Further North

I don't mind the debates...as long as they don't deteriorate into the silliness where some folks call others stupid for their choices...that's the kind of behavior that always puzzles me....

There is a slot on Terrovas that allow you to run the cable down the shaft. It requires some disassembly of the motor's head, and probably a helper (though I've done it by myself) but it works fine.

Because I want to spend my time fishing and not screwing around with my boat's motor, I prefer newer motors (mine is an '05, same as the boat). My motor is a four stroke, fuel injected motor that starts like a car motor and runs like a car motor...you can have a conversation on the boat running 30 MPH across a lake without shouting. I don't have to mix oil and gas, and I don't have to worry about cold weather starts (lotta those up here) That said, I get why people like older motors...and I think that's cool too. Like classic shotguns, old cars and wooden boats...I am fascinated by them and really enjoy them...when other people own them.

If you were closer, I'd invite you over and show you.... Reach out to someone local who can show you how things work, hopefully before you plunk down your cash for something you may wish you didn't do a few months down the road. ...a 24 volt trolling motor is only different from a 12 volt in that it needs another batter, and a 24 volt charger to keep them charged. Heavier wire from the TM to the batteries too. It'll have more power, you'll use less of its capability (what I mean here is you'll be able to run it at a lower power setting to go the same speed, if that makes sense) and it'll last much longer on the water every day you fish.

I looked at bay boats hard...wanted to convince myself they were a good fit for me. Stuff I liked: Raised seat, center console - I felt like I could work my way around the boat with a big fish on and not have to worry about dancing between side consoles, and I like being able to see the water in front of the boat. High decks for fly casting As noted above: Easy to clean (I dislike carpet) Stuff I didn't like: Raised seat, center console - standing on the front deck, I could see bashing my rod into the console, and wrapping fly rine around it. Not as much deck space as a bass-type boat Nowhere near as much storage as a bass boat When all was said and done, it was really the last one that killed it for me. As a dedicated multi-species fisherman, I carry a lot of tackle and gear (I often switch from bass to pike, back to bass and then to musky...and then switch to fly rods all in one day) and I am a little nuts about storage space. If I wasn't such a gear nut, I'd probably be running a Skeeter Bay boat today, probably a lot like this one: http://www.skeeterboatcenter.com/InventoryDetail.aspx?boattype=Used-Boats&model=&stocknumber=S1788A

I say this a lot, and I'll drag it back out here: A 12 volt trolling motor for a boat that size is less than optimal. I'd go to at least an 80 lb, 24 volt unit. You won't regret it. When I had a 17 1/2 ft Crestliner, it had a 36 volt, 101 lb. Terrova on it... Same here. I have not had a problem that wasn't user sourced.... So....keeping mind that I have no problem with Lowrance at all, they make great equipment...here's a question: Why forgo the the opportunity for the link between Minn Kota and Humminbird? I use the ability to follow a contour a lot, I use the ability to define a rout on my Humminbird unit and have the trolling motor follow it, and I use the ability to send the trolling motor to a saved location on the Humminbird unit frequently as well.

I look at trolling as neither good nor evil...just duller than a cheap knife dragged blade down across a six lane highway.

Here's how I'd look at it: AR selling prices are dropping like stones...and will continue to do so. If you're not shooting it and you can get out of it with a decent trade, I do it in a heartbeat...but I'd take cash over a boat any day because cash can convert into any boat...where the deal you've set up is a one time thing....

It'd blow your budget, but I've got a St. Croix LXS610MLXF that's just amazing. Paired with any lightweight, quality reel you'd be hard pressed to find better.

Here's the thing with fly rods, specific to being "underpowered": It's not the fish you need the power for, it's the fly. This thing: Takes some snot in the rod and in the line to deliver it. This: ...doesn't. You can throw that spider all day with a 5 wt. Try that top fly with a 5 wt. and you'll be inventing new cuss words eleven minutes after you tie it on. If you're after panfish and little bass, your budget is fine (get the 2nd set up though, it's better). The lines that come with those rigs will be fine. It's only after you get nuts about the subject and start trying to catch musky and big pike on a fly that your budget takes a beating... ...that fly is 11" long... One more thing: The real deal with fly fishing is practice casting. Practice a lot. Most nights, when the weather is decent up here in the frozen north, I'll spend at least fifteen minutes practice casting, and I've been at it for about 6 years. The muscle memory you need for fly casting is a different critter from chucking gear and you need to train your body to do it via repetition. I feel like my most productive routine is to "cast around the house". I start in the driveway, and I work my way around the house with which ever rig I've picked for the night. That way I get all wind angles, different kinds of obstacles, get to aim for different targets on each cast. Most nights I cycle through two or three fly rigs, call it 6 wt., 8 wt. and 10 wt. ...but I'm nuts...and I like fly casting for its own sake. A well thrown cast, even on the lawn, is like a welel hit tee shot on the golf course. Makes you feel good, even if there's no fish in the grass. PS: Wear sunglasses, and a hat when you fly fish, and when you practice. And de-barb your hooks. Sooner or later, you're gonna run a fly into the back of your head, or into your cheek. It's not an "if", it's a "when'. I don't care how careful, or how good you think you are...all it takes is gust of wind when you've started your forward cast with 60 ft. of line out.... PPS: If a skinny li'l thing like this: can catch that fish on a fly, you can catch more panfish than you can imagine...

Temple Forks GTS C736-1 A little out of your budget MSRP at $160, but I paid less than $130 for mine, new in its wrapper. I've got an MGX on mine, but an SX would be just fine.

I learned this a long time ago with regards to using WD-40 on a shotgun: The WD in WD-40 is for "Water Displacement". It's great for that. If you need to move water out, it'll get the job done. In a shotgun...and in a fishing reel...it'll leave behind a coating...a residue. That residue is not your friend. You have lots of better choices, use WD-40 for it's made for.

I missed the panfish part - thanks. Panfish are a hoot on a fly rod. If that's the target, the 5 wt. is perfect. Little foam spiders....

What are you going to be fishing for...and given where you live, salt or fresh water? Assuming bass...Do yourself a favor and go with an 8 wt., especially down there. You're gonna need some big, wind resistant flies and you're not gonna throw those with a dainty 5 wt. built for trout. Don't even think about going below a 7 wt. Both those set-ups are fine (I'd go with the 2nd one)...but here's the deal: neither comes with a line designed to chuck big streamers whether you're fishing on top with big poppers or subsurface, bass flies tend to be big, tend to catch the wind and even experienced casters need help turning them over and delivering them on target. Rio makes a line called the "Smallmouth Bass" line that is perfect for this...but it costs $75. It's got a shorter, more powerful head designed to turn bass flies over and it works great...I've got one on my topwater rod. I've got another Rio product - the "Outbound Short" in their "InTouch" series on my subsurface rod. That's another $90. Those lines make a huge difference in my ability to meet my own expectations and deliver casts far enough out, on target and not all fluffed-up. If I had to pick one, it'd be the Smallmouth line as you can fish subsurface with a floating line...but not vice-versa. If you stick with this, you'll find that you need at least one good topwater line and one for subsurface. I have separate rigs for each as I don't want to spend 10 minutes re-rigging a fly rod with a different kind of line if I want to hit one piece of structure on top and below the surface. You can save a bunch of that re-rigging time by having extra spools, but you still have to reel in, re-string and tie on the fly. ...but I'm not the best guy to talk to when it come to exercising restraint on gear...I've got 24 fly rods (Only 18 are rigged!) ready to rock at any given moment. Don't even ask about regular gear rods... One other thing: Casting with bass flies is not the same as it is with trout flies. Where a trout fisherman wants a subtle as possible presentation where the fly kisses the water delicately and you need to manage the drift so there's no drag...you want a bass fly to hit the water like it fell off a six-story building and make about as much commotion as you can make on the way back to the boat. Don't watch trout videos trying to figure out how to fly fish for bass...

Interesting...I use the FG knot to tie on a weaker leader all the time. I use it on my finesse bait casters and on my spinning rigs, typically 30# braid to a 8# - 10# leader. Never had any problems with it.

What On God's green earth would make you look at that? IT's at least three clicks deep...

Yep. I guarantee I'd run into that mount within a couple hours.

I could upgrade...I just don't want to...the boat I have now fits how I fish very well and there are only a few others that would meet my wants/needs - I could get talked into a Lund Pro-V Bass if I tripped over a suitcase full of money, and maybe a couple others...but all that would really is new-ness and a little gloss. I find myself in a place like this often - I spent years working my way to a couple shotguns that do exactly what I want them to do for prices I considered reasonable for what I got...and then I stopped the hunt. Most people would think the place I stopped is a little nuts...but then I think a $100,000 boat is a little nuts...and my shotguns will increase in value...the boat...not so much. I may add a 20 gauge SxS at some point, or maybe a 28...but...probably not. I like glass boats too. I could live with one, would even enjoy one...but I'd have to increase my towing capacity, spend more on gas...don't want to do that either. My tin boat gets the job done really well for me, holds all my stuff, tows great behind an economical mid-sized SUV...and I don't worry about rocks and things as much as I would with glass. Right now, I'd rather spend a portion of what it would cost to upgrade the boat (and truck) on better gear, technique specific gear, things like that, and tuck the rest away for retirement which is a hort 5 years away...at the outside. Sorry for the ramble...someone must have pushed my "reflection" button.

A lot of people use it because it is much more abrasion resistant than braid.

Well...yeah...I didn't say it was a short road... My boat is 12 years old, was 8 years old when I bought it. I am feeling no pressure to upgrade at all.

Bass fishermen will pay the price... I'm only kidding a little there...some of the cost is electronics which tends to be way more expensive on a fishing boat than a ski/pleasure boat.

I look at it this way: Somebody has to buy them for that kind of money so that us normal folk can buy them used down the road...

It's not impossible to get a Ranger over $100K...

I am not clear on one thing, maybe two: Have you taken delivery of the boat yet? If not, the motor is still new. Have you signed final paperwork and paid for the boat yet? If not it's all re-negotiable, you can work your upgrade before