desmobob

Nice job! That looks great! Tight lines, Bob

On an outing on the lower Metawee River in NY several years ago, my buddy and I caught a few smallmouths that had red eyes and a different look to their barring. You can't see the red eye in this photo, but the fish had red eyes like a Rock Bass.... They looked a little different than the usual smallies we caught there, and I remember wondering if they might be some kind of hybrid. Guess not.... Tight lines, Bob

Unweighted 5" wacky Senko in Green Pumpkin Magic. Or Watermelon Magic. Or Green Pumpkin Watermelon laminate. Etc. Tight lines, Bob

Holy cow... I didn't know they could be found for that kind of money! Interesting.... Tight lines, Bob

A pretty cool device, for sure, but more than I need AND more than I can budget for.... Tight lines, Bob

I'd like to add an hour meter to my outboard to help me keep track of maintenance, usage, etc. I know the modern electronics on computer-controlled engines can be touchy and I'm hesitant to buy a cheap hour meter and put it on without getting some information from people in the know... Any tips or recommendations? Thanks, Bob

When I was looking for an on-board charger to put in my new Tracker Pro 170 last summer, I found many reviews telling of early failures of different brands of chargers. I decided it wasn't too much trouble at all to just open the door on my battery compartment when I got home and use one of the chargers I already had. I have a small charger/maintainer that will gently charge my trolling motor battery by the next morning. And besides the apparent reliability issues, most of the on-board units I looked at charged with more amperage than I would prefer to use. Tight lines, Bob

I wouldn't be without a selection of Beetle Spins. Fish love 'em, and so do I! I always have a light or ultra-light spinning rod and a box of Beetle Spins in the boat. Tight lines, Bob

I use braid and a fluoro leader on most all of my bait casting and spinning rigs. I used to use a Uni-to-Uni knot to attach the leader to the braid, but now use an Alberto. I use Seaguar InvisX for leader material, but I check it often as it has pretty poor abrasion resistance. I think success with this set-up is all about the knots. Learn to tie the Alberto properly and I think you'll be satisfied. Tight lines, Bob

The plain-Jane, non-R Tatula! Tight lines, Bob

My Tracker Pro170 (17' aluminum with 40HP Merc four-stroke) came with a 45lb thrust Minn-Kota and I was concerned I would have to upgrade right away. After fishing one season with it, it hasn't entered my mind. Tight lines, Bob

+1 But I'm also dropping my boat off at the marina for some work. She'll be ready to go by next weekend, just in case all the ice suddenly melts off the lakes around here! Tight lines, Bob

+1 I'm actually happy when it happens. It means that they're out there, doing their job protecting the resources (and protecting some people from themselves!). I live in NY on the NY/VT border and enjoy time on the water in both states. In about 30 years of paddling, fishing and ice fishing, I've only been checked a handful of times... more often in VT. The officers have always been at least polite and professional, if not downright friendly. I always tell them I appreciate seeing them out there doing their thing, and that I hope they catch some of the dirtbags that sometimes give hunters and fishermen a bad name. Tight lines, Bob

1) 1/16 oz. white marabou jig 2) 1/16 oz. white marabou jig 3) 1/16 oz. white marabou jig tipped with a minnow Tight lines, Bob

I bought one last summer. After using it for a week or so, I bought another one. I got them for less than a hundred bucks each, and I think they are an absolute steal at that price. What a great, solid, smooth reel! Tight lines, Bob

I tow my new Tracker Pro17/40HP with my Subaru Forester with no trouble. I think this is a boat to consider... I fished mine all last season and like everything about it. Tight lines, Bob

Blue Oyster Cult - "Last Days of May." (Live version from "On Your Feet Or On Your Knees" is best.) Tight lines, Bob

I went ice fishing today. But, it was a little hairy getting onto the lake (Lake George, NY) and I figure it will be my last trip fishing through the ice this season. There are spots of open water starting to form around some of the islands and parts of the shoreline. Come on, Spring! Tight lines, Bob

My diverter has to be turned manually. I NEVER forget to do it because I hate the surprise cold blast you mentioned. But my old girlfriend NEVER turned it back, so I still ended up getting a cold blast if I forgot to check. As for the wolf spiders... they scare the bejesus out of me. Here's one that was on my burn barrel one morning: And a smaller one that was sneaking down my hallway: Tight lines, Bob

I used the D Bomb a lot last year as a jig trailer. Toward the end of the season, I tried some Fuzzy Beavers. Similar and also an excellent bait for me. Tight lines, Bob

I have two Tatulas and two Tournament Pros. They have a completely different feel, for sure... the Tatulas feel heavy, solid and a tiny bit bulky, while the TPs feel light and sleek. They both have excellent braking systems and are great casters. The actual weight difference between the two isn't much, but it feels like a lot. I really love both these reels. The difference in the weights allows you to do some nice balance tuning with your favorite rods. I'd say, get two of each! The Tatula is an absolute steal, in my opinion. Tight lines, Bob

I LOVE to flyfish for smallies! I usually use a six-weight. I like Clouser Minnows, Wooly Buggers (from unweighted to coneheads), Bunny Leeches, hair bugs/poppers and crawdad patterns. A spare spool with a sink-tip line helps you cover the water column more efficiently. On lakes, I'll bring a full-sinker, too. Tight lines, Bob

....'cause they are! Tight lines, Bob

I use a cheap Berkley. It works perfectly. I checked the accuracy with various weights and it's on the money. If I lost it tomorrow I'd buy another one just like it! Tight lines, Bob

It was a cold winter, with a record-breaking, all-time lowest average temperature for the month of February up here. There is a LOT of ice on Champlain! Even though it is still much colder than average (24* today and low of 10* tonight... the average is 45* high/23* low), the higher, stronger March sun is doing its job on the ice. I drove over South Bay this afternoon and the open water area under the bridge is getting much larger. I also noticed a big pressure crack on the south side of the bridge appears to be opening up and showing some open water. It won't be long! Tight lines, Bob