jb_from_texas

although more expensive, i have the Garmin GPSMap 60CS. It was made for hiking and outdoor activities. it has an altimeter too. i use it in mountains, marking campsites, small tributaries for filtering water, and other important info, such as trail junctions that are not on the quad maps. i use it on the boat as well, marking things as you mentioned. i'll be sinking some cinder blocks soon for a bass attractant and marking with the unit. This unit is water proof but it does not float. i works well under tree canopy and when it does lose a lock its quick to pick it back up. if i had to buy a new one today i would def chose the GPSMap 60CXS. it's just like mine but with a better sat pick up and lock. it also has expandable memory capability. both the above units have auto-routing capabilities. it may sound like something you might not use but the first time you do use it you'll be glad you had it. I did have a Garmin Vista (black and white) and it as nice. But you're buying this with one thing in mind; being able to pick up and hold a sat signal. spend the extra money and get one that acquires and holds signals better. Vista and Legend are not as good at this as the 60 series. but if you have to stay around your 200 budget, stick with the legend or vista. the difference between these two is the internal memory limits, with the vista being the larger.

two questions: 1. what is the survival rate for hatchling bass? 2. what would you throw at adult bass that appear to be feeding on their own offspring? i have come accross the adults nailing their offspring the last two times i was on a particular spot. they blow up every 15 minutes or so and the feeding frenzy lasts for about 10-15 seconds. i had some moderate luck throwing a small black spinner bait in the boils but then they stopped hitting that. swim baits? rat-l-traps? help. it's killing me seeing them going crazy and being unable to bring em in.

i doubt i have the 8 inch clearance it states but i mounted mine on the underside of the back hatch door. It has the fuels tanks and batteries under this hatch. Since you wont be running the charger when you're using the boat i dont believe there should be a concern about fuel or batteries under use. I do though open the hatch and let it breathe for 10-15 minutes before plugging it in. and i always hook the charger up first and then plug the ext cord into ground fault outlet last. reverse order when im ready to use boat.

until recently i too was using a portable charger. But i just installed an onboard and i have to tell you, it's worth it. BPS had and may still have them on sale. you can/could get a 2 bank, 12v/24v 8 amp charger for 69 bucks. have you thought about running some 1 inch pvc under ground for a conduit? Then running extension cords to your charger? I might do this too but my set up would only require one cord. not sure if chaining two together would be a problem or not. Ben would probably have all the answers you need, if he still wants to weight in on batts and chargers. jb

i own a Garmin GPSmap 60CS and i love it. i bought it with backpacking in mind but i do use it on my boat too. if you are looking for an all around unit i highly recommend this one or it's newest version, the GPSmap 60CXS. the difference is in the reception under canopy, dense trees (they say its much better but i really cant complain about mine) and it has expandable memory card acceptance. This is nice if you plan a trip across the country and want detailed maps for the entire trip. Mine has 64 meg internal (not expandable) but i think it's plenty for me. I drove from Central Florida to Texas with plenty of detail and room to spare. it auto-routes and it also has an altimeter, which was really nice in the Rockies, where i pack every year. It also reads the barametric pressure, which is really nice for fishing. def go for color, regardless of which unit you buy. i had a Garmin Vista B/W but returned it after a short while. Any unit with a quad helix atenna will get you great sat reception. stay away from patch antennas, they work just as good as the quads, until you get an obstructed view of sats. The will lose the lock and are hard to regain. and whatever unit you buy be sure you determine if it has a detailed base map or just the basic base map. Most have the basic and you purchase additional mapping software for the detailed stuff. I believe the Garmin NUVI has the detailed built in, which explains the price. detailed mapping will run you $130 or so extra, depending on the unit. The only additional software i have purchased is the Topo maps, again for backpacking. I cannot speak much about any other manufacturer but Garmin's customer service is great, so i read. I have never had a problem so i have no personal experience but on another forumn the word is Garmin is very responsive and great to work with. Another unit to look at are the GPSmap 76 series. the difference here is more memory and they float, which is nice it you dump it. both the 60 and 76 models are water proof for about 30 minutes of submersion. im rambling now, but do yourself a favor and vist the following forumn (http://forums.groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showforum=11) and most importantly go to a retailer and take a good look at them, check out the button location, size and weight of unit, etc. when you're ready to buy google your unit and find it online. I saved over $100 doing this instead of buying from BPS or REI. Any specific questions fell free to reply or PM me. jb

i dont plan on mounting an AC cover but wouldnt it be the same if i always plugged the charger in first then plugging into the outlet in garage? this way there is never a loaded connection made in the hatch on boat.

just got back from BPS. There is no difference in functionality. just looks

looking at an older BPS XPS charger on eBay and trying to determine if I need not bother. Instead just buy a new XPSi model. Whats the difference between the XPS and the XPSi models?

I have a small 15'6" bass boat. my current trolling motor has a 48" (measured from the start of shaft to bottom of skeg) shaft, 40lbs MK. i really want to get a foot controlled motor and go up in thrust. say 56 or so. i also don't want to break the bank. i have found some decent deals on e-bay but some of them have just 36" shafts. would 36 be adequate for a boat my size? i realize the longer the shaft the better in windy, white-capping conditions. in short, does size matter that much (keep it clean guys!)?

almost....i took the boat out, pulled the plug then decided to back it back down to adjust the way it was sitting on the trailer. once i pulled it back out all kinds of water was pouring from the back. only then did i realize what i did. how about this one: i forgot to take the transom straps off. when i started the motor to back out i wasnt going anywhere and the boat seemed to be sitting lower in the water. the boat actually lifted the trailer off the ramp. i know this cause the tail end started drifting to the side. luckily no one was at the ramp. it's just me and my neighbor's secret, and now the entire forums too.

I need to change out one of my thru hulls. the person that owned the boat before thought it would be easy to fix a slow leak by inserting a smaller diameter piece of pvc in it. it worked, but now the well doesnt drain as fast as water is pumped in. If i leave the pump on i will eventually start over flowing. my question is: once i get the old one out how does the new one adhere to the hull? it looks like it is just white silicone. but this is not a trial and error type project. i dont want to go out on the water and start taking in major water down there, or worse yet the entire thru hull comes lose...you know the ending. thanks jb

i dont plan on killing anything, even if it was a 22lber. i figured pics would suffice and it's good to know they do. now, if i could just hook up on a 10 i'll send you a few pics too! my screen name is a bit misleading. i'm from Texas (born and raised) but now live in central florida. so i moved from one great fishing state to another. jb

ok, this might be a stupid question but what the hell... is it necc to keep your trophy bass in order for a taxidermist to create a wall mounted fish? I mean, it's just a replica of your fish. Wouldnt a few pictures do just as well? i dont want to have a 10+lbs fish to die in the name of a wall mount. if i ever catch a 10lbs'er (which is the only size or larger that I'll want mounted) i plan on mounting "it." if killing it is necc i will probably just get some great pics and have a nice one framed, rather than killing the fish.

thanks mike. but i was wondering if there was any cocern mounting a charger new the fuel. anybody?

same topic, different question... is there any precautions or concerns when mounting a charger near fuel? i was thinking of mounting a charger on the underside of the hatch that covers the fuel and batteries

always amazes me the great info made available here. i was going to ask a freind of mine about lowering the motor when parked. I'll ask here instead... other than lowering it to do the initial drain does it need to sit in the vertical position when parked at the house? Also, would keeping the motor lowered make a difference in initial start of the day? i ask cause my engine usually takes 4-5, sometimes more (rarley though) cranks before firing. this is after the fuel bulb is full too. once it starts all the additional starts of the trip are fine. i thought maybe the fuel, although primed, is having a hard time making it to the carb (1985 Mariner) thx

congrats. very nice boat! oh to be young again. i just bought my first ever boat in septemeber and it's older than northgabassfisher himself, by 4 years at that. but i love it. especially the no payment part. have fun

this might be a stupid question but here goes anyway. do i really need an on board charger? i have a 16feet skeeter with two batts. one for cranking/depth finder/live wells. the other is for trolling only. the trolling one is a deep cycle. when i get back from a trip i simply hook up my portable charger. it can handle gel/reg and deep cycle. it has modes specific for each. it can charge a 10amp or trickle at 2amp. it also does not over charge. i charge the trolling batt first then the cranking one. they are both totally charged in a few hours. here is the stupid part of my question. what is the difference between an on board and mine (other than being able to charge both batts at same time and constantly charging with the on board)? i still have to run an extension cord to the boat (it stays outside) with either set up. thanks for not laughing

WOW. Thanks for all the info. I'll try and distill it all and come up with my own cliff notes version. But I think one poster was correct, the best time to fish is any time you can get on the lake.

where exactly is Stick Marsh/13? Does anyone have coords/directions on this? been trying to find it on google earth with no luck. also, what are the regulations? Number of boats on water, hp, etc? I ask becuase it sounds like a small lake and very popular. I live in the Orlando area and would love to go for a few days

i AM in the Middle of adding Floors to my "V"Bottom, never even thought of using PVC, do you have any info you could share or pics with me? i am doin this from scratch and could use some fresh ideas. thanks Tom yes, please send more info and pics if possible. I will be decking in the next few months or so and like the idea of pvc. seems like it would be easier to work with, no epoxying, and light. are you creating a pvc frame like you would with wood or are you using uprights only?

can someone give me a cliff notes version of how cold fronts, hi pressure, lo pressure and moon phases make a difference in fishing? I have always heard about the full or new moon being a good time to fish but i'm a little shaky on the hi/lo pressures.

check this article out. old, but yet another huge fish from california. and check out the forearm and man-like hand on this lady! Kinda scary. http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_44099.asp

Yes, it will also give a little... and unless you are tip toeing around, you will have a little flexing here and there. I would also put a small "leg" in the corners because you don't want to rely soley on screws in a gunnel that wasn't originally designed to support a deck. Sounds like a fun project, or at least one that when finished will be enjoyed! Are you just from Tx or do you still live here? I was born and raised in Lubbock. My job took me to central florida in 98. my youngest was born in florida BUT she had a gallon zip lock bag of Texas soil under her when she was delivered. So she IS a Texas girl. Thanks for all the advice from all and I look forward to seeing the pictures. They will help. Please post them. Thx.

thanks flech, i was planning on using ACX treated fur plywood and epoxying the entire thing. Was told that screwing and adhering a rail along inside of hull with 4200 caulk and #8 marine grade screws would be sufficient support, along with support beams under the deck. Was also told to drill a wider hole than needed for screws, fill it with epoxy or 4200 (cant remember which) and then set the screw. does this sound right to you?