M_Taylor

Not yet. The dealer has been courteous enough to work with me on what they have so I'm hoping that we can find a fit and it doesn't cost me. My only complaint with the boat buying process if I were forced to have one. What would the benefits be of a 4 blade? I'm ignorant on them.

I appreciate all the help I can get! I do think it was 14. Had a great hole shot but then revved up the engine too much with the original. I'm optimistic that a 15 or 16 will do the trick. I purposefully don't carry a ton of weight. After years of guiding I feel I am pretty good at getting what I need into half the space the average fisherman takes up. If I had 30 pounds more of gear tonight would I have caught double the fish? I don't think so.

Wow, I told you I'm not analytic. Lol It's an aluminum prop. Both were. Both tested with very similar loads. I dropped 2-3mph and lost a lot in the hole shot with the bigger prop. I think the one today was a 17.

Well, I'm not an analytic guy but I could tell the engine wasn't running the way it should. WOT was mid 6k RPMs. The mechanic says is should be low 5k range with a higher speed than I'm getting. Went to a larger prop and now I'm in the low 4k range and less speed than before. So I think I need to find some middle ground. Thankfully the guys have been real cool about switching out props.

Just a quick report. Went out of PC at 6 tonight. Got a new prop I was trying out and showing someone the lake so I didn't fish but about an hour around dark. Caught a keeper LM and smallie on a Keitech swimbait as well as a nice Kentucky. The smallie was on main lake and the others were on pea gravel in the back of a cove. All were caught in less than 20 ft water and the fish themselves were probably less than 10. Water temps were in the upper 50s. I think it's an indication of what's to come. I feel like I could have caught a nice bag with the pattern I had going. Unfortunately the prop wasn't a right fit. So back to the drawing board.

Ran into the same thing at Norfork last weekend up by the river. Was actually best if people kept it on plane and went by vs that speed that's faster than a troll but not on plane. But there's never an excuse for blasting by someone at a distance so close you could throw an ultralight rig into their boat.

It was a sobering start to the day at Prairie Creek when we put in. Three or four patrol boats and sheriffs were about to head that way. Sad.

Sold.

Actually neither. This time of year I love throwing big suspending lures and that's what the striper was on. My goal is a double digit striper on the fly this year. The one last night would have totally been catchable on a fly.

She loves it. First thing she said was,"I feel like you are so far away." It's a big upgrade and while I don't think it will make me a better fisherman, it will make me more efficient than I was at finding fish.

Fished from 6:30pm to 8:45. Temps around 52-54 Visibility roughly 10ft. Fished around Hwy 12 and PC area. The wife and I got out this evening for the first time together in the new Ranger. We started off bass fishing with swim baits. Only managed one nice K on it. Switched to jerk baits and got a few more fishing it 6-8ft. I'm by no means a bass fisherman so I was satisfied with that for a quick trip. As it got darker we focused in on some areas I have caught stripers before this time of year. Managed one 12 pounds at 8PM. Couldn't fool another one after that but also dealt with numerous tangles and the likes that happen with two fisherman in the dark. All in all a good evening trip after work.

Thanks for the report, good to see some fish being caught.

Nice fish! Thanks for posting.

Thanks for the report. What techniques are using if you don't mind sharing?

You operate it from the bow seat which I took out and use a cooler instead. More fishing room by taking the seat out.

Here is the link to my old boat I am parting ways with. Only a few hours on the Ranger but I am loving it. http://fayar.craigslist.org/boa/4935427966.html

http://fayar.craigslist.org/boa/4935427966.html Located in Bentonville, AR. Please check out the link if you are interested. I will be happy to help with any questions or send more photos. Feel free to message me here or through craigslist.

Thanks. We are super excited. Hoping to find time to break it in so I can then focus on fishing.

Work obligations is what I meant to say. I'll see if I can't get away though.

Of course it's that day Ketchup! Work

Very blessed to have a wife who loves the outdoors. Doesn't fish as hard but as long as she has the right gear on, she's game. Must have missed the get together details. Would love to know more.

Well guys, after much thought and research and a lot of help from some of the forum members I have made my decision. I am going with the Ranger 178. http://www.rangeraluminum.com/model.cfm?sid=7218#overview It will have a Yamaha 70 on the back. An engine I am very confident in. The great news is I should have it by the end of the week with electronics installed! Yes I did go over my initial budget, but I feel I'm getting more too. I will be more than happy to share my personal experience purchasing the boat as well as my impression of it once I get it fishing. It will be a huge upgrade and may be the best part of all is that I have a wife that is close to as excited as I am.

I better get my new boat ASAP!

Do the fish not like water spots? Haha I kid, I like to keep a tidy ship too.

Must be able to be beached ( Aluminum beats fiberglass easily I hunt a lot and fiberglass wouldnt handle it ) Fins do you have a keel saver?