Jar11591

I disagree with this. Around here, you can find bass IN the brush pile. Bass aren’t always in feeding mode, and something else to remember is bass may be an apex predator as far as fish go, but bass are victims to predation as well. Otters, birds, turtles, esox….so when they aren’t in active feeding mode, bass will absolutely take refuge inside the brush pile. I always fish as deep in the brush as I can get my bait. I don’t think of bass as fearless kings of the lake. Bass are “baitfish” to an otter the same way a yellow perch is a baitfish to a bass.

@OkobojiEagle around 100 acres, which is the only reason I know it like the back of my hand, admittedly. You fish a 100 acre lake hundreds of times, it’s hard to not get the exact lay of the lake.

I know my home lake like the back of my hand. I spend zero time searching with my depth finder now. I know every bit of structure, every laydown, every boulder. New lakes are a different story. But my home lake I just get right to my spots and fish them

“Polygraph credibility test?” That must be a joke, unless we’re still in 1985

No mountain lions in New York State for over a century. The DEC gets lots of reports of sightings each year but they are always a case of mistaken identity of a bobcat or Canadian lynx. Mountain lions are the most fearsome predator in the US in my opinion. Silent, stealthy, and deadly. They could sink their fangs into your neck before you even knew it was there. I love the idea of them living in NYS, but I may feel differently during a camping trip or a hike. The only thing we have to worry about in NY is the many black bears. But they want nothing to do with humans and I can’t recall ever hearing about an incident involving humans and black bears.

Fool’s Spring has arrived and I’m putting on my jester hat! Yesterday was 50°, today mid 40s, and most of the 2 week forecast is mid to high 40s. At this rate, we should be under 2’ of snow again right when I pull the boat out of the garage to rig it up.

I just wanna know what a poop bait is. Actually on second thought, maybe I don’t.

1. Spinnerbait 2. Jig 3. Lipless 4. Jerkbait 5. Spinnerbait

Baccarac. Second would be northern Ontario.

Bobby Lane on BTL today talking about his win and how his family was watching him from the bank as time ran out. Good listen.

I use Rage Tail swimmers. On a weighted hook, and as a spinnerbait and swim jig trailer they work great.

There are several that are seared into my memory. But at the top of the list, is probably my 9lb 13oz PB. February 2017 on a hot, sunny afternoon.

@Crow Horse that response from the DEC is confounding to me. The DEC doesn’t own any lake but that doesn’t stop them from being the governmental regulatory body for such things. They have a facility on the shoreline so that tells me the shoreline isn’t 100% private. And even if it was, the DEC still has authority to regulate it. Unless I’m missing something, that response from the DEC seems like total pullchit. The lake I fish most is under 200 acres, and has a 5HP limit, but I rarely see any gas powered vessels out there. Another lake I fish is around 700 acres, and that lake has no restrictions and gets absolutely thrashed by power boaters, jet skiers, speeders, wake boarders, drunks, and morons. It gets downright dangerous during the day in peak season.

Didn’t look like it was gonna happen either. Just when he said he couldn’t feel the fish on anymore, up it comes.

He wrestled that thing out for a good few minutes.

Some relief on the horizon in upstate NY as well. Calling for 5 days in a row above 40° next week! One day is even getting up to 45°! That will go a long way for at least melting the snow cover that has been sitting atop the frozen lakes for 3 months. Which will in turn help the lakes thaw faster. But like every year, this is just fool’s spring and I’m always the fool. March always come in like a lion and somehow still goes out like a lion.

Old girl smiling big

I’m not from Florida so I don’t have much of an idea, but last weekend the MLF tourney was on the Harris Chain in Florida, and there were several 7s and 8s caught, and many 5s and 6s. The bite seemed to be pretty good. But Florida bass do seem to be more sensitive to coldfronts than their largemouth brethren.

Bass fishing is certainly what influences my day to day thoughts and behaviors more than anything, but I am a few other things. I’m 33, have an amazing girlfriend (future wife) and live with her and our 3-dog pack in a nice town just south of my favorite place: the Adirondack Mountains of upstate NY. I am also an introvert, an outdoorsman, a gardener, a gamer, a baseball enthusiast, an environmentalist, and I strive to live a quiet, simple, peaceful life and I try to do what’s “right”. When I’m having a rough time, I usually retreat to the mountains for a reset. I just feel home in the mountains. It’s primal. One day I shall live deep in the mountain wilderness. But today is not that day. I am a huge foodie. I love to cook, almost as much as I love to eat. I love trying new cuisine, especially from other parts of the world. I also love to travel, and my love of food and fishing usually determines where I travel to. Also love a cold beer from time to time, like a few times a year. Usually a nice IPA that’ll make your upper lip quiver. And I am a son to a great mom and dad. They’re older and having health issues, and I’ve had to assist them with a lot the last couple years. I can see they’re aging, and it really hits me sometimes. I couldn’t have asked for better parents and consider myself insanely lucky to be born to such people. That’s pretty much it. I’m a simple guy who tries to live a simple life, keep lots of time open for my hobbies, treat my fellow man decently, be a good partner to my girlfriend, a good dog dad, and a good son.

I should be there. Not sure if I’m going Saturday or Sunday but I’ll keep an eye out for you.

Rapala DT-6 and 8 are responsible for a couple of my most memorable days on the water.

@zjdeere skip to 2:16 in the video above.

When I saw the headline, before I even opened this, my mind went to “Dobyns Fury and Lews LFS” if I was building a $200 frog setup. The Fury 735 does a fine job with frogs, it’s what I use as my dedicated frog stick. Haven’t frogged with the LFS, but I do use them for other things and they are perfectly adequate reels for the money.

There is one more brake that needs to be adjusted. You’ve set the spool tension knob and the magnetic brake, but inside the reel on the same side as the magnetic brakes are centrifugal brakes. The side plate should come off revealing several pins that are either “on” or “off”. The more of these you have set to “on”, the more braking will be applied. Based on what you’ve described im willing to be your centrifugal brakes are set too tight. If you give me a bit I’ll try to find a video that shows how to remove the side plate and set the brakes.

Have you adjusted the centrifugal brakes? The Custom XP has magnetic and centrifugal brakes, their “MSB” or multi setting brake system. Just a combination of external magnetic brakes and internal centrifugal brakes. You may just need to loosen the centrifugal brakes.