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Showing content with the highest reputation on 10/06/2014 in all areas

  1. That's a very good question Mike especially for those anglers who fish from "paddle" type water craft. As per the chart previously added, a Drysuit with polypro layers or wetsuit plus drytop, neoprene booties, hat & gloves is a standard outfit in order to be properly protected once the water temps dip into the 50's. For many weekend / recreational anglers this seems like over kill. Unfortunately, like many of life's hard lessons, it's hard to understand just how quick & deadly cold water immersion is. While fishing, 50 degree water may not "feel too cold" on our hands. Once one has the unfortunate experience of floating around in it for a while, the whole thing become very real. Whether in a professional or recreational activity, being in a small boat in cold water is Always a life threating event. The question is if one choses to take the steps necessary to protect themselves. A PFD is a must. But it's not enough for these circumstances. I fish from a canoe. After 01 Oct here the water cools fast, I wear a one piece neoprene dry suit. If I go in, I'm at least giving myself a solid opportunity to survive. The cost of the correct gear is about the same a one quality rod & reel. Clearly one can fish for a long time without cold water protection, but unlike a warm water dunking, you may not get a second opportunity to get it right. The OP here was EXTREMELY LUCKY, if there had been no one else on the lake that day, it very well could have been his last. Think about that. A-Jay
    6 points
  2. Boaters...and especially kayakers: Please wear your lifejackets at all times. I always do and today I am especially glad that I did. I was anchored up on the side opposite to the side the wind was blowing. With that you know where this is going...a wind gust and wave hit me hard enough that my anchored side pulled the kayak under enough that it flipped. Within seconds I was in the 50 degree water on the side of the anchor. Because the anchor was attached to the kayak, I couldnt flip the boat over. What's worse, the longer it remained flipped, the more water the kayak was taking on...making flipping it back over increasingly difficult. I tried to maintain composure but the longer I tried to work around my boat I could feel my body start to shiver. I was able to call over to another boat for assistance. I was very lucky as it was the only other boat on the water. By the time we reached shore, my lips were blue and I could not speak in complete sentences. Reading about hypothermia, I now understand what was happening...what really surprises me is how fast these symptoms came on. Needless to say, I am forever thankful to those boaters that helped a stranger in need. I am also thankful for my lifejacket which I will never take off no matter how uncomfortable or restrictive it may feel. If this post helps just one boater in the future I would be elated. Please wear your lifejacket. Tight and safe lines.
    5 points
  3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AYf-ChIa5s&feature=youtu.be A-Jay
    4 points
  4. THANKS ! It IS a very nice reel - I'm glad I bought it (but see the following!). I'm not noticing any "geariness" in the Morrum...but then, I'm not too particular that way. The clutch bar has a little play when the clutch is disengaged but again, nothing I noticed until you asked and I wiggled it a bit. They are both very nice reels, both have advanced braking systems, and both cast very well as a result. My CQ100-14 certainly palms smaller but then the Morrum has a line capacity greater than a CQ200-14 so it should palm a bit big. At the end of the day, I think you buy the Morrum if you really want/need the higher IPT. Otherwise, and especially if one didn't have any high-end round reels, I would certainly recommend that they buy the Conquest first, over the Morrum. The Conquest just exudes that solid, quality feeling, more so than the Morrum. For me personally? I REALLY wanted the IPT offered by the Morrum and will be putting it to good use. And, I felt I had enough Conquest/Calcutta gear on hand to cover my needs for a while...at least until a 50-size Conquest 14 is released...
    4 points
  5. Just like A-Jay's post above, I have an old-and-new post.... The new generation has arrived to join the oldsters... Early 1960s Ambassadeur 5000, 1978 Ambassadeur 1500C, brand spankin' new Ambassadeur Morrum ZX3600: IVCB-4 braking system - it's a GREAT casting machine. Palms OK for me (about like a 100-size Calcutta) but the edges on the sideplate could be radiused a bit more. 6.3:1 gearing - 28" IPT - VERY cool. I wish there were more round reels with higher IPTs. It gets the ultimate approval rating - it works, reels in fish...
    4 points
  6. I've been doing this long enough now to realize that fishing is neither hard or easy. As a purely recreational angler (don't fish tournaments) any "pressure" is self induced and a sign that I'm not doing it right. For me, this is a hobby and supposed to be fun. Clearly, there are times when the bite is "Challenging" and an angler must "work" to get bit. But this is part of the sport and if I looked at this as "Hard" then it would be pretty tough for me to enjoy it. Then again, I have no problem with a wide open suicide bass bite either. A-Jay
    4 points
  7. Tom, yes I lost my rod and reel. To be honest, it has been easy to mentally let those things go as things could have been so much worse. A-jay thanks for that table...an eye opener for sure. Here is one last discovery. I am sore, achy, and exhausted. It seems the body expends a ton of energy to protect itself when placed under sudden duress. Thanks for all the well wishes....I am so glad I am ok. I just wanted to share my situation to prevent a tragedy from happening to others. This board has been so helpful in teaching me how to be a better fisherman. As I or we become obsessed with catching "the big one", its easy to overlook the simple or seemingly inconvenient aids that could keep us alive.
    4 points
  8. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7RgN9ijwE4 Squirminwormin, are you related to this kid?
    3 points
  9. A drysuit, or semi drysuit is more important than a PFD. I won't downplay a PFD...EVER, but in the case of extremes, a PFD often is just the difference of having a body to bury or not. I see guys out in small craft with jeans and sweatshirts...cotton kills. folks! Another mistake I see is waders. I hope you have a firmly cinched wading belt on, if you go this route, because otherwise, you're not getting out of the water once those are filled up. Also, this is where a sit on top kayak is preferable to a sit in. You may think you're more protected in a sit in, but water re-entry to a sit in is nearly impossible, even with help, and without a drysuit you're in trouble, fast. I have done one cold water rescue, and it gets ugly fast.
    3 points
  10. Normally I take 1-2 body segments off of a Rage Craw. It will look just like my avatar.
    3 points
  11. 3 points
  12. Thanks guys, looking forward to helping to keep the forums as great as they are and continuing to do my part to help everyone with advice when I can.
    3 points
  13. Poppers are for fishing targets like stickups or stumps. Walking baits are good for covering water and when fish are really chasing shad and baitfish and clear water. Buzzbaits I like in dirtier water and around heavier cover. Prop baits are good target fishing baits as well and seem to excel when bass are feeding on bluegills.
    3 points
  14. Tie a long rope to the bow eye when you launch. You can hold on to the rope as you back in. Once the boat is off the bunks put the truck in park, pull the boat to the dock, and go park the truck
    3 points
  15. Yeah you, the lowly fisherman. We spend our life preying on fish but aren't we really the prey? We have to have every gizmo and do dad with the hopes it will make us fishing gods. We've got to have that fancy boat that goes a jillion mph. The G Loomis rods because, let's face it, they have the coolest logo. Shimano reels because the Shimano army won't have it any other way. Japanese lures, lures designed by Dahlberg, because they attract more fish. $12 frogs because they are 4x better than the $3 frogs. Hooks with laser sharp points to increase our hook up rate. SI/DI technology and underwater cameras so we can see what the fish are looking at. If we can't have these things, we dream about the day we will be able to afford them. Were we not content as children spending the day at the lake with our fathers and grandfathers? Fishing with a closed face Zebco and a $10 fishing rod and hanging a nightcrawler or minnow under a bobber? I know I was. I wonder what happened. What made me the fiend I am today? I went to Cabelas today to get some walleye jigs and left with $60 of crap I surely don't need and possibly will never use. The reason for this rant: Anybody price balsa bobbers lately? I'd be a wealthy man if I never learned to fish.
    3 points
  16. I have done it..... Picked up a bank fishermen I don't know, that is. I have nothing to worry about. If they are bass fishing, and I am bass fishing, we already have something in common. I have made a couple of friends this way too. What is the worst thing that could happen. So far no one has really tried messing with the 6'+, 325 lb guy who shaves his head, talks to himself and yells a lot.
    3 points
  17. Early this past spring, after spending the winter outfitting a new kayak and preparing my gear for another season, the love of my life and wife of many years was diagnosed with breast cancer. I had paid my fees for a kayak bass tournament back in January, so my wife told me to go ahead and fish it. I drove the six and half hours to the tournament, launched my yak, but returned to the ramp after just a few minutes. My heart just wasn’t into it. Time passed and the day of her surgery arrived. I was able to bring her home after three days and spent several days empting her drainage bottles and tending to her other needs. I spent the rest of the summer helping her recover both physically and emotionally. During those many days while she slept, I played with lures and other equipment, sat in the garage and looked at my yaks, and kept abreast of everyone’s exploits here on the forum. Every day, when one of you posted a picture of a new PB, I was there with you, in spirit at least. September came and my wife is back on her feet and is again her ole self. She encouraged me to get out and do some fishing. I made a short trip to my favorite wildlife refuge, but I didn’t get much fishing done. It did feel good to get out and paddle around the lake and take in the sights, sounds, and smells of the outdoors. I’ll probably get out one more time, but then I’ll call it a year as the old bones don’t handle the cold like they use to. The doctors have given my wife a clean bill of health and we are looking forward to her next checkup this coming January. If that goes well, and I think it will, I plan on hitting those lakes like there’s no tomorrow. I might even pull the trigger on that new Big Game II…it looks like one mean fishing machine. Twenty plus years in the military, watching kids grow into adults, and growing old with the woman I love has taught me a valuable lesson; life is short and it will on occasion throw you a curve ball. If I could share just one thing with all of you, it would be to never take life, or the people you care for, both family and friends for granted. Although we think there is no end when we’re young, time is fleeting and there is an end. This season is ending and those hawgs got a pass this year, but look out…I’m starting spring training right now!
    2 points
  18. They are running a sale on 25% off ALL fishing rods including loomis/dobyns/etc. https://www.krugerfarms.com/fishing/shop-by-brand/dobyns/3461.html
    2 points
  19. Bass caught on 7'6" Kistler Helium3/ Shimano Curado 201G6/ 12#Tatsu/ homemade jig with store-bought craw A hair over 20" and ~3.5 lbs estimated Slightly smaller but still looked like a 3# Big Bluegills, one on a 3/8 oz rocket shad, the second on a 100SP Pointer
    2 points
  20. It's already a very successful hunt, Jeff. I'm still able to do it. ..............My daughter came out in the garage Saturday night. Nicholas, Joe and I were all dressed in our camo. Danielle started to cry. She said it had been a long time since she'd seen me in hunting attire. There we were , three generations all decked out. I think the fact that Nicholas is continuing to look more like a man than a boy has some bearing on her tears as well. It was a GOOD DAY!................right now as I type this, there's a laborer in our kitchen jackhammering up our old ceramic tile. There are three sisters painting the downstairs. And Kit just went for one of my "happy pills". I'll be glad when this day is over!!..............take good care, Jeff. I'll keep you in the loop.
    2 points
  21. I think it's funny that you'd compare the risk levels between kayaking in cold water/air temperatures to standing on the deck of a 22' bass boat that is clearly moored in a protected harbor. What you can't tell from the pic is that it was taken in mid July. I don't care if you want to call me a hypocrite, but when it comes to advice, being a moderator means I have to be very careful what I recommend. Even though I'm just a average guy that fishes, some take our advice as gospel. For the record, A-Jay's post above shows a good option. I personally DO NOT prefer neoprene. There are other options in material, in various price ranges. I used to use a Palm semi dry (neoprene neck, arm, and feet instead of rubber). Currently I'm looking at suits by Kokatat.
    2 points
  22. I enjoy myself even when the bite is tough, or "hard." Regarding having a talent or knack, I think it is more about quality time on the water, learning from the experiences of others, and keeping the mind open to different solutions to obtain the bite. In my opinion, these things are more important for the vast majority of us in developing our fishing skills, than some inborn fishing talent. As for learning patterns and techniques, some come quickly while others take more work. Again though, the learning window is shortened by the three items I mentioned above.
    2 points
  23. For those not familiar with it - this is what Planning To Stay Alive looks like. A-Jay
    2 points
  24. That's a 1/3 oz. I carry many weights. Each weight has a depth it runs best. The trick is to get it so it ticks bottom, or whatever cover your fishing. There other styles as well. I KO Wobbler will run shallower with it's wide shape, at a slower speed, but still have a big profile. A Krocidile or Cyclops will run deeper, due to is narrow shape. They catch every species of game fish for me - black bass, pike, pickerel, kings, coho, steelhead, browns, white bass... I think my biggest bowfin was caught on a blue and silver or green and silver Cleo.
    2 points
  25. Yes, they work. See the pick for mods I do to a Cleo. I fish them on a straight retrieve, occasionally adding a pause. What's more important is to get the speed right so it's a random wobble, not a stready vibration, though that catches, too.
    2 points
  26. Congrats Bluebasser!!!
    2 points
  27. I am by no means a spoon expert. I just started using them early this summer and they are all I have used 99% of the time since and I have a ton to learn but at the same time I feel like I have progressed well so far and I am having more success. I can't speak for trout because I am yet to fish for them with spoons. But bass yes. For me it has taken trial and error to dial in the right size spoons. I primarily have rotated from 1/8,1/4,1/3 and I keep several different shapes, colors, and designs with me at all times. I try to match the size with the bait fish in the lake. Small fat head type minnows are what I see in the lake. I love the cleos and that bass in my avi I caught in Aug with a tiger striped 1/3 cleo wigl dancing girl. The past month or so I have switched primarily to kast master type spoons and side winder type. They have much tighter action and I think they can nail a distressed bait fish to almost a T and I have success with them. If I am not having success with one type I will try something else. On saturday for example, I was using a very small under 2" silver/chrome weber champ which is like a kast master design and is so small I can't even get a weight reading on my digital scale. I figured it might be the perfect size and design for one spot I fish and I did not get any bites on it after trying for about an hour. I switched to a kast master design brass spoon that is a 1/4 and the bass wouldn't leave it alone all morning. So it was the same exact style but slightly bigger and a different color and it seemed to make all the difference. And it seems like I can almost always find a spoon that gets fish biting Right now I am have been doing a pause when I retrieve the spoon after a few turns of my reel. If you keep your pole tip up high when you reel in and then when you pause you drop the tip a bit to create slack so when you pause the spoon flutters down deeper like a distressed bait fish. If you keep the line tight it won't ' dance ' down deeper the right way. It just sinks basically. Hope this helps some and good luck!
    2 points
  28. 2 points
  29. I think a little meet and greet is in order!!! Jeff
    2 points
  30. A lot of our lakes have an 18" length limit, so that's kind of my mark for a good quality fish, anything over 20" is a great fish.
    2 points
  31. See it could be worst. You should see the machine shop at school, or work when a woman walks through. I bet it looks some thing like this.
    2 points
  32. Glad you're OK ~ As the warm water season ends and the waters we fish get colder hyperthermia becomes more of a factor. Many boaters / anglers do not know or realize how fast an immersed human becomes incapacitated. 50 degree water equals 15 minutes before incapacity and/or unconsciousness with life jacket on. 50 degree water equals 9 minutes before incapacity and/or unconsciousness without a life jacket. Please go to and read the info in the link below. A-Jay http://www.useakayak.org/references/hypothermia_table.html
    2 points
  33. I wanted Slonezp to be new moderator. I think he would have done a bang up job.
    2 points
  34. You beat me to it! But thanks for breaking the ice! Gene (Flukemaster) and I felt it best for Gene and his goals if he were to retire from moderating here at BassResource. We're going to miss him in that role. However, he's not gone. Far from it! Gene will still be an active member here and will continue to contribute to the forums. So it's not "goodbye". As Gene transitions to his new role, I'd like to welcome our newest moderator, Bluebasser86 (Clayton)! Clayton has been a terrific member here for several years, and is passionate about bass fishing. He's a police officer too - what better than to have him as a moderator? Please help me give Clayton a big welcome, and a huge thanks to Gene! Glenn
    2 points
  35. 2 points
  36. 2 points
  37. We came in 1st out of 33 teams at the qualifying tournament, then 4th at the championship... Not too bad
    2 points
  38. Assunpink Lake, N.J. 10/04/2014 Caught my Personal Best It was raining all day, but weather reports had clear skies after 2 p.m. so I took a chance and loaded up my canoe and headed for the lake. I made a good decision because the sky slowly cleared up as I was fishing. To my surprise, I was the only person on the lake from 2:00 - 5:30, at which time I left. Around 5:00 I caught my personal best since I started fishing last year. I was using a Cabela's brand Real Image HD Series in Bluegill flavor in about 10 feet of water. Thanks for looking.
    1 point
  39. I feel your pain brother. I have ran into and injured myself more times from looking at women. One in particular comes to mind. Girl went jogging by when I was down in auburn. Her chest was massive. I rode my bicycle into a tree and landed in a bunch of holly bushes, watching her go by. I would have said I jumped up and played it off. However, I was covered in spikey leaves and my foot was trapped in the spokes of my bicycle. A month later I ended up getting a date with the girl.
    1 point
  40. I have seen people walk in to walls, poles, and other people. When checking out woman.
    1 point
  41. Never try to walk & chew bubblegum when looking at pretty women, the outcome is never good.
    1 point
  42. It sounds as if you are making good pitches right into the fishes lair, hence the majority of bites on the fall. I would guess if you cast past the target (if possible) and dragged the jig through the cover, you would get bit then. With experience, we all tend to figure where the fish may setup in cover and then make casts that exploit that knowledge. You may be just targeting the fish perfectly. If not that, then it may be that you are getting reaction strikes from the fall, that the fish you are catching may not be actively feeding.
    1 point
  43. I had a great day on the water today, with several good bass on a 1/2 oz. jig with a 4" Pit Boss trailer. I always use a big trailer. Tight lines, Bob
    1 point
  44. Hehe, Raider Going to be the poorest electrician with a girlfriend & a wife..peace raider! Lol..
    1 point
  45. 6 figures before or after she takes half?
    1 point
  46. Raider, while not technically a degree, I count skilled trades the same as having a degree. Maybe I shouldn't, but there's not enough difference these days. I was trained by an old-timey retired gunsmith who had a bunch of old 1911 frames and slides and rimfire parts. It's not bragging but rather fact when I say I'm better than most my chosen specialty, and this includes new gunsmiths with these "gunsmithing degrees". On the other hand, I really bite at things like the AR platform. They just don't interest me. I know what you're saying about the trades. They should count as degrees in my opinion. Josh
    1 point
  47. We are navigating a similar course. Many hard lessons have been learned here as well. We Live for Today, As Tomorrow might only be a Dream. Best of Luck & Continued Good Heath to you Both. A-Jay
    1 point
  48. I swear by a T- rig , I use cranks/ rattle too... But 70% of my fishing is with a t-rig and there are multiple diffrent spins on rigging it too... Like A- Jays.... Punch rigs.... All spins off basic Trig... They just work, almost always.. Even when a good horizontal bite is going on. Who doesn't want to use a crank/ rattle bait when they are eating it good? Nonetheless , T-rigs are still my primary fishing style, I simply love it, and have complete and utter confidence in it!
    1 point
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