the reel ess

I have consulted an orthopedic about it. He says it's the muscle getting irritated by being moved over the same bone all day, 5 days a week. He said if you've ever cleaned a squirrel and seen that "sheen" coating on the muscle, that is what's irritated. He says the exercises like paddling a kayak and casting are good for it. If I did other activities enough I'd break up the irritated spot. But pretty much any exercise involving that muscle leaves it sore. So does a professional massage. The wife just had knee surgery and I'll be her nurse for 3-4 weeks. So fishing or washing cars won't be an issue. But I work from home so there's still that.

I have a sore shoulder from sitting with my arm forward and hand on a mouse 8 hrs/day min. Casting inflames it as does washing a car. It will be sore the next day after casting and retrieving a lot. I try to use some techniques that don't require power fishing all day. Lobbing a wacky rig under overhanging trees helps. Pitching from a casting deck helps the shoulder but hurts the wrist. Casting a light t-rig and slowly hopping it back is a good compromise.

You're absolutely correct. And I wouldn't disparage anyone for eating them. I considered it, but I had enough in the fridge and freezer. Our bigger lakes have yellow perch. When I was a kid I didn't know what they were when we would catch them on minnows crappie fishing. We just called them "those little green fish". I guess they spend most of their lives in deeper water because it's hot here about 8 months. I can't speak on the red worms. But I can tell you from searching info on the subject, experts say there is no freshwater fish parasite that will harm humans as long as the fish is cooked well. I did see a worm in a local pond last time I kayak fished there (last Sunday). It looked like the aquatic version of an inch worm. It was on my foot when I got out and I felt it. But it wasn't attached, so I just killed it.

T-Rigged Zoom Super Speed Craw, black/sapphire Stick Worm, wacky rigged. Torpedo-I had a day so good on this lure I had to adjust the blade twice. Rat L Trap-continually from last fall I got a bite on a Johnson Silver Minnow...I want to keep experimenting with that Frogs

If you could see the size of their brains, you'd think they don't think. They are almost all instinct. But they can learn.

Only bass.

I used some Gulp Mullet for flounder that I felt would really take a bass. They smelled like a can of sardines. They were good enough to fool flounder.

I'm not opposed to the idea of the Bassyak kit. It's certainly cheaper. But it does seem like it would make for more work unloading, preparing and loading and add weight. Also, in my state you have to register a watercraft with an electric motor if you use it in public waters. I do still do that sometimes. I'd still have my current 'yak, so that's still an option later. It also seems like I would lose the benefit of the exercise, as this is about the only exercise I get anymore. I didn't realize Hobie Mirage drive was not capable of reverse. I've always wondered how that worked. I can't tell you how many times I've set the hook on a bass and been dragged right into the spot I caught it in. If there more fish there you ruined it.

I read of a pro who said to bend them out. How far did you go? Just until the point was off the body?

I have caught fish on shad and baby bass. But consider what a fish would see from directly below. They won't really know or care what color it is. Especially if the belly is white.

Small curly tail grub, inline spinner, Beetle Spin.

I might use a popping one if in open water. But then I'd probably just use a popper or Torpedo and get more bites. Our local public lake has stained water, thus the grass doesn't grow more than about 2' deep. That severely limits the frog to late May/early June. I've tried it in open water, but the fish just don't seem to buy it. Not even the toads.

If you think they're fragile T-rigged, try wacky rigging them. I have settled on Big Bite and that's where I'll stay until someone proves otherwise. Since no one else I know uses these, that probably won't happen. But I will try shorter ones to get a bite.

Who has which? How do they compare in price? Which is easiest to navigate while fishing? This will probably be my next boat purchase. I'm thinking of selling my fish/ski.

Ha! I remember throwing these on a Zebco 33. If you got a kink in cheap line, which was all my dad would buy me, the thing would just keep sailing off into the sunset.

Mann's L'il George. I just looked in my box and I still have one. I used to catch schoolies in spring on it. Bass, whites and small stripers would school up together at times. This would catch them all.

L'il George for schoolies that are suspended. It's old school, but should still do the trick. Having said that, I have one I haven't used in years. Toss it past the school (they'll cast a mile) and let it come under the action a bit. Worth a try. Also, try a double fluke rig. They could be stripers. If so, hold on!

My best friend was fishing a public place alone on a weekday morning when a guy, much bigger than him, walked up without a rod or anything related to fishing and struck up a conversation. My friend said the conversation was weird and unsettling. He thought he was going to get robbed and just told the guy he had no money on him. The guy kind of laughed it off and walked away. I'm always wary of people who are going nowhere in particular on a day when everyone else is working. Of course, I may be there at that time too and someone could think that about me. But I'm fishing. And it pays to be cynical and suspicious.

I've had people in an urban setting walk up and ask for a ride, a beer, money...The answer is I'm not going that way, I don't have any/enough money or beer to be giving it away. I quit fishing a public, secluded place alone for that reason. One guy walked up, chatted then asked for a beer. I lied and said we didn't have any and he pulled one out of his own pocket. Then had the nerve to ask for a ride. When I said we weren't going his way, he said I haven't told you where I'm going yet. My buddy said "You're going away from us right now." We separated so if he did anything, we could take him on. I'm not a violent guy, so it was unnerving. I didn't want to turn my back and fish anymore. Now I'm an armed, non-violent guy.

Big Bite's Trick Stick is very durable. About $5. As for it not producing well...Sometimes we pull it out as a last resort when fish absolutely will not bite anything. You can also pick up some 3" for really tough conditions.

Fish are people too!!!

Therein lies the reason I prefer fishing to hunting. There's no catch/release in hunting.

No offense intended. But if I cared about them that much, I'd probably stop sticking hooks in them at all and take up another hobby. I have caught a rather large bass that was missing an eye, had sores all over it and the sores were eating at its fins. Yet it still managed to get on my hook. I threw it back. Probably should have just clubbed it.

My PB came on a Snag Proof frog. It was 6.5#. I didn't see a fish. It was like a little toilet flushed and the frog disappeared with a slurp. I set the hook and about 3' of drag came off the reel. I knew it was a good fish. It swam away, then right back toward me. It tried to come up to shake, but I reached about an arm's depth into the water and grabbed its open mouth. I took pics quickly and released it back into my buddy's pond. It felt good to know it was still swimming in there. That's been 11 years and it seems like last week. Thanks for letting me relive it.

http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/frog_baits.html http://www.in-fisherman.com/bass/how-to-fish-for-bass-with-frogs/ http://www.bassmaster.com/tips/87-frog-tips-bassin There are some good tips. My wife had surgery yesterday and there was a BASS mag in the waiting room. One article was by Rojas. His most valuable advice was to set the hook straight up, directly away from the fish. He said any other direction moved the hooks away from the roof of a fish's mouth. He said he works the frog with his tip down. he uses 50# braid More advice was to take pliers and bend the hook points away from the body by only about 1/16" Use a MH BC rod with a fast tip at least 7' long.