Gene Eby

Well, decided to go with the standoff plates do to the age of the boat (22 yrs) and the slight curve of the transom. My only concern will be the weight, mainly because of the motor h/p. Will keep posting updates as I work on this. Presently the boat is in storage because of the long winters here will likely be early April before I get them on. Thanks to all for the insights and info. Gene

Going to try to go directly to the transom, trying to keep weight to a minimum. That said this older boat has a fairly flat transom and is in excellent condition. Have a friend who owns a marina who is also a master tech, he is willing to assist with the installation , however has never installed poles, don’t see many pure bass boats this far north, mostly guys fish othe species. But I believe I can make this work. If necessary I can eleminate about 40 lbs if it is necessary to lighten the stern a bit.Want to thank everyone for their input, it really makes this somewhat easier. Gene

I am a retired US Army Sergeant Major. Did 26 years and with a few exceptions feel I had the greatest job in the world and actually would not change a thing, although a couple of tours in RVN could have been bit different . Was retired disabled but have managed with the aide of family and friends to have had a great retirement.

Yes, you may be correct, already have a bit whenever I exceed 55, funny how 45 lbs can change your stability. But I’m opting for 2 tow help with balance. Thank you for your input. Gene

Great points Tom, will consider moving the battery to the front, maybe build a box under my foot control well. There is plenty of room there. thanks gene

This is a general question concerning putting Power poles on an older boat, I have a 1996 Stratos 268 with a Johnson 90. Pushes the boat at 55 mph with just me in it. I’m looking at mounting 2 Power pole Sportsman 2’s on it. What are the feelings on these on a 16’ 8” boat. Total weight will be approx. 46 lbs. The boat is in excellent shape and is perfect for the waters I fish. Any comments/suggestions would be appreciated. As a side note our season up here is 5 months and I fish 15 to 20 days a month. Thanks Gene

L. n L. Like the idea of the luna light, may try that in a couple of storage boxes, installed the LEDs yesterday, wow, glad I installed a dimmer, can't even imagine trying to fish and not being able to dim them down. They are so bright , I was testing them out after installation in the back yard and was afraid NASA would come and investigate. I must say they are exactly what I wanted , the hardest part was actually drilling the first hole in the glass gunnels, man that was tough. But the end product was well worth it. Thanks to all who assisted me with their input. Gene I will try to post some pics in the next few days.

Thanks for the info, my boat is an older Stratos , the gunnels are about 4 inches high, and the fronts are at a 90 degree angle from the floor however the aft are angled at about 30 degrees. My concern is that the aft lights will shine up and miss the floor entirely. Your lockers and wells are what I'm intending to do with mine. I intend to run deck and locker lights on a separate circuit and the others, (courtesy) on the same circuit as the nav lights , , thanks very much for the input. Man there is so much knowledge here, you guys are always willing to assist. Gene

Thanks , that's some good info, especially the fuses , honestly had not thought of upping the amps. One last question, how high up did you mount them from the carpet? Thanks again. Gene

Thanks , that's some good info, especially the fuses , honestly had not thought of upping the amps. One last question, how high up did you mount them from the carpet? Thanks again. Gene

Looks really good, what's the single light on the bow and stern at the end of the strip? Did you install a dimmer switch for the rail lights? I'm thinking plunger switchs for my storage and rod boxes, that way they only activate when I open them. Which battery circuits did you use, starter or the trolling motor? Also, with that many LEDs was there a noticeable draw on the battery? Sorry, lots of questions, thanks for taking the time to respond. Gene One last question, how high up did you mount them from the carpet? Gene

Hi all, am considering installing LED deck lights on my older Stratos bass boat and am looking for any suggestions from those who may have already done this, i.e. Height from the deck, spacing etc.. Also thinking about the lockers and live wells. Thanks Gene

Looks like a BPS Lizard, I bought a bulk pack with various colors several years ago and they have the same mold . I use them a great deal in the spring and early summer.

I have several Falcons, several older All Stars and 2 Lightening Rods, as much as I try to use the more expensive rods I find for some applications the Lightening Rods are more comfortable for my use. They aren't as pretty but they do preform. Just my 2 cents. Heck it they catch fish and you land it , it's a 10.

Rapala top water13f and Zoom lizard Carolina rigged.

Need some info on getting a replacement boat cover. I have a 1996 Stratos 268 and needless to say the original cover is long gone, so I'm looking for a replacement cover, searched on line at BassPro and the few that looked as though they might work had really poor reviews. Has anyone here purchased a cover from them or from anywhere else and if so what are your recommendations. Don't need one to travel with this is just to use when the boat is not being used, winter storage is inside but during the fishing season I keep it in the back yard and rain, leaves, sun, and the usual bird crap is what I need to protect it from. Thanks for any input. Gene

Retired US Army Sergeant Major, Airborne, Special Forces, Ranger, for 26 years. Five tours in RVN, two in Europe, numerous side trips to sunny spots such as Central America and the middle east. Had a great career and now am trying to survive retirement.

Live in northern MI, 20+ feet of snow plus 4 months of freezing temps, we winterize every year. Star-Tron and Stabil fuel, flush and lower the motor, if equiped with carbs run them dry and fog the engine. Clean battery terminals, top off water levels in batteries and put on trickle charge. Flush all live wells with RV antifreeze to insure pumps and valves don't freeze. Cover or inside storage if available. Do a once over of the trailer and check bearings. Next season, add water and fish.

The "box" for better name that you inset in the front deck and mount the foot control for the trolling motor in. Basspro sells one for about $145 but it is type specific ie, Minncota , Motor Guide. But sense mine is older not sure it will work. Gene

I fish out of an older Stratos (96) which I use an Motor guide trolling motor, was wondering if I can make a flat foot work with this older trolling motor, and if anyone has had any experience with this. What are your opinions on this addition. I'm a D/V and have had my left knee rebuilt and ankle fused and us my left foot on my T/M and am looking for a bit of relief on my knee and lower back. Thanks for your input, great info on the forum and you all have really shared a lot of info. Gene

I have had a Kindle for 2 years and use it as a reader, absolutly love it, My daughter has a "Fire" and she likes it so much she wants to get one for me for Xmas, I have used it and really like it, Ialso have the latest generation IPad and think I like the Fire better. Like the operating system and reading I love it, just my 2 cents. Also, Amazon has the best customer service I have seen.

Thanks guys, kind of felt the same way but needed some conformation to ease my mind, Thanks so much for the assistance, good fishin guys. Feel like a 67 yo rookie, LOL Thanks again Gene

Hi all. Been a member for a bit over a year. Got back into Bass fishing after a 15 year break due to illness and injuries. Fished Al, GA, NC and VA in the 80s and early nineties and then retired from the Army came to Northern MI and continued to Bass fish until I was unable to, long story short good meds and 8 surgeries later I picked up a used Stratus and some newer tackle and started up again in earnest this past summer. Seems tackle has evolved a great deal sense I quit and have some questions about storing reels. Prior to my hiatus I used Mono and in the south, fishing 12 months a year changed line a couple times a year. As fishing seasons up here are 5-6 months and I only fish 3-5 days a week, should I re-spool those reels that I have braided and fluorocarbon lines on. I've cleaned and oiled the reels for storage but wonder about storing them spooled. By the way, this is a great site for info and has really helped me with some of the newer techniques. Thanks for all the great information. Gene

Ethanol, added to gas,contains a lot of water. Install an inline filter, less than $100 and it will seperate and collect the H2O in the gas. Change the filter once a year and you will elimate most if not all the water. Filter change is just like the screw on oil filter on your car/truck. Or purchase ethanol free gas available at most marinas, (more expensive) and some airports. Me, I change my filter at the end of the season when I winterize my boat. Winter in Northern MI lasts from Oct. thru mid May. Hope this helps.

Hi, been a member for a couple of months, reading tons of articals, most very informative. Been out of fishing for about 8 years due to an injury to my left hand and the loss of my fishing partner, actually sold my Tracker thinking I wouldn't fish again. A couple of years ago my surgeon repaired my hand and last year bought a used Stratus and started fishing again, and now have tons of questions. Have been finding many answers here. Great site. Gene