hwsanders

You for sure can go to cheap. I would tend to agree with you that $100 to $150 seems to hold the key to a good reliable quality reel or rod. What I think is ironic though......Those celebrities that endorse $650 dollar reels and $300 dollar rods are not buying them......their getting them from the manufacturer in order to market and endorse the product.

All good ideas. Just make sure you understand installation cost; they can be as much as the accesory you are having installed. If you are somewhat handy with tools and wiring I would mount my own depth finders (personnal preference = depth finder/gps combo Humminbird 787C), 2 bank battery charger. When I bought my boat and asked about these accesories being added BassPro was going to charge me $375 labor......I did it myself.

I have a 2005 750 DC (Dual consoul) w/90 Merc. I can tell you that with what you say you want to use this boat for it should fit the bill. Mine will go about 43 mph (GPS measured) plenty fast enough. Is quite stable and rather good on fuel consumption. I will say that the casting deck is a little tight especially if you are using the seat ( I purchase one of those "s" shaped seat post that allows you to sit a little farther back). All in all I am completely satisfied with mine. The only reason I purchased a one year old new on the floor model was due to getting a better deal from BassPro for taking it off the floor for there newer models coming in.

My 2 cents worth. Just seems to me that you are trying to cover your sent as we tend to fish more with reaction type baits, however, on slow presentation baits this sounds plausable. I have seen many a bass caught with WD 40 sprayed on the bait. Could be it just goes back to confidence in your choice of bait and sents. I have always been interested in this subject but have yet, as you seem also, to get any real evidence.

Great advice already given. I would like to add; I was in the same situation you are in now, however I did a little shopping around and bought a 2005 Nitro 700DC in March 2006 (still in showroom) from Bass Pro Shop in Nashville Tennessee for $11,000.00. Don't be afraid to haggle a little bit, you may get more for your money.