I have a 200 HP Pro XS mercury. Below is a link the the battery I use. I bought one with the heater but I am not sure it is needed or not.

https://lithiumhub.com/product/12v-125ah-dual-purpose-starter-lithium-deep-cycle-battery-with-heater/

I have ran an Ionic for going on 4 years with zero complaints! I got sick of running my batteries low with a couple 12″ screens. Now with my 125AH ionic I never even think twice about getting a low battery.

I have a couple buddies that have used them with no issues. I bought 3 this fall but haven’t installed them yet.

LabDaddy1 wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Jeffrey Trapp wrote:</div>
Connected on my biggest bow deer last night! I also connected with my antlerless tag a minute later. It was a hectic few minutes!

Dude, that is one of the most “classically” handsome typical bucks I’ve ever seen.

z
Thank you!

Connected on my biggest bow deer last night! I also connected with my antlerless tag a minute later. It was a hectic few minutes!

I’ve been hitting it hard the past two weeks and honestly haven’t seen much. Tonight I hopped in a stand thinking there wasn’t much of a chance. I hadn’t seen a deer all night. Luckily, the neighbors decided to target shoot pistols 40ish times and I thought maybe they’d push something to me. I turned to the road and there he was standing on top of it looking big and proud with his doe. He kept coming my way and ended up with his doe 60ish yards in front of me in some willows. I was shaking like a leaf and had to close my eyes and take a few deep breaths to stop shaking. As fate would have it, he turned and walked out to at me to 30 yards. He was quartering to me to I tucked my pin up tight to the front shoulder and let it fly. It’s probably the best shot I’ve made on a deer. He took off 65 yards and stopped and wobbled for what felt like forever and fell over. As I was celebrating in the stand I noticed his doe was coming to me. She walked up to 10 yards and I smoked her too. She was a piebald so that was pretty cool to see. I’ll never forget this night in the tree!

Attachments:

1. 

   2024-Bow-Deer.jpg
   

I’m fairly certain 80 HP was the max for all of the 17 foot skeeter tillers. I had a 1993 and loved that boat. Took it out on Oahe a few times in big waves and handled it much better than I thought a 17 foot boat would. Mine was repowered when I got it so I can’t speak to the motor.

I know its not 20 but I have an 18 AH dakota lithium with their charger they recommend and it’s been flawless.

Thank you! I am going to get the fan and wings mounted on a frame.

Any #7s?

Hey Mike I have not sold it yet. Sent you a PM.

I have a heated start battery (ionic lithium 125 amp). Most of the better lithium’s have management systems that don’t allow them to charge until they get up to temp. If they do run below that temp it messes with their chemistry. My boat sits in an unheated garage over the winter and I haven’t had any issues. I have only had it for a year now though.

Put in 3 miles last night and got blanked. Saw a handful of bucks still sporting their racks.

The trolling motor is in great shape. They guy I bought the boat from didn’t use it much and I have only used it a few times. Thanks guys!

I got a savant this year and I have been impressed. I have been using 1/16 oz spoons on it and it has been a very good rod for me. I’ve caught from 4” gills to 6 pound northern and it even handles the bigger fish well.

Are you coming to Big Stone this winter? I would take some from you when you are here.

In case anyone is looking you can get the eddie bauer pants in camo for $38 with their discount holiday60 right now.

I own both. I agree with these guys it depends on presentation. I am not a huge fan of the rogue for smaller lures/light bites. I have had much better luck with a bullwhip from tucr. If you want a feel rod and not sight I would go with the thorne bros panfish sweetheart. It is a sweet little rod that is super sensitive and quite versatile. I like the fusion for smaller spoons like 1/8 so if that’s what you are after that would work as well.

Dutchboy wrote:

Yarcraft makes dang good tillers but I really don’t like the layout and storage in them. I’ll throw another name in the pot. I am intrigued by the crucial boats that are coming out with a 20 footer. You might be able to get into one of those new for what the warrior and rangers cost used. It sounds like guys love their 17 footers so just another thing to think about!

Problem is John doesn’t have one a guy can look at. He announced he would have them out in early summer and as of now I haven’t seen one.

I agree it’s just going to be an option.

I fished out of a 2014 skeeter 2000T for 3 years and have had a 2021 2090 for the past year. Full disclosure my trim tabs have not worked on my warrior since I got it (I just thought I had the wrong size so they didn’t do much). I enjoyed both boats and had them both on big water and waves. The warrior does crush waves better BUT for the price difference you will find in them I thought the skeeter was excellent. I had a large hydrofoil on my engine and when I would trim all the way down I believe it acted like a trim tab and helped keep my bow down. Both had a ton of storage. The only knocks I have with the skeeter is that the 115 max doesn’t give you a ton of power to get out on plane if you have 4 guys in the boat. I would also make sure you have steering of some sort because nothing is worse that getting caught in big waves and having your arm want to fall off because of all the engine torque. I never found the skeeter to be ‘tippy’ in fact I have found my warrior to be more tippy. I have never fished out of the ranger tiller in big wind so I can’t speak for that.

Yarcraft makes dang good tillers but I really don’t like the layout and storage in them. I’ll throw another name in the pot. I am intrigued by the crucial boats that are coming out with a 20 footer. You might be able to get into one of those new for what the warrior and rangers cost used. It sounds like guys love their 17 footers so just another thing to think about!

Wanna ship them?

lindyrig79 wrote:

I’ll be the first to admit I need help with SI which is why I’m watching this thread.

However… does it really matter if the fish are 10 ft away or 20 ft away?? I’m my mind, they are either left or right and they move anyway

Where I think it matters is when you are working a weedline/rocks and you will get snagged up if you get into them and are trying to work an edge and the fish are right on the edge.

Are you sure you are lining up the ‘teeth’ that lock together? It shouldn’t have to catch on anything. If you have the lift assist which I think you do there is a tooth that sticks down into a bracket to keep it from doing that.

Musky Ed wrote:

Bucky, look at the Ionic 125 Amp starter/troller battery. 31 size and you could run 2 or 3 locators all day and still have power to start. Also has the protection circuts built in, plus Bluetooth for monitoring. About $790

I have the same battery and I have been impressed as well!

I’d say pretty close to 2k Jake. Seems like about the going rate.

I priced out a Yar fully loaded with garmin and it was 95k before any dealer prep. I also priced out a warrior with a 250 and not fully loaded and that was awfully close to 100k as well. I bought a year old 2090 for a considerable amount less.

big_g wrote:

Still haven’t shipped my items ? ordered 2 days ago ?

When I got mine I got an email one day and they were delivered the next. I think they are a little behind getting the shipping emails out.

Thanks for all your input guys. I have been researching looking at your input. I live in NE SD and we get winds that will blow up big drifts whenever we get light snow so a 2 stage is needed. Looking at early next week we are going to get a large dump of snow so I will be going to Runnings today to see what they have in stock. Anyone use leaf blowers for light snows? I noticed all my neighbors use them when we just get a dusting.

I used the older bubba and new R12 rapala. After using a buddies rapala I bought one the next day. It is easily the most powerful electric knife I have used. I would guess I can clean 150+ perch on a single battery.

I have the windproof reaper. It is definitely windproof. I found it to be plenty warm too. I haven’t tried the striker so I can’t compare them. I have quite a bit of AFTCO gear and I have been impressed with all of it.

For the guys doubting it…I have no idea what I am doing bass fishing and its not hard to catch 4 pounders. The guys that actually know what they are doing don’t get excited unless they break 6. Last year or the year before it took 28 pounds to win. Most tournaments take right around 25 to win out there and that’s when the fish are post spawn generally. Our bass are built like cinder blocks.