Scott F

I had a spot in a lake I used to fish while on vacation. There were 2 large boulders and every year, there were always 6 nice smallmouth that hung out on those boulders. I'd go there the first day of my trip and catch 3 to 6 of those fish. I'd go back the next day, the bass were still there but wouldn't touch anything. Over the years i figured out I could get some of them to hit again after leaving them alone for 3 days.

I have an iPad but they aren't water proof and it's hard to see the screen outdoors. Plus, you'd need a USB 2amp power supply and a mounting system. For the cost involved, you could get a waterproof, depth finder that is easy to read in the daylight that comes with a mounting bracket.

I hope he's trying to run the wires through the conduit. I just pulled to new wires in my 27 year old Ranger while converting my 12 volt trolling motor to 24 volts. My fish tape slid all the way from front to back without a bump right through the existing conduit.

On an afternoon when the sun is out, and the water warms up a bit, a few of those fish, that can be more stubborn than you, may move up into some shallower warmer water in a nearby eddy to look for a bite. A float- n-fly, sitting in that eddy may get you a bass or two.

Optimas are good batteries and they will last longer and accept more charging cycles than the Duralast. But they won't last 3 times longer. So at 3 times the price, they are not a good value for me.

Ouch! That hurts. I'd like to be a "real" fisherman like you. Please expand my knowledge and tell me about the great spots near you.

Those fish laying like dead wood on the bottom aren't going to bite. Fish the areas near there for fish that may be more active.

Not really. The internet is not a place where I post good fishing spots.

Yes I do.

Right, you'll need a charger too. You can start to see why they call a boat, "a hole in the water you pour your money in"

Who was your guide?

I'll be there working the booth Saturday and Sunday for my fishing club, the Illinois Smallmouth Alliance.

I've seen bass try to eat spinner baits, plastic worms, wooden crank baits, metal spoons, all kinds of crazy stuff!

Batteries usually last about 4 years. Don't overlook the battery box. In most states, it is required that the battery be covered, that's what the box is for.

Almost any thermometer will do. Go to a kitchen store and buy a cheap one.

Why do you turn the sensitivity way down? That will just about guarantee you will not see any fish. At the very least, leave the sensitivity on auto.

I've been using 8 pound Fireline on my spinning reels for years. I've been very happy with it.

Switch to a 4 inch plastic twister tail. Thread it on an inch or so. I find the pork trailer just kills the action of the spoon. I like to use a white or yellow twister tail but any color would probably work.

The only spinnerbaits I ever owned that had the wire break. I used to fish for northerns quite a bit and the titanium wires would snap from those crazy pike.

If you still cast with the right hand, how does which hand you crank with affect the distance you get or the amount of backlashes?

My hook up percentage is sooo much higher with a popper, that I prefer using them over buzzbaits.

So what hand do you hold the rod in while casting?

A low profile foot pedal for a cable steer trolling motor.

14 pound Fireline has a diameter comparable to 6 pound mono, not 14. Any color on a superline is going to fade over time.

The built in maps don't have contour maps for every lake. You have to check the map chips that work with Lowrance units to see if the lakes you want to fish are on the chip. I have the Fishing Hot Spots Pro chip for mine. It has a LOT more maps than come with the built in and cost $100. With all the lakes on that chip, there are still a lot of lakes with no contour information.