Yikes gives good advice too. The catch is, that an 80# Maxxum is a 800 dollar and the 80# Terrova is a $1200 experiment. That's 2K you could be out pretty easily. You know you'd like the Maxxum, I think you'd like the Terrova for all but 1 application. Ideally, you'd get both and quick mount them, but unless you're rich, I'm guessing that's out of the budget. If not, we should get to be very close friends.

The one catch with the Maxxum is that you have to attend to it at all times. Basically, to me, it's not useable for long lining or crankbaits. That's my gripe. However it's very well suited for spider rigging and single poling. I use the O/B for cranks and don't long line at all. However, I bought the PD for trying long lining and cranks. Strictly speaking, I single pole from the boat during maybe a month or two out of the year - we're talking 20 trips here max and some of those I might be out of the boat with waders depending. The rest of the year, the PD or Terrova in your case should be the bomb and I've got the O/B to fall back on if the batts give out cranking. Unless you fish inside the trees on the Delta lakes a lot, you and I probably fish a lot alike. If so, the Terrova would prolly work just great for ya. Then again, you know what to expect from the Maxxum if don't have the cash to experiment. Truth be told, it would only be a 150 to 250 experiment as either motor has a pretty good used marketability.

Wannabe...