I look at this two different ways, things I regret doing and things I regret not doing.

Thing I regret doing, buying my truck when I did.

Thing I regret not doing. Putting money into Bitcoin.

Dutchboy wrote:

ProV all day every day. For 40-50k you are going to buy a nice boat. I sold a 202 ProV (fiberglass) with a 300 Verado for $52k a year ago. Start looking now, when you find what you want buy it, don’t diddle daddle around thinking you will find a better deal because you might not.

And I would buy it again in a heartbeat!

Can’t comment on the specifics of the Impact vs ProV, but you will notice a big difference in ride going from a 18 foot boat to the 20’. The ProV are basically the standard that everyone else is trying to compete with in the aluminum boat space.

As far as the verados go. I don’t have a negative thing to say about mine. The motor is so quiet. For the first month or so, I would literally leave it running cause it’s so quiet. My 300 is more quiet than our 115 Merc with a Yamaha power head.

Going out of Morson is awesome. Been. Doing it for almost 20 years now which is hard to believe! Past couple few years have been making two trips a year with my dad which is awesome.

Can’t say for certain as I haven’t been to other part. But I’ve heard the start clarity changes as you move north and east. Also depth changes too, which is why Lakers come into play. LOTW is an amazing place.

Tonight’s game is the championship I think. I don’t see Notre Dame beating either Texas or OSU. The game last night was brutal. The final score didn’t show it, but the offenses were bad. The bottom half of the bracket had 1 team that could win the whole thing and they played without their QB.

Sat in Western Iowa this morning. Real feel of -5. Shot a doe at first light, so didn’t have to sit too long. Wind was right in my face. Heated insoles are sweet!!

ganderpike wrote:

Just to follow up, better to be lucky than good. Found my buck the next morning. 3 tags punched for the year. Looking forward to 2025 and putting more focus into whitetail and mulies.

That’s always a good feeling. Was it eaten up from predators or still intact? Good work!

Well got out this morning to bring in the new year in a tree. Barely caught a glimpse of what I think was a small doe, not too sure though.

However, while walking to the tree got see the northern lights. Being in Iowa, we don’t see them too much. And I have never seen until today. So that was awesome, bucket list thing for me!

We have 9.5 more days of the season here. Will be out this weekend with the bow and then hang it up. Gonna be on the cooler side, but not crazy cold.

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Someone else mentioned it, but the biggest thing I noticed with the transition from aluminum to fiberglass was the momentum the boat keeps when docking. Will take some getting used to, but now I feel way more comfortable docking the fiberglass over the aluminum, and I docked the aluminum for 7 years.

No learning curve other than you can drive in a 1-2’ chop in a fiberglass and just cut through it vs bouncing in an aluminum.

Also, as Rip said, if a mostly fishing boat get the 620. Based off your response it sounds like you have kids. Unless they are really young, they will maybe not be out with you as a family in the boat much longer. Long term thinking here, but you won’t regret the 620 as a strictly fishing platform. The reata you might.

Can’t comment on the ranger 620, but last year we went from a Crestliner Sportfish 1850 to a Lund 202 GL. Have never been concerned about spearing a wave and the ride is so much better. The hull on the 620 and the reata is going to be different so that could make a difference. I’m speculating here, but you’d have to be in the wide open on a real windy day or horrible at driving a boat to spear a wave in the reata. If you haven’t speared one in your current boat, I don’t think it’s much of a concern.

Youbetcha wrote:

I would try to advise him against the gap year.

This has quite a bit of merit. It’s usually pretty hard for people who take a gap year to actually go back to school. They get a taste of full time money. Not everyone needs a degree and plenty of people are very successful without one.

However it sounds like he wants a degree which is great. I would also try to get him into school right away.

However, construction is good like Dutch mentioned. Concrete is another one. Any local roofers or deck builders?

Or was he more looking for like DNR type outdoor stuff?

Don’t know much about Eau Claire but Milwaukee burger Co. is good.

We quit using shockwaves for the same reason. We expansion was horrible. We preferred to have deer quartering towards so you could shoot through the shoulder to help with expansion.

Yeah, have the L6 Verado. That motor is so quiet! Thanks for the thoughts everyone.

Mojo, great offer, appreciated. I am the Des Moines area so wouldn’t be unlikely to the make that work. But thanks again!

Thanks for the replies guys.

bigcrappie wrote:

Need to know current prop size and pitch, WOT RPM’s when trimmed out.

I have a 3 blade Mercury Enertia 14 x 19P. Running at WOT the motor sits around 6100 – 6300 which is what the book for the motor says it should be at WOT for the verado.

I gave up on Cabelas/BPS when the merge happened. Don’t like going in either store. Also switched to another credit card at that time, don’t miss the points one bit. And I can use the rewards wherever I want.

Like others have said striker APEX if you want float suit. Crazy how much lighter and thinner it is than the climate stuff I used to have.

You can find an insurance broker, essentially someone who represents a bunch of companies and they will compare those and find the best rates. Of course you are limited to the companies they represent. I have my guy check my rates ever 2 years. Actually need to do this in January. It’s good to do once in awhile.

We were up on the 12/13th and struggled. Has a buddy up over the weekend and the bite was even worse.

Couple small bucks this morning and some yearlings. No ring today after yesterdays 30 mph gusts.

Windy morning in Iowa. SE wind which is not ideal for my stands. Lone doe, a button buck, and then a young 9 just came by at 20 yards. Was at full draw before deciding not to shoot. I love the November days after the 10th and close to the 20th!

Crazy for this Iowa guy to see people to be gun hunting this time of year. That has to be fun! Was a rain out this morning and have seen two bucks tonight. One trotted by maybe 80 yards. Saw another one a long ways off.

We kept two slot fish when were up around the 18th. Out of around 30 fish. All but 1 was over.

Been almost 3 weeks since we were out. But we were trolling 2.2-2.5. Water was warmer then of course.

For you guys trolling stick baits at less then 2 mph are using something to help get them down? Fishing shallower like 4-8 feet, or they just come up that far and hit? Interested in your guys thoughts

First sit for me in Iowa. SE wind all weekend here, who chi is not ideal. Tomorrow could be a wash out. Good luck guys. Nice deer B-Man!

Pulling cranks. 11-13 feet. It was awesome with the moon out.

Fished from the can line up to the dam yesterday. Only rough fish until we got to the dam. Got 2 walleye up there. Saw two walleye/sauger caught at the lan can line.

If you can get fiber optic internet and it’s around the same price I would highly suggest doing so. Much faster.

Docks are still in as of last night.

Also the wind thing. I believe someone said above, or I read it on another thread, don’t launch on the wind blown side unless it’s 15 or less. Id say 10, but I like easier fishing. The wind might help the bite I suppose.