Scott F

I can’t remove mine off the hooks because I superglue them on. I haven’t had any rust issues even on baits that I glued last spring.

Fastest way not to get invited back on my boat is to chew tobacco ?

It's not game laws tournament cheaters are breaking. I think the authorities consider cheating in tournaments as a type of fraud where they take money under false pretenses.

I store Elaztech baits in Plano utility boxes without issues. But, you have to use a box that has never held other plastic worms or soft baits before.

It's a lot more complicated than that. Most guides will say tipping isn't necessary. So you can stiff them if that's what you want to do. But, If I was a guide, I'd go the extra mile, stay out a little later, go above and beyond for the customer who I know is generous and appreciates my service by leaving me a tip. I'm sure guides won't come out and say it, but guides I know they feel the same way.

I agree with you 100%. It's why I bought the net in the first place. I don't fish alone too much so the heavier rubber net isn't much of a problem. In spring, we'll catch over 200 smallies in a day, most on smallish jerkbaits. Wasting a lot of time on the net during a hot bite where the fish are schooled up just cannot happen. I did keep the handle off the Conservation series net.

That was the net I used to use. I couldn’t stand it. I spent more time getting hooks out of it than I spent fishing. Single hook baits were fine, but multiple treble hook lures always got too tangled. Not a bad price at Amazon. I paid a lot more for mine. I eventually gave it away.

If you are catching fish, it’s just right. The correct trolling speed changes with the lure you are using and the mood of the fish. Some lures have better action at slower speeds, some faster. Go too fast, and the lure will roll. If you have a trolling motor on your ‘yak, try different speeds until you find the one where the lure runs true and the fish are biting it.

I use rubber nets. They can be heavy compared to normal nets but I spent a lot less time getting fish and hooks out. Well worth it for me

I am generally a guy who uses smaller baits and spinning gear for smallies. Two heavier baits that I use where I prefer a MH bait caster are spinnerbaits and Whopper Ploppers.

I hire guides a few times a year. My number 1 rule is that the guides do not fish. I make that clear before I book the trip. If they insist on fishing, I hire someone else

Like I said, every boat has it’s good points and bad points. The OP has no place to keep any boat with a rigid hull. Float tubes are no good in moving water like the streams he’d like to fish. Every boat gets blown around in the wind. Anything he chooses will be a compromise of some kind.

You didn’t see the Fish cat 9 IR at about half the price?

If the baits are plastic, there really is no collectible value.

Except for Memorial Day weekend, all the lakes, even the Minocqua and Eagle River chains, are nearly empty during the entire month of May. I spend two weeks there fishing for pre-spawners and go days without seeing another boat. Few people target bass up there especially during spring.

Go to the Minocqua Chamber of Commerce web site and have them mail you a visitors guide. Mostly resorts in the guide with lots of cottages suitable for 3 guys. Or, visit the web site VRBO for home rentals. The time to catch bass in the spring is pretty short up there. The Season opens the first Saturday in May, (May 4). The best fishing begins when the water temps hit 50 degrees which can happen around the 15th on a good year. and lasts until the bass lock onto the beds. Generally, during the first to second week of June. Everything depends on the weather. There are numbers lakes, and there are trophy lakes. Invest in the Sportsmans Connection, All Outdoors Atlas & Field Guide for Northern Wisconsin. (about $30) It lists nearly every lake and the species present in each lake also showing if the species is Abundant, Common, or Present. You can rent a place to use as your home base and fish several lakes during your stay. Not a lot of the lakes are huge so you can easily cover an entire lake in a day. Some of the best lakes don't have any cabin rentals. Plus, the number of resorts is falling every year.

There isn't anything wrong with the Classic Accessories, but I think the tubes on the Outcast are higher quality, I don't like the the frames as much. The space between the foot pegs are too close together on the CA, makes it harder to get in and out of the boat. I know there are more places to buy the CA which makes them easier to buy. There's a reason they cost less. If you saw them side by side, you'd see it.

I use a personal pontoon and have for many years. I use an Outcast Fishcat. I think they are higher quality that the Classic Accessories boats. EVERY boat has benefits and drawbacks. And all the boats you listed have their fans. I use mine mostly on streams and rivers, and have run class 2 rapids easily. They store and transport easily even in a small car. Very stable on the water. No floor means you'll get your legs wet. I wear waders. You have to determine what works for you.

I’ve been using spinning reels for 50 years. I’ve never, ever, gone to all that trouble. I’ve always just done it by feel. If a small fish is pulling out drag, I tighten it up a bit. If a big fish isn’t, I loosen it. Always worked for me.

On Rt 34 just as you come in to the town of Plano. They were having a fantastic sale on soft sided tackle bags when I was there 2 weeks ago. Items change regularly. You never know what you might find. Not everything is steeply discounted. They are closed, Sunday and Monday

You will have more trouble getting the Elaztech Plastics to stay on the jig than anything. If the jigs have a molded in barb, the plastic will not stay on over the barb. Try it, you’ll see what I mean. Use a gel type superglue and glue the plastic to the hook.

Your two deep cycle batteries should only be for the trolling motor. A third deep cycle battery can be used for engine starting and all electronics. The trolling motor can cause interference if electronics are connected to the same batteries. An onboard charger is a good idea to keep your batteries fully charged at all times.

I had a neighbor across the street with a pickup that he drove to work everyday, and to the track on weekends. It sounded like he was running open headers the truck was so loud. He'd warm it up every morning by revving the engine for 5 minutes before leaving with a tire squealing display. At night, he'd be working on the truck, again revving the engine as often as he could. I called the police, but they said they'd have to catch him in the act. My wife wanted to go pour water in his gas tank. Eventually, his lease ran out and he moved away. Peace in the neighborhood again. Good luck waiting for your neighbor from hell to move away.

I fish rivers a lot, mostly pretty clear. Everybody has their own preference but for me, the color, especially in rivers, never seems to matter.

These days, the trend is to create as much storage on these custom builds as possible. I went in the opposite direction. After owning a glass boat for over 30 years, I find my storage compartments filling up with a lot of junk I seldom use. And, no matter how well you build them, water seems to find a way in, never finds its way out. Once it does, everything in the box gets mildew and mold. I’m also running a river jet and weight is a big consideration. The added structure plus the weight of the stuff inside just is more than I wanted. I also appreciate the added floor space for moving around.