Long Mike

Welcome!

Take the boat out to the water. If the trailer tires and lights are good, that's a good sign. If the boat floats and doesn't leak, that's also a good sign. Well worth the money under those conditions.

Welcome! There are a lot of nice people around here.

Welcome from a fellow Okie!

I am a Pfleuger Phreak. I have owned Trions, Presidents, and Patriarchs. The Patriarch is very light weight and is a sweetheart of a reel. All of the aforementioned reels perform admirably, but I think the best bang for the buck is the President.

If you are economy minded, you can go to the DualPro site and buy a rebuilt unit for a greatly reduced price. They come with a one year warranty, but mine is going into its 4th year. Incidentally, my 4-bank re-built unit has Skeeter written on it. Do I care? No. It fits into my Tracker very well, and continues to do its job.

I have a 1955 "Whogivesaroyalcrapaboutwhatyoudrivesolongasyoucangettheboatinandoutofthewater."

I suggest you closely check out the benefits of Startron. I use nothing else, and add it to every tank of gas. At the end of the season, I park the boat, trim the motor down to drain all water, and forget about it until spring. Come Spring I give the bulb a few squeezes and the motor fires up, ready to go.

Welcome!

Looks like Irene is about to step in here.

Welcome!

I don't fish before a storm. I run like hell.

Please explain what a hoke and a soring are.

I'm sure you are talking about Fishing Rhino. He is old, and he is as full of it as a live rhino. I'm 68. There are old people, and then there are old people. Most of us are just like you younger folk, except some of our parts are out of warranty and are failing. Trust me, we elders truly despise getting old, but it's much more preferable than the alternative. Bear in mind that, for most of us, our minds are just as sharp as they were forty years ago. It's our bodies that keep screwing with us. I take no offense at jokes about older people. For the most part, they are well deserved, and old people tell jokes about old people too. For the record, I applaud the OP's post about the deposit of Mt. Everest. At least the old gent made it to the bathroom in time. The heart-breaking thing about some of the elderly is the onset of dementia. That's when everything goes to hell in a hand-basket. Now, let's talk about the REALLY, REALLY STUPID stuff that those in their teens and twenties do.

Four really inexpensive things you can do: 1. Replace the impeller 2. Replace the fuel line and bulb. 3. Replace the thermostat(s). 4. Start adding a fuel additive like Startron with every fill-up. These actions may or may not cure your problems, but they are very inexpensive insurance.

6/27/46

I would suggest that you start off by reading the Beginner's articles posted on this site. There is a ton of good information there. http://www.bassresource.com/how-to-fish/

By all means, go to the Fishing Articles Section of this site and read the articles for beginner fishermen. There is a huge amount of information there.

All off topic posts have been deleted. If you can't say anything positive, don't say anything at all.

Kevin22, thanks for putting things into perspective.

I have had success with the Cotton Candy Shell Cracker in clear water, rigged flat with a 1/8 oz keel weighted hook. (Rage Rig) I toss it out and let it fall on slack line. It spirals as it falls, like a dying fish. The bass can't resist it.

For the boat: New carpet throughout New seats Terrova 80# TM with iPilot Lowrance HDS-8 with side-scan NMEA network, with all fuel and pressure sensors Hotfoot throttle pedal Tilt and trim control on the steering column LED lighting under all hatches, including the live well Alarm system Dual-Pro 3-bank charger with external plug Six Inch jack plate (the only thing I didn't install myself) For the trailer: LED lighting Boat Buckles Guide Ons An electric trailer trolly (one of my best investments)

X2

Raider, at the risk of sounding like a nice guy, congratulations to your bride (after all, she did all the work, you just poked fun) for a beautiful baby. The fun is just getting started.

Don't be shy about going in behind the gills to remove a deep-set hook. Although the gills look very frail, they consist of a cartilage-like material and are very resilient to the abuse you may put them through. By using the advice in the above link, you will save at least 90% of the bass you catch that have swallowed the hook ... and get your hook back.