KrzyyImportz

I'd say it depends on the body of water you're fishing. It says you're in Oklahoma, same as me, and the wind can get brutal. I have a 16ft Tracker 165, basically a "1654" jon boat with carpet and a side console, and I don't bother going out if the wind is 15+mph. Even if it's 10+mph, I stick to the channels and wind-protected areas. In my opinion, I'd go for the 18ft Jon. You'll be able to fish a lot of water, especially open water, whereas the kayak you'll be limited especially on those windy days. The only downside is that 5hp isn't going to move that thing very fast, my guess around 5-6mph?

I appreciate all the help from you guys. Clearly I don't know how to read the Navionics well enough. I'll definitely be trying out all of these suggestions.

Stanley Draper

It's been hot here in central Oklahoma, hot and dry. Haven't had any rain in weeks, and the sun has been brutal. The water is now hitting 80+ and the only fish I can catch are during early morning/late evening on topwater. The lake I fish always has 'very stained' water (not chocolate milk), some visibility but not good at all. There is some shoreline brush/vegetation that might extend out into a couple feet of water at most, but if I pitch into it with a T-Rig I get snagged quite a bit on the little twigs/roots. There are also a good bit of sunken trees the state must have laid out into the water, depths anywhere from a 4 to 15 feet (snag city, so many branches). I've done quite a bit of scanning at slow speeds, there doesn't seem to be much deep water structure. Maybe only a few true drop-off ledges in the entire lake, it's like they wanted everything to be symmetric and even. During the middle of the day, very little shade exists since the trees on the shore don't really loom over the water. I've searched this forum for some answers, but I get everything from fishing big jigs, to finesse, to crankbaits off points. I'd like to just try maybe one or two higher percentage options and catch just one midday bass. If anyone has any suggestions, please throw them at me. I'm strugglin'.

Let us know how those work out for you.

Zoom Ultravibe Speed Worm Small Popper Pit Boss

I'm definitely considering a small pontoon for leisure and fishing. I would think they'd have a low draft for getting real shallow too. Where in OKC do you kayak fish, if you don't mind? It's so windy here.

I fish fairly dirty water here in Central Oklahoma (6-10in visibility), and am wondering which of these two Zoom swimming worms you guys think would be most effective? To me it seems the original speed worm with the paddletail would create more thump, whereas the ultravibe tail would be more flashy/sporadic. I'm not sure which gets the nod for dirty water. What's your opinion?

Pizza (the $3 frozen kind), small bag of chips, Powerade, water, and maybe a few Natty Ice.

Awesome boat. I actually just bought my first back in October, a used 2012 Tracker Pro 165. Had its maiden voyage just a couple months ago. I've only been out a handful of times, so I'll tell you what I've learned coming from a novice. 1. I've established a routine for prepping my boat once I get to the lake. The first thing I do the second I step out of my Jeep is go straight for the plug. That always comes first no matter what. Then I continue with everything else like transom straps, transom saver, etc. Finally, I do a double take on everything... especially the plug! 2. I recently upgraded my trolling motor to a 45lb thrust Motorguide Xi3 with Pinpoint GPS Spotlock. That coupled with my power pole is absolutely amazing. I live in Oklahoma where it gets very windy and I fish open bodies of water, so this was a crucial upgrade. Not sure how it gets there and what lakes you'll be fishing, but I'd definitely consider getting Pinpoint/i-Pilot down the road. 3. You might already know this, but I didn't... How to properly tie off to a cleat. A quick Google search saved me a lot of time and embarrassment from my first outing lol. 4. Get a good quality 2-bank battery charger (or 3-bank depending on your setup). It's the easiest way to keep your batteries charged, and any name brand model should have a 'maintenance mode' to keep from overcharging/degrading your battery life. 5. Buy a waterproof/buoyant bag for your phone & wallet. Also a key float. 6. Don't rush, safety is priority number one.

Update: I never got the grommet to stay in place, but I screwed the top piece of the head back on while holding the grommet. The GPS cable doesn’t seem too pinched... Oh well.

So I just bought the 45lb xi3 from Motorguide as well as the Pinpoint GPS kit. When installing the GPS unit in the top of the motor head, I noticed it looked different from the manual & website. The screws still fit in place, so I figured I must have the next gen model of pinpoint. But the issue is the cable coming from the GPS unit. It’s very thick and absolutely will not fit under the grommet. Funny enough, there’s supposed to be enough room for a GPS cable and a sonar cable. I can’t even fit the one! The grommet will not stay in place. Anyone dealt with this issue? I can’t believe they’d push this out.

I have a 2012 Tracker Pro 165 on its original trailer, purchased it about 3 months ago. I'm sure it needs some work put into the trailer, but I know little about trailer maintenance. In the attached photos I see a zerk fitting on the left, so this must be an E-Z lube setup, not a bearing buddy? In which case should I just pump some new marine grease in there and call it a day, or should I be taking the hub apart to inspect the bearings/seals? If I have to replace any bearings or seals, I have no idea what to buy.

If I were to remove the two old TM batteries and get one new one, can I keep the 50 amp fuse in there or will that need to be swapped out? I appreciate all the help from you guys, it’s saving me a lot of heartache. I just want to make sure I’m doing everything right.

I bought it private through an individual, but I didn’t ask the right question regarding this. So my trolling motor is a 46lb thrust motor guide which says it only needs 12volts, why would it be wired as a 24v system? Should I get rid of one of them?

I just purchased my first boat, a 2012 Tracker Pro 165. I’ve only taken it out once for a brief time, but everything overall has been great. The only thing I’m a little confused about is the battery situation (picture attached). The battery at the top of the image is a very large “Universal Battery,” which I’m assuming means it’s a deep cycle? It is only connected to the other Universal Battery on the left, which is a slightly smaller battery. Lastly, there’s the cranking battery in the bottom right. I don’t know what kind of a setup this is, so I’m not sure what kind of charger I need. I can attach more images if need be, but any help is appreciated.

2005 Jeep Liberty CRD (the diesel version they made in the US for like two years)

A little disappointed. When I posted that link, the price for the 40hp was $11,545 with prep & freight. Now today it is $11,995. It's a good chunk of money regardless of the extra $450, but it's still lame to see the price increase overnight like that. Also; to the owners of the Heritage/Classic, is the front deck large enough? It looks fairly small to me, especially when compared to the 170.

3M Adhesive Remover

Bass Tracker Classic XL is now on Tracker's website. https://www.trackerboats.com/boat/?boat=4902

I live in OKC, been fishing the same few local ponds for the last 3 weeks with little luck. I've caught 3 baby dinks on a chartreuse and a sexy shad jerkbait. Jerking it somewhere between a medium-mediumfast speed, nothing crazy. Water temperature in the larger lakes nearby were at 55 when I began, now around 60. I'm assuming a pond would be warmer? Water clarity has been anywhere from 8-20in roughly. I've tried crankbaits, chatterbaits, paddletail swimbaits, a bluegill swimbait, whopper ploppers, a frog, wacky rig senko, and jigs. But the only thing I have caught these dinks on were jerkbaits. Another issue with these ponds is the underwater vegetation. It is the nastiest, slimiest goop that gets stuck on almost every lure. Very difficult to work with. Does anyone have any suggestions or strategies for me? Any help is much appreciated.