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My son thought he would try his hand at muskie fishing while I was going for big smallies. He won, it was his first muskie trip ever. I would show you the smallies I caught but,........................ I don't want to.

This Ashley Madison thing has me worried. What if somebody hacks Tackle Warehouse???

..................well, whad'ya think I meant?

I once had a reel with a similar lever. It is a solution to a problem that does not exist.

If they release my purchases at least you guys will know what not to buy.

My Steez LTD SV showed up yesterday!! I only got about 10 minutes with it in the yard, but it is sweet!

Ok, so it hasn't been out on the water yet, but holy cow this reel is S M O O V, smoooove. The nicest reel by comparison that I currently own has been a Pflueger Supreme XT. The Pflueger is really nice, but its like comparing a nicely equipped Honda Accord to a Maybach. I don't know that the Stella is a huge step up in terms of actual performance from the Stradic/Twin Power, but the level of refinement in this reel is unquestionable. The bail is solid, but opens smoothly. There is no metal-on-metal feel in the gearing. Force required to turn the handle is consistent with no wobble. It's nice and clearly an indulgence.

"Lake George is, without comparison, the most beautiful water I ever saw; formed by a contour of mountains into a basin... finely interspersed with islands, its water limpid as crystal, and the mountain sides covered with rich groves down to the water-edge: here and there precipices of rock to checker the scene and save it from monotony." -- Thomas Jefferson, May 31, 1791 I grew up fishing this lake, for 25+ years, but hadn't until this summer spent serious time on it the entire season. I ice-fished a few times in Feb-March, and went out a few days after ice-out, then over the next 3 months made about 25 trips, about 300 hrs on it this summer... mostly dawn-dusk trips, a few overnights, and two very grueling 24 hour marathons. I mainly fished for SMB/LMB, catch and release but did keep bunches of rock bass and pumpkinseed for eating a few times, they were everywhere. Perch were here and there, a few jacks but nothing consistently, probably because I wasn't jigging much. A couple trips I targeted either Northern Pike or Lake Trout but had very little success. Overall what I learned is: - LMB and SMB populations are doing great here - Most people I see out in boats fishing seem to fish way too shallow - Shallow water (<20 ft)- any time, any day, any weather- is never productive for LMB/SMB >12" here in July or August. Period. - The key with both species is finding structure where the thermocline (30-32') and bottom intersect- humps, submerged points, sunken islands, drop-offs, or even just flats- at 28-38' deep and near deeper water. - Locating and fishing around "cover" (fallen timber, weedbeds, docks, et) is not very helpful on this lake in the summer - Best baits are the ones that stay at the target depth (20-30') the longest - jigs, drop shot rigs, texas rigs, etc. - ...But the most efficient methods (catch the most fish in the least time) keep the baits at target depth while also covering the largest area in the least time. For me this was speed trolling (3-4mph) deep diving crankbaits and weighted plugs. Honestly, the bigger the better. StrikeKing 10XD, 2-3oz Matzuo Kinchou plugs, etc. The boat: Pants: Fjallraven Vidda Pros. There are inserts for foam knee pands so they were great for a canoe or small boat where you can be on your knees a lot. Also plenty of pockets, and reinforced seat because, well, you're sitting a lot. Some of the routes and fish: I covered a lot of the South Basin, mainly around the major islands and open water structure. Humps and reefs. Only parts I didn't get to were Diamond Island, Dunhams Bay or any of the very southern end. Since I was in a canoe I didn't just jump spot to spot, I trolled along everywhere I went and found some fish in very strange places. Dink SMB will suspened 10-15 ft down almost anywhere in the lake, but esp over structure 30-40 ft deep. And the larger SMB and LMB will also suspend 20-35 feet down sometimes in up to 60 fow. Didn't really weight or measure any of the fish this year but I think largest of each species was around 20" and 4-5 lbs, not necessarily pictured. Storm approaching: Got caught between 2 thunderstorm cells north and south of me on the lake, this one to the north dumping huge amounts of rain. Wind and waves got a little sketchy. I headed into a small bay and some people offered to tie up to their docks. It passed and I survived. 1. Northwest Bay at sunset, 2. Moonrise in Harris Bay, July 3. This was an awesome night. Full moon, calm waters, tons of people at the lake but not much boat traffic since it was at night. When I first got there around 6-7pm the entire bay smelled like grilled steak. Fishing was great until around 11pm when it slowed down a little. Even though it was early in the season and at night topwater wasn't producing. Shallow crankbaits over 15-20 ft weedbeds on sunken humps worked best. 3. Sagamore Hotel at night. Lac Du St Sacrament - largest of one of the cruise ships on the lake. Snuck up on me one time while anchored at a mid-lake hump when the wind was from the opposite direction. It came within about 100 yds. Dome Island about 10mi down the lake. I did fish Dome quite a bit and it does have prolific numbers of SMB around it and the extensive reef structure to its north. The drop-offs to the south seem hold the bigger fish, but overall I found Dome Island to essentially be just a big dink sanctuary... tiny smallmouth after tiny smallmouth. It was hard to fish deep enough to avoid them while still catching something. There seemed at times to be hundreds, even thousands, of 3-5" smallmouth bass around the island and the reefs and it became a real hassle compared to other places. I have not once caught a LMB around or near this island. SMB have taken over, and I've started to think the lake is overpopulated with smallmouth. Most productive lure of the season and the year by far. Perch were there but I wasn't able to target them specifically. I plan on focusing more on them in the fall. Small cottage on the lake... Owned by Red Sox owner John Henry. No one was ever really there until August when the Sox were 15+ games back. One of many very nice SMB. It was very hard to fish for SMB and LMB separately. Toward the end of the summer SMB have been a bit harder to find. Beat up bass. I have been noticing a lot of jaw and mouth wounds in various stages of healing on basses mouths as the summer has gone on. This LMB actually had the entire lower jaw bone broken in the middle, bones no longer connected. It looked like it was healing though and the fish looked well fed. If anyone is interested I have 4-5 very specific spots that always produce big fish, PM me. I trade info for fluorocarbon line.

I think it's a Casting assist deal. You can use your index finger to hook the line while at the same time pulling that lever toward the rod which will flip open the bail. Allows the user to cast with one motion. In other words, one does not need to use the other hand to flip open the bail. I had a low end Shimano several years ago that had it - the lever worked OK but the rest of the reel wanged . . . . A-Jay

Nice. I admit, I'm with A-Jay. Didn't know what to expect except that it was filed under "Fishing Reports" and not "Everything Else". So I figured it was safe to open. What's your shoe size? If you're a 13, those are big bass. If you're a 6...well....

At least you trimmed your piggies before the photo opp.

Nobody is doubting Bill Dances accomplishments. Some of us just dont like his TV show . That is all .

newest addition

Thanks A-Jay. She's been enjoying some extra time with her grandson and my dad has a very good paying job, so they're doing fine, but she found out yesterday she got the first job she'd applied for since being laid off so she'll be right back at it shortly.

Nice Job Blue & sorry to hear about your Mom getting laid off. Hope something else comes along soon. (Unless she'd rather go fishing everyday) Those Kansas fish sure do look different . . . A-Jay

There is some great reads and videos on this site about the Texas rig. That would be a very good starting point.

Sooner or later you young guys will figure out it's not so much the fish you catch but the overall experience. Sure you need to catch a few to keep your attention but think about it, it's the process. Getting the boat ready, preparing your tackle,selecting what lures to use, what body of water, where do you begin, what is your backup plan, checking the solunars, even the web reading ridiculous posts like this. You guys that harump harump the private waters obviously don't have produtive private waters available. If given the option of fishing really good private waters or "challenging" public waters just go with lighter tackle and quit fooling yourself. "Personal Best" is just that, personal. Face it, it's mostly where you live. I live in Florida and have caught dozens over 9. Does that mean I am a better fisherman than the guy in North Dakota ? Of course not ! If we were talking deer hunting the shoe is on the other foot. In Florida a 175 pound buck is HUGE. Not so much in ND. Some of the most "Successful" fishermen I have ever known really didn't catch many fish but they laughed and joked the whole time they were on the water, were a blast to fish with, and had more fun than the guys that caught a lot more fish. That is what I call a great day on the water and keeps me going back. Rant over.

If you could only use one line. I'd go with power pro super slick 8 around 20 to 50 pound depending on what your using

Got some around here so where My biggest disappointment is Brush Hogs! Hammer em on Baby Brush Hogs! Brush Hogs aint caught a single fish!

I'd like to give the BioSpawn ExoStick XT. They claim its very durable, and the Cabela's that just opened near me has them. I'll probably try them sometime soon.

" A Lure You Were Disappointed In After Using It" I'll admit to having a few baits that fall into this category. But I bet it pales in comparison to the number of baits in my box that are routinely disappointed in ME. A-Jay

Hello, all! My name is Sean from Nassau County, Long Island, NY. I'm new to the forums, obviously, and I'm also new to bass fishing. I've only gone twice. I have a pretty "beginner" rod and reel right now and only started buying lures as I learn from YouTube videos and some sites. I used to fish only for trout using fly rods and spinning rods. I decided it's about time to give bass fishing a try as it seems to be just as exciting if not more. I hope to learn, share and grow as an angler with you all in this community!

Brandon, great to have you back! I'm very much looking forward to seeing you and your boy again.

The sport of bass fishing owes a lot to The Great Bill Dance. He brought millions into the sport. Part of catching LMB is more than just going to a public lake and attempting to catch bass. I've done it and will continue to do so. My PB came from a private lake learned about from a coworker who liked me and allowed me to fish the private property. I don't feel guilty in the least. Tournament fishermen look for every angle they can get, legally, to know about the large reservoirs they fish. It ain't any different for the common basser to use his wits ....to get the best possible circumstances to catch the beloved LMB. The Old School Basser...

If you prefer Tungsten weights Picasso offers a great option . http://www.***.com/Picasso_Tungsten_Casting_Drop_Shot_Weight_Cylinder_3pk/descpage-PTCDC.html

Hi Sean, welcome aboard!

You have a new "Like" Cameron.

Welcome Sean. Your story is very similar to mine in that I fished for other species- mostly trout on light tackle- for a long time before giving bass fishing its fair shake. Fishing for any species is fun, but bass angling is just on another level and I regret not realizing this much sooner. You absolutely came to the right site to learn bass fishing. I have already learned a great deal from the staff here, especially Glen, and the many forum members here who have years of experience with catching bass. You may also want to check out the Bassresource YouTube Channel. A great great resource for beginning bass guys like us. Tons of great tutorials on most every facet of bass fishing.

trolling is just about always illegal in organized tournaments.

Ended up finding a Tatula frog Rod 7'4 H for $125

I own St Croix Premier, Avid X, and LTB rods. Also Carbonlite, Loomis E6X, and Cabela's Tourney ZX. My advice: Buy two Cabela's Tourney ZX rods when they get marked down from $99 to $70 (or less) or save up and buy an Avid X.

To be honest I even have fuses on my negative side just in case of a reverse polarity situation, a few bucks for a coupl extra fuses is a lot better then replacing my boat.

Do you have a fuse or circuit breaker between the two batteries? Most with any common sense will have a circuit breaker on the motor's positive wire at the battery/s.

I didn't set the hook because watching the swim pattern was interesting and insightful. Josh

I'm with you Josh. And if I'm misinterpreting your argument the fault lies with me. I watch and love Bill Dance's show for entertainment and educational purposes. I don't believe if I use the same Quantum rod and reel/Hi Seas line/Gamakatsu hook/BPS plastic/BooyahBanditGarminRangerMercury etc. etc. etc. that I will also catch giant bass like he does. In fact, I don't use any of the same gear he does. AND he never says you will catch giant bass if you use what he uses. It's entertaining because who doesn't like to see big bass? And I find it educational because while each show may be centered around a certain bait he always breaks down where he is finding fish and explains why the bait and presentation is a good choice for that situation. That's what I get out of it.

You don't get doubled amps, you get double amp capacity. The motor is the same load either way.

In fishing, there were two targets I have always dreamed of achieving. One was to catch a 7 Pound Smallmouth Bass, (which I was fortunate enough to do earlier this year). http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/117855-quest-for-the-7-pound-smallmouth-part-ii/?hl=+quest%20+for The second target that I dreamed of was catching a 50 inch Musky. I even had a custom made rod built to cast lures up to 36 ounces in order to pursue this goal (they say big lures catch big fish, right?). http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/108302-now-scott-aka-shfishinsticks-is-just-showing-off/?hl=%2Bscott+%2Bdoes#entry1181044 In February of this year, my Uncle booked a trip with musky guide Mike Hulbert to fish Lake St. Clair for two days (October 28th and October 29th). My Uncle asked me if I wanted to join him on this trip (since the rates cover up to two fishermen). I am not a big fan of guides, because I think part of the joy of fishing is figuring out where the fish are on your own. Though, I have always wanted to fish Lake St. Clair and the first time on a waterway like this, it would be nice to have a guy who owned a boat that could handle the waves and knew where on earth he was going. So needless to say, I agreed to go. The trip finally arrived and we met Mike at the launch the morning of day 1. The start to this day was beautiful. The sun was just poking up over the horizon and there was nice crisp cold chill in the air. After launching, we hit several areas of the lake and spent the next 10 hours casting 15+ ounce lures (I was casting pounders and 2 pounders for almost the whole day). I had one fish follow the lure to the boat just to turn away disinterested and my Uncle had a musky literally jump out of the water to bite the lure that he was pulling up for the next cast. Unfortunately, the fish only grabbed the back end of the lure and missed the hooks. That was it for day 1. When we returned to the hotel after that first day on the water, I spent the next hour in the shower with just the hot water running on my back (I never thought a hotel would run out of hot water, but apparently they can). My back and shoulders were so sore from casting those huge lures all day (casting that 2 Pounder really did me in). When you fish for musky, you need to check your skirt at the door (which I forgot to do on this day). The start to day 2 was a little worse than day 1. No beautiful sunrise and Mike told us that we had a 40 minute run across that lake into Canada. Under normal circumstances, this wouldn't be a bad ride, but there were 3 to 4 foot waves rolling across the lake and I thought the ride was rough. We hit a wave so hard that my Uncle was knocked out of his seat into the bottom of the boat and almost hit his head on the back deck. That ride did nothing for my back either (Mike didn’t think the ride was all that rough, but he is used to those kind of boat rides. I take my 14 foot Crestliner off Lake Erie when there is anything larger than 3’s out there so this kind of ride was new to me). After the boat ride out, we started casting our anvils. An hour into this day, I had a fish hit my lure hard away from the boat. It nearly jolted the rod from my grip (when these fish hit, sometimes they hit HARD). About an hour after that, I had a big fish follow my lure to the boat. While performing my figure-8 the musky swiped at the lure and missed. He then slinked back down into the depths. Another hour had past with no action at all. That's when it happened. Mike had a big fish follow his lure to the boat fast. He was making a wide turn with his rod on the first pass of his Figure 8 when the fish lunged at his lure only to miss. The fish then started to race away under the boat. It just so happened that I had just finished retrieving my lure at this time and I was also starting my figure-8 maneuver (I was fishing from the middle of the boat by Mike, who was in the back). Before the fish completely disappeared under the boat, she made an 180 degree turn and just inhaled my lure (and when I say inhaled, I mean my lure literally disappeared entirely in her mouth). I set the hook hard and this fish went berserk. She started violently thrashing her head back and forth like a shark trying to rip apart a seal. After the thrashing was unsuccessful in dislodging the lure, she made a power run under the boat to the other side. I had to swing my rod around to the other side to avoid her from wrapping me up. Fortunately, this 10+ ft. rod Scott made me really gave me some reach and I was able to keep the line clear of the motor as I swung the rod around from the middle of the boat. She would then make a huge power surge and I would have to work her back. After about three or four of these power runs, I was able to finally get her close enough for Mike to net. At that point, we all started to scream and high five all over the place. At that moment, all my back and shoulder pain was gone and I was just shaking with shock. It was just an incredible sequence of events. Here is a picture of the fish (excuse the goofy grin. I was pumped) She measured 53.5 inches long and had a 23.5 inch girth. The whole event took only about 2 minutes, but those two minutes took a trip that could have really been tough and made it a into moment that I will never forget. I guess this is why we fish. I would like to thank Mike (he was one hell of a guide) and my Uncle for making a dream come true. It just amazes me that I caught the two fish (that SM and this Musky) I have been after for so long in the same year. I guess it has been quite a lucky year for me. Maybe I should quit fishing while I am ahead…or maybe I can shoot for a 15 pound Steelhead…hmmmmm.

Welcome aboard!

Welcome to BR. Enjoy the forums.

Welcome to the forums! Jeff

Greetings Sean and Welcome to the forums

Hello Sean and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ Drew

Hello Sean and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

Nice reel ^

My wife is always pretty easy to convince. Granted, it costs me my credit card and the fear knowing that she has 16 hours of unsupervised shopping possible. Just drives me that much harder on the water. Oh well, it's just money... so technically it's hers anyways right?

I decided to take a shot at turning my own handle on the lathe. I thought it turned out good for my first try. Learned a lot about working with cork. Going to order up some more cork and make a long handle for a casting blank next.

you don't have to pay $170 for that Tatula. Shop around, brother.

I imagine this is what it feels like to get a box from Tiffany & Co.

Yeah, I caught a nice one the other day flipping a baby d bomb on a 3/0 jungle flipping hook and a 3/4 oz tungsten weight. The fast fall of a compact bait seems to force reaction strikes under bluebird skies. So I'd say flip the weeds right on the bank, especially around rip rap.

I fished all the way around Snake Island yesterday, got bit off once on the SW corner, nothing other than that. Didn't see anyone else catch anything either, but there seemed to be a pretty consistent crowd working the west side of the island. Folks were catching walleye pretty consistently out at past 30 ft., and I did have one low 30s musky on for a bit. Conditions were not the best - hot, sunny, few clouds, Big storm blew through Friday afternoon. I'll go out late this afternoon, early evening to see if that makes any difference today.