ikaika

I’ve got a reasonable collection, I’ll grab some pics when I’m home: 1980 Gibson Les Paul Custom, 1986 Charvel Model 5, 1996 Fender USA Strat, a 2003 Breedlove acoustic, and a new Schecter SLS Elite 7 string fan fret. I had to sell my 4x12 due to space limitations, but I’ve still got a Marshall JCM2000 DSL100 head and a 2x12 in addition to my NeuralDSP plugins. Definitely a fun way to spend time when I can’t get to the river!

Common issue with zero degree mounts over hard bottom; there have been a bunch of threads about this on the Garmin board when guys get their new fancy mount and suddenly have interference. If you’ve got one, maybe try the stock Garmin mount and see if the interference goes away.

I think the meta point here is that you can always find ways to spend MORE on a livescope setup. Whether the extra dollars you spend translate to meaningful utility to you is a very personal choice...the good news is that you've got options. I didn't feel like a turret, 16v battery, or fancy wiring harness were worth the cost when I added livescope to my Caracal...might be for some folks, but to me that money is better spent on gas for more fishing trips. I went with a Garmin Echomap 126sv UHD for $1500 from Bass Pro, and LVS34 + GLS10 for $1500 from a sponsor on Bass Boat Central. Total for the entire project plus consumables/mount for the new graph was $3200. Echomaps jump up in resolution from the 9" to 10" units, but the 10" and 12" have the same resolution...if you're not wanting to break the bank, I'd be giving the 10" graph a hard look. I think Bass Pro still has some on clearance for $1000 as they're making room for the new UHD2 units, or you can scour the classifieds on Bass Boat Central for a good deal. Definitely agree with all the folks saying lithium is the way to go, get a good 12v battery and wire it separately from your trolling motor so you don't get interference.

For sure, I appreciate the follow up! I've got the 4-10oz range covered in my quiver and am really chasing the perfect blank for all my Toxics...the search continues.

That would be super helpful if you do get it out on the water to test. If it really can't throw above 3oz I'll have to decide if i just build it as a punching rod or if I dremel a couple inches off the tip and roll the dice for science!

Pics aren't working for me, but I have the same blank and am undecided on how I want to build it. What's your assessment of the weight range the blank will handle?

The reason foaming a 250 is tricky is because you need the foam to be strong enough to hold the screws at the joint of the bait. I've done a few with 15lb Foam-It and while it works great and the foam is bulletproof, you have to cut down the weights a ton so it doesn't sink like a rock. For your application where you're not worried about holding screws, I'd use the lightest stuff you can find so you don't have to muck around with weights as much. It's important to weigh the bait before you foam it and then you'll have something to compare to when shaving down the weights to dial your sink rate. Be warned, it's messy and in my experience it's super difficult to keep the foam from getting on the outside of the bait. No big deal with a 250 since it's hidden by the skin, but you could end up with spots on the outside of your Ghost that need to be sanded to get the foam off. You can mitigate this by strategically placing your vent holes, but on my first couple baits it was definitely a learning experience. Good luck.

Tranx 300 in the 5.8 ratio works well for most things. I reach for the HG version when I'm fishing big glides but otherwise the 5.8 is my default choice...it's still a 30" per turn retrieve so it's not slow by any means. I haven't fished a Curado 300 so can't comment on those, but many others here use them and are happy. For the 2-4 ounce range, a Tatula 200 has been in my rotation for a while and is also worth a look. Good luck!

MK Precision 440 for me...zero complaints using the AGM setting as directed by Impulse Lithium when I bought the batteries.

Go on Amazon or Temu and find centering pins that are 40-45mm long and 7mm diameter. I like to cut out the middle pin with a pair of dykes, and then you can slip your hook onto the open eye and close it with pliers. It’s like $15 for 100 of the things.

I talked to them and for whatever reason the Alumifoam was not available. I got some Foam-It 15lb density and it is shockingly strong. If I was doing it over again I would try to get away with a lower density; I found that using the 15lb density I needed to almost completely remove the ballast behind the front hook hanger to get the sink rate I wanted.

For those of you who have gotten your Epitome 807 blanks, how long was it from order to shipping? I see they’re rolling out live inventory but this wasn’t shown on the status when I checked.

I’m in the FG knot camp, but I put a tiny drop of thin superglue on it to keep the half hitches from coming undone over time. Too much and the knot is stiff going through your guides, so don’t go crazy with it. Chris Zaldain did a good video on how he ties it, check that out if you haven’t already; everyone has all kinds of tricks or techniques so just pick a video and practice that way until you’ve got it down. The trickiest thing for me was getting the weave to hold, the first half hitch is the most important!

If I wanted to try and diy something for a Tyrant I’d probably start with shaping a chunk of rigid closed cell urethane foam to fit the cavity and seeing how it performs. I’ve got some two part foam that’s a 15lb density and incredibly strong, but there’s a lot of lower density ones you can find that would be even more buoyant since strength isn’t really important here.

Huh wasn’t planing on spending that much when I woke up this morning but he sure got me. A fool and his money.