Master Bait'r

Yeah I've got the itch bigtime to wrap this up. I'm having a tough time locally sourcing a good heavy gauge aluminum piano hinge for the front seat area. I may have to just settle for thru-bolting a few heavy hinges on after I brake bend the platform edges for strength and weld in the cross members. Oh, and carpet... Which will be grabbed tommorow. Really just waiting on that stuff and the pourable foam and TM to come in. I've got everything else. Might get to actually paint it tomorrow too!

Aw yeah! Tin to win!!

The struggle is real. You are not alone.

Just like her Dad! Mine is too lazy. He likes to stay home and work on his carpet impression. It's almost perfect.

Defiant =\= Definite Just looking out for ya man.

Enhance the experience? I don't know what that means. Are you eating them or just filling your freezer?

Completely under the radar... Right where I like to be

Btw the best advice I ever got about the Elaztech material was when someone here told me that you have to heat up the hook with a lighter before you rig. It goes in like a dream!

I think the hardest part about using it is walking away from that Goldilocks zone where nearly every cast is a decent dink to head for the zone where it will take way longer to draw a hog. Especially when you haven't landed that hog. I'm right there with you though man... All we can do is fight the good fight until we do! You can't catch fish on it if you don't throw it though, that much I'm sure of.

Ah ok yeah bait board sounds more likely, didn't think of that. How did you like the seat in the Lure series btw?

I guarantee that a marketing guy is to blame for that. I thought that was a head scratcher too haha although my yak now does lack the ability to enjoy charcuterie I must say.

Originally came in to say that I can't believe you can get a brand new trolling motor w 2 year warranty shipped TYD for $102. It just doesn't seem feasible.

Yeah there are some amazing boats out there right now. The predators are very similar if you like the dancefloor style layout and I'm pretty sure in the 13 they offer a center trolling motor console(!). Also I really like the Lure series. That wheel in the keel just seems like the way it should be and I love the layout. They also offer a center electronics console a la ride 115x as well in their 13'er iirc.

Thanks guys, I definitely will continue to update the thread as progress is made. I have been lucky enough to have some free time to work on it but I have to hammer down on some actual work for a while. Hoping I can do another stint on 'er before the weekend, as I'd really like to get it all smoke gray and at least the main floor treated with water sealer and carpeted so it's ready for install. I have to finish the seat/storage lid area before I can paint though, as it needs welding and I don't want to grind off new paint and have to reapply again. Pretty much giving u on CL for a decent trolling motor though, they are spending about 30 seconds up before they're sold if they're a decent price/model. Probably going to grab one of those brand new cheapo Minn Kota 30lb jobbers for peace of mind and cleanliness just to get it over with. Edit: Trigger pulled. Brand new Minn Kota cheapo 30# thrust should be here Monday.

It certainly does, which is why I'm lining the frame with rubber stripping. I don't want a loud clang when I'm putting the lid/seat back down. It will also equalize the height of the DP and the wood a little.

Drilled the holes to mount the seating. Although the diamond plate platform section still needs to have the rear face brake bent (that's why is looks like it's sticking out so far) and the sides dialed in, it's getting pretty close. I also got paint today. Smoke Gray gloss enamel. Hoping to get sprayed before the weekend. Everything except the lower half of the hull and the corner brackets are going to be gloss gray. (Carpets and all flooring will be black) So what do you guys think of the layout? I figured I don't need a middle seat because it will be primarily a Trolling motor driver and I usually bring a cooler anyways.

Oh man! What are you looking at?

Haha I took a little break from working on it over the weekend so I could go fishing, my apologies. Just finished up the floor board. Just need to pop a few holes in it for the seating and she's ready for carpet. I'm pleasantly surprised how light it still is too. Already cut the pieces for the platform, but forgot to take a pic. I'll try to remember before I leave for the day.

I'd buy it flat out. You can get a darn nice boat for ~5k and not having a payment is like a luxury in and of itself.

If it was a shallow, flat bottom skiff it could roll easily. All it would take is one person leaning over when a wake hit. I've seen someone do it in a kayak before. Hate hearing about that kind of stuff.

They're a bait by Z Man created specifically for the Ned Rig. It's 2.75", significantly softer and more jiggly than a Zinkerz, and they SLAY on the Ned. I's insane how well they work. I went out last Thursday and just about emptied the pond I was on. If I wasn't a catch and release guy I feel like I could have sunk my boat with inks and panfish- and if smallies aren't on beds, LOOK OUT.

This may sound rediculous but the TRDs really are by far the best things for Ned rigs. I've done a bunch of different configurations of Zinkerz, etc. and while they catch fish, they never seem to be quite as effective as the legit Ned rig with TRDs/Shroomz heads. So yes and no. You can put something together that will work in a pinch but it won't be quite as effective as The Real Deal.

That's cheating tho haha... Canoes are prefect for one person. Nice seating position, tons and tons of storage and you can walk em anywhere. I'd love an aluminum canoe project build! Keep up the great work!

Man aluminum canoes are awesome. One of these days!!!

This may sound like blasphemy but I bought an Ugly Stick Elite spinning rod in a MHF 6'6" as a bigger baits/mini frogs rod for my kid and I actually really like it having used it a bunch. Lots of beefy backbone on it but a nice soft tip that lets you whip all kinds of smaller baits really well. Works great with 20# 832 braid for just about everything from T rigged plastics to smaller swimbaits to spinners etc. Since you're a Drop Shotter, go with a Medium, but I'd say especially with the soft tip section it would make a great DS rod. If I was only getting one rod, and it had to be a spinning rod and $100 is out of reach, that is probably the best rod I can think of that I've actually used. I hated just about every other rod at that range. Even the Berkley Amp rods are just ok IMO. For $20 more the Ugly Elite is a big step up IMO (and yes I have both, bought them for the boy)