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This spring I thought it would be interesting to keep a log of all smallies caught out of my boat between 5 & 6lbs and between 6 & 7lbs. I hopefully wanted to record a third category of 7 to 8lbs but that didn't happen. The log data only included three months, April, May & October, prime months for me. The total of five to six lbers was 60 smallies. The total of six to seven lbers was 8 smallies. Biggest fish went 6-15. That makes for roughly a one out of eight ratio or put another way you have to catch eight 5lbers before you are going to catch one over six pounds. And unless your lucky you won't break seven. Since I started fishing lake erie for smallies about 2005 I have noticed a yearly change regarding the numbers of quality fish. Some years the number of six to seven lbers sky rocketed while others years we barely saw a true six. The numbers of legit five pounders bodes well for the future. Total time spent fishing out of those three months was about 7 weeks. All 68 smallies were caught on jerk baits. Now if we just get Steve Parks to spill the beans about his numbers.

I don't know about you but that comment right there makes me feel old LOL !!! I guess I should update that rig, but i'm just too old fasioned...or too old to give a crap...or just too darn old lol !!

At this point brother, I don't care if we don't catch a darn thing, I have not been on the water since the meet and greet, I need the practice anyway, fishing with Traveler I hit most of my targets and I hit targets I ment to miss, and I missed the fish that hit their target, the ol' brain needs the excersize as well as the spirit, I just look forward to getting on the water and knocking off the rust and see if I can catch a 5lb'er or two LOL !!! I will just settle for being on the water.

On the deck I am comfortable with 4 out at a time, 6 I get a little cramped and I hate when 8 are out. When out by myself 8 or 10 combo's can be out as I utilize the bench seat to rest the rods on. As far as what is in the boat, this is typically what I carry all season in the one rod locker..........................

I've been fishing something similar long before In Fisherman publicized it as the Ned Rig. I use a 3" stickworm on a 1/32 or 1/16 gopher tackle mushroomhead with a # 6 Gamakatsu hook. I usually fish it in the summer when faced with those clear sky no wind bluebird days.With the small jighook and slow fall the bait fishes better than you would expect in moderate weed cover. It's a great bait for tough conditions, the other that comes through for me under similar circumstances is a R.I. Smallie Beaver on a 1/16 oz mushroomhead.

Been having great results with a Green Pumpkin Ocho and Watermelon Green Yum Dinger in the Staunton River here in Virginia. Flipping it into deep holes behind brush piles and around pylons. Have been keeping an eye on the middle of the river. If I see a splash, I flip the rig about 20 or 30 feet up river from it and hang on. Got my biggest ones this way.

A smile.

Not the best casting lure but a great troller once it's in tune. Try wrapping a little solder around the hook shanks as well as the suspendots. That's a really cool idea to make a suspending thin fin.

I hear ya on the wind. The wind started blowing here in West Tn around August 2011 and has never let up. I have never seen this living here for over 50 years. I have three boats so depending on conditions I can get at least one on the water and fight it. My Basshunter in my profile pic is limited to 10 mph or less unless I want waves crashing over the bow.

Up here C-Rigs are one of the top 3 techniques. "Whatcha catch em on?" "Rig" That being said I sort of hated fishing it, just too big and cumbersome. Then I gave it and learned to embrace it and have to admit the darn thing works. Up here we use it in 17-30+fow to find fish on humps or flats. It's so windy up here you can't easily keep control of the boat and work a crank in those depths. Bomb a rig out, use the motor to control the drift ~.7-1.2mph. Pay attention to where the hits are (wind blown side of the hump? Top? etc.) once you get the pattern of where they seem to be relating to, you start concentrate on the spots with tubes, ds/shaky's (I still love flipping my T-rigs though).

Those Berkley Lightning Shock Rods are pretty darn amazing for the $ if you ask me.

A friend swears by thin fins (for pike and walleye anyway) but I think they tend to roll on their side too much. Adding a little weight to the bottom might solve this as well as help suspend it. But weight (or where it's located) can screw up action so you have to factor this in. My $.02.

Yes, most of the lures I've purchased have failed to catch fish. I do a lot of fishing, but not much catching.

If I waited for the perfect moon, tide and wind I'd probably never go fishing, as it stands I fish 7 days a week. I'm aware of those factors and some of them do dictate what my target species will be. I seldom get skunked, the fish of the day may only be 6", but it could be 60" and it has happened. Some of my greatest catches have been when every factor has been against me, like flat water, bad wind direction, no baitfish, time of day and species not generally caught in that area. Out of the clear blue sky you see a big fin cruising, that's sight casting time. Maybe only a coincedence but my best output is on the new moon, hardly any ambient light.

Zoom Trick or Finesse - Green Pumpkin and Red Shad

Someone draw me a picture, I'm not following this. Gravity being what it is , and all that, I don't get how you'd fish a jig upside down. It is making my head hurt. I'd better go and wash my mouth out with beer, that will fix it.

I like to throw the alien head most of the time...It stands up well and comes throw vegetation well enough.

I'll be bass fishing as much as I can through the winter. The only time I've seen ice on my lake was when I spilled my drink. Winter bass are FAT and easier to find.

I like #2 better. I have a feeling this was because the water was so low. Boat is usually in 4-5 feet of water but was in about 1 foot at the end of the year. I did notice more than usual swimming around later in the year. Usually you see them near dusk. Cover was fine till he chewed a little hole in it. I will be investing in a high powered air gun or get a silencer for my 22. He started a war but I will prevail!

4 and 4.5 pounder

The test results came back and it appears to be isolated in the 1 spot, which is good news. So it sounds like they got everything. She goes for a post op exam in the morning and will find out more info and the next steps which pretty much includes radiation. So far so good!

i've tried many times over the years to make that switch. even though i reel lefty on spinning gear i can't seem to do it on baitcasters. i buy a new lefty reel, take it out and fish it until my first missed hookset, and sell the reel shortly afterward. repeat again the following year. and the year after that. i finally decided this year was my last time...i give up. no more trying. my right arm is far stronger than my left, but for some reason, i absolutely can't get a good swing on the hookset using my right arm. i know people that did make the switch and love it but it didn't work for me. YMMV. good luck.

I'm right handed but cast better with my right hand and reel with my left. So I have all left handed reels.