Boone,
Try just a topper for your truck for a season or two and see how you like it. I bought a cheap used topper for my truck 5+ years ago and use it a lot in the spring and fall for camping trips. Cheap and easy to just hook the boat up and go. Not always the most comfortable but I continue to make improvements to my setup. Then if you like it make the investment and get something more comfortable.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>CBMN wrote:</div>
Missed all the fun last year so I am itching to get up there this year. New rig to run the river with also. Maybe I can even find your rock pile Bearcat.I also picked up a smaller boat to bring up there,16.5 alumacraft so i dont have to dodge ice and logs with my Warrior. will also use this for lakes around home and fishing river in SD. bring on the warmer weather
I went a step further and picked up an Alumacraft 1756 jon with a jet outboard, already had a little 16′ with a 25 hp but I wanted something a bit different.
Missed all the fun last year so I am itching to get up there this year. New rig to run the river with also. Maybe I can even find your rock pile Bearcat.
In my experience rod holders chew up cork. I have some older Garcia telescopic rods that I really like with foam grips. Also have some clam rods with foam and rubber mixed grips. I have run the plums and quantum accurists as they both have flipper switches. I tend to prefer braid on a more moderate rod.
Local (MN Metro) online vendor had a 20% sale off of everything that was in place for a few days wrapping up early last week for members of the site. I got lucky that was still in place when the Minnkota $500 discount was put in place…
Yeah I stacked that $500 on top of another deal that was a flat 20% discount and got what I thought was a decent price on a new 72″ Terrova Quest last week.
One word Jon “Tannerite”
Bought a new to me jon boat with a jet late last year and all new old stock helix unit for two boats late 2024 and early 2025. Looking forward to mid summer river outings in some skinny water in 2025.
Thursday was just to nice of a January day to not get out on the river. Thanks again Jon and Dustin for the ramp work and help carefully getting the boat in and out.
Not a chance in hell this happens… Like Suzuki said not going backwards in territory these days.
Congrats Jon, maybe you can moderate from your seat on the river now?
Look forward to catching up with you maybe this summer up on the river.
Interesting, I went to renew and ATV yesterday and they said I had to wait until after Wednesday next week… I thought that was odd as I have renewed before expiration before. I have a boat that needs to be renewed also and it will be on the water on the river soon also.
Fishthumper, I am guessing Glenn is up near Bowstring but not sure. I was out in Cold Spring Tuesday and Wednesday and am guessing near somewhere around 10″+ of ice as there were a few crew cab side by sides and even a few smaller wheel houses (towed by atv or sxs) out on the East end of the chain. The river channel by the 49 bridge was almost open shore to shore last night with a few hundred swans keeping it open.
The lake my parents live on on the East end finally froze up yesterday as the swans and ducks were keeping it open.
Fishthumper, any chance you were out on the Chain on Friday November 8th in a Crestliner?
Congrats Sharron… I drive thru that area a lot also and maybe we need an Emily/Outing GTG now?
Grouse, text message sent…
Sad story from the River last night:
https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/st-paul-park-houseboat-fire/
It wouldn’t surprise me if good ole Johnny Morris buys them unfortunately… I don’t think that would be a good thing at all…
I will probably have a hard time making it to that neck of the woods anytime soon brandyman but if I can make it that way I will reach out.
Heading up this afternoon. Heard about a problem bear around Gosh Dam when I was up about 2 weekends ago Glenn
Brandyman, what neck of the woods in West Central MN are you in? I have a 2017 and have a topper on it already but this looks slightly nicer than what I have today…
I wanted one when I was 18 but didn’t buy one until I was 24 or 25 and boy am I glad I didn’t have the money to get one when I was younger as I started with a new 2007 Suzuki GSXR 600 and that thing was way more than I was ready for, luckily I rode vary rarely after dark, never road without gear and never even after one beer so I was smart enough to be scared of it at that age that I would not have been at 18. Got rid of mine a few years ago and kind of curious to get back into a little basic dual sport that I can run some gravel roads with and some trails up north, kind of like Andy’s DRZ but newer and fuel injected.
I believe it is the make and model that I copied below:
Brand Knott Autoflex
Manufacturer Part Number 6081.39
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Thumper I was up there on the 14th and 15th and did ok, my neighbor was up last weekend and only fished for a day and didn’t do so great. I will likely be up again this weekend or next weekend and as much as I can thru the end of October and it should only get better. 2 weeks ago I was in 8 – 14 feet and was mostly using crawlers on a spinner or trolling raps and that will transition more to a jig and minnow bite as the temps drop. PM me if your looking for a bit more info.
I will try to get a photo tonight or tomorrow Don. I have done a few modifications to my shorelander trailer over the years and all have proved to be helpfull.
Netguy, I think I have a similar trailer to you and I made a jack upgrade to it the first year or so and have been happy with it since. I found a heavier duty jack on a pontoon trailer at a dealership in the North metro and so I asked them to order me one and I had to remove that shorelander winch post, remove the old jack and install the new jack. The new jack has a larger wheel and dual pins that secure into the tilt adjustment holes and I had to bend the new pins slightly more to get them to align with the shorelander hole but otherwise an easy swap. It also moves around my garage much easier and handles the trialer weight better. I could take a photo of what I have if your interested. I don’t think I have a model number or anything from the package anymore as I did this around 10 years ago already.
I was on a large lake in central northern MN last weekend, water temps from about 68 to 70, and I caught plenty of fish. Primary options were pulling a bottom bouncer, spinner rig set up with a crawler and pulling shad raps. Primarily fished 8′ – 12′ depths. Pulled the spinners between .8 mph and 1.4 mph and pulled raps from 2.5 mph to 3.0 mph. Fishing will only get better as the temps drop. Rivers offer a lot of options also right now.
I was out for a fair amount of time Sunday and found fairly cooperative fish on the Southern stretch of the pool.
Joe’s just had an end of season sale and line was 50% off. I usually stock up on the commodity items when I know I can find a good price. I have also been lucky enough to stock up on some line I like for certain applications when it was discontinued. I have a lot of rods so I usually get years out of most line like Grubson.
