XcoM274

Actually I would go with baits that make a LOT of vibration. Buzzbaits, spinnerbaits, rat-l-traps, things like this. The fish can't see the bait in the dark but it can strike at the vibration it puts off. The slower you work these baits with maximum vibration, the better luck you'll have.

Need more info on the river to tell you much. Those are good generic baits, but what's the water clarity, flow rate, what cover is available? I've been fishing a muddy river lately cause its the only thing that's melted and I'm having a horrible time catching anything. I've tried cranks to a limited extent without much luck.

DTs are heavenly man I got the same problem.

I have and electric and the AutoPilot feature is Great. I never thought I would use something like that when I bought the motor, but it turns out that it is really useful. Even when you're following the shoreline or other structures it helps alot.

70 would be the coldest I would have a topwater tied on UNLESS you are fishing shallow prespawn males in the 5-6 days where they are physically digging beds. If you find em in 1-2' they'll crush a buzz but they aren't going to be impressive size wise.

Umm, I've never used a leader with braid and fished everything from 14 to 80 lb. Never noticed it hampering my fish catching and I love the stuff. Super sensitivity which I guarantee you're going to loose if you use a leader.

Got one myself and love it. The zippers are still going good, but we'll see if it makes it through season 2.

Well today was the first "outing" of '08 for me. I've had cabin fever so bad lately I've debated pulling a Low Budget Hooker and plowing ice (except it'd be more like 4-5" in a pond lol. Anyway, managed to find a river that isn't frozen. Alleluia. Drove over all bundled up (17 here today) and started throwin the shakey head. No hits for about an hour, then my buddy hooked himself hard. With his hand numbed by the cold, he reached into his pocket and caused his knuckle to assimilate with a jerkbait. Why he had a jerk in his pocket I don't know. But it went in past the barb, so he bit his tongue and pushed her all the way through out the other side of his finger. We cut the hook off and backed it out. Blood starts shooting everywhere of course, so he stuck his hand in a snow back and cleared it up. After a couple minutes he started puking so I thought that might have been a good time to call it quits. Ugh, the fish win again.

You can find the regulations through the coast guard, every manufactured boat has to be tested by them.

Hmm. There's an equation to estimate the weight based on length and girth. I'm rusty on this and its probably wrong so please correct it, but I think its (Length x Girth^2)/800. Using the measurements in inches you'll get a weight in pounds.

Side won't make a difference. How extreme the angle you mounted it on may, but provided its a bow mount you should be able to compensate it out fairly well. Having some kind of rudder in the back is very helpful as well.

For my boat I got a friend who's an electrician to order some 2/0 battery connectors that were being used for automotive stuff. Then he gave me a crimper to crimp them to the line which was a pretty awesome tool.

Hmm, I thought a mod V was when the V is only up front with a flat hull bottom toward the stern. my mistake.

No, there isn't really a bilge. The floor (which came in the boat and is 1" ply) rides on aluminum braces like the ones I used to build the deck. There are channels cut through the subfloor for the water to flow through and to the back where the drainplug sits. I have had the bailing bucket out before though lol, got caught on Fletcher's Pond (the name is very decietful) which was at about 11,000 acres at the time and a storm blew in. Had waves breaking over the bow but it was a blast.

17" in Michigan yet. Its death.

Well, its a mod V but I guess the same principals apply. http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1205883728

Yes lol, the engine was about the same cost as the entire rest of the build including the boat itself.

Wow. Lots to choose here. My favorite for just standard stuff is Sufix. I'm waiting to try out the new clear Spiderwire though.

Well, I have been waiting too long for this night. My boat conversion is complete! Started with a new Lund WC14DLX which we bought last April at a dealer. It is an '03 but it was never bought and just sat out for four years. The carpet was formerly red and had visible sun damage, so I replaced it shortly after purchase. I also bought an '05 Honda BF20 for the engine. Next was the trolling motor. Got a great deal on a MinnKota PowerDrive55 in May so I built a mount for the bow from 5/8" ply and matching carpet. In October the front decking mission began. I picked up two Humminbird 525s and mounted the heads with the front transducer on the trolling motor and the rear a standard transom mount. Picked out pedestals, a circuit breaker panel, radio, courtesy lights, a docking light, and an accessory plug as well. My dad and I built the deck from 5/8" ply sealed liberally with Thompson's. Below deck is 1/4" Aluminum L brackets for support. The deck turned out surprisingly strong, and starts to bow at around 400lbs of load. We sent an email to Lund requesting an order form for matching door handles and the good people there sent us 3 free of any charge. We were shocked and very pleased by their backing of their product. We added 3 extra storage bins which frees up ALOT of deck space. I'm thinking about adding Cook's Tackle systems to the doors as well. The electrical work was by far the hardest part of the build. We got 2ga welding cable to carry current from the battery at the back to the front where the circuit system distributes it to the electronics. The cable is rated for 1200amps at 400v, and its big stuff. The trolling motor is on its own circuit for 65amps and the circuit panel has 6 circuits at 15amps each. There is a main breaker at the back of the boat near the battery to serve as a master shut off. It trips around 400amps. Believe me, this stuff was not easy to find. There is LOTS of stuff we did that I havn't written about here. If you have any questions at all please feel free to PM me or just ask on this thread. This build would not have been possible without this website so to everyone who answered MY questions as I was working through this build THANK YOU. I owe it to this site to help those who are now starting out, having experienced myself the absolute joy that came out of this project. I can't wait to start another one. Again, please bring on the questions. And now... Enjoy the pics! The boat before decking and electrical. The TM with loose wires in front where the dash is to go. Before the deck Another v Deck laid in roughly. Underside of the deck showing the Aluminum bracing. The finished product from the front. The console/dashboard area completed. View from the rear pedestal seat. In the dark with the electronics running ;D Profile view. Engine. More photos available on request. Thanks again guys.

Through the ice I've observed pike chasing bass off the bait we have set up. Lots of times they don't even eat it.

I know this isn't the answer you wanted to hear from all these wonderfully experienced people, but you will eventually get a feel for it and start catching fish. It takes time, determination, patience, patience, patience, and finally patience.

After I feel it bump once or twice, even very subtly, I slowly reel or pull back a little, (emphasis on slow), and when you feel like your line is heavy give it the biggest jerk you can muster. Its a lot easier to learn if you use a Texas rig with a bullet sinker for starters. Weightless worms are very hard to detect hits on, especially in the cold.

Yes a bass could make 13lbs in 10 years. Northern strand bass live up to 15 years and beyond in ideal conditions, as opposed to southern strand bass which almost never live to be 8 or 9. They aren't different species, but their genetic makeup is different. The northern bass (which is what you have in Illinois) will grow slower but lives longer due to the time it spends sluggish under the ice for 4 months or more a year. The southern bass which grows essentially all the time will grow faster and get to a much bigger average size, but they die younger.

22' Ranger might get it done lol Seriously, if you're going for budget, get a 14 or 16' fiberglass ski boat. They are definatly not as expensive as fishing boats and my dad's 18' takes 1,850lbs

You're going to need to get very, very, serious if you're hoping for a 13 pounder anywhere. I don't doubt that it can be done though. I don't know your location or much about Illinois hydrology but I'd say you have better chances farther south towards the Mississippi. Check the body the record came out of and go from there.