Catt

The bench seat doubles as a rear casting deck.

I do not give my rods names! That way if I throw a spinnerbait on my jig rod it doesn't get confused! Texas Rig Powell Inferno 703C 7'0" Medium Heavy X-Fast Kistler Helium HE7045HMH 7'0" Medium Heavy X-Fast Jig-n-Craws Diawa Tatula TTU711MHXB 7'1" Medium Heavy X-Fast

This is my son Scotty & friend Jacob. Notice how Scotty is sitting on the pedestal seat & the seat it in the base. Instead of twisting to reach the tiller you simply swivel.

Given you suggest budget, tow vehicle & wanting a boat, motor, trailer, trolling motor, & electronics you're looking at Tracker Pro 170 with a 50 hp. The Classic XL has a two piece livewell that is notorious for leaking.

2024 TRACKER® GRIZZLY® 1754 SC w/Mercury® FourStroke 75 ELPT FourStroke $23,580 Add your own trolling motor & electronics

Good luck 😉

All Jon Boats down are sold with 3 pedestal seat bases on the rear bench. We have done it this way so long manufacturers offer it as an option.

Don't do it! Those extensions do not stay tight on the handle due to the material the OEM handle is made of. A folding chair would not be a safe option either. I put a pedestal seat off to one side on the back "seat". If necessary I will straddle the back seat (sit side saddle).

I don't like using a "heavy" wire hooks for punch rigs or jigs, they are over kill. A thin wire hook will penetrate faster but flexs too much. The Hack Attack Fluorocarbon Jig has the ideal diameter hook.

Repeat 😉

I'm very capable, just prefer not to. I do routine maintenance but once a year I send them out for a deep cleaning. From the week of Thanksgiving until Christmas I don't fish alot so I send they out 2×2.

There's something about that little tail that just produces bites.

One reason some larger bass move maybe due to their food source or the lack there of. Radio telemetry studies on Toledo Bend showed a 8#+ that lived exclusively on a huge flat 100+ yds from any structure. She had an ample food supply & didn't need to move. Wanna catch larger than average bass? Location Time on the water, not just pre-spawn/spawn but year round. Patience, be prepared to be out in less than ideal conditions...for us.

Possible 😉 Thinking of something 17' with a 75 hp

If I were to evacuate it would be north! My grass will need a brush hog!

What Biologist gathered from the research is that we're spooking a percentage of bass regardless what we do. That doesn't mean we throw caution to wind, it means we accept a percentage will spook @A-Jay mentioned deleting his waypoints because: I generally mark structure with at least 3 waypoints. Wind & current determines from what direction I position my boat.

Some of y'all would be very surprised what radio telemetry & FFS revealed. When a waypoint was approached with the outboard then "ran" over with the electronics. A percentage of the bass spooked but a large percentage did not. A percentage of the bass after being stealthy approached spooked from the first cast. A percentage of the bass did not spook even after sitting on top of them dropshoting in shallow water.

6' 10" Medium Heavy X-Fast for everything except punching.

Y'all laugh but there has been Pros incognito here for years. Some were active members.

@Happybeerbuzz You are correct! During that time frame all of Housen' Bayou & 6-Mile Bayou are the #1 areas to be.

No they didn't! If I remember correctly MLF was won on the Louisiana side, Elite was won on the Texas side.

On Fork I need waypoints