nboucher

These recommendations are good, but all over the place. What kind of books do you enjoy most? Novels? Nonfiction? What subject matter?

Russ, thanks for the kind words. I married good; not sure my wife can say the same, though. I've been way too busy working on the house, so a break will be good. I'd love to get out with you next week if we can work it out. I'm curious about the swimbait obsession and would love to get a demo. I'll have my cell with me. 781.413.4408. Give me a ring if it looks possible.

Although I have yet to experience fishing burnout, I have experienced professional burnout more than once. It's usually a sign that my life has gotten out of balance somehow. It may not be that you love fishing any less, but that your heart is telling you another of your loves may be wanting a bit more attention . . .

Hey, Speed, birds are another passion. So maybe I will stop by. Where is it, and is it open to the public?

I will be staying in Eastham on Cape Cod next week, and will probably bring a kayak. Anyone recommend good bass fishing on that part of the Cape? I see most of the ponds are primarily trout fisheries. Thanks, Norman

Good one, George. Seems the major advantage to a full moon is you can see better.

Missed you, man. I guess this means the Mets are about to move into first place.

So sad, Ronnie. My sympathies. It especially hurts when the young die.

I'll weigh a fish if it looks really big or otherwise unusual. Otherwise it's small, medium, or large and get it back in the water to go get bigger . . .

Just when I had concluded that all people are selfish idiots, a story like this has to come along. Dang. Now I'm going to have reassess my whole belief system . . .

I'm a Nikon guy, because they have outstanding customer service. A couple of years ago while camping, I left my $100 Nikons out in the rain overnight, resulting in permanently fogged-up lenses. I really liked those binos, so I called Nikon to see if I could get them taken apart and cleaned up. They said send them in; they're probably still under warranty. I said, "No, you don't understand. I did a boneheaded thing. I left them out in the rain. They were immersed in standing water." "How long have you had them?" "At least 15 years." "So they're still under warranty. Send them in." I sent them in, and a few weeks later got a brand new pair of Nikons in the mail. They couldn't fix them so they sent me a new pair. I'm a Nikon man for life.

Welcome, Jason. You should check in with the anglers on the forum link below. You'll get everything you need there about fishing in Ct. http://www.ctfisherman.com/

Good question. I have been tent camping since I was 8. At first it was in those old canvas Boy Scout Explorer tents--no floor, and they leaked like crazy in the rain. Later I got a little two-man A-frame tent made out of nylon, and with a floor and a fly. I might as well have been staying in a Hilton. Around that time, I started using a foam pad under my sleeping bag. I couldn't believe the increase in comfort! Then came a four-man tent, even though only two of us usually slept in it. Such space!! You could almost stand up in it! About that time, the foam pads started getting thicker and thicker, and I started sneaking a pillow along whenever it was feasible. These days it takes a little longer to work the stiffness out in the morning, and the luxuries include battery-powered lanterns to read by in the tent. I doubt I'll ever get a camper, but it's fun to look and how my tent-camping has evolved.

Love that last shot. Congrats to all involved.

Glenn, I have tremendous respect for how you conduct the forum and, just as importantly, how you conduct yourself. With the site growing rapidly, conflicts are bound to do the same. What I do admire and have learned from you is restraint. When Glenn's name appears on a post I know it will be worth reading. I'm sure you have many thoughts as you read what others post, but you don't just hit that post button on impulse. I think the best way for all of us to improve the site is to think a second before hitting that post button and asking, "Will this really contribute to the discussion?" My wife often tells me to count to ten before I open my mouth; I try to do the same here.

Boy, this all really is unfortunate. Sure, Muddy can get carried away with himself sometimes, but who hasn't? He is a man with a good heart, and I do think we're worse off without him. I just hope we can put it all behind us and welcome him back, should he decide to return. As for quoting the contents of e-mails, etc., without permission, I'd never do it, but at the same time it's hard for me to get incensed about it. I had a boss once who told me never to put something in an e-mail that I wouldn't want to see on the front page of the New York Times, and I remember that advice every time I send one. No electronic communication is ever really private.

Russ, a steady, extended spawn would be great. Can't wait to see the Lunkerville video.

Russ, what do you think will happen with the beds this week, given the projected temps?

RW's right to warn you to be careful. An anchor isn't going to do much for you in the wind, because canoes are so unstable and light. There are retractable outriggers you can buy to stabilize canoes, but they're not cheap, as I recall. I would avoid using a canoe on a big lake on anything but the calmest days, unless you really know how to right a canoe from the water and get back into it. Canoes get blown around even more than kayaks. Hey, I see you're from New Palz. I used to rock climb in the Gunks there.

The biggest trick to fishing out of a canoe is not the fishing, which is no different, but controling the canoe. The slightest breeze will blow you around. You have to anticipate the direction of your drift so that the breeze positions you where you want to be. If you're going to be doing a lot of canoe fishing, I'd recommend getting a drift sock.

Awesome owlet pix! Still covered with down, no less. Great job. Tell Avid we miss him.

I was out of Friday and caught a bunch of very aggressive males patroling the flats very shallow. Don't forget you're measuring surface water temps. I wonder if that might be drawing fish up and shallow, misleading us into mistaking this for spawning behavior. Given the few warmup days we've had so far, it's likely the water is still pretty cool below, especially in deeper water bodies.

What's with Gabe Kapler? I love that guy. Smart pickup.

Nice job on the photos. You must have long arms. I agree with Bassectomy. She looks like a six-pounder. Hope you got her back in okay. We need her eggs out there.

Chump, repeat after me: I will catch fish, I will catch fish Believe it or not, fishing has an important mental component: relax and have confidence, because you will catch fish . . . As for practical advice, when the water temps are in the 40s and 50s, you must fish SLOWLY. You cannot work your bait too slowly in cold water. Think about it: the body temp of the water dictates the body temp of the bass. Imagine your blood at 50 degrees. Moving takes a lot of effort, and although you might be starving, chasing down a meal takes a lot of effort and determination. That's why you've really got to let your bait sit and then move it slowly. The trick is to make eating it be as easy as possible.