Scott F

So you are saying fish get smarter as the water gets clearer?

If the hook is buried past the barb, they shouldn't come off. If the hooks are sharp, then your hooksets may not be good enough. Your braided line should make it easier to get good hook sets. What lures are you throwing?

Sharpen your hooks.

CHIRP improves bottom tracking at higher speeds and deeper depths. It helps separate targets that are closer together. At shallow depths those differences are not as noticeable as they are in deeper water. All sonar manufactures need to keep adding new features so they can keep selling new units. The marketing departments push the newest features and need to make you feel that the units without CHIRP are obsolete. CHIRP units are better but not that much. I only paid $450 for my non-CHIRP 73sv. CHIRP wasn't worth $350 extra to me.

The side view imaging is fine. I've never done a screen shot. As a matter of fact, I almost never use the side imaging anymore. On the natural lakes I fish it just doesn't help much. The only things to see are rocks and weeds and the 2D sonar shows me those just fine. I fish off shore reefs and rock piles a lot and the great maps on the 73sv guide me right to them. Not every lake on the unit is in high definition. But it wouldn't take long to make a high def map of a 100 acre lake.

I've got a 73sv without CHIRP and I think it's great. By far the main selling point for me was the built in, high def maps and the ability to create your own maps if your lake is not one of the 17,000 that come with the unit. I was so happy with it, I replaced my other Lowrance depth finder that was only a year old with another Garmin. If you had to purchase map the map chips you'd have to fork out hundreds of dollars extra.

I have introduced the Ned rig to several other good fishermen who all dismissed it as just a jig and plastic. After they watched the success I had with it, they see it differently.

The reasons that guys (not me) use leaders is A. They think bass are line shy and if the bass see the line they won't bite so they use "invisible" fluoro leaders. B. Fluoro leaders are more abrasion resistant than braid. C. Stiffer fluoro won't wrap and foul hooks as easily as the softer, more flexible braid. C. The added stretch of mono or fluoro leaders will provide some shock absorption. Using braid for any of these reasons doesn't make sense. I'm of the type that uses braid all the time and never uses leaders because; A. I don't believe bass are line shy. B. I don't have problems with abrasion. C. Even though my braid does foul sometimes, the added knot going through my guides is not worth the benefit of reduced fouling. D. I don't need shock absorption. A braided line leader will not solve any of the issues some guys have have using by using braid as the main line.

What would be the reason for using a leader made from braided line?

It could be a bad switch. Can you hear it click when you push on it?

When I was doing a couple of fly-ins to Canada every year, I tried using those big Sluggo's several times and never got a bite on one. I still have a box of them. Not one of them have any teeth marks on them. My big Rapalas on the other hand, all look like I took a shotgun to them.

Yes.

First, make sure the hooks are sharp. Cheap baits often have dull hooks right out of the package. Second, don't set the hook as soon as you see the splash. It takes a little self control, but keep the line taught and don't set the hook until you feel the weight of the fish.

The only way you'll know for sure is to talk to your boat dealer. Any auto mechanic shop could probably do it also but you'd have to contact them to find out about it.

Why don't you cut an access hole. You can mount this cover plate. Comes in 4, 6 or 8" sizes in black white or grey. $14-$24

If you have dual frequencies available on the depth finder, try the other one. It worked for me.

Your tackle is not the problem. Pike when feeding will eat anything. I live in your area. I know guys who catch pike in the DesPlaines in the spring but I never hear about them getting them in summer. They may migrate to different, deeper areas after they spawn. Keep searching.

Just about everyone who has ever been struck by lightning has probably experienced the same thing. I never have, but I don't go outdoors waving a fishing rod around when there is thunder and lightning in the area.

The length should be just longer than your bait. I've been making my own leaders for so long, I don't even know what lb test leaders run. Anything steel over 25lb test, which is pretty, small will work. If you use a leader on a spinnerbait, you'll want spinnerbaits with a closed loop to attach to. The baits with the "R" bend wire where you tie on won't keep the leader in place.

What makes you think steel leaders will spook pike? Trust me, they don't. Your boat won't spook pike. Buy steel leaders with the appropriate sized, quality hardware. If you are going to use larger baits, make sure the snaps are big enough. 7 strand wire leaders won't kink up as quickly as solid wire. If you buy solid wire leaders, check where the wire was cut for sharp edges. Those sharp points will split your hand wide open. Good leaders won't have them. If you are getting action, your leaders will get twisted and bent frequently. Makes sure you have extras. Some guys like fluorocarbon leaders, if you are convinced leaders will spook pike, (again, they don't) get those in 80lb or larger size. The best thing about them is they don't kink easily, they can get cuts which will weaken them.

If you really want to save thousands, consider looking for a boat that's a couple of years old.

Buying a boat in the fall, just about the time when you will put it away for the winter, isn't when most people would do it. That might be a good time when dealers would like to get rid of unsold boats. If you waited a few more months, and bought at a winter boat/outdoor show, there are usually good deals to be had there.

I've gotten smallmouth, largemouth, walleye, pike, muskie, catfish and drum on Shadow Raps. The only way you don't catch fish with them is to leave them in your tackle box.

Al Lindner doesn't think so. He was commenting this on a show that was on not too long ago. Guys who troll, drag baits "in the prop wash", just 6 feet or so behind the boat. This is a very effective tactic that we used in Canada on remote lakes that seldom see much boat traffic.

I'm not getting any error messages. If you are using Internet Explorer, Microsoft has a fix for it. Google the error message and you will get info on how to fix it.