dman

Next spring im going to be getting my 1st boat. I'm tired of fishing from shore and having very limited options. I want to get out on some of the bigger lakes and have some fun too. I was just reading another thread "what kind of boat do you have?" And saw a lot of posts mention operating costs with Bass boats. I dont know anyone with one to get an idea about this but am very curious. I am going to go "Brand New" mainly because I just dont know about boats right now as far as mechanicals and fixing things that will go wrong with a used boat. I wont mind learning as i go along when problems become more common as it gets older since I will have been learning all along. What kind of costs are you guys talking about? Repairs? Gas? Here are 2 boats im looking at. I'm thinkin the tracker would be good enough but then I start thinkin if im spending that much I might as well spend a little more and get a boat to hang out on, Swim, go tubing and that sort of thing as well (the Nitro). Are these too much for a first boat for someone that knows nothing about them and would they have high operating costs? http://www.trackerboats.com/boat/index.cfm?boat=2111 http://www.nitroboats.com/boat/index.cfm?boat=2124

Come on up to Scranton PA and go to Lake Scranton. Toss a rubber worm on a jig head and have fun. Just dont get caught! You will clean up on HUGE pickeral too. We used to get 5-6 pounders (maybe more) daily, 32-33 inches long, FAT. So yeah it may have been 5 1\2 pounds but i dont like to count it really because it was an illegal fish out of illegal waters.

North East the town in PA or just Northeast general area PA? Northeast as in the general area. I'm in the Scranton area if your familiar. 'bout 2 1\2 hrs north of Philly and 2 hrs west of NYC. WRB, thanks for all that info. I think getting a boat is gonna help me out with being able to locate the bigger fish.

Davis, thanks for the ideas....Lately ive been trying my untraditionals or taking only plastic baits, or working hard jerk baits or crankbaits since i dont use them much......I always try to find cover first......My brothers fish is just dumb luck and i know that but it still bothers me because its the biggest bass i ever saw, that is a hawg up here in NortheastE PA! I'll be getting a boat in the spring and i really think its what i need so that im not stuck fishin the same shorelines over and over.

I am in NE PA and i dont have good luck with topwater either.. Get a few here and there. I only go to topwater when the bite is tough, just to try something different. Buzzbait does seem to be popular on here but it is far down on my list of topwater producers. Scum Frog, Chuggers\Pop R do better for me. I cant look at the lure either when i fish topwater because i'll miss the few bites i do get by setting the hook as soon as i see water break! I cant help it....If im not looking i get more fish.

I've been fishing a long time and i always do pretty good but I never get the big one! And i dont mean i dont land him, he just never bites. i can catch bass all day long, I always outfish everyone in terms of numbers, but never the big one.....My biggest Bass might be around 5-5 1\2 pounds. But it was caught when i was 14 at a place that nobody is allowed to fish at. I've tried using larger baits but i still dont get the big bite and then i dont catch as many either. So it really ticks me off now when i take my brother out, who is stumbling over rocks, casting into trees and then he pulls out a bass thats 7 1\2 pounds! I almost quit! What gives?! what could i be doing wrong, its not like i dont catch anything!

I would go with a Senko and cast into the slow current that is coming into this pool and let the current push the senko in there. Give it some small twitches and HANG ON!!

I never use attractant, never really believed in it. How many casts do you guys take before applying more. Seems like you could go through one of tubes on every trip?

i dont see it either. link please?

This is what i do but i only get gobs of weeds with jigs. Never once have i caught a fish on a jig n pig style jig. Tubes i have scored heavily with but those jigs are just to heavy for around here i guess. Always pulling in weeds. Cannot complete a cast with a jig without weeds!

funny, i never heard of this show until today... I saw my first episode, its ok....I'll watch it cause its bass fishing but, Audio and Video quality certainly wasnt the greatest. The hosts arent the most professional either (lots of excuses for not catching fish). We'll see what future episodes bring.

Never, i dont enjoy fresh water fish. And, i'm too much of a wuss to kill anything ;D

A few....I have a White, black and chartruese spinnerbait....I have one in each color for smaller spinnerbaits for clear water and one each for larger ones in dirty water to increase the bait profile (something i learned from a Kevin Vandam dvd, it has made a difference in my number of bites). Colorado or willowblade doesnt matter to me right now, it hasnt seemed to make a difference to me. I have a white and one black Buzzbut i just also ordered one each of balck and white of the Cavitron Buzzbaits just because of reading things on this site. Various spare skirts and trailer hooks that i dont use

Great info, thanks. If anyone else thinks it looks interesting, here ya go: http://www.amazon.com/What-Fish-See-Understanding-Designing/dp/1571881409

Having a backback is probably the most comfortable way, i just wouldnt want to have to take it off everytime i need something. Something around the waist I would think is a lot easier for that, i could lean the pole against myself while i did everthing.

Ah Joez, thats the stuff, where did you get that one?

I will give it a try. Though ive never changed my own hooks and I fear im going to hurt myself. What do you guys use to open up those little "O" rings?

I think i would just feel like a trout fisherman if i wore a vest,, UHG! Just kiddin, not a bad idea, i'll look into that, thanks

they started making line red and a lot of hooks are now red because "Scientific fact shows Red is almost invisible in water". Then why are some lures Red? Bass are pretty darn visual creatures that hit Red plasitc baits. I mean they crush my red crawdad Rat L Trap, I know it makes a lot of noise but its gotta still see it! And why would they make "Bleeding Baits" with the red blood drips? Anyone convinced on this theory? Maybe its just difficult for Humans to see red objects underwater (small thin objects anyway) We dont know what colors a fish can see!

ah great, thanks guys! not a fan of Plano since they use cheap zippers but it will do. thanks a lot

Found this pretty nifty waste tacklebox for sale on ebay.....The seller is in Australia so that could take forever. anyone know where else to find one of these. I was unable to find any others on ebay. This would be real handy for me on my shoreline treks!! http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=160155836639&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=006

im up in the northeast and tried the original Snakebait when they came out many moons ago. I honestly had a lot of rises and some big hits on them near lily pads but was never able to get a hookset. Then i would throw on a topwater frog and catch 'em.

I just ordered the Kevin Vandam 3 dvd pack with this from Bass pro for $9.95.....Great deal http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_80198?cmCat=CROSSSELL&cmid=PP_P0_2

you can cast a weightless Fat Ika a mile on spinning gear!

bait of the year for me is 4" watermellon candy senko (or trick stick, as named by Black magic plastics = gander mountain brand) purple and green flake. Since it has not failed me at all this year, i will take that one.