Scott F

I’ve said this on here many times before. The baits you are throwing is not the problem. Guys want to believe there is some “magic” bait that will suddenly be the difference between what they’ve done in the past that will now mean lots of big fish. Big fish didn’t get big by being careless. A group of 20 floating downriver is going to make a lot of noise and spook the bigger, more wary fish. Like Choporoz said, you need to get away from the flotilla. Get a couple hundred yards ahead before they get spooked. Bigger fish are often in the same spots where you caught the dinks. The little fish are often more aggressive and jump on your bait before the bigger, more cautious fish. Stop and fish the spots where you got one and keep working the area

if there was, why would anybody use anything else? It's ALWAYS about location. The secret to catching trophy fish, is finding them.

This another one of those questions where other peoples advise may not be helpful to you. There is such a huge difference between a kayak and a bass boat that your circumstances have to dictate your decision. What is your budget for the initial purchase and for years down the road. Where do you plan on storing your craft? How frequently will you be able to use it? What kinds of water will you be fishing? Will you want to take others with you? Answer these questions and see which boat fits your needs best. What works for me and which I like better doesn't matter if my choices don't fit your situation.

Even the articles are often just thinly veiled ads for the tackle companies that sponsor the author of the “techniques” article.

Deli scales don’t weigh in ounces. They weigh in pounds and hundredths of a pound. Are you sure the weight of your 5 pound weight wasn’t 5.2 pounds? Which would be 5 pounds 3.2 ounces?

The only way to check a scale for accuracy is to weigh something that has been weighed on a certified scale like a package of meat you bought at the grocery store. Weighing stuff like a 5 lb bag of sugar, a gallon of water, or a dumb bell isn’t the best way. None of those are guaranteed to weigh exactly what they say. They might be close, but not exactly.

What’s the Googan Squad?

Staying here is the best suggestion. All the magazine articles are just there to help sell more tackle. Save your money for the bait monkey.

In clear deep lakes, the thermocline should not be as shallow as 6-7 feet. What makes you think it is? Have you taken temperature readings at different depths?

I use nothing but braid for everything I do. One of the big reasons is how much easier it is to get a good hook set when the line doesn’t stretch. Getting used to the difference can take some time. Using the same hook set you did with mono is why guys think braid rips hooks out. Shorter, firm hook sets usually get the job done even on long distance hook ups. Go catch some bass and you’ll see what works best for you.

You’ve never priced fly rods have you? $400-$700 is the mid price range for fly rods. $800-$1,500 is the upper end.

I have a lot of friends who fly fish. Nearly all of them tie their own flies so they all only fish lures they made themselves.

The title “Top 100 Bass Lakes” is entirely misleading. If the results are gathered strictly by tournament results, that should have been made clear. But then, it wouldn’t sell as many magazines.

I think there are several factors that come into play. Fishing pressure is certainly a factor. In northern states, walleye and panfish that are considered excellent table fare get most of the angling pressure. Bass are just not as popular up there so the pressure on them is considerably less. Another big factor is the shorter open water season and less available forage. During the frozen water period, the bass don’t feed much so when when the water warms and their metabolism cranks up, they feed more often to prepare for the winter slow down. The waters are generally less fertile and don’t have as much forage to choose from. They can’t afford to be as picky so they are more likely to hit artificial baits. Considering the shorter feeding season, and less available forage, it’s surprising that the bass get as large as they do. They do however, live longer lives in general than their southern cousins

I’ve been fishing for over 50 years and have NEVER paid any attention to line capacities on any reel, spinning or casting I’ve ever owned. They all hold more line than I need, so exactly how much they hold, to me, doesn’t matter.

How much is “pretty cheap”? When St. Croix discontinued them, they sold them of pretty cheap, I got mine new from the store in Park Falls, for less than $70.

If you'd have been wearing any clothes besides on your head, she'd have been fine.

Wisconsin has many lakes that produce trophy sized smallmouth. No matter which you choose in August through September, they will be deep. You’ll be fishing for just a few bites a day and have to cover a lot of water. Hiring a guide who specializes in big smallies would be your best option. Ill be up there around the same time, catch some big (maybe not 6 lbs) bass in less than 6 feet of water, but I’ll be fishing rivers.

Originals? Probably. It was back in the 90's. After all the failures, I never even considered buying them again. Did they change over the years?

I had just the opposite luck with Terminator spinner baits. I bought them for pike fishing and the pike broke everyone I bought. True, they didn't get bent out of shape, but the wires just snapped. Titanium is just to brittle. I expected a lot more for the premium price

Isn’t there a release lever that you press that allows the motor and shaft to tilt down? You loosen the shaft tension screw to let the shaft slide to the desired depth, and tighten it to hold the motor in the position in the picture

I use 10lb braid (Suffix 832 mostly) with no leader for my spinning rods. I skip under and around docks a lot. Yes, braid does float but it has little effect on the sink rate. The floating line is a big help as a strike indicator. As far as it being visible, the fish don’t care. I just spent 2 weeks on a fishing trip and skipped baits around docks every day. I caught hundreds of large and smallmouth bass without a single break off from abrasion. As many times as I missed my target and dragged my lures around dock supports, to have not broken any off, shows me the lines are as abrasion resistant as I need.

I only use braid and my go to cutter is the Boomerang. Scissors work fine, but I like to keep my tools attached to me so I never have to look for them. When I hang scissors from a retractor, they always open up and I wind up getting poked. The Boomerang cuts well and comes with a retractor cable built in.

More than likely, at some point, the previous owner got the lift assembly twisted which is causing the binding. You might have to take it apart to find which pieces have been torqued and either repair or replace them.

You can NEVER eliminate line twist on a spinning reel. The way the line comes off and then reeled in puts a twist in the line for every crank on the handle. Larger spools will slow down how fast the line gets twisted. The price paid for the reel can’t change the way it happens.