Wayne P.

I have the 798ci Si on a PT 170 TX and saw a PT 175 TX with the same unit last week. I have my transducer between the motor and transom and above the hull bottom for protection from stumps. I use another setup for moving faster than idle speed and an Alumaducer with that. The other guy has his where the factory rigged transducer was. I also have an extra mount, power, and transducer to use the unit on the bow for electric only waters. I got a message today from someone planning on putting one on a jon boat, He found one on the net for less than $820.

"If you are fishing the shoreline, most of the fish are behind you."

All the bass I have caught over 9# have been with a Zoom finesse worm. I dont' use wimpy line though-20# minimum.

I have 13 spinning rigs with braid on them. Nothing less than 6# mono equivalent diameter and most are 8# mono equivalent diameter braids. I use some of the same and some heavier superlines on some baitcasting rigs. Using a leader depends on the presentation. Mostly I use 20# fluorocarbon for weight to make the braid sink for weightless presentations. A leader is not necessary unless abrasion with rocks or concrete is a concern. In some waters, barnacles and Zebra Mussels are a problem with braids and a leader is preferred.

I saw that this morning on my local news station.

Spinning reels ---8# mono equivelent diameter superline-- all light to medium presentations. Spinning rigs---6# mono equivelent diameter superline for ultra light applications Baitcasting-- 8# mono equivelent diameter superline for lipped cranks, lipless cranks, treble hook topwaters, light jigs and Tx rigs Baitcasting-- 10# mono equivelent diameter superline for heavy Tx rigs, C-Rigs, single or double hook topwaters (floating and swimming frogs) on medium cover, heavy jigs. Baitcasting --12 # mono equivelent superline for floating and swimming frogs in heavy cover and mats. I use nylon mono for some presentations where line stretch is needed-spinning and casting I use fluorocarbon line for some presentations were line stretch and senitivity are needed. both rigs

The barb of a quality hook will snap off when pinched with pliers against the hook shank. The small "bulge" left when the barb is created is enough to keep a fish buttoned up because there is no cut made with a barb. Another factor of barbless is the hook can penetrate better and result is less lost fish, The best hooks for removing from deep hooked fish are the short shank models. Those hooks can be turned around easily for easy extraction. I use the Octopus and Mosquito hooks for most of my presentations and removal is very easy no matter where the hook is located. I use curved jaw forcepts to manuever the hook for removal. The best method of removing a long shank worm hook is to cut the hook shank off as close to the bend as possible leaving enough to grip with pliers, forcepth, etc so it can be turned around for easy removal. As for crankbaits, the Triple Grip styles are the worst for removal and also the worst for hooking fish. Do yourself and the fish a favor and use round bends.

Jorge, PM sent

Things are kind of slow in your part of the country? I bought my first Chatterbaits in 2004 at the Bassmaster's Classic Show.

The only one of your products I have used is the Attractant and after using about 1/2 of the tube in all weather conditons, I threw it away. I don't like the waxy carrier especially when the weather is cold and the hands-on application. Other products handle better and offer the qualities I require if I need to add a slippery coating on my baits. The scent itself is a non-issue and is just snake oil no matter whose product is touted. As far as the baits, I see them as no better or worse that other brands I use, so I have no reason to use them. However, I am glad that you offer those to give anglers a varied choice. My lure opinion is based on 50+ years of fishing mostly for bass. My scent opinion is based on my own tests under actual fishing conditions of several commercial "scents/attractants" and substances supposedly that repel bass (gasoline, DEET, sunscreen, cigarette tar, etc). WD-40 was included in my tests. Additional note: anyone that promotes a Helicoptor lure can't be taken seriously.

Camp Dry

Arkie U-Bolt in the 1/8 oz.

Invisi---it isn't. The fish dont' care though. I don't care for it due to the slick finish applied that causes digging in on the reel spool. I still have it on one baitcaster that I rarely use and it is on a Spidercast model that should prevent the digging it since it has a fast level wind.

I have an Alumaducer in my Tracker hull. Works great. My hull is all welded and was factory rigged with a transom transducer. I chose the Alumaducer because I fish around stumps a lot. You may find a somewhat air bubble free area to use the transom transducer by having most of the transducer body below the hull bottom. Just keep it away from any ridges in the bottom (between them). If you have rivets all over the bottom for mid hull bracing, an Alumaducer may not be any better than the transom transducer due to air bubbles from those. The Lowrance/Eagle transom transducers are easier to get to work on difficult installations than the Humminbird transducers because of the shape of them.

A good "rule of thumb" is to have the best unit at the location that you use the most. If you fish standing up, the larger screen of a two unit set up is best utilized on the bow. You can still use the broken transducer on the trolling motor with a Transducer Shield and Saver for that style transducer. If you get another unit, exhange the supplied transom mount transducer for the correct one for trolling motor mounting. It is called a puck style.

This is a bridge with the overlay activated. If the transducers are too far apart, the two views won't line up with each other.

The Structure Scan transducer only has the Structure Scan frequencies. You need both and to overlay the technologies, you need the transducers within a foot of each other.

In the advertizement, it has a quality I do not want (stiffness). "Inroducing Cortland Master Braid it's a premium super braided fishing line constructed using all the best features of Cortland's legendary Spectron braided line, but with a unique coating that makes the braided fishing line permanently stiff. Master Braid is also constructed in a way that is rounder; which means less twist, greater accuracy, longer casts and extended life." It also states an impossibility (less twist) becauses twist is a function of the presentation and equipment. All lines twist the same amount using the same presentation and equipment. Superlines as just not affected by twist like monofilaments are (no loops and tangles).

Raul, "it's so easy a caveman can do it" I teach beginner anglers that presentation so they can reduce the learning curve for bass fishing. They get to catch as they learn as opposed to most other presentations that just gives them casting practice.

A wacky rig produces about three hundred bass to each one caught with a Tx rig for me. I've been catching bass since mid Feburary wacky style. I catch the most during the summer months. I don't use a weight heavier than 3/64 oz. for depths to 30' and don't fish deeper than 20' when the thermocline forms.

Super Fluke and Trap

The best place I have found in that area is the barbeque place Ridgewood. Burley you can direct him to it. The best barbeque and baked beans you will ever eat. Not very far from the track.

Buggs Island is 50,000 acres at normal pool. You won't have much total lake coverage with any rental boat setup. Are the rentals on-the-water or on trailers? That will determine your possible fishing areas. What species are you after?

I'm only going to comment on a couple of your questions. The outboard horsepower should be the max that the boat is rated for. No compromize-- "Good enough" is never good enough. The trolling motor should be the most powerful variable speed you can afford considering the room you have for batteries. Again "Good enough" is never good enough.

Get the most powerful one you can afford adding in the cost of a battery and charger.