fishnkamp

Just a few questions to think about. How far away from the closest ramp is your lake property? How long would it take you to go and launch, say on friday evening, and pull out on Sunday afternoon. I did this for years when my wife and I had a permanent campsite. Just have a second person with you (which is just smart if you are new to boating). Once you launch off the trailer have them drive the tow vehicle and trailer back to your home. You drive the boat and tie up at the dock. How secure do you feel about the lake area? Remember the engine key is most likely one of just several standard Mercury ignition keys. Any theif can walk into a Mercury dealer and purchase them easily. I have done that in order to have several key rings with boat keys and truck ignition keys. When I boat, I use 2 floating key rings for our outings. I never carry my regular key ring as it does not float. Many of my fellow campers left their boats in a field at the campground. When they got there they launched it once and left it on a dock all weekend, pulling out before they left. Doing this means they were better able to secure the boat and trailer better. They also could charge batteries at their campsite as well. I recommend not using the standard pin in the trailer latch but rather use one of the different locks available to secure the trailer. I like the ones that cover the entire ball area but I have also used the ones that just lock the trailer latch. You can also use a chain and lock, like you would to secure a bike in a bike rack, by threading it though the tires and rims and around the frame.

Way2slow hit many of the top items as he always does. If it is running great, I would still consider adding other items to your list, including things like a fuel pump diagram (most just replace the entire small pump) because you have no idea when it was last serviced and today's fuels are hard on them, or should I say they tend to get hard because of the ethanol in most of today's fuels. Next I would replace its fuel filter, if it has one. I do not remember since the last one of these engines I owned I sold at least 25 years ago. I would definitely replace the fuel lines from the tank to the engine. The newer fuels eat the older lines from the inside and release tiny fuel line bits downstream to the engine. Get this directly from the dealer, they come in bulk and you buy so many feet as needed. I will say this about my old 115, it ran great and was super reliable but tougher on gas mileage. Again, you have no idea when any of the small fuel lines or spark plug wires were changed and they are old and can get brittle. I would inspect them carefully. I would have a water pump replaced no matter what, and this will lead to replacement of the old lower unit oil as well. Many of the items Way2slow and I have mentioned would not be on my annual maintenance schedule, but I did almost every one and a few others when I repowered my 6 year old Lowe bassboat boat with a used 2003 Mercury 75 Hp outboard. I even replaced the anodes on the lower unit because they were partially eaten. I had seals replaced in the tilt assembly. The pump was good, but you could see the pump seals were starting to seep fluid. I did all these things so my perfectly good running used motor would be up to snuff and it has been almost flawless ever since. That was more than 7 years ago. I do not have the professional outboard experience that Way2slow does, but I turned wrenches an construction equipment, diesel engines up to 1000 hP, generators, traines, cranes, and nuclear waste moving equipment LOL. I observed one constant during all of that. which spanned almost 35 years and this is it. Here it is, performing routine maintenance ahead of time is much cheaper than repairing the failure later! Just my 2 cents.

What does the owner's manual say about towing? They can not lie there or the liability lawsuit would be enormous! I would be very leery to tow with an electric vehicle myself. I have been a professional mechanic my whole career and have worked on all types of equipment and vehicles. I am not sure the electric vehicles have been developed to that level yet. I did work on highway vehicles with hydrostatic drives in the past. They were horrible when they were first produced ( FMC street sweepers to be exact). It took a while till they got their pumps and motors to be reliable at highway speed. I am not sure these electric vehicles have been developed and debugged to the point they are reliable with the stress of towing. I would read my manual and talk to the manufacturer about it. Let us know what they say.

Donnie first thank you for your service and your love for this great nation. I have never served, but watch my niece closely as she has served and in some very rough places. She has her own demons to deal with, but is an amazing young lady. Her specialty was with the intelligence operations, so you can imagine where that has taken her. Now onto your boat situation. I have been dealing with serious medical issues with my feet for over 5 years. Had to deal with multiple surgeries myself, and was not able to put my boat up for storage properly 3 years ago. I am now on the mend so here are things I will need to do with my boat. It was covered, but I am sure it leaked so I may have issues with carpet as well. My boat is aluminum so I have a few less issues to deal with than you, but my to do list includes the following. Remove my cover and inspect the boat. Clean it up as needed. I purchased a 12 volt electrical pump kit and will pump out all the fuel. I will replace spark plugs, drop the lower unit and have a new water pump impeller in it. I will replace all 3 batteries and check all the wiring for rodent issues. If none found then it will be a simple job of squirting some 2 stroke oil or wd40 in the cylinders and turn the engine over by hand or with the kill switch pulled and hitting the key a couple of times. My engine is a 75 Merc 2 stroke. Put the plugs in hook up a garden hose to the engine and start it up with all new fuel. I may pull the carbs apart before hand just to inspect them and get rid of any old fuel. Some of these are things to have the dealer do ands some you can do. I definitely agree with the guys here, your engine is the most valuable part of a boat. Having that conversation with the dealer over what the hull would need and what condition the engine is in comes first. One they determine where you stand in terms of cost think about your physical condition and the physical demands to operate and fish on a standard bass boat. I am doing that myself. I have determined as soon as I get out of this custom CROW boot I will finally be in shoes for the first time in 2 years. I am going to have to be careful I may add a step to make it easier to get up on the front deck as well as a few other mods that will make it easier for me. Otherwise I may swap boats to a more open floor plan.Something with a lower front deck and a more open cockpit, perhaps a boat like the deep Vee Alumacrafts, Lunds, PolarKrafts etc. It just may be easier and safer to enjoy fishing without worrying about walking on top a boat, but rather being inside the boat. Good Luck and keep us informed as to what you do going forward. I am glad you are blessed with the love and support of a great woman. I am blessed in that way also. We dated 10 years (all through high school and college) and just celebrated 30 years of marriage.

Please elaborate. Is the rear aluminum transom fine and your wood has rotted? I have had that issue myself once. I simply tore out the old rotted wood and made a template using cardboard. With that I cut out a new piece using good quality marine plywood. If that is the issue make sure to cut it, prefit it and then seal it real well. If the issue is with the actual hull and transom you can either have a qualified welder repair it or it maybe time to send it to the scrap yard.

The guy that runs that Bass Pro boat department is a real dedcent guy to deal with. I have had several dealings with him and he has treated me very fairly. Now for that particular boat it seems to be a good deal. I suspect the wiring issues probably had to do with the owner changing electronics and such over time. The trailer is a non issue. Those boats came with painted trailers and many boaters in PA also fish the Upper Bay, salt takes a toll on painted trailers. The brand new Aluminum trailer is a $3000 item, trust me I just purchased one to replace my 2010 Lowe trailer. MY trailer is a galvanized one but they cost about the same. Think of it this way since it has a brand new trailer that means it has new tires, a new winch, most likely led lights etc. Those are all items you will not need to replace for a long time. The boat has some good electronics too, so that is a plus too. TR-20 were good hulls and had lots of fans. Just my two cents.

I used 4 of these Bass Pro rod holders on one of my old boats. They worked fine. We did some slow trolling for freshwater white perch and crappie as well. This was at about 3 to 4 mph using the trolling motor. Those fish would hold between 15 and 30 feet down in 60 or 70 fow and we fished live nightcrawlers and minnows on Lindy rigs.. This was in a drinking reservoir here in MD. These come in a 2 pack. i would get them again if I needed them. https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/bass-pro-shops-rod-holder-twin-pack

Sorry Logan I have been with guys whose boats like to jump over best with the plate down and some prefer it to be up high on take off. I agree with the statement the rest is trim related. One of the boats that liked the plate all the way down was an old Stratos my friend owned. At least that was what he felt , I am not sure since I never drove it.

First you are located in NE PA. I know there are lots of clubs out in that state. I lived near Harrisburg PA and fished with many of them. There are no book on this stuff. You will need to start by lowering the jackplate and tucking the engine down in. As you come out of the hole there is a seat of the pants feel to bringing up the trim and the jackplate. The easiest way is to ride with someone that has one and then driving with them on your boat. If you really want hands on training I suggest you contact a friend on mine in the York area. Find Susquehanna Fishing Tackle and ask to talk to Mike or George. They both do some guiding and may be willing to work out a small fee to help you out. If not they will know someone that will. It is not hard but takes some seat time. I also recommend you watch a few videos on you tube.

Take a look at a DSG special. It is called a Quantum Escalade. It runs about $50 ( always on sale for that but says it sells for $99. Add a Pflueger President for a nice all around choice. I have the 6'6 model and they are way off on their lure weights. It will handle lures up to about 1/2 ounce easy. They also sell a 7 footer as well and that rates up to 3/4 ounce baits. Another good option would be the Powell Inferno. They make a 6'10 spinning rod that would be a great option. It runs $99.00. Daiwa makes the Tatula XT and a 7' medium fast would work well also. It runs $99.

Way2slow gave you all the correct answers for that engine. I would start by having the engine checked out by having the compression tested. Forgive me, I am a Merc guy, but if your engine has a diaphragm in the fuel lift pump, I would have it replaced. I might even have new spark plugs and wires installed. Next, I would have some basic preventative maintenance done. I would replace any old fuel filters and fuel lines replaced. There has been lots of trouble with the inside of the older fuel lines deteriorating due to the damage the new fuels can cause. I would have the prop removed and have my prop inspected and touched up if there were any nicks or dings in it. A good prop shop can inspect the hub for any signs or deterioration and replace it as needed. This is also a good time to have your water pump replaced and the seals in the lower unit inspected. Replace if any issue is visible or there is signs of water in the lower unit's oil when it is drained. Measure your prop to pad and see where it is. Also before you do anything go run the boat and record you max rpm and top speed (by GPS not speedo) Give that info to your prop shop. They might suggest adding some cup if that would help your holeshot. Now if that is all good you may see a benefit to your boat's performance by adding the jackplate. To answer your original question is the Vance plate any good, the answer is yes they make a nice product. I am about to add one to my boat. Vance is a smaller company but you can order directly from them or apparently on Amazon. If you are concerned about the length of you cables you could easily consider the 4 inch version they make. That is the one I am going to add to my Lowe Stinger 170. Vance does very little advertising, so they do not need to pay for a major ad campaign. There factory is in lower central Tennessee and they make a nice product.

slonezp I use the "bungee thing" regularly. It is called a "Z-Launch and I love it for launching alone. It is much more beefed up than you would think. I do not sling shot my boat quite as radically as you see in their videos though. I am a little more gentle than that, but it works great for me.

Plan to allocate extra time when you meet Tom. He is one of the most amazing artist of a rod builder. Ask questions and look at some of his work to determine what you want as he has tons of parts in stock to work with. I always enjoy spending time with him.

I have an original Powell Max 683CEF. Man that is about the closest thing to a swiss army knife. It is used for lots of techniques. I love it.

Iboats says the boat is 15 1/2 feet long with a beam of 76 inches. Unless you really want fiberglass, todays aluminum boats offer a wider beam and most offer a wider bottom width. If that is the direction you are thinking, I would look for a really nice 16 or 17 foot aluminum rig or maybe a used 17 fiberglass rig. I have run a Lowe Stinger 170 for 9 years and that boat performs well and stores a ton of stuff. If you really want a Ranger per say look for one of their 17 foot hulls like a R71. That boat handles well and had a real nice low deck to fish off.

Bass pro sells these which I really like for rods that do not have keepers. I just roll them up from the back and stretch them over the trigger part on baitcasters or over the seat on spinning. In both cases I roll them till they sit just in front of the reel seat and the hook hole is turned down and to the side . It never gets in the way and only costs $4.00 for 4 holders. They call them XPS Hook Holders.

I would suggest a Pflueger Supreme. You might check Tackle Warehouse fir prices and their shipping into Canada as I know several members I helped and they did in deed order rods and reels from there. They are used to shipping into Canada.

You never mentioned where you are located. If there is a member on here that is located near you it would be easy to hook up for a short lesson and maybe a trip to a local pond. Watch and learn how they setup theri rig nd even try it. The problem is often just how the reel is properly adjusted. I know this from experience since I have met with and helped dozens if anglers from several boards. Best of all I have taken many out fishing on my boat later. i enjoy fishing with different anglers. I get to enjoy their company and most times we both learn a few new tricks.

In the fall I take my boat out on the Chesapeake Bay and some of its tributaries and chase stripers that have left deep summer haunts and are chasing schools of Menhaden in the warmer shallower rivers. My standard Daiwa Tatulas, Tatula CTs etc work great, BUT I am not fishing 500 yards behind a big boat trolling, I am casting normal distances that I would for bass. I am throwing 5/8, 3/4 and 1 oz. Rattle Trap type baits or typical 5 to 7 inch swimbaits like Reaction Innovation Skinny Dippers and Big Dippers. These are fished on 1/2 ounce fish head style jigheads (like the Picasso ones). I also throw lots of topwaters like spooks and sometimes smaller wakebaits. If that is what you intend to do your suggested combo should be fine. I run two different lines primarily. I like P Line CXX in 10 pound test and I like 40 pound braid, like the Power Pro spectra or Suffix 832.

Lets start this with a simple question. Where are you located? We have members all over the place and many would be happy to give you some personal assistance. If you live anywhere near MD, DC, VA, DE or PA we could meet. I can cast and correctly set your rig up, then help you learn how to properly work with it. I can also bring one or two of my personal setups with some of my Daiwa reels so you can see what another rod and reel play like. If you are not in my area, then I am sure another member would happily meet you at some school's grassy field or some pond for some one on one training. That also helps to determine if the problem is a defective reel, improperly installed line (slipping on the spool), just poor casting techniques or some other issue. I noticed your personal info says you are a newer member, so welcome to our playground. As for your situation it helps to fill in your profile so members close to you know they can personally help. Another good reason is many of our members end up sharing fishing trips with other members. I personally have shared my boat with at least a dozen anglers from several websites I belong to.

I fished tournaments for years out of my ProCraft Fish and Ski. It was a 20 footer with a 200 HP Merc. It had all the same electronics, a big livewell built the same as all their bass boats, in fact all the same goodies except I had a walk through windshield and really comfy buckets as well as a back bench. It still had a good size front and rear deck and did over 70 mph. No one ever said a word. Look at most of the walleye tour boats.

The answer to why the manufacturers do not make them anymore is VERY simple. They did not sell well enough and money is everything. Think about it! Money (in the form of sales) drives this market. Dyna Trak was one of the earliest brands to make one. I rode in one back in the early 90's. Then of course Nitro, Gambler and others started producing them as well. Back then the companies were about to go through some tough economic times, during which most companies were just trying to survive. Many did not survive and still more were bought out and chewed up for a parent company to improve their own product line. Also, most companies had to make two different top caps for each model in order to sell a single and dual console model. Adding a 3rd top cap to offer the center console bass boat was not cost effective. In all the used bass boats I have seen for sale, I have only ever seen 2 of the center console style bass boats available. Because the consoles were molded in the top cap a dealer had to stock 2 boats in order to have a single and dual console available for sale. This is why manufacturers today have cut cost big time with the removable passenger console. They stock one boat and if needed order a matching passenger console if one is desired. The industry promotes the ability to remove the console easily as a benefit to the angler (use it installed with the family and remove it on tournament day) but the real benefit is to reduce both manufacturing and cost to the dealer.

Honestly I think you are talking about two different rods. The best frog rods are a little lite to really handle the heavy punch rigs well. For a great frog rod take a look at the Irod Genesis II Fred's Magic stick. It is an IRG754. For true punching power Bub's Punching rod is awesome. That is an IRG7114P.

I own one Diawa Exceler( which was the predecessor to the Fuego) and 7 or 8 Daiwa Tatula and Tatula CT reels. I like them all. My experience is the Tatula and Tatula CT reels are great and I am a fan of the T wing, which by design opens up to eliminate friction during casting. The Tatula and Tatula CT reels do have one or two better bearings ( I apologize I forget how many). The difference between my Exceller and the Fuego CT is that the Fuegos CT is built on the same body as the Tatula CT. They dropped the Exceler when the Tatula CT came out. It decreased how many reel bodies they had to produce. You will hear the biggest complaint of the T wing is that some anglers have difficulty with their leader connection getting caught up on the T wing. I have never had that problem, since I fish a leader shorter than my rod so it never enters the reel. I see no need to use a 8 to 10 foot leader. All of my Daiweas are dead stock and never get upgraded bearings or super tuning. They all perform great. You will not make a mistake either way. Most of mine are more than 4 years old and are just work horses.