fishnkamp

All summer the stripers are out oyster bars or in deep water and require big boats trolling with spreader boards and big parachute rigs. But in September the bay starts cooling off and the creeks are warmer due to the shallower water heating up during the day. At this time large schools of menhaden or bunker enter these waters and all of them are about 3 to 4 inches long and we can cast rattle traps, xcaliburs, red eye shads etc. and some topwaters like spooks. Also all of the other fish tart to turn on this food source so we catch some big yellow perch and big catfish. To date my biggest cat was a 18 pound blue cat that almost spooled me. You are both welcome to come join me sometime. This action can last till December 15 when the season closes.

Lucky you!! Really I am fishing some of each of the DObyns and Powells and they are really nicely balanced and have some good components. I had two NO.8 is in my hand last week and they were okay but I like the feel of the others. Strictly personal opinion. Since you want to do both cranks and topwaters I think the Dobyns Fury FR705CB would be my number one choice. It has been designed exactly to do that job. They run $110

Personally the panfish might be more fun on the 5'6" rod but the 6'6" 2 piece will be more useful. The fact that it is 2 piece will hardly make a difference to the rod. Several of my 7 foot spinning rods are 2 piece and are as sensitive as can be. I use them successfully for small floating crankbaits and real light jerbaits, drop shotting, weightless sencos and other "touchy feely "techniques

For that budget I would go either Powell 6104 cb glass composite or 704 cb med moderate. If not them then a Dobyns Fury Fr 705CB. They are all really nice rods and retail for $110. Check them out. I would consider a Diawa Tatula 5.4 or 6.3-1 for a good reel. I am lucky my local tackle shop stocks all of these rods, along with Cashion, NO.8., Duckett and others ,

Wow I am in Middle River so we fish some of the same water. Have you ever chased stripers with bass gear? You would be welcome to run up my way and chase some on my boat this fall. We catch them on traps mostly BY the way the annode is just above the anti cav plate (just above the prop on the lower unit. In the picture it is the grey rectangular object. It usually gets pretty wet when you flush the engine with ear muffs and a garden hose.

Tracker has used both over the years. I like the color scheme. You won't look like every other Tracker for sure.

First look at the lower unit on the engine. There is a sacrificial anode mounted on it. If it is corroded badly then he did not flush it very often. They are easy to replace it is just an indicator to me. Look closely at the trailer. If it is not galvanized but instead is a painted box style trailer be careful to look under it for rusted spring hangers, rusted axle. look down the inside of the box frame see if it is showing bad signs of rust there. Check in the battery compartment to see if there are signs of corrosion to the wiring etc. I run a Lowe bass boat here in Maryland and it is tough to keep up with what salt can do. On the other hand we run lots of boats here on the Potomac and the Upper Bay. If the boat and trailer look okay, ask to dun it. If all works good go for it.

Talk to a good prop shop. Since you said you lost a little hole shot and your top end was a little higher I would talk to them about adding a little cup instead of changing the pitch. By adding a bit of cup the prop will "bite" a little more which might help the hole shot and the rpms might fall right in the correct window. Adding cup is not that expensive but running the wot rpm can be. I have just finished reworking my prop. I tested a few Hustler props for my 75 Merc. I found a 19 pitch was a little to small and the 21 a bit to much. I purchased the 19 pitch and had my prop shop add 1 inch pitch and some cup. Man they hit it perfect. The wot was right in the window and both top end and hole shot were vastly improved.

Price shop for sure also look at something like this http://sportfishermans-service.com/1991-evinrude-40hp-tiller/

Bass Pro is a good source to get one.

I wish you could have seen her trying to hold up the 34 1/2 pound flathead cat she caught. It was priceless. She got it up to her knees and asked our guide Jamie "Can I have some help?" Jamie and I held it up with the fish in front of her and her in the middle between us for the picture.. That fish went from her feet to almost her neck. It was great.The best part was her smile from ear to ear and if you have been married long you know life is good when the wife i smiling for sure.

I stand corrected I am surprised since Ranger did not change the length or beam. Had to be a marketing/packaging change. They could not have changed the transom much since the hull weight did not change

My frog rod is a Veritas original series and back then they did not offer a frog version. Like others have said a Veritas rod runs a little heavier in action than they list., Their lure weight listed on the rods ( including the new Veritas 2s) are correct, but if they say a rod is Medium it will be almost Medium heavy. I first purchased an original Veritas Heavy and it was too much so I purchased a Veritas MH. That rod works great. I caught them on sale so I did not mind. The Veritas Heavy is like a Mag Heavy and it will work well for big jigs on deep ledges. If you are paying around $100 bucks for those rods I would seriously consider a Powell Inferno model 725CF Mag Heavy. It will run you $109.00. Tackle Warehouse has three in stock These rods are really nice.

Are you asking about another spinning rod? Are you comfortable with a baitcaster? If you were thinking about another spinning rod to compliment your St Croix consider an Irod Genesis II IRG713S Fred's Power Finesse Rod Heavy. This is a 7 foot Heavy action rod with a fast action tip. it specs as 3/16 to 7/16 8-16 pound test. This is a beautiful rod. My wife matched hers with a Shimano Symetre 3000 and 30 pound Power Pro braid. This is a jig and frog rod for her. I swear that combo is amazingly lite and well balanced. She chooses not to use a baitcaster, so I have to do some real homework when setting combos up for her for specific techniques. I have no doubt that it would throw some small to mid size cranks or jerkbaits, spinner baits and more. Next I would look at a pair of Dobyns rods. The rod model is the same, but is available in multiple series. I have held rods in both of these series in my hand as recently as yesterday at my local tackle shop. Some of them had just arrived. Look at a Dobyns Sierra SA 705SF and a DC 705SF. Both are 7 ft 5 power rods. That makes them 3/8 to 1 1/4 oz, 12 to 20 pound heavy fast action rods. They also list for lures such as Carolina Rigs, Frogs, Jigs, Buzz Baits, walking top waters and larger spinnerbaits. All of these rods are really nice, will feel good in your hand and balance well with a 3000 size reel or even a 4000 size reel on them. If you were looking for a baitcaster than I would choose from a Dobyns DC704C, DC705C, SA704C, or SA705C. Any of these would be a great choice. Since you like Shimano I would pair it with a Shimano Metanium. That real is said to be extra smooth and only weighs 6 ounces.

tcbass go here for info on the boat. The first page is a write up with photos. Click specs and you can see all of the info I pulled my response from. Just took a little detective work on google to find it. http://www.boatfarm.com/new_vehicle_detail.asp?veh=19331 Max horsepower is clearly listed as 115 hp for that hull not 130

That boat specs are as follows: 17 1/2 long Beam 87 inches weight 1365 pounds gas capacity 25 gallons and most importantly max horse power 115 horse power. A little research tells a lot. The boat is not under powered it is max powered. Noe that does not mean it has any more room however. These are nice boats and in its condition should be worth a look into. The dual consoles are nice but take up room. First thing to do is physically check it out. Look at you tackle and think where you would store your stuff and I might even take my longest rod and see if the rod locker works for you. It is a nice boat

Most people cover this need with a spinning rod. If you want to get a great casting rod look at these two option. First look at a Dobyns Sierra 682C (these are new and i have had two Sierra rods in my hands yesterday at my local tackle shop, but not this one)It specs 3/16 to 5/8 and is 6'8" long. That would work nice. This series is lite and feels nice in your hand for sure. These sell for $160 My next choice is an Irod, actually three Irods. I own several Genesis Two Irods and they are fantastic rods. The first is in the Air Series. Look at an IRA692 C AIR. specs are 1/8 to 3/8 and only weighs 3 oz. Also check out the IRA683C AIR The specs are 3/16 to 1/2. Both are 6'8" long. Lastly look in the Genesis II series. The one in this series is the IRG 703C. That is a real weapon to have in your arsenal. Very versatile rod. Irod Genesis II rod sell for $150 and Air series rods sell for $250. It all depends on your budget. Anyone of these rods will do the job well.

I did not realize you were in Mississippi (guess I need to read a little more) There is a dealer near Columbus MS that also has one. Here is his contact info K&S Outdoors 662- 241-6100. I am not sure which one would be quicker to get to you? I got to speak with the owner of Powell rods yesterday. I was trying to find a dealer in Canada for a guy on here. They did not have one in Canada yet. They do have some dealers in Europe and elsewhere, He said they regularly ship internationally. He suggested that the guy in Canada call him and h would help financially with the customs cost since they had no dealer network there yet. That blew me away. I also told him the Powell rod I own is my most versatile rod in my arsenal. it is a Powell Max 683CEF. I also told him that rod is why I so strongly recommend his rods. I am sorry they dropped the rod out of the line when they brought out the Max 3DS. His answer was it was a mistake and that rod will be back in all three series after ICast this Month! They weer asked by many customers about this and they reintroduced it to all three lines. It was a Max line rod only before. I think when I return to work ( due to a foot injury) this next month I am going to sell my Veritas frog rod and get my second Powell. It will be a Max3D 736 Frog Rod.

I made a few calls. If you would like to get a Powell Inferno 704CB I found a dealer in Gallatin TN. She has 3 of them and will happily ship you one, Here is the contact info. Flippers Bait and Tackle 200 Odoms Bend Rd. Gallatin Th 37066 Phone 615-452-7719 and they have a webite flipperstackle.com

Absolutely the Dobyns Fury and Powell Infernos would do you well. For the price of the Shimano i would suggest to go on Amazon and pick up a Diawa Tatula for $100. That is a $150 retail reel, or pick up a Diawa Tatula Type R for $130 and that is a $200 reel. They will hold up very well for you.

That is fine there are some fine rods in that bugget. Powell Infernos are $99 to109 and the Diesel fit in there at $75. Also look at a Dobyns Fury. They go for $109 and make a great rod as well. As I said the Abu Garcia Veritas fits in your budget along with the Falcon Buccoo especially if you catch a sale.

Define your budget. Powell makes several lines of rods. All of different levels of graphite. Their entry level is called a Diesel. It retails for $75 and is actually a very nice rod with good quality components. The Infernos a re great and they run around $100 St Croix has its Triumph on sale for $60 directly from them. They are fine too. if you can find a Falcon Buccoo at Wal-Mart often they are on sale for $40 and that retails elsewhere for $100. I have one of the Falcon Buccoo 7 ft Med Mod. Trapmaster. That rod throws rattle traps, small to mid size cranks and even could throw a spinnerbait well. I know you can catch some Abu' Garcia Vendetta 2 and Veritas rods on sale often. Check Dicks Sporting goods as well as Gander Mountain online too. What you want to spend will shape our suggestions. Personally I agree with one of the other posters, a good 7 foot Medium or Medium Lite would be on my to do list so you can easily throw tubes ,sencos, Ned Rigs, weightless worms and texas rigged worms up to 3/8 ounce bullet weights and grubs. In a pond 4 or 5 inch Kalin grub is deadly..

First the Duckett costs about $100.00 unless you found it cheaper. The $100 to $150 dollar range has some terrific options. Crankbaits have to be broken down to two categories. One includes small to mid size and the other is the big deep divers like a dd22 and that takes a special setup. Your rod choices tell me we are talking about the first group. For these lures I like a 7 foot Medium action moderate taper. This adds a bit of delay allowing the fish to take the bait and help protect the hooks from being pulled out by a lunging fish. This is why you often see a composite glass/ graphite used in crankbait rods. I consider a 6'10" rod the same as a 7 footer for all general purposes. My first choice would be an Irod Genesis II Gabes Rip Rap Special model IRG703CC. It is the rod I throw my small to mid size cranks and rattle traps. Anything that dives to less than 15 feet. I have it matched up with a DIawa Tatula 6.3-1 reel. I have to have my combos ready to catch bass but also big catfish (up to 20 pounds ) and big stripers as well. This rod goes for $149. This rod is lite, balances well and a delight to fish for long periods. My next three choices are all Powell rods. First it would be a MAX3D 6104 CB Glass Composite. it costs $159 Second would be a Powell Inferno 6104 CB Glass Composite. The action is identical but is a bit cheaper at only $100. Lastly it would be an Inferno 704CB Med Mod. It cost the same $100. All of these rods are a delight to have in your hand they are lite and balance really nice. I do not own one of these yet but I do own an original Max series 683CEF which is my most versatile rod in my arsenal. My main use is to work docks with jigs, but I have done so much more with it than just that. Lastly, I would look at a Dobyns rod. It is a Fury series FR 705CB. A 7 footer that can handle crankbaits, lipless rattlebaits, and jerkbaits. Heck I think it would work a spinnerbait well also. A Fury rod is $109. As you can see I just laid out a bunch of top sticks. I have had everyone in my hand except the Inferno 6104CB C/G, but it is identical to the Max3d except for a little difference in the blank treatment. I have held other rods in both series and I would fish them all. Now if I did not loose you here is a tip. Go to Irods website, Powell Rods website, and Dobyns website. If you are interested in one of them they are available from Tackle Warehouse or look up a local dealer near you on the manufacturer's website, i am lucky my local tackleshop has them all. In fact you could call them, ask questions and order one from them. Check out Anglers Express here in MD. Let me know what you do. If you live anywhere around VA, MD, Delaware or PA it might be worth a drive.

Will you be trolling live bait or artificial baits like spoons and Rapalas?

First your question is asked by many so no it is not a silly one. Now lets look at it this way. If 70+ mph is not your goal that is fine. I would think a boat in the 18 to 19 foot range will work well for you. These boats do well with 150 to 200 hp engines. As for your budget if you are going new then I would suggest to look Phoenix Boats. They make a terrific model called the 618. With a 150 or 175 it is a fantastic option. A Triton TR189 or 18TRX would be in your budget and of course a Nitro Z18 would be there, but be careful here because options may take it higher and the other boats might be better deals. Now your next option would be to find a nice used boat less than 10 years old and just add the options like electronics you would like. Here is an example in Michigan http://lansing.craigslist.org/boa/5647814338.html http://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/boa/5614113777.html http://fortwayne.craigslist.org/boa/5620880528.html These were some of the things I found in just a few minutes of looking. I am going to give you a link to an artickle a friend of mine wrote about buying a used boat and what to look at. Bryan is one of the best anglers and teachers of this sport i have ever met. Now I understand you will not be looking at boats as old as his favorites are but the article goes over what to look at. Give it a read. http://www.baybass.com/node/200 Let me know what you think. Bob