J Francho

Muddy, I would bet it something to do with all of the above. My 9 year old comes home with at least an hour and a half of homework plus 30 minutes of reading time. I don't have any console games in my house, but Big Al does have an outdated Gameboy. Many things compete for his "spare time." With winter and shorter daylight periods, outside time is at a premium. Legality issues and insurance issues have caused most "games" that kids play to become organized. I live next to a state of the art multi use sports facility, yet the gates are locked when not in use. I'd think for the taxes we pay here in NY, we'd be able to budget some open field time. Enrolling your kids in organized sports is expensive. It was $85 per kid for a spring baseball league. You get a t-shirt and a hat. And if, like in my case, you know a bit about baseball, you are encouraged to assistant coach. Three years I was the bench coach for the the Yankees, the Irondequoit Yankees that is, LOL. Add to that expense, a glove, bat, batting helmet, sliders and cup, socks, chest plate (Al pitches, so its a must), cleats, plus batting practice at the cages, and you're talking a significant chunk of change. In these times, not everyone will be able to afford it. There is the local Y, but that is pricey as well. I agree, kids are not as active as they used to be. But it isn't just kids - its everyone! We ALL are getting lazier. This is why doing things like hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, whatever outdoor stuff you like is so important.

Sign up for Erie, eat lots of seafood, and help your pro by chumming ;D

That came out wrong. I didn't mean it sound like its a tool an 8 year old would use, rather that its perfectly suited for the task, and more than capable of landing a big fish.

6-8' ML/Fast, down to moderate spinning or casting rod will suit you fine. I prefer a casting rod for spinners and spoons simply due to cold fingers - its easier to thumb a spool than grab the line. You could go with 6# mono or copoly and similar leader. A 1000 or 1500 series reel will be fine. Raven micro swivels are very strong, and worth using to avoid twist that these baits generate, and won't mess up your guides if you accidentally reel up too far. Avoid it if you can. For baits, try Panther Martins for casting upstream and quartering, and Blue Fox Vibrax buzzing slow pools. When fish are coming into creek mouths at the lake, then ripping Rooster Tails is good, as are floating minnow plugs. If you want to try bottom bouncing trout dough or sacks, Raven bait hooks in size 8 and 10 are fine. Floating gets more complicated, but that's a start. With time on the water, and a few fish caught, you'll learn to read the water better, and predict where fish are holding. It's sort of like structure fishing, but replace rock piles, edges, and breaks with eddies, riffles and pools. While your getting started, walk the water at a distance with the sun to your back and you polarized sun glasses on. This will give you an opportunity to actually see the fish. Stay back, and don't spook them. make your way downstream and work up to them. Walk lightly, and move with an "economy of motion." Good luck

Its so you don't nick up the business end of the blank, doesn't catch line on the cast, its out of the way when you are casting and retrieving, and makes it easier to carry with a bait attached since most people carry them above the reel seat.

My son fishes with a rod similar to the one you describe, so its really down to preference, though you really need to match the gear to the water and the technique. Bottom bouncing, spinners, spoons, and small plugs will be fine with a 6-ish rod. If you want to float, which is my preferred method, then 9' is the minimum. My buddy floats with a 15 footer Most of those fish I caught were with a L to ML rods. In fact, my biggest brown this year at 18# was caught using a 4# leader using a rod rated 4 to 10#. Here is Big Al with a 9 lb. BT buck caught on rod similar to the Avid you use and a Shimano FE 1000.

Thanks everyone. Its VERY early yet, and I have hopes of busting the 20# chrome barrier this season.

It isn't Spook vs. Sammy in your tackle bag, its on the water. Some days one will outproduce the other. Other days, neither works very well. That's why I have over 30 different topwater baits. Senko summed up the differences pretty well, and his experience on the water mirrors mine. Though one thing I don't get: NONE of my Zara Spooks rattle.

How big are the trout? How big is the water (depth, width, flow)? What type of baits will you use?

I would remove in pairs from opposite sides, but really, most people that I know use these don't do anything at all.

You can simply use pressure to pop them off since they are flexible, or you can use tweezers to pull the red retainer out - its spring loaded. Just don't lose the little plastic parts.

RW, I live in a great spot to be a fisherman. The NY State records are: Brown Trout 33-2 Lake O., Oswego Co. Rainbow Trout 31-3 Lake O., Niagara Co. Coho Salmon 33-7 Lake O., Oswego Co. Chinook Salmon 47-13 Salmon River, Oswego Co. Atlantic Salmon 24-15 Lake O., Wayne Co. All locations are within 90 minutes of my house. Three Fridays ago, I caught an 18 lb. brown floating a tiny ball of Berkley trout dough off a jetty near shore. Last year, my personal best brown was caught on a small spoon cast from shore. It was 22 lbs. Starting at the end of August, we've had many Chinook in the 25+ class from some undisclosed tribs. My best chrome was caught my 1st season of trout fishing three years ago, at 17 lbs. For reference, the fat hen in the last picture was probably about 10 lbs. Many of the records came from open water, and its probably true that the biggest fish stay in the lake, remaining pelagic feeders their entire life and never spawn. But I have seen some truly huge fish in some incredibly small water. Five years ago, I had no inkling that there were fish like this in these little creeks that streak the countryside. I always wondered why there were people fishing them in the middle of winter. I never saw any fish, but as it turns out, the catch and release ethic is in effect for the trout guys as well. But there are also many snaggers too, as I witnessed at a VERY famous trib Saturday. Apparently for some, flyfishing means 20' leaders and a marble sized weight attached about 6" from the hook. I keep DEC on speed dial on my cell, and that is also why some of the backgrounds are blurred. Today's cold snap of sub 30's temps will put an end to that though, LOL. And yes, that is snow in some of those pics. i had 6" of it on my car this morning . Here are a few more by my buddy. Some will recognize him from the pretty smallmouth thread. He's a good trout angler as well. Normally, I'd hide the background here, but the run is over, so no harm in it. Here's an idea of the crazy places we will go to for fish:

Looks like they where caught on salmon roe. Salmon and brown roe and skien. The big dumb Chinook was taken on a Glo Bug. A few came on artificials, but nothing beats drifting eggs this time of year.

That's very true Paul. I find that in late spring and early summer have to "fish through" the more aggressive rockies. I love them too. For three years straight, there was a VERY big female that would set up a bed next to our dock on Port Bay. She might let you catch her, if you were having a slow day. One year she stopped showing up - someone must have caught her. As for strawberry bass, we used that name for crappie. Maybe we were wrong about that? Rockies were "googly eyes, " or, "dammit, another one!" to us, LOL. I still like them.

Thanks man. We had a great time this past weekend. Bass TX was canceled due to weather, so we hit 5 tribs in six counties. Well worth the tank of gas and frozen hands.

Flambeau AZ8 and 4 or 5 rods.

They are not easily adjustable like Shimano and other brands' centrifugal systems. If the pin is in, it is on for brakes. You have to completely remove the pin to turn one off. Terrible design, if you ask me.

Red, that's cod, not rock bass.

....To my trout season Some notable catches so far this fall. My best chrome of the year:

No. You should report this to the utility company responsible for that area.

Rock bass tournaments abound in early spring around here. That's a nice one, but they can get bigger. In fact, the CT state record is 1-3. here in NY, the record is almost 2 lbs. i actually think this record has broken many times, due to simply not knowing it exists. For truly huge goggle eyes, mid May through early June, using 3-4" worms, creatures, and grubs in areas you'd call "marginal" for bass beds. You'll run into quite a few along this size: They are EXCELLENT from the pan. I'm curious as to what led to your assertion that is a hybrid of some sort? Its size? Everything else looks pretty typical for a rocky. Not all have the red goggles on all the time. At any rate, its a notable catch for your personal records.

That is the point, isn't it? They usually pass the plastics no problem. Holding tanks at large TX. usually end up with quite a bit of plastics at the bottom.

I have a Daiwa Sol that I use line down to 6# diameter, and baits down to about 1/4 oz. The reel is important, but so is the rod you choose. Makes no sense to put a light reel and line on a MH rod and expect it to throw a light bait.

Wow, I didn't realize you NE PA guys get hit so quickly. We're a bit insulated by the lake, but once she cools, its over - lake effect madness. A little March bassin' from shore on the lake:

weightless? Yes. You can also nose hook them with a drop shot hook.