Last week I was able to get my project boat out on the water and finally fish from it, it has been a work in progress but it has been worth it. I wish I could justify spending money on a new boat but I just can’t and couldn’t pass up this boat that I bought from a coworker. The boat is a 1997 Duracraft Bay Series 18’ 6” center console aluminum boat with an 80 HP Yamaha. He sold me the boat, motor and trailer for $800. Motor has great compression on all cylinders and hull is in good shape for its age, with some minor corrosion on the bottom due to being a saltwater boat and the owner letting it sit on carpeted and pressure treated lumber bunks. Long story short, I rewired the entire boat, added a Hummingbird unit, Minn Kota Terrova, on board charger, fuse panels etc. I also required the trailer and put new bunks with vinyl gutters to cover them instead of carpet. The motor ran strong and I spent more time messing with my fish finder and trolling motor than I did fishing.

I located lots of hybrids/stripers/whites stacked up on the lower end of the lake, in the river channel, from the State Park to the dam. I picked up a white and a 4 pound 5 ounce striper trolling umbrella rigs in 30-40 FOW. I also picked up several fish, to include a keeper blue cat, right at the dam in 50 FOW deadsticking Duck Tracker slabs double rigged with a smaller jig above the slab. I can’t wait to get out on the water again and try to use live shad. Right now I am looking to install a bait tank on the boat but just need to find a deal on one. I have bought most items for the boat slightly used. I found a deal on a bait tank in Pearland if anyone is traveling from that area towards Lampasas I would be grateful if someone could pick it up for me haha.

Solid post and solid fish. Good job.

Congrats on the project boat....looks great and obviously very fishable

Thank you, I still have some work to do to make it fish really good. I forgot to mention, this was my first time using the Thumper I bought from Thump Em’ Up fishing and I could tell by the activity on the graph that it definitely makes them more active when you get over a school.

I am wondering if I need to upgrade the transducer on my Hummingbird Helix 7 Mega SI/DI. I just see some of the other posts and it seems like other people’s graphs have more defined images on their sonar. I did mess with the settings but don’t know if I have everything just right.