crankbait2009

Advice taken and appreciated.

thanks 00mod As you have probably read, I have yet to buy a boat....but have an idea of what I'd like to do...on a strict budget of course

I get the whole trolling motor thing, but is one really needed? How hard is it to fish without one?

good to know, thank you

For my FIRST boat, I am looking at a Jon boat (easier on the budget). I am hoping to have one by this coming spring........ I have been reading about engine maint, insurance, trolling motor, battery(ies), depth finder, etc. Can anyone give me any other "cost" issues that I would need to be concerned about? I don't wanna do everything half *** but I also don't wanna get shocked with the amount of money it would take to own one. To me it's rather simple but there are a lot of things that can go wrong (engine, trolling motor, etc) that would require money! OH ya, and GAS. can't forget that one.

Has anyone ever carpeted a flat bottom or v bottom fishing boat? Does it look like crap? I mean most of the bass fishing boats are carpeted. With a jon boat looking very industrial, does the carpet actually work? This is coming from a non boat owner. I am planning on buying a boat by this coming spring and just going through all the "costs" in my head........that I know of. This being one of them

merry christmas all!!

nope, no -1 to be seen.... feelings not hurt here, just curious why i had to be in the negative

now there is a +1....i don't get it!

thats odd, last night when i posted this, it showed as RED with a -1. Now I see the "0" everyone is referring to........hm wonder how it changed

I'm liking the new look of this website, not sure how long ago they made the changes, but it looks good. Easier to read!! One thing I do notice that I have a question about is..........When I'm looking at all the thread titles, if I hover over a username, it shows their avatar and right below that there is a box that has a specific number in it. Some are green with a positive # and some are gray with a 0 in it. For some odd reason, my box is red and has a -1 in it. Can anyone tell me what this -1 is, and how do I change it in to a 0 or positive number????? What does it mean?

not to highjack a thread, but along the same lines as this, would you use the same type of lures for winter time if you fish VERY shallow waters that are filled with snag central rocks? When I say shallow, I'm talking 3-5ft of water. In my area, the waters get very cold but very seldom freeze. And also with no boat, I live off the shore.

ha ha ha, I'm in the same boat as you!! I just don't have the reel setup like you do. Straight up PS3 controller!!

thanks Sam, I have owned one maybe 2 spinnerbaits in the past couple years and they both have trailer hooks. I don't have any success with spinners at all. Which also prompted this thread as well. But yes, I do have trailer hooks on mine. no hits.....EVER

hm, thank you everyone for the inputs!! I have noticed that with any lure that you come across, some hooks are sharper and better quality than others. Sounds like the same principle here when it comes to material, frame, shape. If I were to go out and buy a spinnerbait to try out, Sounds like I have a few to choose from. I am familiar with the Booyah brand spinnerbait. I see those at BPS a lot. I don't see the Vibra Flex one though. I may have to go else where for that one. Thanks again for your help!!

I was watching one of Bill Dance's fishing shows the other day and he was using the Booyah Flex spinnerbait (I think that was the name of it). Well he said that the wire frame is flexible. Meaning, if you twist it and bend it this way and that, it springs back in to its normal shape, which leaves a lot of fine tuning out of the equation. Then I got to thinking, do spinnerbaits really differ from brand to brand? I'm not big on spinnerbaits YET, but I kind of find it hard to believe they can really differ from one brand to the next. Can anyone fill me head with some info on how my thinking is incorrect?

On 00 Mod's boat, I notice that there are platforms mounted inside it (blue carpeted areas). How difficult is it to make those decks? A lot of boats I have been seeing have open to deck boats, no platforms.

J Francho - I remember last year some time I had a thread about kayak fishing but am leaning more towards a Jon Boat, especially for the lake that is like 5 minutes from the house. It would get more use. That being said, I would like to assume that I would have an electric trolling motor as well as a small OB.

thank you for the advice so far!!

This lake is wide open in the center of it but it also has A LOT of "fingers" off the lake that lead back to shallower channels (which is where I would most likely be). The open waters are where all the speed boats play. Just like anywhere else, it does get windy in the area. (except in the channels)

oh, my mistake. Not sure how length would benefit anyone except for room to move around. So, I am thinking maybe 12-14' in length. As for the waters, It will primarily be used on East Fork Lake in Batavia, Ohio. It is a 2,160 acre lake, with unlimited horsepower limits. here is a link with more info if needed: http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/parks/eastfork/tabid/732/Default.aspx Thanks for the help....

Right now, I am in the process of looking for a used aluminum boat to fish from. I am taking my time as I have all winter to make a decision. I see a lot of flat bottom boats as well as V-Bottom boats. Are there more positives with one over the other? Which is best? I do like the flat bottom boats cause it has the flat deck on the bow of the boat. Which makes it great to fish off of. I don't beleive I have ever seen a V-Bottom boat with this feature. I have never owned a boat so this would definitley be a first for me. Not sure if one of the above boats would be more beneficial for a first time boat owner. Any advice??

I second this. I have the same bag but in the gray color trimmed with red. Here is a link to the bag that we are referring to: http://www.basspro.com/XPS-Stalker-Tackle-Bag/product/10221672/112339 I don't know what they were thinking when they changed to the blue and orange, but it is still the same bag. I couldn't be more happier!!

does anyone add any additional oil/scents to the packages while sitting on the shelf during the winter months?

Hey all When it comes to winter time, and you hanging your soft plastics up till next season.......How do you store them? I am trying to find a way to store mine so they are as flat as possible and remain "oiled" to prevent them drying out when not in use. My soft baits will not be used for a good 4-6 months from now. I normally keep them in these type of pouches during the season when in use. http://www.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-Tackle-Binder-or-Replacement-Pages/product/37107/39754 Is there a better ideal storage unit to ensure freshness? Does anyone add oils or scents to them while in hibernation? Any advice would be appreciated