Woody B

Probably correct, at least in my case. I had made 10 or 15 casts with a new out of the box lure, and caught 2 bass before the hook came off. This retaught me to inspect stuff, not just when it's new but every few casts.

I guess this comes from my racing days but I don't put any stickers anywhere that isn't giving me something or paying me something. I'll wear a free t-shirt if it fits though.

Yep, sometimes, even if we're "used" to the heat it just get's to us. Combined with working long hours sometime you just need a break. No need to worry about not going fishing. The fish will still be there when you're ready.

When I need to crank 20' deep or more I use whatever reel is handy, along with my 50 horsepower Mercury.

The description of the fight sounds like it was a heckuva fish. I saw the fish that done this. It was 3 pounds tops. I suspect in my case, and possible the OP's also the hook somehow got lined up with the ends of the ring and started working it's way around.

I can usually catch bass during times of high traffic but some days I believe it's just plain dangerous.

I suspect the switch was the point of failure. Heat started due to high internal resistance in the switch. Is that the MOM-CON switch? A friend of mine had that switch fail on a (27 year old) Motorguide a couple weeks ago. I gave him the Edge that I took off my boat when I installed my Terrova.

I currently work at the US's largest used car retailer. We have a 30 day return policy. We had a customer bought a Santa Fe, then returned it when the engine started knocking. A dealer, or someone had told them it wasn't covered. We sent it to the dealer we use and it was covered. I'll see if I can find out more about what's covered and what isn't today. So....all this Jeep talk. My first dealership job was at an AMC/Jeep/Renault dealer in 1982.

https://www.ncwildlife.org/Portals/0/Fishing/Lake-Norman-Black-Bass/ChangesinBlackBassPopulationCharacteristicsafterIntroofAlabamaBass.pdf

I know next to nothing about live scope. A world record bass either largemouth or smallmouth is/was an anomaly. Was Montgomery lake the kind of lake that "should" have had a 20+ pound largemouth 90 years ago? This conversation would be different had Dottie been hooked inside her mouth. What kind of lake did the 22 pound 5 ounce Largemouth come from in Japan? I suspect the next world record Largemouth will come from a private lake. To me that would be more controversial than whether live scope was used or not to catch it. I believe everything has to be perfect to grow one of these monsters. I suspect the public lakes that have conditions capable of growing a world record bass have so much fishing pressure it simply isn't going to happen. Here in the Carolinas DD's are less common than they were years ago. I blame fishing pressure and the introduction of spotted bass. I've heard that spotted/alabama bass do even more damage to small mouth populations that large mouth. Regarding live scope. How good is it? Can you tell a fish is a bass? I've never even looked at a screen. Earlier this year (pre spawn) I was fishing up a cove. A guy in a nice Bass Cat came idling by, turned around then came back by. He stopped and said "I've got live scope, there's no fish in this cove" I caught my best bass for this year, (7 pounds 13 ounces) while he was right next to me. He saw me catch, weigh and release it. He just laughed and shook his head.

I carry either a Glock 32 or a Sig P320 compact in .357 sig. If I'm dressed in a manner these guns would be hard to conceal I carry a Sig P938. (9mm)

I thought I had post this in this thread before but I haven't. Not exactly "latest" catch. I caught this Flathead back in April on a square bill crankbait. It was 45 inches long, 34 inches girth. I had moved the boat from one point to the next and went a little too far. I saw what I thought was a log on my side view. I cast out behind the boat thinking their may be a bass behind the log. I thought I had got hooked on the log, and then it took off. I followed it into the wind for over 30 minutes to keep it from taking all my line. (12 pound mono) I got it up to the boat 3 times before it was tired enough for me to land it. Many bass fisherman don't like catching other species. I enjoyed this one. It's by far the biggest fish I've ever caught. I released it after measuring it, and attempting to weigh it. My 50 pound digital scale read ER.

I fished from 6 to 10 this morning and caught 10 between 14 and 18 inches. It's not a million degrees today. I may go back later and fish some tonight.

Timely video. I'm looking at cameras right now. I like to have pictures of the fish I catch but I've decided I waste too much time taking them.

Spot lock. I've never used FFS but spot lock has helped me quite a bit.

I removed the split rings on most of my crankbaits and installed snaps. I leave each snap on the lure, just like the split ring. IE I don't use the snaps to change lures. I retie as needed(most of the time)

We use Seresto collars for our 2 dogs. There's been talk about a recall but we haven't had any problems. Our vet approved their use too.

By this time of year, at least around here the docks have been terribly overfished. I've caught big bass (by my standard for big) around docks but it was always earlier or later in the year. This time of year find some cover that everyone doesn't see, and you'll find bigger bass.

Devils Horse. It's my belief and others that due to it's size and shape bass/fish don't see the lure, they just see the disturbance.

Regarding an overhead cast, yes it's easier to be accurate than pretty much any other cast. However, there's pretty much no way to prevent a big splash when the lure lands. Accuracy means nothing if the landing scares the fish away. Keep the lure close to the water with some kind of side arm cast. Gently thumb the lure down, and it lights like a fly, not a boulder. My oldest grandson would use an overhead cast constantly, with big splash down landings. He would be accurate but never caught any fish. One day I was catching a bunch, but he hadn't caught any. I left a lay down alone as we passed it with the trolling motor until he had cast to it a couple times. I switched from the front of the boat to the back with him, and caught a 4 pounder on my first cast to the lay down. That's how I finally convinced him he needed to cast differently without the big splash. It took him a while to get accurate, but he's catching a bunch of bass no, with a roll cast and gently landing.

I suspect an orvis knot would waste the least amount of line. I don't use it...never learned how to tie it quickly. I use a trilene knot. It might use more line length than you're wanting to use. I've used a palomar but my opinion is it's too strong. If you break off a lure with a palomar knot it's not going to break at the knot. You may lose a bunch of line. A trilene knot tied properly won't slip, but it will break right at the knot, unless there's a weak place elsewhere in the line. I read an article a while back that called it something like a 95% knot.

The unplugged knock sensor would definitely limit power. This could keep you off plane.

I only fished 3 hours yesterday and won't go at all today. I've got stuff to do today. I've also got a sore left elbow the Dr said needs rest. I caught 6 bass yesterday ranging from 14 to 17 inches. Didn't weigh any of them. The 17 incher was skinny.

I've used toothpaste to polish away the shine. I didn't see any difference in lures getting bit or not though.

What do I need to get engine information on a Lowrance Elite Ti2? I've got a Mercury 50 horsepower engine, Tracker Classic XL and the Lowrance Elite Ti2. I don't have a network on my boat. I'm pretty sure I need the Mercury vessel view link interface https://www.mercurymarine.com/en/us/boating-experience/smartcraft/product/vessel-view-link. Then....I would need a network to connect it to. What specific pieces do I need for the network? I've got the vessel view mobile. It works, but I'd prefer to have the information without fumbling with my phone. I'm considering removing my factory installed tachometer and installing my Elite Ti2 in my console dash. (7 inch, it would fit, and be visible, but not sticking up like it is now) I've got an older Garmin Striker unit on my bow, using a Minn Kota US2 transducer. I may eventually get another Elite Ti2 or 2 newer Elite FS, or other Lowrance units and add them to the network. I know nothing about boat networking. (and just enough about computer networking to be dangerous)