K_Mac

They are both fine stores. I have delt with very knowledgable people at both, but I have also talked to a couple who wouldn't know a Spook from a spark plug. Good help is very hard to find.

Welcome

I have noticed that once in a while the reading of a certain thread will cause me pain. It is interesting that though the words are processed in my head, the pain is located in a completely different location. I don't think I understand everything I know about this. Just thinking...

Beautiful fish. Both are fine examples of how "real" a good replica can be. Thanks for sharing.

I am no expert, but have read articles that tracked big bass and my understanding is they are fairly territorial. I have never caught the same fish, from the same spot, on the same day that I know of, but certain spots seem to almost always hold fish, esp. certain at times of the year, and prime spots always seem to hold better fish. Having said that, I think the answer to the rest of your questions is yes. As you learn a lake you will find spots that you know will hold fish at certain times; that doesn't mean you will always catch them, but it does improve your chances. Good luck.

George, out of curiosity I Googled Dr. Sneddon and as I read some of the links I realized I had stepped through the portal into a land where meat-eaters were not welcome. Her findings may be accurate, but she does seem to have a personal agenda that brings her science into question.

nboucher I completely agree with you with the exception of the "rant" comment. That was not a rant, but a couple of thoughtful comments on several interesting issues (IMHO).Thanks. BTW, am not a "birder" in any official sense, but do enjoy them as part of the outdoor experience. I feel the same about hunting quail, doves, or waterfowl as I do about fishing; they are a part of creation and a renewable resource that we are responsible for protecting.

Welcome to the forum.

jomatty I think your right; you answered his question, but were not as forthcoming as you could have been. I think that shows wisdom, not dishonesty.

Hey Fish, I always enjoy your writing. I have come to understand that while I would love to catch a trophy fish, the single-minded focus that this requires is not in me. Your example of quiting Clear Lake to fish exclusivly for hawgs is a case in point. If I lived in your neighborhood I would certainly spend some time pursuing monsters, but would not be able to quit a lake that produces fish like Clear Lake. I respect the discipline this takes, and hope to see you you in the middle of the next "world record" controversy. Just the musings of a former whacked out, far-left fisherman; now a far-right midwestern conservative fisherman. My how times have changed.

Welcome back.

FlyRod, a wonderful bedtime story. I will not wax as poetic as uncle Fly, but had a great trip night fishing at Bull Shoals several years ago. We were fishing jigs on a wind-blown point for a couple of hours before a big storm blew in. My best 5 were something over 20lbs. We didn't catch a fish over 5 lbs., but we caught a bunch of fish in the 4-5 lb. range. We only quit when the storm came crashing over the bluff and lightning started flashing all around. It made for an exciting trip back to the cabin.

A c-rig is a great bait for exploring the bottom. Put a 3/4 or 1 oz. weight on and give it a fling. Be careful you don't catch anything with the rig on the bank as you cast. You will end up with a professional overrun that will likely require surgery. Good luck.

Great story. It's one of the reasons I like the mom and pop stores and use them when I can. There are still some big companies out there that seem to value their customers also. Service like that used to be the rule; now it is the exception.

Nice job Nick. You are well on your way to proving you have what it takes on the water, and you seem to the have the intelligence and personality needed to make it big in the business of fishing. Keep working hard, add a good education, listen to your momma, and one of these days we'll all be saying, "I knew him back when he was just getting started."

One other thing; a fast reel allows you to get the fish up on top where you can keep it out of the weeds. The faster you can get it on top the better off you'll be IMO. Good luck.

A grub on a jighead can work well with schooling fish, but I have never had very much luck with fish that deep if they are suspended. I have tried jigging spoons with very little success. Good luck.

Abel I receive many parts overnight and a simple phone call to UPS will get instant status of where parts are. A simple phone call to Mecury would have let your dealer know that the parts were not shipped. Bad service is one thing; being lied to is far worse. I would make sure Merc. and the boat manufacturer were aware of the situation, and let them know that this dealers action reflects very badly on their products. Your story raises my blood pressure just reading it. Good luck and keep us informed.

Welome to the forum.

Very good advice. I'm guessing many of us have been in a spot where that could have happened to us. Glad you didn't get hurt. "Let's be careful out there."

Tre Welcome to the forum. BTW, Your buying of feminine products may be an example of too much imformation. ;D ;D

C-Rig

Fatboy I think the advice to get the opinion of a pro. is a very good. If that lake is in Il. you probably won't have much trouble getting a fish biologist to make some recommendations. I have a good friend with a nice lake on his property, that he carefully manages. Keeping a lake in ballance requires some work, but the results are worth the effort. One thing that he was told told makes a lot of sense: A lake will generally support a certain number of lbs. of fish per acre; the distibution in size and species may vary, but the overall weight is fairly constant.

Great point Glenn; snake oil has a distinct aroma.

I love c-rigging. It is one of my most productive ways of fishing. I also like small jigs/grubs on light tackle. I know I'm in the minority but I just don't have much patience with crankbaits, esp. deep divers. I have caught fish on them but all that cranking doesn't suit my style of fishing. Same with spinnerbaits. I guess I'm really really not much of a power fisherman.