Scott F

The quality of the replica vs a skin mount has almost nothing to do with the process. It is almost solely depends on the skill of the artist who crafts it. Both skin mounts and replicas are painted. If the person who makes the mount is not a good artist, your mount will show it.

Were all the fish removed or killed when the lake was drained? If they started over by stocking fry or fingerlings, there would not be any larger fish in there yet.

Mepps #4's are my favorite. Get the plain ones (no squirrel tail). They catch just as many fish but are a buck or so cheaper. You can't go wrong with the silver blade.

Rivers for me are most productive during the middle of the day. No matter what time it is, you still have to fish where the bass are. Unless the middle of the river has some sort of structure to break the current, you probably won't find much there. I don't know what river you fish or how deep it is. Is wading a possibility? I like to fish the shaded side of the river along fallen trees. Where the current is fast, the fish will hold close to rocks or trees that block the flow so they don't have to fight the current. As a bank fisherman, look for bridge supports, or retaining walls. Bass will hold tight to the walls or in the eddies created on the downstream side. Because of current, the water temp is usually pretty consistent deep or shallow. You don't have to fish a river deeper during the heat of the day. Feeding fish follow the food and deep river fish are often inactive and not feeding. I recently got most of my best fish in just enough water to cover their backs.

How much was the lake drawn down? Don't they draw it pretty far down during the winter? How much change are you talking about?

My motor did that after the oil injection quit. The cylinders got scored and the engine lost compression. (at least that's what the repair shop told me) Just would not go with a load on the motor.

Best trade I ever made!

I love smallmouth but HATE fishing jigs, drop shots and such 20 to 30 feet down. I'd rather stay home and paint my house. Or, I can hit the rivers where they are not only feeding, but are shallow!

I don't follow baseball much but a one game series is crazy after a 162 game season. They should have a tie breaker like the team with the biggest run differential over the season advances. A one game playoff reduces the value of the (too) long season.

I don't understand this. I'm on my Terrova pedal a lot and it works fine for me. Why do you think it wouldn't be for someone who works the pedal a lot? As I said in an earlier post, cable steer pedals are so tall, I hate to use them. The low profile pedal for me is made for constant use.

I use a lot of Plano 3700 boxes but I don't take any of them fishing with me. I use them to store my baits at home and use the 3600 size and smaller boxes when I fish. I choose the baits I intend to use for the day from the larger boxes, and put them in smaller boxes that I take with me.

The 3 position switch. One is off, one will let you back up the bail roller so it stops at the point where the snapshot pin can grab the line when the bail opens, and the third stops the bail from turning backward at all.

I have 3 weeks of fishing vacations already booked. Don't know if I'll try very many new techniques, the ones I've been using are working pretty well.

I've been fishing considerably farther north than where you are and we've been doing very well in shallow water. I would not waste my time fishing for deep inactive fish when the big girls are feeding shallow. I've been getting them in all the spots you would expect a bass to be sitting. Along current seams, next to downed wood, even in fast riffles. From where I am in Northern Illinois all the way to the UP, me and my smallmouth club buddies are catching some big river smallmouth right now.

Walking a Zara Spook for a few hours makes my wrists and fore arms sore. My buddies who fish muskies with baits that can weigh over a pound and huge double bladed bucktails think they've got it easy when they switch to baits that only weigh a few ounces.

I've had my Terrova for a year and have had none of the problems you've had. If I did, I'm sure I'd be unhappy too. I upgraded from a Power Drive model and noticed a big improvement on the speed that it turns from the old motor. The turning motor isn't silent, but I never noticed it being loud either. My only complaint with the Terrova is that I use my toe to operate the foot pedal and it's easy to hit one of the turn buttons while trying to use the monentary button. I put a rubber piece on the switch to make it a little taller so I can hit it without turning the motor left or right. I seldom use the remote as I need two hands to fish. I love the low profile foot pedal. I think it's ridiculous to have to put a hole in the deck of a boat to accommodate those huge, tall pedals on a cable steer motor. I switched to electric steer just because of the poorly designed pedals. I've never seen a MotorGuide X15 in operation. I never met anyone who owned one. I'm sure they are perfect and will never break. Glad you are happy with your purchase.

I visit the St Croix factory store in Park Falls, WI a couple of times a year. This past spring, my fishing partner had an older, out of warranty, spinning rod where the reel seat got loose. They repaired it while we waited for no charge. I myself have never needed their service, but its good to know its there when you need it.

Can you post a picture of the reel? I have some older Quantum Snapshot reels but I don't know the model numbers, I might be able to help if I can see the reel.

The skies around me were clear enough to get a good view. Here is the peak of the eclipse

Strain relief.

What kind of line are you using?

The obvious answer is are your hooks sharp? Are you getting a good hook set?

Lure selection is not important. Almost anything will work IF you put it in the right spot. On a river, like the Fox, right now while the water is high and fast, bass will hold very tight to the shoreline along walls, rocks and trees. Just dabble a ball head jig and plastic up against a retaining wall or bridge piling and you can get some nice fish. With all the shoreline access in and around St Charles, all the way down to Aurora, those spots are easy to find.

A boat, except for a canoe or a kayak wouldn't do you any good on the Fox. Most guys wade or shore fish it. If you are a bass fisherman, don't overlook it.

Do you fish the Fox River much? Lots of good smallies there.