RAMBLER

Plastic.

Yesterday, I was crappie (I know, it's a bass forum but this isn't about the fish) fishing. I was using a Bill Lewis Tiny trap. The hooks are only about an inch apart. Caught a 12" fish and reached for the fish to unhook it. It flipped just right and sunk a hook into my right thumb burying the hook past the barb. Now, the fish is flopping around hanging on my thumb. I grabbed for the fish and got hooked again, this time in the middle finger of my left hand, also sinking the hook in past the barb. Now, my hands are hooked together with (by this time the fish has grown in size exponentially) a monster fish hanging from my hooked digits. If I could have gotten to my wire cutters, they wouldn't have done me much good. I don't remember how I got that fish and lure braced just right but I finally ripped the one hook backwards out of my thumb. Then I could get to the pliers. I couldn't get the hook out of my finger until I unhooked the fish and then I could pull the hook out of my finger. I do carry bacitracin salve and band aids on the boat, so a little first aid and back to fishing. Yes, my tetanus shop is current. Guess what, it hurts to type.

I didn't do it, but I met a man who fished with only one lure. He also had a trolling motor repair shop and sold fishing tackle. But, he only sold and used one thing. Zoom trick worms/watermelon red. He caught a lot of fish including 10 pound ones. The stories I heard weren't just from him but from a couple of other people that knew him, so, I think most of them were true.

I got lucky when the insert came out of one my rod tips. I saw it sliding up and down my line. I have some super glue in my tackle box, so, I just glued it back in. Used another rod til the glue set and went back to using it.

Keep doing it. You found a pattern that works. If the fish hit on something, why change? Don't argue with success.

dynamite

In Michigan, I've caught bass through the ice. I was targeting bluegill, but bass will bite all year, especially in the north, no matter the temperature.

Seven foot for me, is cumbersome. I fish out of a stumpknocker and I don't have a fishing platform. The combination of the sides of the boat and my height (5'7") make using long rods awkward. I like the 6'6" rods. But I have a couple of pistol grip 5'6" and 6' baitcasters that really work well for me. I found a couple of the brown fiberglass Abu rods, in yard sales, quite a few years ago that are my favorites.

I get a kick out of how fast the subject of an original posting can go to heck. It seems like the guys that "claim" to be more intelligent than anyone else have to brag about it and can't just put a little check mark in a block and let it go at that. But, it's more amusing to read than the news.

Whatever it is, it's well worth the time to untangle them. I'd take a deal like that anytime!

Light rain's not a problem. Wind and lightning send me home. Been caught out in bad storms a couple of times. I didn't know if I was going to make it back or not. Not only was I scared but I wasn't fishing either. I like my recliner while it's storming.

No way. For years and years my fishing time is my alone time. I need that time. I invited a "friend" to go one time. He didn't know that his spinning reel was on a baitcaster rod and visa versa. When I asked him to drop the anchor (this is for real) he had trouble hitting the bottom (the anchor rope was long enough). He got to he point that he thought when my boat moved from my place, he was suppose to be along. He even gave me permission once to take someone else if I wanted to. Never shared expenses until about the last time we went together. That time I drove 40 miles to the boat launch and paid $5.00 fee. He gave me $5.00 to cover expenses for that trip. I had all I could take of that. Take a stranger, hell no.

Jak, TheSmilingSwordsman posted a link "How Rat-L-Traps Are Make (video). I have no idea how to put the link on here, but it is on page two of this (fishing tackle) forum. You can watch the BB's being put in the lure and count them. The two lures are close enough that this might help you.

Try the Albert or "Alberto" knot.

T-rig with a 5/0 EWG hook. Pull it over weeds, through lily pads and over brush and tree tops. Let it sink. Most of the time, it circles very slowly as it sinks. For a smaller lure, cut it length way, right down the middle and use it the same way.

We all know different states/governing bodies have different laws. In one place I lived it was not required for the landowner to post or fence the property. It is the responsibility of the person walking around out there to know where he is at. If you cross a property line that is not marked, that is your problem and the owner can have you removed, forcibly if required. If you don't have your name etched or marked onto each and every little piece of your private belongings, does that mean they are free for some to pick up and carry away. Same thing with real estate. You better be careful. There are places where the landowner is authorized to use "whatever force is necessary" to remove you from his property.

No wonder I don't catch many bass. According to that "clock", the times that I get to go fishing, I should never catch a fish. I'm sure glad that I enjoy my time on the water.

The first 1/4 oz ones I bought would swell up and never track right. I sent them to SK and they replaced them and more. Haven't had that trouble again and never had that happen to the 3/4 oz ones.

I like the physical act of casting, so, I will cast in my yard for practice and just to relax. I am right handed and like to practice casting left handed. It's surprising how fast my left hand and wrist will tire, and yet, I can cast all day, right handed.

Florida is a big state. What city will you be staying in?

I had a similar day, last week. I was pretty sure I wasn't going to catch anything the night before I went. There was a high pressure cold front that came through. I went anyway because that was when my schedule said I had the time to go. I caught nothing while using everything. I did have a good boat ride though. I have a new depth finder with a navigator chip. I figured out how to find the contour lines, set a waypoint and navigate to that point. So, it was a pretty good day, even with no fish in the boat.

Just a thought, but are the actions of the rod exactly the same? If one has a faster tip than the other, that could be part of your problem.

How deep is that "channel" that looks like it use to connect to the lake north of it? Is that a dam between the two? Have you ever fished the north lake? From the air, they both look like there could be some good sized fish in there, if there is plenty of food.

Any brand, color or design buzzbait. I've scared more fish with those things than I have ever caught with one.

Someone else, on here, said something about this. What's the chances of green braid, used in green weeds, spooking the fish?