FryDog62

There is room beneath the front hatch lid for sure - I could get another 32ah in there. But not enough room to run two smaller, i.e. 15ah or similar, in parallel.

I could but I really just don’t want to spend another $270 on the 32ah. Oddly, their 30ah is less powerful and slightly larger dimensions and won’t fit in the front hatch. Their next size battery down from a 30ah drops to 20ah (and is the same dimensions as the 32ah). But I think a 20ah will only give me about another hour of run time over my current 18ah. You’d think with all the new lithium batteries to the market in the last couple years, along with dropping prices, I could find something… so far, coming up dry -

You and I think alike… I did remove the rim to get my 32ah in there… I could fit the battery itself in except for the battery connect tabs and had to remove that rim. Maybe I should buy a bigger hatch lid, I’ve seen them somewhere. It would open up a lot more battery options. But I’d rather find a 25 or 30 ah with small enough dimensions first…

There's some good deals out there as prices have come down since Covid. If I could find a 25ah or 30ah lithium as small as my other Amped Outdoors 32ah (5 7/8 x 3 29/32 x 3 5/8) I'd buy it. Any bigger dimensions than that - and it won't fit in the front hatch of my kayak. ... Looking.. 👀

Agreed on the no standards thing... this entire technology is still new enough that it's hard to know capacities, or exactly how long some of these charges, and even batteries will last. No one I know has had a Dakota Lithium for 11 years anyway ~ I was on the water 7 hours with the battery last week and it lasted the entire time. But I know I was right near the end, and just curious how much longer it may have lasted. I may have been on borrowed time, am thinking of getting a larger battery so I don't have to find out the hard way...

What’s your best guess on how many hours of run time I might get on an 18ah lithium battery drawing 2.5 amps. My guess is approx 7 hours. Anyone come up with something different than that?

Actually I built the center mount specifically so the GPS units are out of the way from casting, flipping, jerking, or landing fish. Before that, I really didn’t like the units on the side gunnel gear tracks - I thought they really interfered with normal activities. The reason I built my own is that it sits lower than the after-market options out there that sit up another 3-6 inches higher. Mine is flush with the gunnels, and the units have never been in the way. Of the DIY things I have done with the kayak, that has been the best one by far. I have a parts list I can share. It cost me $75 two years ago, with inflation it’s probably closer to $100 now but I’d do it again…

I haven't had issues with Stunna hooks, been pretty productive for me and landing fish. Questions I have are - Are you using a rod with some parabolic action and "give," and non-braided line? A rod that is too fast and/or using braid with treble hooks can lead to lost fish. Also proper drag setting helps... Those jerk bait hooks (on all brands) are light wire and sometimes fairly small and easy to tear out with the wrong equipment/settings.

I skip lures from a kayak with a baitcaster but pretty much only when I’m standing. Easier motion that way, but also helps to be up higher and see into the target area better.

Good catch. I originally had the Livescope transducer pole on the left next the Garmin screen. However the mounting hardware (Fishing Specialties) is a fixed mount that sticks out approx 5 inches over the gunnel. When I added the uprights for my rod tubes to the trailer, sliding the kayak on and off I would occasionally smack the mount on the uprights, almost tore it off a couple times when the wind/waves were coming in hard. So I moved the Livescope pole to the other side out of the way. Then, when I added the 360 transducer mount - it had to go on the left side, but I found a different mounting pole (Dugout Kayak) that unscrews and I can pull it out of the way when launching/retrieving and not smack the uprights of the rod tubes. All things you try to think about ahead of time, but sometimes you don’t and have to adjust later. So a little left brain/right brain pole adjustments. I could switch the poles around but it wasn’t a hassle today so will leave it as is… Maybe it’s good training for my first stroke lol !!

You might say, I’m still in some sort of state of denial…

Well, it’s been adding things piecemeal gradually for 3 years… but since I sold my bass boat and have decided to keep my Autopilot Kayak for awhile - maybe indefinitely, I finally completed my electronics. I added a Garmin 9 inch and Livescope Plus previously, and this week I added a larger Helix and 360 Imaging. Once I got used to both technologies on my boat, I always felt I was missing something until now. We’ll see if I can catch fish now lol…

Welcome aboard… on my way moving from Minnesota-to-Florida-to Upstate SC this Fall👍

I personally think the trolling motor, especially when hitting Spot-Lock while moving (and the head turns in circles and screeches to regain position) turns fish away more than anything. Bigger fish, that have likely been caught before, probably remember that sound when the guy that caught them put on the brakes to reel him in…

I think there are a number of other sounds and factors that would affect fishing before fishing line..

I got a call from somebody from back home that wires boats and I think he got me figured out. Hope so!!

I have the 7 prong transducer cable coming from the 360 Imaging transducer AND I have a 7 prong transducer cable coming from my Helix unit. I believe both are to plug into the back of the Helix but it only has one 7 prong transducer connection point. So I called Humminbird support a couple weeks ago and it was recommended to me to purchase a Mega 360 7-pin Transducer Y-Cable so it would all connect together - BUT I’m not seeing how it would work. I was envisioning more of a splitter that would allow both transducer cables to snap into the back of the Helix. Anyone figured this out before?

Yes, this was caught on Mar 31 - actually in 2020 - before the "bass" season opened up. It was the only fish we caught that day (it was approx 30 degrees and yet crawling with boats due to the Governor telling everyone to go fishing during Covid lol). The DNR survey from 2016 to 2021 noted previously that White Crappie were present and large in size, but by 2021 had almost vanished. Again, due to much of the Covid pressure I'm sure. It looked like Mille Lacs on opener... in only 400 acres of water, not a good scenario ~

Here's an 18 incher a buddy of mine caught from my boat in 2021. Biggest I’ve seen in person too. I believe a White Crappie, caught very fittingly on "Whaletaill" Lake.

Oddly enough, the bone spur on my finger dissolved and went away about a year ago. I’m back to “normal” whatever that is… Interestingly, that the pinky on my other hand is affected now, but I only use that hand to reel, so far I’m good 👍

I have a friend who has a rule that whenever he pees off my boat, he whizzez on my Mercury (he's a Yamaha guy obviously)...

I’m a big believer in mono leaders and floating plastics. They rise on the pause after the pull. Whether it’s floating above the silt the sinker kicks up, or the fact the lure stops in the fishes face - I find a higher percentage of fish caught when they can see and easily identify it. Floating plastics I like: GrandeBass - Airtail Neko Worm, Airtail Rattler, Airtail Wiggler Big Bite Baits - Flying Squirrel Bass Pro Shops Floating Lizard

If given the choice of Live or 360, I think Live is the better choice if you're only going to have one. I am adding Helix/360 to my existing Garmin/Livescope. Two transducer poles in the water, we'll see how it works, or if I trip any gators below lol.

My balance and legs still feel as good, strong and agile as they have ever been. I did have a bad reaction to statin cholesterol medicine 15 years ago that wreaked havoc on my legs. I workout/stretch daily and do the exercise bike to combat this. I can still outrun most guys I know half my age. But I can't stand in one place for any length of time. If I do, my legs throb like an Excedrin headache on steroids. So converting from bass boat boat to kayak where you sit most of the time has actually been good for me, even though it was a very tough decision to sell my Lund. Everyone is dealing with something as you get over a certain age. Tom, I hope you find the right "balance" to keep you on the water. Keep at it !

I picked the wrong week to upgrade my Helix and add 360 Imaging to my kayak too. Waiting on transducer mount that has been delayed with USPS... then assembly before hitting the water finally.