OperationEagle

Just picked up a Prez 6930 on sale. These do not come with a spare spool. I guess they used to? Assume the only place to buy is through Pure Fishing, the makers of the reel? if the cost of the spool is $20+ including shipping, it might make sense to just buy a second reel as I purchased the reel new at around $40? Who else has run into this dilemma and/or what advice would you have?

Hmmm you mean you were able to process the order then they came back and cancelled it? That's crappy if so but a good heads up.

I put this in the rod and reel area but just in case you did not see it... Gander mountain: buy one get one free vendetta rods...plus 10%off with online code that is on the site...plus free shipping. makes it $36 per rod.

Got my pedestal at bass pro. It will go on sale in the spring. http://www.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-Power-Pedestal/product/1212071537/ I got my seat from bassboatseats.com I got the lean pro. $50, its been awesome. Shipping was really quick as well. http://www.bassboatseats.com/collections/fishing-seats/products/lean-pro-casting-sit-down-seats

I have an aresenal full of these vendettas and they are decent rods especially for $40 a piece. 2 generations ago they had problems with tips snapping...got them when Walmart was clearing them out for $24 or so. Mine are all almost replaced with the updated generation (replaced under warranty) and no issues whatsoever with the new design. Buy one get one free plus free shipping makes it a deal that's hard to beat. I find that a med is more like a med heavy. http://www.gandermountain.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?pdesc=Abu-Garcia-Vendetta-Baitcasting-Rod-63-Medium&i=1008686

Keitech is back up. Flat rate shipping of close to $6 neutralizes the deal for me.

Awesome rig. I have a 2015 RT178. It has met or exceeded all expectations. Congrats.

Not sure if ranger changed their design but as of recent past there is no plywood in their deck.

Punch what a great day to spend with your dad. What a blessing. And great fish to boot! Keep those reports coming. I look forward to hitting Mille Lacs some day soon!

Same here but with this weekend's weather, I just might take it out regardless to take advantage. Might be too warm outside to ignore! If I do go out, my plan is to redo the gear lube flush for the lower unit. Will cost me less than $10 for the extra gear lube....might be worth it for another weekend of fishing. Actually it will only be worth it if I catch something!

If I do use the boat, I will be replacing the gear oil in its entirety. I think a pint is $10-$15? That is a heck of a lot cheaper than something going wrong. I can also put it this way...$10-$15 is worth the peace of mind. Finally since its pretty easy...almost makes it a no brainer.

Yep I place a healthy dose of Stabil in the tank and run it through the engine as part of the process. Is the only way to check for water in the lower unit to empty/flush the lube completely again?

I changed the oil, changed the lower unit gear lube and added extra Stabil into the gas and engine with the intention of putting the boat up for the season. Weekend weather is forecasted to be much nicer than expected. So.... Is it really that bad if I take the boat out again before long term storage (will be stored until mid to late May). My oil and gear lube would still essentially be new even after one or even a few runs? As long as I drain all water before it gets really cold? Thoughts and suggestions? OE

Agree on 3M5200. 5200 will most likely cause damage upon removal...if you can remove it. Use 4200 instead.

TC, I used the Mercury 2-4-C. Has good water resistance.

I bought an eight foot tree stake from Home Depot. Worked well and was very inexpensive. It is green and made of high strength lightweight plastic.

Since u went from zero water to a lot after refitting the drain plug, that's where I would focus. Two things. Make sure you sealed all around the plug....with the right sealant...like 3m's 4200. Next make sure your plug seats correctly and all the way in. I was puzzled to find water in my new boat's bilge. After some time and inspection I narrowed it down to my drain plug. I thought I was tightening all that it would go but it was never really easy to turn. I applied some marine grease into the threads and around the seal itself. Not only did it turn so much easier, I was surprised that I was able to get an additional 3/4 of a turn. Missing that last 3/4 turn apparently was enough to let several gallons of water in over the course of a day on the water. Now, my bilge is bone dry...and a huge weight off of my mind as nothing can nag at you knowing there is a leak somewhere and it can't be figured out. Maybe consider replacing the whole drain plug assembly as they are super cheap? Allows you to start over and eliminate a faulty plug. Hope this helps and good luck!

Fiske...my sentiments exactly.

crazy Shimmy! Nicely done...and great report. Did all of these come off of a swimjig?

I have read and also spoken to people about the 4 stroke engines and fogging. Consensus I get is that 4 stroke engines do not need to be fogged. Which way is it?

Sadly, this fall has been the worst it seems in years. I am puzzled as to why. I have been targeting vegetation...areas that typically hold fish this time of year. Nothin'...and I mean not even a sighting of bass. The one time I did have success I was hitting docks in the early morning. But even with this, I got numbers not size. Wish I had an explanation but also by the lack of posts from successful outings...others are experiencing the same. This weekend's weather looks nice but with temps continuing to drop into the 30's at night, more lakes will be turning over....which makes it that much tougher. On a positive note, the weather pattern this week should be stable. Let's hope for the best.

Very slow again today. The fall bite eludes me....at least a steady one. wt was at 56-58. Nothing seemed to be up shallow. I wonder if the cold snap drove the baitfish deep?

Holy cow those r some honkers there tlauz. Nicely done! today was so much better. Caught numbers today instead of size. Largest was about 16-17 in. Typical transitional time of year. Found many up shallow. Also many a little deeper like 14-16 fow. Early morning the docks were productive. Then hit shallow areas that were still shaded by the sun as sunny areas did not produce at all. jig, black and blue flake senko, and a white swimbait did the trick for me. Water was 62 degrees.

Pitchinfool apparently u caught all of the fish. I was out at dawn until 1:30 pm and had only one northern to speak of. what a disappointment as the conditions seemed right for a good day....especially since it's fall. In fact I didn't see one bass in the water all day. Some days I just don't get it. Water was 62 degrees. Senko, jig, swim bait...nothin'. I prefer plastics over hard baits so I didn't try those. All boats on my lake were essentially skunked as well.

After checking the mailbox, you dump the Victoria's Secret catalogue in the trash on the way into the house ...but you can't wait to see what's in the cabelas or bass pro flyer.