Scott F

All of my spinning reels are and have been the better Quantum’s. A few years ago, they removed the anti reverse switch and I wasn’t pleased. I never back reel, but I do like to back up the lure to attach it to the lure keeper on the rod, or back it up if I mistakenly reel the lure into the top guide. I’ve been using my newer Smoke reels without the switch and have gotten used to pulling against the drag, or opening the bail. Just like when I adjusted to using reels without a “trigger”, I’ve gotten used to no reverse switch.

If you were a tournament fisherman and losing a big fish cost you a lot of money or hurt your career, I can understand being pretty upset and possibly losing sleep over the big one that got away. As someone who does not place a lot of importance on the size of a fish, I never let losing a big fish bother me. I get more upset by losing an expensive lure.

I made a substantial investment in swim baits like the Keitech Swing Inpact plastics over the winter and so far, the results have not been good. As I switch from lake fishing through the spring to river fishing from now till the fall, I’ll be giving them another shot.

Straight braid will not hurt the action of your lure in any way. There is also no reason to color the line. A bass doesn’t care or have the brain power to be afraid of your line. It will make your fishing so much simpler and easier. No swivels, no leaders and no extra knots to tie. Try it for a while and see how you like it. Lots of people run straight braid, like me, with no ill effects. You can always go back to your old method if you don’t like it.

The bolts through the aluminum plate will be OK. The bolt that threads into the aluminum should be aluminum or galvanized to prevent galvanic corrosion.

Make sure you remove that S/S bolt frequently. The stainless bolt will not play nicely with the aluminum bracket and will lock itself in place forever.

My first call would have been to Minn Kota. I'd have called them while I was trolling back to the marina.

Bass Pro Shops is there to turn a profit. By all indications, they are doing a very good job of it. Carrying high end rods that don’t sell quickly or selling products at a discount is not as profitable as selling clothing or BPS branded tackle. If you go there expecting to see a lot of gear for the enthusiast at cheap prices, you are going to be disappointed. I’m sure this is not news to most, but to a lot of us who are regulars here at BR, we are not BPSs target customers. If they depended on us to stay in business, they’d already be just like all the mom and pop tackle stores that are now gone.

For you guys who want to build their own hard baits but aren't skilled at painting, there is a product called Jigskinz that let you make realistic looking lures without an airbrush. I'm surprised I don't remember seeing them mentioned here before. Google jigskinz for more info. This site won't let me post a link.

No they don't have to be in the water to work properly. For 25 years, my transducers were epoxied to the inside floor of my fiberglass hull. As long as there are no air pockets, or metal, between the transducer and the plastic floor of your boat, it should work fine.

That’s a white crappie. Maybe. I’d like to see the top fins and I’d be more sure.

Try them both out and see which one YOU like best for topwaters or any other presentation. You may find your preference is not the same as those who post.

The Ulterra is also nearly 4 times the price of the X3.

No, it is not a cross between a striper and a largemouth. It's called a spotted bass. Spotted bass usually (but not always) have a rough patch on their tongue.

I found the information you are looking for by Googling “Maine boating laws”. As long as your boat has a valid registration in your home state, you’ll be fine.

Does Dad know what you are planning? This is something you should discuss him. A 70lb thrust motor will be 24 volts. Is his current motor 12 or 24 volt? If it's a 12, he'd need another battery, space for it and possibly some wiring changes. I don't know what a "fishing barge" is exactly. How easily will the X3 mount on his boat? The foot controlled motor is a great upgrade IF he is ready for the work and money needed to make the change.

I highly recommend an over the shoulder sling pack. When you aren’t getting into it, it swings around to your back out of the way and does not interfere with your fishing. When you need to get into it, you swing it around to the front. Check out fly fishing tackle sites. You’ll find all kinds of solutions. Fly guys have the best gadgets.

As is often said, “hooksets are free”. Anytime you feel the tap, tap of a fish, go ahead and set the hook. Bluegills are often the ones who are tapping on your bait when you set the hook and nothing is there.

Next time you look at it, with your sunglasses on, turn your head 90 degrees and see if it looks better. If it does, the polarization on your screen isn’t lined up normally.

St Croix Premier 7’ Medium light, fast.

I've found better results with the elaztech TRD. I glue them to the jig head and they last as long as the jig. Extremely durable especially compared to a real Senko. 20 to 50 fish is easy if you don't lose it first. Because TRDs float, they stand up on the bottom especially if you use the mushroom head. The Senkos will lay down. I'd never use a senko or a sinking plastic for Ned rigs. There are dozens of other worms that don't sink. You are going to get it to sink by using a jig. A buoyant or floating plastic will slow the fall (like a senko does by itself) which will help get more bites.

I’m with LionHeart above. I don’t mind fishing. I like being outdoors on a nice sunny day, on the water with a nice breeze to keep me comfortable. But the part I like best, is catching. If I’m catching fish on a regular basis, that’s when it’s fun for me. If I’ve been skunked for 4 hours or only had a couple of bites, I’m ready to leave. I know guys, like musky fishermen, who will throw big heavy lures hour after hour for days and are happy if they even see a fish. Me, I’d rather stay home and paint my house. I don’t care if they are big or small fish, I like when I get bites. I’m even particular about the type of fishing. Fishing in the slop where you are pulling weeds off your lure on every cast or fishing deep water doesn’t interest me. Bass fishing to targets with a variety of different lures is what keeps my interest between bites. Because there are so many ways to fish, from a worm and a bobber, to fly fishing, to deep sea fishing, there is something for everyone. Some people love all of it, some only small parts of it.

I had a small, narrow, boat and the fenders on the trailers were not visible in my mirrors unless I was turning.

Amazon has a 12v, 50AH lithium ion battery that only weighs 15lbs. Price might be an issue. with shipping, it runs $475 https://www.amazon.com/Lithium-Battery-LifePo4-charger-Solar-Marine-RV-GolftCart/dp/B01M66AHP0/ref=pd_day0_200_4?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01M66AHP0&pd_rd_r=42FTM0P17N1FK9AEWDFZ&pd_rd_w=HnhWW&pd_rd_wg=sz5Ie&psc=1&refRID=42FTM0P17N1FK9AEWDFZ

It would be hard to sneak out undetected when my boat is missing from the garage.