RF813

Thankfully no....I might not be here telling these stories if I had.

Fished most of a season an a co angler, but decided it wasn't for me after having a few not so great days out. The first was the boat I was in sat extremely low in the water. I had water washing over my feet and over my tackle bag all day, and then the guy hops in the seat and takes off before I even had my pfd on or was sitting down, he gunned it and I almost fell in. The guy was nice overall and there was good conversation. The second time I can think of that stick out is this one boater was so meticulous about his boat (which I respect), Didn't really like me eating my lunch on the boat even though I was extremely careful, chastised me for applying sunscreen because it "Stank", as the day wore on he got more agitated since we weren't on fish. Then, I gave him money for the gas at the end of the day, and he proceeded to count it to make sure it was an acceptable amount. Not really horror stories, but I couldn't stand the thought of being paired up with #2 again, It helped me decide it really wasn't for me.

Could I please ask that this be kept on topic from this point? I know it's hard, and winter has been around for too long for many of us. But there's useful information for me here.

Do you handle a bass differently when you land them using a lure with treble hooks? It's easy enough to lip them on a single hook, but it's something i've wondered. Especially since I don't fish crankbaits / treble hooked lures too often. A friend of mine (whom I DON'T fish with) actually had the misfortune of getting hooked by a treble while it was still in the fish, which led to a very messy outcome. So, i'm just curious. And if there are any resources on landing fish in general i'd love some recommendations. I just try to go by what i've seen in videos online, but don't have much experience other than what i've picked up on my own. R

Thank you for all the responses. There's a lot to consider but I have a great starting off point here. Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas / Holidays & Happy New Year. Rich

Thank you for all the responses, there's a lot to consider, but some very useful info here, I appreciate it.

I may be looking to purchase a small boat in the coming year. I've only ever fished off of larger bass boats, and even then, only a few times. I was wondering what you'd consider sturdy enough to stand in (sizewise) be a Jon Boat or something a bit larger. Obviously i'm looking for opinions, and coupled with WHY one option would be better than another would be helpful as well. Budget is open at the moment, but i'm not looking at getting a large bass boat for huge lakes. Something for smaller bodies of water in the CT area. What have your experiences been with Jon Boats? SHOULD I go larger? I ask this in particular, because I mentioned a Jon Boat to someone one day and they were admantly against it, especially since I fish with my (soon to be) 9 year old. Said they were too small, get blown all over the place and unsafe. Thanks, Rich

That's what i'd do as well, or just straight up sell it. You don't want to do anything dishonest, but what you're asking isn't exactly ethical, either. Just the fact that you have to ask should give you your answer.

My Son. (See my avatar) When he catches one, it's better than me catching one.......And he's beating me in size on two types of fish this year. Haha.

Done, thanks Dave, hope you're well.

I saw someone pull up 2 small yellow perch once, it was pretty cool to see.

I'll just cut the hook if possible.. Not worth tooling around in there for too long.

Colors can run and stain other baits. (oranges, reds and purples run the most if in contact with other colors. )

Yep, just a couple times though.

Maybe an odd question, but have you considered shipping them to wherever you're going? Probably safer.

I've also tried Big Bite and had zero luck. But what works for one doesn't always work for another. I'd say if that's your comfort zone, go for it. I've gravitated to BPS plastics since mid summer, and have had a lot of luck with them. Less expensive and the bags are packed.

So you think the reviews on the Frabil that I posted were the exception and not the rule then? (I'd really have no idea).

Hey everyone, I'm looking for a compact landing net. I recently found this one and saw it in a DSG store, but some of the reviews have said it's not made well, and breaks easily. (but some also say it's great). What's appealing about it for me is that it's pretty compact, with a telescopic handle and the net folds in half. Can anyone recommend one that wouldn't be a hassle to carry around? I fish a few places with a small dropoff, so lipping them out of the water isn't always possible, and I don't want to pull them out of the water just being suspended by the rod & line. Not the best for the rod, and i've had a few breakoffs. This is what I have found, but as I said, it had some pretty poor reviews among the positive. http://www.allinonemarinesports.com/product/frabill-power-stow-landing-net-161860-1-1.htm?variations=684960 Any suggestions would be welcome. Rich

A LOT of people i know say it's been an off year. Even fishing saltwater. Something is off.

I was going to say this exact thing. Also, when you tRig the lure, make sure it's a straight line top to bottom and the plastic is straight (not twisted or bent at all. I find if there's a twist in the plastic causes it to spin under water thus, twisting the line.

I was out at a local lake this morning, when I noticed a school of small fish swimming around. Upon closer look, they were very small LMB (about the size of my pinky finger). And along with them, were miniature SMB. Is it normal for them to school together early on? I had never seen this type of thing before, so I figured i'd ask. On a side note, they were being corralled by 3 larger (still only about the length of my hand) LMB who were apparently trying to feed on them. It was very cool to watch play out right in front of us. Rich

I have 2 presidents, a 30 & a 35. The 30 is SUPER quiet, i'd say zero noise. The 35 is considerably louder. I'd stop short of saying it was a "Grindy" noise, and the performance of it is still super smooth, and I can spin the handle with little to no resistance. But, there's the noise. I hear a "ccccCCCcccc, ccccCCCcccc, ccccCCCcccc...." when I turn the retrieve and have a lure on. Is this just a bearing issue that can be resolved with a re-greasing? I know typing a noise online may or may not be very helpful, but I'm trying to get a little insight before opening this thing up and trying anything. Thoughts?

Isn't buying some there worth not having this headache?

Wow, that's eye opening. I'm wondering if they could use a material that breaks down a little bit quicker in the digestive tract.

Yes! Exactly....He asked me if we were going today, and then when I said we weren't he asked if we're going tomorrow.....(Which we probably will) I walked in after work yesterday and he greeted me with a huge grin on his face.. He knows he's got me beat! Haha.