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My fishing partner and I ended up winning the small tournament we were fishing, we had 13lbs and won by a 5 pound margin, fishing was tough for most of the day. We made a good call on our starting spot, a huge school of fish was feeding on the point, there was a 30 minute window where every cast yielded a hookup, and when you netted the fish, the graph lit up with the others that followed it to the boat! Problem was, the air temperature was around 20 degrees, and with a steady breeze, it made things pretty difficult both physically and mechanically. Luckily, I had opted to spool 2 spinning reels with Berkley Nanofil the night before. I'm not a huge fan of the line, BUT it sheds water really well, and doesn't absorb any water like a normal braid would. This means you can fish somewhat unimpaired by ice when air temperatures are below freezing. This is how the morning went; cast, hop the 2.8" keitech back to the boat, hook up halfway back to the boat, attempt to adjust the drag during the fight, probably not succeed due to 2 pairs of gloves and numb fingers. Net the fish, try not to slip on the sheet of ice on the boat carpet from netting previous fish while heading to the livewell. Try to open the livewell, realize you have to put the fish back in the net (which is already frozen solid), use two hands and pry the frozen livewell open, put the fish in the box, then shove your hands in your pockets with hand warmers for a brief moment before you have to grab the net for the other guy! Let me tell you, culling with no cull tags was not a fun experience. Had it been a little warmer, we would have caught many more bass without all the hassle, but it didn't matter in the end. We caught fish throughout the day, but only made one upgrade of about an ounce. I need to learn how to "damiki rig" for smallmouth, there were a lot of them suspended that would only slap at a jigging spoon, and wouldn't eat an a-rig.

My grandfather.

Officially full of ***** !

They never want to visit during the daytime ☹️

Say what now ? A-Jay

A-Jay (that's me adapting & overcoming)

Well.... was anxious to hit the water yesterday. It was cold, rainy and overcast and the water was just a bit off color and 54 degrees. This spells happiness for the little lake close to my house. Got to the ramp...no one.....whooohooo. Got the rain gear on...weatherman said maybe a little rain in morning...yup...they were right. I had on tennis shoes with heavy socks...I was a bit concerned...but after raingear on and launched it quit...just got a little colder and more windy. Idled boat out to the buoy and put the pedal down...got up to 40 and motor just didn't want to go anymore faster....sadness. Thought about going slower down to where I wanted to start but after second thoughts I thought I better stay close. So....pulled into bank and set trolling motor on pretty quick... (its a 36v) and covered bank. Started off slow....so went into this little cove/arm and while fishing the front noticed chasers way in back....(smiles) Head back and thought this would be a good time to try the new chatter baits....I bout a couple of the Z-man Elite's. One bluegill and one shad. Tried the bluegill first with a fluke trailer just to the right of where the fish were chasing while I got closer. Boom....muskie hit it almost at the boat...cool....kinda. Got over to the fish and made the first cast and caught a nice one about three pounds...I'm thinking maybe these store bought are better than homemade. No more bites...fish still chasing. So...put on the white one with a white fluke....bite...bite...bite..bite. Landed all the short fish and missed a couple dandy's. Was a weird bite...almost like grass and then the grass would come towards ya!! Took off the trailer and the same result. There were a lot of fish here so was fun to test....I failed...bait failed...who knows. So anyway....tried a couple more spots and got a couple and headed bank to ramp..(was kind of dwelling on boat) Went into little cove by ramp....tried chatter bait by some weeds/tree ....saw bait move sideways...missed. Cast again...chatter stuck in tree...gave little pull...(serious) pinkkkkk....chantter sinks to bottom and I think...bye bye seven bucks and headed in. Well thanks for listening...was a good/bad day. Once again I'm cleaning the boat out and taking it in....Tight Lines P.S. Did notice though that the store bought seems to snag a bit less.....

A-Jay

My Top Five are all Smallmouth (actually, this is the first year I went the whole year without even catching a single Largemouth) 7-2 6-3 6-3 6-0 5-12 Total of 31 lb. 4 oz.

7.46, 6.87, 6.1, 5.8, and 5.68 all on public lakes in central Iowa

swamp thing........

Go to seibert outdoors and grab their brush jig in different sizes and colors.

My view right before getting to work one day last week...

When I bought my boat I determined that it would be my first and last boat. I intended to upgrade components as necessary but to keep the boat itself forever if possible. That said, I made sure it had the exact features I wanted with no compromise on the important ones. I upgraded the outboard and the trolling motor at the beginning. Now, a few years later, it's all paid off and I am still so thrilled with it every time I walk into the garage and see it. I have absolutely no regrets. BUT, I did a LOT of hard research and asked a lot of questions before pulling the trigger. I didn't want to regret my purchase 6 month in. And, I'm so happy to report I wouldn't change a thing. Now, I recently upgraded the trolling motor again and some of the electronics. That was easier to do with the boat paid for. And, it makes my experience with my boat that much better. And in theory, I got a "new" boat experience all over again. I said all that to say this. Please take your time and make sure you're happy with the boat you've picked out. Don't rush to buy the first boat you come to. DO NOT be pressured by incentives and special rates as they come and go and will come again. Don't buy a boat just because it fits the budget. You'll forever regret not getting the features you really want. After all, that is the whole point of the boat. The experience and the enjoyment of being on the deck of a boat that is tailored to your desires and style of fishing is beyond description. Other than that, it seems you just need to make up your OWN mind. You've been given lots of advice from every angle possible. Analyze it to your hearts content then make up your OWN mind and pull the trigger on what ever decision you've made. Above all, be at peace with yourself. And I am more at peace with myself and others when I am on the deck of my boat enjoying God's wonderful creation. There's no feeling like it in the world.

A bass's metabolism is finally tuned to its circulatory system temperature which is the same as the surrounding water temperature. In cold water their metabolism slows down, their brain slows down, so the bass slows down. This does not mean the bass don't actively feed during cold water periods. Slower metabolism simply means it takes the bass longer to digest their food which means they don't have to feed as often. Nothing is more deadly down here in cold water than a Rat-L-Trap... could y'all explain why this loud, fast moving obnoxious lures triggers big bass in cold water? Just like any other time of year I'll throw both subtle & loud lures letting the bass tell me what they want. The opposite of those Rage Lobsters is Gene Larew's Salty Hawg Craw.

WolfyBrandon

Great responses here - Exhausted every Last "Like" . . . A-Jay

You can't tell the cost of something until the accounting period is over..This is why the less expensive boat is not nessessarily the best. Resale value over a stated time, + above normal maintenance, subtracted from the purchase price and opertunity cost of the initial investment, yields the best answer ......screw it, but the lund

The cold appears to be here to stay and this snow puppy is ecstatic! Mmmmm snow!

No, but half of my arsenal is spinning gear. My other rod is a baitcaster.

On the trail today with Tucker. Apparently he has something against selfies. #headlockswork A-Jay

Here's a set of S-Crank bluegills I did for someone. Mike

Saturday 11/10/18 Lox Road ramps Sunny clear sky wind 2-4 Hot as hell, and humid W/T 81* No current Went with a friend and ran west to the second cut to the flat. We started fishing with a chatterbait and a spoon. We fished the grasses with little result. I switched to a fluke and pick up some 12 inch bass quickly. Threw to a clump of sawgrass and there was a big explosion and a big boil of water. Set the hook and she took me around the clump and the lure came back ripped in half. Things slowed as the sun got high. I switched to a stick-o and picked a few more up in the shade of the vegetation. We ended up with 10 bass boated and fat Oscar. By 11:00 A.M we were both done with the hot humid air with no breeze at all. Tough day, but with cloud cover I'm sure the fishing would have picked up. Without cloud cover they bury down in that thick bottom cover, and it is everywhere. Still better then staying home.

After several setbacks over the course of a couple years I finally got to pull the trigger and upgrade boats! Originally the plan was a brand new boat this spring, but kind of counted my chickens before they hatched and didn't get the job that would have allowed me the extra income to get one. I've been searching for a couple months now and didn't find anything I liked or wanted in my price range. I found a Tracker in Kalamazoo at KVD's brother's store. The price was towards the top of my budget, it didn't have any graphs, and no cover, so there would only be money left over for a cover. So I debated for a week and as a Hail Mary I got on CL one last time and expanded my search radius a little further and said "if I don't find anything it's meant to be I get the Tracker". So I hit search scroll through and find the one! A nice G3 Eagle 175, 50 hp Yamaha, Helix 5 DI at the bow, and a Helix 7 SI G2N. The boat is in excellent condition with only a minor 3" tear in the seat. The price was below budget which is always nice, but it was in Indiana. I was able to talk him down $500 and he agreed to drive to the state line. I talked to my brother and he agreed to pick it up since he isn't too far away from the state line. He met the guy, checked the boat and outboard out (thankfully he works at a marina part time so I trust him) all was good. After waiting forever today I hear from him and he's able to meet up with me. It was getting dark so I left it covered for the night, I'll post more pics Sunday. Now begins the long 5 month wait before I can even get it in the water. Oh well, time will go by fast.

Yes. Reviews like this one are why. Their marketing is on point. This is likely a teenager, who doesn't care what the cost is. YouTuber's are the new "rockstars."

This is the best quote I've read in a long time! I have remember this when I am tempted to buy cheap gear on sale.

Not just go nocturnal, they change in other ways as well. A state game biologist in PA placed collars on bucks and tracked them for months and it showed that during the time around deer hunting season in PA the deer spent most of the day hunkered down in the thickest, most remote parts of the area. Mostly the highest parts of mountains and in the heaviest briers and brush it could find. The biologist's advice for deer hunters was travel as far as you can away from roads and look in the most rugged off places. https://triblive.com/sports/outdoors/7193467-74/deer-hunters-season

I went on a little trip up to a lake north of me where a freind has a camp this past summer. I was so excited to get out on a boat and fish some bigger water. It was like my second week using a bait caster, bought two new jackhammers for the trip. I forgot to re adjust the breaks from the senco I was throwing at first and made a cast with the first jackhammer got a backlash, snap there goes my new jackhammer off into the sunrise. Tied the next one on, I was so bent outa shape guess what I forgot to do again. Made a cast, snap there goes the other one. I was to inexperienced to change baits without adjusting spool tension. Two new $20 baits gone in the first hour on the water. Not to mention the time to pick out two serious backlashes. Boy was I sad lol. Ended up being a rough morning and a great day once I got over it. Don’t know how this relates but as soon as I read your post it’s the first thing I thought of.

Good Job!! We have all been there. Put this picture of my old guide boat up yesterday. Getting to the lake was the worst trailer pulling experience I have ever had. Once on the water all was good. Remember to spray your guides with Reel Magic, WD40 or Reel Snot to keep the ice to a minimum.

A Ned rig deadsticked in their face will usually get them to bite, at least it works for me. Backreeling is also much more dependable than a drag in extreme cold, one of the reasons I do it. Pliers work real well to pry open frozen livewell and storage hatches too. I get to do that same song and dance so many times each winter

Remembering Jason Lucas reminds me of his impact on modern bass fishing. Jay was from NewYork, not the heart land of bass fishing. During his time of influence on me was the 50's when trolling was the norm and casting wasn't. Jay was the editor of Sports Afield and a expert caster doing exhibition casting at sportsmen shows around the country and promoting light line and keeping only what you needed to eat and carefully releasing bass. Plugging was a art form and the lures of choice to catch bass in the 50's. Surface lures, shallow divers, deeper divers cast with accuracy and worked to entice bass to strikes. When Jay came out with his book Lucas on Bass it was my first fishing book that started a life long passion for bass fishing. I would write to Jay with questions as a young teen and he always answered with a hand written detailed letter. So how did this influence modern bass fishing? Target casting in lieu of trolling, releasing bass, using sporting light tackle to enjoy catching bass on artifical lures and understanding bass behavior. Without Jays advice and guidance my generation of bass anglers, including me, would never have developed the casting skills to catch bass and owe a lifetime of bass fishing memories to him. Thank you, Tom

I was really lucky and had zero debt out of college. I always thought having no debt was a great thing until I went to buy a house. I had to apply for a credit card and go into debt on purpose in order to get a loan . Pretty stupid process but what can you do ........ if you have no debt they think you are a weirdo

Eat it, you'll be fine...

Risk vs. reward. I don't generally believe in "investing" in a boat or a car; they're not investments; they're expenses (kind of like pet cats). Our elders know that because they've been through it before us. The payback isn't monetary; it's the enjoyment and quality of life you get from it. Your elders' reaction is natural, common and often correct. Consider the presentation. "I'm buying a bass boat and I can afford it" vs "I'm buying a bass boat because after reviewing our debt obligations and putting some $ aside for retirement and emergency cash funds we feel comfortable with this." General rule is don't spend more than you make. That said, some debt is normal and we occasionally cave but pick and choose wisely and don't let your desires get you in over your head.

Your grandfather may have a large savings account, but at 90 years old, what is it doing for him other than sitting there? Its not not wise to put yourself in a large amount of debt for a boat. But at the same time, what’s the point of life if you’re not enjoying it? Work hard play hard.

https://www.***.com/fishing-tips/rigging-soft-jerkbaits-for-better-hookups/ Here is the link! Oops I see it didn’t work. You use the pop rivet as a line through connection to a treble hook.

The Money Pit. Spent a ton but it's been worth every cent. love bass fishn!

Yes, but you won't get the pro staff discount.

Thanks - Sometimes it's all about ability & results. The 'new breed' of sled dog has changed many times over the years. Somethings do however stay the same. A-Jay

Those are beautiful dogs! The dogs that pulled our sleds looked like inbreds. Fairbanks, AK.

This is just an experiment , an attempt to resize a photo to fit this forum without using a third party . Bomber Model A and a cold water bass caught a long time ago . Super Bowl XXIII hat . LOL and that is a Shacket underneath that Hoodie . Man I was skinny .

Dry is much more important than warm. Of course I fish year round here in Virginia but made the mistake of getting the boat ready the night before and going ahead and putting my rods on deck. This was my old guide boat. My hands were cold all day long.

We lost a member of the family today, he passed at 8:10 pm. Although at 8:15 he was brought back from the light by way of chip bag crinkle ?.

I can't compete with the southern guys, but it was a good year for me. my largest 5 were all largemouth. 7 lb. 11 oz. 6 lb. 10 oz. (can't find a pic for proof) 6 lb. 6 oz. 6 lb. 4 oz. 5 lb 12 oz. 5 lb. 4 oz. 7lb 11oz 6lb 6oz 6lb 4oz 5lb 12oz could not find a picture of the 6lb 10oz. so here is a 5lb 4oz. I caught this summer. Was not a good year for smallmouth. did not catch any smallies over 3lb. this year. I decided to add some pictures

Had a fun order turn up today from hookup tackle. Really have been wanting to see, none the less try, a Vision 110 +2 for a while. Then I had to make sure I got to free shipping and it just spiraled out of control from there... I took a couple pictures comparing the 110, 110 +1, and 110 +2. You can see the bill is quite a bit larger. Also the body doesn't taper as severly. A final observation would be that it has significantly more stout hooks compared to the type katsuage trebles. I also took a picture of the 110 LBO compared to a 110 FX. The weight transfer system can be see a bit through the paint, although it is more obvious in the Dive ELBO. Also excited to try these lures. Reminds me a bit of the Jackall Rerange? Too bad soft ice season is almost over here in MI!

Your Grampa is right, live within your means. Money you spend on hobbies should be disposable income, money you don't need. Someday you will want to retire and live comfortably, that should be your 1st priority. Tom

Siebert order came in:

What can you tell from this satellite image? Not much ?