After getting to try out the Fishfinder on Billy's Kayak the other week and watching ACS DVD on Carp Fishing in Town Lake I realised what we really needed was some kind of boat. Being a complete newbee as far as boats go I emailed David at Big Carp Tackle and asked a few questions as to what boat he used on the DVD. Then I went to Cabela's, Academy etc to find out more. In the end a Jon Boat seemed perfect for the job so I went online to craigslist and found exactly what I needed as the listing was about 2 weeks old I was thinking it must have sold by now, so I emailed to find out; a day or 2 later I got a reply and was informed that it was still for sale and so I bought it for $700 with trailer and trolling motor though the motor had a broken prop and looked quite ancient.

I go back online to research about trolling motors and very quickly I realised the Minn Kota's were getting the best reviews and with their patented "Maximizer Technology" (that yields up to 5 times longer running time on a single charge) I thought I would go with one of them. Back to Cabela's to find out some are forward thrusting and come with a foot peddle and others are backward thrusting for the back of the boat, I needed one for the back of the boat. I guess I need to explain why we needed a electric motor to start of with, basically it's because Texas Parks and Wildlife restrict gas engines and only allow boats less than 30 feet and 10 mph. Anyway the trolling motor I wanted they had 1 in stock and couldn't find it. All of the staff at Cabella's I was dealing with had serious ADD the first one went to look and ended up speaking with another customer and forgot all about looking for this trolling motor this happened with 4 of the staff in total and in the end I was like f**k it I had to move on before I let one of them have it, I am sure they would remember me then. I think next time I go I'll take some ritalin with me to give to them. The online research had given me good advice and I decided to buy a Cabelas AGM battery as the reviews were fantastic no maintenance and by all accounts nothing could compare with it for how long the charge lasted for, here is what it says about them on the Cabelas website:

The next generation of lead-acid batteries, our revolutionary Advanced Anglers series uses a separator similar to fiberglass to hold the electrolyte in place. This physical bond between the separator fibers, the lead plates and the container completely eliminates leaks and makes these some of the most vibration- and impact-resistant batteries on the market. These completely maintenance-free batteries also serve double-duty on the water, serving as either a cranking battery or a deep-cycle power source. In testing, this design lasted up to 400 drain/charge cycles, giving them a life span far surpassing conventional batteries. And they won't freeze, no matter what frigid conditions your boat endures during the off-season. Meets all EPA/OSHA marine requirements. FAA and DOT approved. One-year warranty.

That was the only thing I had to get there and after the annoying ADD staff I decided to leave and buy the motor online. As it turned out Amazon was cheaper and I didn't have to pay sales tax on the trolling motor. I got the Minn Kota Maxxum Transon with 55lb of thrust which I read was perfect for a 14 foot Jon Boat. I also decided to rewire it as I just could not figure what went where and obvioulsy the person before me used the trolling motor at the front of the boat so the plugs were at the front as well, besides the wiring really seemed messy. So I got new lights and a new onboard battery charger. Which by the way I was lied to by the staff at Cabela's, one of the staff said the charger held charge and released it to the battery when the battery was geting low and then his ADD cut in and he wondered off to do something else; so once again I went off and grabbed another member of staff whom then told me that was completely false. As you can see I am not to happy with Cabela's at the moment. Also I had to buy life jackets for each person who would be onboard as it another rule by the Texas Parks and Wildlife. So all in all with a hitch, registration, tax etc etc it's so far cost nearly $2,000's. What about a Carpers passion for this wonderful fish? All of this will wield a 50lb lump next March, well that's what me and Billy are telling ourselves lol.