The1Fist

That's a weird one! I've had my fair share of break-offs, but never with a curly line like that. I'm with VolFan, it does sound like your knot might've slipped, but if you're confident in your trilene knot, then maybe it was something else. The double wire eyelet of the beetle spin could've caused some friction or weirdness with the line. Either way, it's frustrating to lose a fish, but at least you can try to figure out what happened and learn from it.

Ouch, that's a tough one to lose! I can understand why you're still thinking about it. Losing a big fish can be frustrating, but it's all part of the game. At least you got a good look at it and can use that experience to try and catch it again. Or maybe it'll motivate you to catch an even bigger one! Don't beat yourself up over it, and try to focus on the next fishing trip. You'll get 'em next time!

Nice trip report! Congrats on catching some bass, even if they were small. And bummer about the map inaccuracies, but glad you were able to test out your new GPS and find the creek channel eventually. The Old Town Bigwater kayak seems like a great investment, 4.5mph into a decent current is impressive!

That's a great observation you made on the water! The thermocline can indeed shift quickly, especially during periods of changing weather or wind patterns. It's not uncommon for the thermocline to move up or down several feet within a short period of time. In your case, it's possible that the fish moved up to the thermocline to find more comfortable water temperatures or to feed on baitfish that were congregating at that depth. The fact that you were able to observe this change on your fish finder is a testament to the importance of paying attention to your electronics when fishing.

Hey there! I've had my fair share of catching bass in the hot summer weather. One technique that works well for me is to focus on fishing during the early morning or late evening when the water is cooler. I also like to use baits that can withstand the heat, such as soft plastics or jigs. And, of course, it's essential to keep your bait moving slowly and steadily to entice those bass to bite.

I've been experimenting with different landing techniques, and I've found that belly landing is a great way to handle larger bass. It's gentler on the fish and helps prevent jaw damage. Plus, it gives me more control when handling the fish. That being said, I still use lip landing in certain situations, like when I need to get a quick grip on a smaller fish. But for bigger fish, belly landing is my go-to method.

Well it's been a year and I'm going to eat crow a bit, but I'm actually using all my cb8's as much if not more than all my Lew's. The ultimate test was I unintentionally caught a 40.78lb flathead catfish on 12lb copoly and a CB8 reel, and it performed flawlessly! For being a supposed SLX copy, I didn't like the SLX reel as much. The SLX DC was a different story. Now my old kastkings are sitting on ugly sticks for catfishing/loaner rods.

I have multiple of both, Royale legend and cb8. My Royale legend have 4 pin centrifugal and magnetic brakes. The paint is all but gone in a lot of places. It's heavy as all hell. In my opinion, there might as well be a slimy rag in there for a brake system. Very tough to adjust correctly and loves backlashes. The CB8's are great SO FAR. Since I've only had them 6 months, time will tell how they hold up. I fish 3-5 times a week on average in Texas reservoirs using 12+ lb copolymer and/or 15-40lb braid. If I had to pick TODAY, it would be the CB8 hands down. Smooth, brakes work, bearings are fairly quiet. The outer construction and it's durability is what I somewhat question. All that being said, if you saved a smidge more for a Lew's LFS it would feel light-years better

How long did it take for everyone to get their gift card? Tracker keeps referring me back to my dealer, which literally has one useful person in the place. It has been exactly one month since I accepted delivery of my boat.

I believe I got the same one, even the same color! One thing to note, I adjust the straps so it's a slight nose down attitude, so I don't snag it while casting up front, and it saves a little room in the back for her. We love it. Also, I've driven with it full speed and have never thought it was going to fail me. FOR ANYONE HAVING DEAD BATTERY ISSUES: I noticed my battery was dying EVERY outing. Come to find out, the dummies at Tracker wired my accessories to my trolling battery and my trolling motor to my crank battery! I feel even more stupid because it took me three outings to realize it! Can you drive around with the pole inserted in the motor?

Yeah, and with 100+ temps it's worth EVERY PENNY

Thank you, I'll give that a shot. I've been bad about disconnecting things after a day out. I did get a three bank specifically for that reason. The technician at the dealer said the motor should do a decent job charging the crank battery, but doing the math with the alternator output, you'd have to run the motor a very long time for any decent charging.

Got my boat May 10th, and loving it so far EXCEPT one thing: cranking battery dies every outing. I'm pretty sure the electronics are wired to the cranking battery, and may be the cause. I can tell because two days ago I added another troll battery in parallel and those Batts hardly budge in voltage. Any thoughts?

Some people really dig the special edition, so if someone was really partial to this specific model I was willing to sell. I'm not regretting my purchase whatsoever, but some folks may have an exceptional desire to own it for sentimental reasons or something like that. I personally just want a boat and this model allowed me to do so without payments.

Admins can delete if not allowed, but anyone wanna buy mine for a small premium? I sign for mine tomorrow.