Ratherbfishing

If the wind is calm and, especially if it's sunny, I can fish at about any temp but if it's windy, I'd much rather ice fish than fish open water. A cold wind coming off an open lake will shiver me timbers.

MOST line twist occurs at the reel and (specifically the line roller) so unless the lure/bait is "offset" somehow, I'd get rid of any unnecessary hardware (the barrel swivel). It appears to be causing more problems than it is fixing AND necessitate two additional knots (which are often to weakest link). If you don't want to use minnows or your supply dries up, small gulp minnows below a bobber are an excellent substitution. They are kind of pricey BUT will outlast minnows by a large margin.

In resort areas there are a reasonable number of mid-level boats to be rented out to guests but few to just any schmoe off the streets. With the exception of pontoon boats, I can guess that the liability, maintenance, labor, etc involved in keeping a boat makes the prospects of anything renting out anything other than a sturdy, "indestructible" jonboat and smallish motor unprofitable. And most people who require/demand higher level watercraft probably already own them. There are exceptions, of course but I think this is the rule.

It probably wasn't an elephant. ; )

I assume you aren't including boat rentals.

I'll be eligible for a pension and insurance in less than 6 months. Would prefer to remain "gainfully employed" (because I'm too lazy to look) but I don't much care for what I do so will probably "retire" at the first opportunity. I have some investments and I don't owe on much (other than what the government takes) so it isn't so much finances as boredom that concerns me. I'm too young to not being doing something and being bored will suck the life out of me. I've considered shuttling rental cars around or, perhaps, driving a dealer courtesy van back and forth to fill up some of my time (and to make some more income) but we'll see.

Sometimes the BPS Pro-Qualifier comes on sale for ALMOST that price. If you can hold off a little while, that one gets my vote.

A suspending jerkbait just about every time. Prefer the ones which truly suspend (when I can get them to-given the variable water temps). Ones that float or sink too quickly don't work as well.

My bro has one. Been in the shop a LOT. Less than 50 thousand miles and already has transmission problems. Jeep owners seem to have (mostly) a love/hate relationship with them.

SOMEONE failed to read the memo regarding the new TPS report cover sheets.

It is THAT time of year, after all.

I don't know if/how it necessarily pertains to Senko's (not really) BUT braggards are definitely irritating-whether they have any legitimate claims toward their "glory" or otherwise. I know a guy who will talk up his fishing conquests with great aplomb BUT if I report a good fish or a good day, it's like all you can hear are crickets chirping. I stopped caring.

Hmmmm, doesn't this site like numbers? I tried to edit to the spelled out number but it still wouldn't take it.

I'm afeared it isn't so much energy (though there's that too) but the pain that slows me down. : (

I take a young man (he's ***) to BPS every once in a while and he always buys a moonpie while he's there.

I remember a time when I could fish all day too. Didn't catch much then but I could fish all day. The jury is still out on which I prefer.

I learned that with my ever increasing arthritis, if I don't take regularly scheduled rest breaks, my body (especially my shoulders) will take them for me. I fear that these will become longer in duration and occur more often. C'est la vie.

Went down to southern Illinois to fish several lakes in that region. The rather brutal cold snap and, on the last day, a northwest wind, seemed to put the fish into a doldrum but since I wasn't down there prior to the cold weather, I can't really say. I fished HARD for 2.5 days and caught 11 bass total-about half were less than 10 inches. Beats getting skunked, though.

Yowza! And I thought my 16 inch Crappie was big. This one could have eaten mine for lunch!

I vote for wading upriver. It leaves considerably less mud, debris, etc. to alert the fish AND when you cast upstream (and across), and retrieve (or drift), it's easier to pass a bait in front of a fish (upstream- where it is facing). Also, and as you get older, this will seem more important, if the banks are steep and brushy and you can't walk on the shore, walking WITH the current (when you are done) and "back to the car" will be sooooo much easier than walking upstream.

We COULD provide an intervention but then we'd have to face our own demons. Wouldn't want to do that.

It COMPLETELY depends upon when and where I'm fishing. The last time I was out, I mostly fished submerged trees along a submerged ditch with plastic worms (with decent success) but I discovered that if, after thoroughly working a tree, I made several fan casts out with a Shad rap, I caught nearly as many that way. Sometimes the fish there will chase and sometimes almost any movement is too much. On cold front days, it's almost always soft plastics.

If I want a little more bulk, action, or decrease the rate of fall, I will add an appropriate trailer to my spinnerbait. I usually avoid trailers that extend too far behind the spinnerbait-unless I also add a trailer hook. Rarely do I add a trailer/trailer hook if I'm trying to work a spinnerbait through a lot of vegetation if I think the trailer or trailer hook will foul things up.

You mean where I'm not backlashing every other cast? About 3 months. A better reel and knowledge of how the size/weight of the lure and wind, etc. makes the process easier. I still backlash, however. Fewer of them, though, are "fatal."

Bought one some 20 years back and would still be happily using if I hadn't broken it under a boat cleat.