AQUA VELVA

They are a problem on my lake also. We call them flying rats. Geese are basically feathered poop machines. They will make a stinking mess of your lawn and dock if you let them hang around. Our lake association hires a company to come in and trap them once a year to keep their numbers down to a manageable level. Most of the things that I see people put out to scare them away only works until the geese figure out that they are not a threat.

Iv'e been in situations at various boat ramps very early in the morning where people in a car were parked. No boat, no trailer just sitting in a car watching me. There were times when it made the little hairs on the back of my neck stand up and I left and went to a different lake. Some launch sites are very secluded and it makes you realize how vulnerable you could be to someone with evil on their mind. Sadly, just one more reason to carry.

Don't know what it is but it looks large enough that it would make me want to stay out of that water until some one ID's it.

Use to think those pre-rigged ,plastic worms were for kids and people who didn't know any better. Guys on my lake kept telling me they work quite well but I would just smile kindly and nod my head. Saw some on clearance at K mart one day, you know the ones, purple with a white stripe, and decided ,what the heck, I'll try them. Good googly moogly, those darn things DO catch fish. Whodathunkit.

All of this mental anguish is a moot point. The companies will always do what what they feel is in their best interests and the rest of us will live with the results. Life goes on ,guys. As for the big shots that resigned, don't shed too many tears. I'm sure their golden parachutes made for a cushy landing.

A lot of good advice up there. My 94, Tracker TV-17 was my first boat and still is. It came with a 40 hp Merc but everyone told me to upgrade to the 60. I did and never regretted it as it didn't really bump up the payment that much more. If I ever buy another boat it will have a four cycle motor though.

I feel your pain on those AGM batteries.I'll bet they are sweet but more than I can justify spending that kind of money on. I have been using a pair of lead/acid, group 27, Die Hard's on my 55 lb. Motorguide for years without any problems.

Iv'e tried a number of different brands through the years and finally settled on KVD and Stanley. They seem to hold up very well on bass but my lake has a lot of pike which tend to wreck spinnerbaits.

I buy clothing from Cabela's and most of my fishing gear from BPS. Both have been good for me through the years.

I would probably try one if it had replaceable batteries.

I actually bought one of those Spro rats to try out on my lake. When I show it to people and tell them it's a bass bait ,they look at me as if I have completely lost my mind. I hope they are not right.

I used to live in Dea.Hts. and spent many a day on Belleville and have taken some nice fish out of there. Unfortunately, I can't honestly say that I have ever found any one place, or places, on that lake that really stand out. I had a lake map book that included Belleville, that you should still be able to find locally, possibly at Gander Mtn. in Taylor. Most of the fish seem to be in all the places you would expect to find them, anywhere there is cover, structure, drop offs or points. Open water never produced much for me on that lake. Once summer gets under way, the weekends belong to the power boaters and jet skiers so good luck if you can only fish it on weekends. I had tournament friends that said that Belleville was a great night lake but the public launch and the marina close in the evening, so you would have to know someone who lives on the lake to get your boat out.

I have a 94 Tracker TV-17 and all I can say is Tracker must have really gone down hill since I bought mine new in 94. Nothing has broken, shorted out or rotted. The boat doesn't leak a drop and the paint and graphics have held up extremely well. The motor is a Tracker (Merc) 60hp, two stroke that did have to have the rectifier replaced twice (after 18 yrs.) but that was the only problem that I ever had with the boat. I have a feeling that,at 68, it's going to outlive me.

I have also known guys to tack weld the nuts on the trailer coupler mounting bolts along with the hitch ball nut. What a shame you have to go to such lengths just to keep your stuff from being ripped off.

The packaging gives it a four star rating for spinning reels. We'll see as I just spooled up my SpIrex with 10 lb Iron Silk. If it doesn't work out I'll be going back to XL.

I've caught a lot of nice fish, night fishing the original, black, Z-Mans. The hooks on those were somewhat less than ''tour grade'' so I'm really looking forward to the new Project Z's.

It's a sad fact of our times.Read your owners manual and learn to do as much of your maintenance as you can. Out on the water is no place to discover problems. Always check your boat after having any work done on it before heading out.

I look like a fishing mummy out on my lake but I don't care. I have had so many bad sun burns as a kid , I don't think I have a safety margin anymore. I can remember when people thought a good tan was cool and all it was , was your skin trying to protect itself. Whodathunkit?

Tons of good advice here from guys who know. I night fish my home lake a lot. What works for me are black jitterbugs, black Z-Man chatter baits and a black spinnerbait with a single colo blade on it. Sometimes a black buzz bait will be very productive also. Be careful with jitterbugs and buzzbaits. Don't set the hook till you feel the weight of the fish on your line or you could get a face full of lure. Good fishing!

I worked in a steel mill for 36 years and I can tell you that the only reason that we had a safe working environment and decent pay and benefits was because of the union. The USWA was not a particularly strong union but it was better than no union.

Used to be ,you only had to worry about incompetent or drunk pilots. Now it's crazy/suicidal pilots.

Lemons come in all sizes and shapes from washing machines to cars and trucks to boats, rods and reels. I know a bad one can leave a bad taste in your mouth but thats how it goes sometimes. My baitcasters have always been Quantum and I have never had a problem with any of the dozen that I owned through the years.

My baitcasters have always been Quantums, from the Pro 2 in the early 90's to the Energy PT's the last couple of years. My next one will be the Smoke PT and I expect it to be as solid and trouble free as all of them have been. Quantum has never given me a reason to want something else.

Sitting outside in the sunshine, enjoying a nice beer. In my snowmobile suit. Typical spring day in northern lower MI.

The new F&S opened up to pretty good reviews in Troy, MI. To bad it's a three hour drive from me. We have a place called Northwoods Outlet near me that has a huge fishing dept. so I don't feel to deprived.