jdw174

Anything that was posted in regards to checking out on the Ranger still applies. If possible, I would insist on at least a compression check on the engine. The pix look good.

I would expect a slight gain in top speed (SS doesn't flex like aluminum), but perhaps a bit slower time in getting there. Stainless steel is indeed tougher than aluminum, but as a dealer once put it to me, "if you hit something hard enough to damage your SS prop, the prop is going to be the LEAST of your worries"...

My Spittin' Images have accounted for some of the best topwater action I've ever had, including one day when I hit one 25 yd stretch and landed 20lb on FIVE casts! And that ain't no fish story 8-) I've had the best luck on the shad finish in the larger size.

Absolutely great eating. If you like bluegill, perch, crappie, you'll like the ol' goggle-eye.

1. Are you fishing new water? Try to find a map of the lake and study it before going on the water. 2. If you don't have a map, the old fashioned "Mark I Eyeball" can tell you a lot. You can pick out points, flats, occasionally flooded roadbeds, etc. All can be good places to start. Myself, I know where I'm going when I leave the dock...usually I normally start EARLY in the am, so the first thing I pick up will be a topwater. You mention riding around watching for fish. While that may be OK, I prefer to look for underwater structure, humps, stumps, drop-offs, etc. You have to remember that not everything you see will be a fish and not every fish you see will be a bass.

Not a bad looking rig. Make sure you take that test ride. As for price, I wouldn't answer that without seeing the boat myself. However, if YOU think it's fair and you can afford it, and if it runs/handles well, I'd say the price is right

JMO, but I definitely would have been working a T-rigged worm or a jig on the outside edge of that grass at the edge of the drop. A second choice might have been pitching to holes in the grass near the drop.

If you get it, make yourself a solid, non-moveable rudder to clamp to the back end. At one time these were available commercially, but couldn't cite you a source. Without it, a slight breeze will drive you crazy trying to hold the boat in place. I had an 8' Bass Hunter and it would spin like a top in the slightest wind. The rudder will help.

My first fishing boat was a Sportspal Canoe. After fishing from that for a couple of years, I swore off canoe fishing forever ;D Second boat was a 15' semi-vee with a 15hp outboard. That lasted for a couple more years before I decided it was time to move on up. Next rig was a Champion 176 w/115hp Merc....new in '85. Cost was 12K at the time. After a couple of years, decided to swap it in for a bigger rig. In this case it was a Ranger 360 w/150 Johnson. Cost, fully rigged, was a whopping 14K (1988). When I moved to Tennessee from up north in 1998, I swapped in the Ranger for a new Triton TR20 w/175 Ficht. Still running the same rig, and it was paid for 5 years ago. It's doubtful that I will ever buy another boat, but if I did, it would be a later model USED. New ones are WAYYYYY to high for this kid. I'll tell you what Helms83, I live in Paris, just 14 miles from Paris Landing. I work every sunday and take Fridays off to fish. Any friday you can make it, the trip is on me. It's the least I can do for a member of the 101st Feel to PM me here on the board anytime you want to set up a trip. 8-)

If the boat is continually moving, I'd say your partner probably isn't fishing soft plastics. It's very tough to fish SP from the back of the boat when the guy on the TM is flipping a jig or tossing a spinnerbait or shallow running crank, etc. I suggest rather than trying to throw out and work the worm back to the boat that you pitch to a specific target. Most likely if a fish is present and active, they'll grab it on the drop or the first hop or two. Of course, I've pitched to one target as many as a dozen times before getting bit. If they're that crabby and the boat is moving right along, well, you're kinda SOL if you get my drift...

Unless you're tossing a very heavy weight, it's doubtful that the line will just peel off your reel. Most of the pros that I've watched will strip it off by hand. Otherwise, you'll get a pendulum effect when your lure hits the water and it will swing back towards you.

I ain't in Kentucky, I'm in Tennessee 8-) , and the crankbaits were part of the "and on and on"... :

Here's the scenario..... Time: 5:15AM Air Temp: 70 Water Temp 77 Water color: clear to slightly stained Wind: calm The LM are chasing shad on the surface in water anywhere from 6-12' deep. THis is not far off the shore. I never even untied the boat from the dock and made a cast to a stand of grass nearby. Fish took a swipe at it and missed. And that, as they say, was that I tried walking lures, chuggers (three different types), buzzbaits, jerkbaits (both suspending and regular), waking a spinnerbait, flukes, and on and on and so forth. I couldn't BUY another strike. This scenario happens regularly on Kentucky Lake and I haven't solved it YET! > So fellow anglers, let's hear it. What would you do to give it YOUR best shot? I considered dumping my entire topwater box into the lake and watching which one they went after. Maybe next time ;D

After you've fished and you're ready to remove the pork, grasp it and turn it so that the "tails" are facing the head of the jig. Push upward with the jig as you're pulling on the trailer. I have little or no trouble removing pork trailers like that.

I have one Castaway that I found in a tackle shop about 10 years ago. It's not the more expensive model, just a plain 6'6" MH that I've used for spinnerbaits ever since. Totally satisfied with it.

Trying to use one of those around here would just be asking for it. Cottonmouth's DO NOT have a sense of humor!!

One of my favorite trailers is the Hank Parker ProCut Frog. Even though all the Uncle Josh rinds are pre-punched, sometimes you have to look a bit for the hole. Once located, I occasionally use a punch to open them up a bit.

The best fishing program on TV in a LONG time is "The Bass Pros" sponsored by Bass Pro Shops. The segments with KVD alone are worth the price of admission. Sadly, the Denny Brauer and Larry Nixon shows are no longer being produced. All of these actually taught something instead of being a disguised infomercial. Bill D's shows were, IMO, a whole lot better when he traveled around instead of the private water shows that he does now.

Toothpick, lead weight, paper clip carried in storage. Pushes out the toothpick just fine.

Lemmeessee...... House all three CSI's The Unit Bones The Military channel The History Channel

If you're talking just light scratches, I'd use a rubbing compound with very small grit, and a soft cloth. I doubt that I'd tackle anything too severe myself. Over zealous use of a buffing wheel can actually burn thru the clearcoat.

Don't feel like the Lone Ranger.....it happens to everyone Last week, I pitched a Senko next to a log. The line never moved. Lifted the rod tip....still nothing. Lifted again, felt like I'd snagged a branch. Started reeling...still felt like I was draggin in a limb. Started reeling harder....rod slowly bent. Set the hook on a screamin' 3-pounder Never had so much as a "tap" out of that fish. If you want to see a really wild example of this, find a copy of Glen Lau's "Bigmouth" tape. There's an underwater shot of a LM coming up to a crankbait, opening it's mouth and sucking in the entire bait, actually CLOSING it's mouth on the entire lure, then spitting it back out. The angler kept on cranking and never even knew the fish was there. Elapsed time for that shot was actually less than one second

I'd haveto say that if the honey bees are actually buzzing or coming after you that you must be in pretty close proximity to their nest. Here's something you might try.... See if there's anyone around you who sells the Amway line of products. Some years ago, they made an insect repellent called D-15. I used it religiously when wade fishing flooded marshlands. When I was doused with that, I could wade through fields that were loaded with bees/hornets/wasps and not one of them could get within 3 feet of me! Now for the bad news. Amway no longer makes the D-15. However, they do have a replacement for it. I have a can of it, but have never had to use it yet so I can't say if it's as good as it's predecessor. You might give it a try.

Sounds like a winner to me. Always remember that if you can hear thunder....you can get struck by lightning

And that's a shame. If I could come up with a case or two of those reels I could make a killing up around Ohio with the tx fishermen. If I could come up with a case or two of the older 507 or 507 MK II underspins I could almost name my price. You could load up to 20lb line in those.