dsidle61

This is the Lund I really looked at. The biggest thing that made me pass this up was the size of the back deck. If you put a seat up there and sit facing forward your feet are just dangling which to me is strange. I don't know why they didnt even that deck up with where the cup holder is in that picture you posted. The trolling motor is also an add on so by the time you put it all together it runs about 1500-2000 more than the tracker.

Great info thanks Bob. I'm more looking to get out on bigger lakes (tonka, medicine, waconia) not so much rougher lakes! Being as I had a smaller Jon before I was always really cautious about going out in rough windy conditions. So I don't see that changing.

Trust me I've looked around, I really wanted a Lund. I had some very specific things I wanted, main one being a high casting deck. The Lund boats in my price range all have the sit down decks.

So im about to pull the trigger on my first nice boat (previously owned a smaller Jon). Im sold on the Tracker pro 170 http://www.trackerboats.com/boat/?boat=3878 I was originally considering the 160 http://www.trackerboats.com/boat/?boat=3877 but after seeing them side by side I think the 170 is worth the extra money. Im not planning on racing someone across the water but I want to get on some of the bigger waters here in Minnesota. Here are some of my questions. 1. Is it actually worth the extra $$ compared to the 160? 2. To knock the price down a bit I was considering downgrading the 40hp to a 20 on the 170 (saves about $1700), the difference in weight is about 150lbs between the boats. Ill be fishing mainly by myself, occasionally a 2nd and very rarely 3 people. Also I'm going to be financing the boat, I have a good down payment right now. Im considering putting down my wife as a joint applicant, are the any benefits to this? Or should I just do it on my own. And secondly have people had better success financing through tracker or going to their own credit union/bank. Thanks for the help guys!

Last year I went no leader all season for the first time and lost 1 bait to a northern, a top water frog that the pike bit through my 50lb braid. Caught my PB northern last year on 15lb casting floro. Catch tons and tons of northern and bass on straight 12lb mono. I will say this, a wire leader will 100% affect any top water baits you use as it will submarine the front of them.

Great write up man. Ive been the same way, everything has been shallow for me. Only thing on the outside weedlines seem to be northern. However all my shallow fish have been on frogs. Just tossing right on any surface cover and slowly popping. Just a pop pop pause seems to be working for me.

Thanks Frydog, yeah I couldn't believe how bad it had gotten in a week. Like I said I fished it all last summer when I first moved here bc it was the closest thing to me and its 100x worse right now than it ever was last year. I don't mind weeds on top bc I love throwing frogs it's the stuff submerged < a foot below that just frustrates me.

heres my weekend report, doesnt look like tomorrow will be worth heading out. Friday headed out to Waverly Lake, about a 35-40 min drive west of the metro but worth it! Perfect day mid to low 70s almost no wind. Found all my bass topwater up shallow, couple 2.5-3lbers. Some nice northern that were not happy to be hooked. All came on a spinnerbait with the exception of one on a scatter rap just outside the main weedline. Some nice walleye in there as well but i didnt want to stop catching fish so i never even threw for them. Today stopped at Parkers for just a little bit. Lot of traffic out there didnt do well at all. Ive only fished that lake last year so maybe someone whos fished it for a few years can confirm or deny this. But Parkers is absolutely chocked full of weeds. I know its not great to begin with and last year it was pretty full but i feel like this year that place is going to get swallowed up. I couldnt even troll 40 yards off shore bc of the weeds submerged a foot under. Theres maybe a 50 yard stretch in the center of the lake that is clear enough to pull a crank through. I was just there a week or so ago and it wasnt this bad.

Ive only fished Medicine once, I only have a 10ft jon so I don't even bother going to that ramp. I put in once on the south end of the lake on the beach area. It was super busy so I didn't last two long. As far as parkers goes, I fish there a lot. If you are looking for size you wont find it there. Tons of pike in there but small. As far as bass go youll find some in between all the pike. Its small so if you get one or two skiiers out there it can be a pain. I live walking distance from there so its my evening quick fishing spot. Wouldn't make an effort to get there though.

No fishing this week for me so far, just can't enjoy myself in the cold and wind. Tomorrow looks to be a great day, going to head somewhere in the afternoon/evening. I'll report back!

Havent fished minnewashta, lots of traffic for the muskie in summer. I really like Steiger, ive only gone in summer but have done really well. Can be hard to fish bc of weeds submerged about a foot under water for what seems like 40-50 yards off shore the whole way around. I had my luck with frogs. Pulled in three 4+ out of there one evening all topwater frogs.

Went to Christmas (excelsior) this evening looking for some rainbows. Didn't find em but ran into a coulple bass super super shallow w a frog. Saw a few good size pitching docks but no takers.

Great thread, I hope it takes off, its dissapointing to see the lack of minnesota guys on here. I went to Lake Ann (carver county) for the opener. Didnt get out until about 3pm so i arrived at probably the worst time of day. Cant really tell you what they were after but I can check off what wasnt working! Finally pulled in one northern on a redeye spoon. Probably wont be back out til Saturday but im going to go hard with cranks 10/15 feet.

awesome man! I didnt do to well yesterday, only one northern to speak of. Which clear lake is this that you speak of??

I live about 3 miles from minnetonka and refuse to fish it. Go to a ramp and weekend and youll be waiting in a nice line to put in and good luck finding parking. If you have anything smaller (kayak, jon etc) i wouldnt waste your time. Youll get blown over by 20 boats flying across the lake. Last year they had no wake for a while in spring that kept the big guys off but fishing was slowwww with the high waters. I did a little research and found some awesome smaller lakes in carver that are great for bass and its a much more enjoyable time.

any idea if kayaks or boats w no trailer will be included?? Ive got a little 10ft jon that I just throw in the back of my truck and use a trolling motor.

nice to see another metro guy on board. I live up in Plymouth but do a lot of my lake fishing in Chanhassen near you. You should check out these guys http://mnkayakfishingassociation.org/ great group of guys there, do lots of tourneys throughout the summer.

friend of mine got me a nice discount through garmin. I don't have the $$$$ to spend on their plotters or sonar or the combos. Im looking at their basic fish finders. Just want something that give me good images and depth. Any suggestions?? This is my first venture into the electronics so any help/advice id appreciate it! Thanks guys

Where have you been fishing lately?? I made a stop out to lake ann out in howard lake. Bout an hour west outside the 494 beltway. Got 3 nice bass in about 2 hours. Two on a frog and 1 slow dragging a senko. Pike have been the slow one for me lately.

Yes I have.....finally! Ive been fishing parkers lake from the dock bc its about a 30 second drive for me so that's where my evening trips are. Ive caught a few bass and pike so far, nothing to write home about. This past weekend I ventured over to Ann. Fishing was slowwwwww....except for 20 minutes of the evening. Ended up with 4 bass in 20 minutes and that was it. biggest went for 4lbs. All came on a pad crasher frog. Any luck for you lately.

awesome, thanks guys. Didn't think id need anything more than mh and that's what I went with, but guy at cabelas gave me his "Minnesota pike are so much bigger so you need a H" speech. Im going to look at both the piano and surflon for my leaders as well. Much appreciated.

Have a question for you guys. Looking to get a pike specific setup. I know this is a bass forum but ive already got 3 of those so I need something for the pike! Do you guys go MH or all the way up to H. Im not going to be doing any muskie fishing or anything just your average pike. As far as line goes. Ive gotten about every single option by looking through other sites. Im just not a huge fan of the braid fishing mepps and spoons bc it floats way to high for me even with a steel leader. any suggestions??

Thanks guys, I was leaning towards medium heavy but didn't know if anyone would suggest the heavy. I don't plan on targeting only trophy fish but I wouldn't complain!! What do you think about floro instead of the braid? I just don't like the floating of the braid when fishing spoons and spinners.

Spending my birthday present on a pike specific setup for fishing up in Minnesota. Suggestions?? Don't need to get to specific w brands and what not but looking for rod length/stiffness, line/leaders, if you want to get crazy baitcaster ratio. I know the last one is tough bc ill be fishing both topwater and spooks/cranks with it but if anyone has had super luck with anything let me know. Looking to keep the rod/reel combo under 200$. Thanks guys!

I didn't get out, inlaws are in town for the week .....eyeing sunday next weekend as my first trip out. Thinking of hitting up one of the small lakes around Tonka. Any luck for you this weekend?