Wayne P.

What features do you want? 2D sonar Down looking imaging Side looking imaging GPS/mapping Color or grey scale display Small, medium, or large display

The new Humminbird Helix 5 with Side Imaging will have a MSRP of $499.99. It will be a better choice than the 398ci SI since it will have a wide screen. All Side Imaging units have 2D sonar.

Spotsticker has one. My favorite is the Owner Ulta-head. It has a spike in the center of the spring to keep the worm aligned as you screw it on. All weights have a 4/0 hook. http://www.***.com/Owner_Shakey_Ultrahead_4pk/descpage-OSUH.html

If you want to use that combo get some Mend-it to fix the worm.

Stick the hook point into the worm head about 1/4" , pull it out, and screw the spring into the "wound"

Ask the company that markets Booyah. That style was a production model for a while. It takes care of short strikers like adding a trailer hook or two on short models. I assume. They are demos, only cast one of them for a few minutes.

You must have the 998c SI Combo with CCFL backlighting. The 998c HD SI Combo has the brighter LED backlighting. There is only one 899 so far which is the 899ci HD SI Combo

I have been making umbrella rigs since the craze started and the original A-rigs were in short supply and expensive. I made dozens for some that didn't know how--FREE Yes, I did use a wisk for some of them--that is why a whole one is at the top of that picture. Some were using the wires from utility marker flags. Some are using stainless steel "Toothproof" saltwater leader. The "head" models are using epoxy putty over the aluminum ferrules. The swivel attachment is the 1/8" aluminum ferrules with the wire bent to go in both sides of the ferrule. I got the parts at Lowes where the rope, cables, and chains are stocked.

Custom jointed: I get them ready for fishing by tying one on.

One of the electric-only lakes I fish:

POWER. It's a computer, it needs proper power.

Billy Bass.... forgot to list that before. Mine still works too.

The 899 is shipped with the Compact SI transducer and the unit is set to use that transducer (Default setting). You can change the Transducer Select in the unit menu to Hi-def Sidescan to add 800 kHz and/or you can exchange the Compat SI transducer for the HDSI transducer which is 2" longer, has longer SI crystals which produce a sharper image. The 899 is Platinum compatable (with current software) and it always was Premium, Gold, and Navionics+ compatable. The Platninum version has 3D, Satellite Overlay, and Port photos (gimmick stuff) and it has the Sonar Charts feature. The Platinum and Premium versions are regional specific, check the regional coverages on the Navionics web site. Lakemaster has ZERO coverage for Pa or any other states in the N.E. and Mid Atlantic area. Check the Humminbird web site Lakemaster listings. The best Navionics product is Navionics+. It comes with no maps, you choose what to download to the map card from anywhere in the country including all parts of the Great Lakes. It has the Sonar Charts feature also.

My den has a wooden bass rod rack, a bass rug, a bass throw on the sofa, a bass shaped/colored pillow, 4 mounted largemouth, 2 mounted smallmouth, a mounted chain pickerel, a mounted crappie, and 50+ bass tournament trophies. Additionally, two mounted whitetails on the wall, one mounted albino white tail in a glass case used as a TV stand, and 5 whitetail racks on plaques. Yes, I am married---47 years so far.

If you do a web search for Raymarine factory outlet store, Humminbird factory outlet store, Garmin factory outlet store, Lowrance factory outlet store, Panasonic factory outlet store, they are the same place. The site address is FactoryOutletStore.com. "An indepentant retailer of consumer products" Their prices that are marked through with a lower selling price is way higher than the MSRP. Their "sale" price is typically MSRP so there is really no "sale" price-it is full price. None of the manufacturers are affiliated with that store. They don't have a factory outlet store.

All my hitches have locking pins.

You want the most hydrodynamic (pointed) end of it facing forward (direction of travel) (away from the prop), The bottom of the transducer should be facing the BOTTOM and parallel with the water's surface. It makes no difference if the transducer is attached to the boat or the trolling motor, it has to be oriented the same way. Look at the pictures in post #8 here: http://www.crappie.com/crappie/main-crappie-fishing-forum/55922-transom-mount-transducer-trolling-motor/ After you break it crashing into the bottom, you can turn it into a trolling motor puck with the Transducer Shield and Saver bracket SSC-1

Follow up on that subject. If the transducer was on the trolling motor, there would be no aerated water passing over the transducer to reflect the sonar pulses like this. 798ci SI Combo

For the bottom image, that is the recorded echos from the water coming off the hull due to the center of the hull displacing more water than the right of the center of the hull. The top image was due to going a little faster to create the turbulence from more of the hull, so there is a little of the same on the right side. It shows that the transducer is to the right of the hull centerline. It is simple cavitation.

I see lots of bass boats with an added transom electric motor or two on electric - only waters. I do the same with mine. One particular lake that is electric-only allows no boats with a gas motor on it. Electric-only there means exactly that.

That has been discussed numerous times. Do a site search and you will get lots of information.

The best performing transom transducer is the Lowrance "torpedo" since it is the most hydrodynamic. If you cannot get that installed correctly to give you high speed depth readings, you have no hope with any other style.

Bedore, if your transom has the step, that is NOT where you want the transducer. The new models should have the transducer at the bottom of the hull, not on the transom. Additionally it should be between the hull strakes, not in line with one of them. A properly installed transducer will work at the top speed your boat is capable of.

Shipping is the best way to have a chance of getting your rods in whole condition. The baggage gorillas are not very gentle with any package.