Wayne P.

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If you like boat driving better than fishing, get a hand control. If you like fishing better than boat driving, get a foot control. I like fishing better.

Look at the Minnkota Fresh Water Bow Mount Maxxum or Edge trolling motor for the 55# 12V models. The variable speed motors in the Maxxum line are more battery friendly. The Foretrex models are the ones with Lift Assist and are not available in less than 80# thrust or less than 24V. Motorguide has a couple of 54# thrust 12V bow mount motors with the Pro Series being 5 speed and the Digital Tour being variable speed. The difference in the multi-speed motors and variable speed motors is around $250, but worth the extra for the longer run time.

Did you use tape on the reel spool arbor or use some mono backing with the braid?

http://www.proknot.com/html/double_uni.html

You should have used the one made for that purpose, but since you didn't, you can get one of these to still use what you have. http://www.transducershieldandsaver.com/home/

I also recommend Lake Fork. This year is the nineth consecutive year I have fished there in late May. You can catch them shallow, deep, and in between. Hooking a double digit bass is quite common, landing one is a challenge. There is a good pool of guides to select from also. I certainly don't mind the 17 hour drive to get there. You just have to time your trip to not coinside with the very large turnout tournaments that are held there.

Agree with the others, any superline is better than any nylon mono, co-polymer, or fluorocarbon on spinning gear.

I have the Honda 300 also. I mainly use it for deer hunting with an occasional trail riding expedition. I've done the back flip deal on steep stuff a couple of times-not even a bruise.

Anglers Choice in Martinsville

Good advice Paul, I don't have any drop off in catch rate or size during the summer months. Actually both are higher because patterns are more defined and consistant which allows for multiple catches at a particular location. A simple change for the bankbeaters is to have their back to the shore instead of facing it and more than likely the fish are beneath the boat position.

You didn't have a large enough hook listed, so I did not participate in the poll.

That style skirt is also available at the *** site. I use those with the Chatterbait. That style is also used with the Terminator spinnerbaits. Whichever brand you like, they are a lot better than the rubberband assembled skirts.

A short shank hook is easier to remove when the fish is hooked deep as you can turn it almost 180 degrees to extract it. A finesse wide gap, Octopus, or similar shank length is a the best choice. A circle hook is made for live bait fishing and by design, it should pull out of the fish's throat and hook them in the jaw as they swim away or pull completely out without hooking the fish. Whatever hook you use, remove the barb. That makes extraction effortless and doesn't result in lost fish.

As stated several times on this subject, the braids themselves will not cut any rod guides. Silica particles may get embedded in the fibers from fishing in turbid water and silica is as hard or harder than some guide materials.

tentimesover, if you had used Power Pro, Suffix, Sonic, or any other similar constructed braids, you would know that the Fireline Braid is very quiet in comparison. No superline is going to be as smooth as a single strand mono or fluorocarbon. The quietest of the non-8 strand weave superlines is Stealth since it is coated and sort of has the voids filled in. That coating will dissipate with use though.

After reviewing the previous posts and this one, I got a question about hook points. Is it better to cut the flesh for hook penetration or punch thru it to keep the fish attached to the hook? I guessing a punch thru with a round tapered point hook is more secure since the hole made will close around the hook shank rather than the flesh being cut and cannot close around the hook shank. Bigger hole=more lost fish Opinions????

There is no substitute for beam width. The heavier the anglers are the more beam width is needed for lateral stability.

Yes

skillet, I use the 3/64 oz. Lunker City lead nails (they are segmented) when I want a faster fall rate or when I'm fishing deeper than 10' when wacky rigging a Trick worm or finesse worm. I install them in the worm head because the plastic is thicker and can handle the stress of insertion better than the tail can.

The 300 and 500 series Lowrance units have been known to exhibit that trait. I read about that complaint on several web sites. Some have the opposite happen as the units will turn themselves on.

I suspect that your problem is some of your line is wrapping on the drag tension knob as you first start winding. It is very common with braids since they are so flexible. If you have any slack when closing the bail, it will happen occasionally. If it is windy, it will occur more often. You just have to be more observant each time you make a couple of handle turns to catch it before a lot of line gets retrieved and a cast made. If you close the bail by hand and rub your palm over the spool lip to assure that the line in started on the spool every time, it will never happen. I forget sometimes when the fish are biting well and get those knots too.

Part of your rebuild should include a proper balancing of the boat on the trailer. With it set up like in the picture, you may experience fishtailing at highway speeds. You need tongue weight.

http://www.overtons.com/modperl/product/catalog.cgi?cname=Steering-Systems&r=browse&aID=601P1

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