees, rocks, etc...gets all over your lures. Ick Nebraska Game and Parks: they love to "renovate" lakes, and get rid of Zebra Muscles. And they love to renovate Rainwater Basin marshes (and wreck them).

Keep the 14lb mono for backing...then spool up some braid. I absolutely hated my casting rods with mono...birds-nests all the time. Switched to braid in like 1992, and have never looked back. It will take some getting used to, and dialing in your reel...but once you get the hang of it...game changer. I'm sure the newer casting reels are much better than my old Shimano's...I keep finding used Curado's on ebay...I like the feel, and can work on them (okay, sort of), and can cast them just fine.

For what it's worth...most of my casting rods are Cabela's branded from the early 1990's, paired with old Shimano Curado's from same era... 20lb power pro. I can send KVD 1.5's a long, long way. Truth be told, I've switched to spinning gear for my square bills...spooled with 10 lb braid, to 8 lb fluoro leader. Gives me an extra ~15-20% more casting distance.

Dad always said, "when buying used, you are most likely buying someone else's headache." There are pros and cons in the new vs. used arena... Last four pickup's have been brand new. Went with used Lund...got lucky and found the exact boat I wanted, for the price I was willing to pay. And got to set up with brand new electronics and trolling motor, still within my overall budget. Any boat, truck, or car is worth what someone is willing to pay. NADA / Blue Book value is just a starting point. If you like the boat, have it checked out, and get a "test drive." Good luck!

Agree with @gimruis, if gasoline engine is used regularly, run ethanol blend. And also agree with @MN Fisher, follow manufacturers guidelines. When it comes to small engines (weed eater, Lawn Boy, snow blower, leaf blower, generator, power washer, chain-saw) and ATV's, it is, and has always been ethanol-free gasoline. Even with two-stroke engines. My weed eater sat from November in to April in un-heated shop here in Nebraska. While not as cold as Minnesota, still darn cold. I never even drained fuel from the tank...and it fired right up this spring, no issues what so ever. I always ran ethanol-free fuel in my old 1960 Mercury 20hp 2-stroke. I did run the engine dry after every trip (just pull the fuel line and let her run out). Again, never an issues. Fired right up every spring. The new Mercury 90hp gets ethanol free fuel, and stabilizer in the winter when stored in the shop. In my daily-driver, 2005 Accord, it gets the cheapest gasoline available...I'm driving 65 miles around trip to work daily.

I started with a Garmin Echomap UHD 73SV with GT-54 a few years back for my tin boat build. I really wanted touch-screen and thought the interface would be easier to navigate to make changes, etc. My brother went with Helix 9's in his boat...and I spent a lot of time fishing with him. At first I did not like the Helix interface...but after comparing his down and side imaging to my Garmin...well...I went Helix when setting up my Lund last summer. Reasons: Touch screen on the Garmin was neat, but after initial set up, I vary rarely ever got in to menues. Hbird takes little while to get used to, but it's not that bad. Side imaging on the Helix was much better than my Garmin. Granted, I was running the 54 transducer...I'm told the 56 is better Knew I wanted the Ulterra, so Helix was a no-brainer...they are all networked. I can sit at helm, mark a waypoint on console, drop the trolling motor and say, "navigate to waypoint." The Ulterra turns the boat, takes me there, then spot-locks on the waypoint. Very cool Good luck with your search!

Finally got on a good bite yesterday here in Nebraska. Thunderstorms the night before...did not expect much as winds were dead calm at sunup. Got my first Musky in NE (and first in over 20 years)...on a Vision 110 jerkbait with 10lb braid, 10lb fluoro...with no steel leader. Hammered it on the pause, did the death-roll, but was hooked on the back two trebles. Brother brought my 83 year old Dad to the lake about 30 minutes later (Dad likes to sleep in). He can't cast, so we jig and minnow for Walleye and panfish...and wouldn't you know it, Dad hooked in to a nice walleye that went 22" and just over 3 lbs. That was the biggest fish of the day! Good hookset, and kept his rod tip high, worked that fish right in to the net! Most excellent!

Agree with @gimruis, give us some pictures! Congrats!!

Welcome!

Most of my rods are Cabela's branded from the early 1990's. They have handled braid just fine for 30+ years. Send it!

Two years ago was fishing my home lake just after sunup...guy motors over and asks for help...he did the magnum-opus hookset, and fired a crankbait back at himself...turned around and took it in the shoulder. He couldn't get it out...bad angle...I managed to pull it free. As a thank-you, he handed me several lures, including a home-made chatter bait with a spunk shad trailer. I've caught many fish on that lure...and ordered me up some spunk shads : ) I like them very much.

** My family is safe, no property damage ** A week ago weather started building here in Eastern Nebraska...by 3 PM we were sending people home. My boss asked if I was headed out...I stayed at work, did not want to race the storm...so I watched video feeds from my computer...Wow! Watched on TV as the twister move through town and right towards my little village north of Metro Omaha. When the brunt of the storm was over my house, I thought, "well, it is time to head home and see what is left..." I fully expected damage. Thankfully the tornado that was headed right for our village took a turn...missed us by about a mile, then turned back north. Others were no so fortunate. Daughter's former club basketball coach left his dog on the couch and went to pick up his wife...when they returned, the house was almost completely gone...they did find the 14 year old dog in a window well, safe, although a little scared. My niece's home sustained some roof damage, and lost fence and patio furniture. The hay bales were on the other side of the street prior to the storm(!) Just a block away from her house...carnage! She was very lucky. It was great to see families, churches, businesses, etc., bringing water, food and supplies to those impacted by the tornado. And helping with cleanup. Godspeed to all those impacted by this weather event. Good reminder...when the tornado sirens sound...head for shelter. Thankfully no lives were lost during this storm.

Green pumpkin. I do not care what brand...

@NorthernBasser you want to get rid of some stuff, my brother runs a non-profit http://www.letsfishomaha.com/, takes donations.

@NorthernBasser, I believe we need a close up of that wall behind your boat

Good buddy is service manager at local dealership. His opinion, go with OEM. Most, if not all of the aftermarket stuff, is no better than OEM...sometimes worse. And, check with dealership...many times they will offer limited warranty on OEM parts.

I've been fishing straight braid on all my casting rods since the 1990's. Started back in the day with 40#, have since moved to 20# PowerPro green. I really love the castability and sensitivity. All my reels are Shimano Curado's or Citcas from the 90's...they handle it just fine. Throw spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, T-rigs, C-rigs, jig-n-plastics and some power-shots. Water clarity rarely exceeds 1.5 feet, I'm not worried too much about visibility. Fished mono exclusively on all my spin rods until finding this site a few years back. Then switched to 10# PowerPro bright yellow to a fluoro leader. Love this set up, as all my spinning rods are set up this way. I run either 8# or 10# leaders with an Alberto knot. Works well for me. I used to get a lot of wind-knots in the braid. Every once and a while I cast long towards middle of the lake, and hold tension on the line as I retrieve. Has mitigated the issues for the most part.