Junk Fisherman

If the question was "Will gas prices affect your life?" Then the answer would be absolutely. Hell, I just picked up an extra day and a half of work this morning so that the extra income could pay for gas so that my fishing would not be affected. But I am not going to let high gas prices affect my big summer trips or how often I fish locally. About the only thing it will change is I might go on Lake Michigan a few less times over the summer since that is pretty expensive. But on those days I will go somewhere else. So yeah- high gas prices will not really affect my fishing. I'm not going to let it.

Not really. I have been picking up some extra work the last few months just for this very reason. I also have not bought a couple things that I would have otherwise purchased. Fishing is what makes me happy. I take a couple 5 hour trips up north every summer and if they cost me a couple hundred dollars more, so be it. YOLO!! Now locally, I will be more selective on when I go on Lake Michigan which has a $25 launch fee and I always run more out there. Those days normally cost me $50 or so and now it'll probably be double that so I'll only go when it's perfect. If I get really desperate I can find a fishing partner to help pay for expenses. I might fish in my kayak a little more as well. There is a decent lake a few miles from the house.

I'm a big fan of the Keitech tungsten ballhead jigs. I love the way the smaller profile jig looks with a 4" Jackall Rhythm Shad. 3/16 and a 3/0 hook is a perfect match. I agree they are pricey and I have some cheaper jigs I bought on Ebay that I'll use while prefishing or when just messing around. Someone suggested Gamakatsu lead jigs and I don't like those at all. Their keeper system tears up the swimbait more than other jigs. Owner lead head jigs are cheaper than the Keitech and have a good strong hook.

Thanks. Pretty sure that is the knot that I was really excited about but had multiple breakoffs with. I went back to the Aaron Martens recommended doubled improved clinch knot which is a pain to tie but has proven to be reliable.

Been tying the Trilene knot for years. It's easy, fast, reliable, and strong. I've played around with other knots but not anymore. Now if you find me an easy dropshot knot, I'd be interested. (And the Palomar is not it.)

I spent more than $311 for gas on my spring fishing trip.

How do these compare to their sinking braid? Their 14 lb sinking braid is my favorite spinning braid and I've tried most of the ones listed in this thread.

Daiwa Steez 761 MML (1st generation) Easily the best rod I've ever used. It's my Ned rig rod and is uber-sensitive. I have no doubt that I catch more fish using this rod compared to lesser models. I'm going to buy the 2021 version when it gets in stock somewhere.

I always heard it was illegal to keep them in even though I often drive with mine in and have never had a problem. I had mine meld into my hitch on my last truck and I could not get it out. I take mine out periodically so this doesn't happen.

Some of the worst times I have been cut off was when HS tournaments were going on and I ended up being on the water on the same day (I always try to avoid those days). Sometimes it's inexperienced boaters not realizing what they're doing and other times I suspect the boater feels since it's kids fishing they should be cut a break. Had a father/coach go completely unhinged a couple weeks ago in the parking lot at the launch but that is a topic for another thread.

Great Lakes > big inland lakes > small inland lakes > reservoirs > large rivers with pools that fish like lakes > ponds w/a kayak > small rivers

Had a tourney on the Cal Sag/Lake Calumet on Saturday. We found fish all over but the biggest fish we found were tight to the shore in 2-3' of water. 51-52 degree temps with stained water. Wind was ripping at 15-25 mi/hr. Caught a couple keepers on a chatterbait on windy shorelines. Lost a 4-5 lber which would have given me the win but I did get a 5.70 in the boat later in the day which helped me land 2nd with a tad under 14 lbs. My partner and I both thought the fish was over 6 lbs and weighed it on 2 different scales.

Agreed. Plus, Travis asks really good questions. He asks the questions as an angler I want to know the answers to.

I would definitely throw it in Lake Michigan now. I just haven't had good weather on the weekend to fish Lake Michigan locally-yet. I've been chasing largemouth in inland lakes especially with some upcoming tournaments. In a little over a month I'll be up north where I'll definitely be using one.

What an incredible, detailed answer. Thanks. I've caught a few good smallies on it but I definitely need to dial it in like you. I think I have been fishing it too fast and not letting it get down enough. Hopefully, I can get a few on the A-rig in a month or so from now.

I've definitely have to upgrade my A-rig arsenal. What baits do you like and in what conditions? How about jig heads? Any other tips? Any info is appreciated.

I've done quite a bit of research on lithium batteries over the last couple weeks. I definitely won't be dropping close to 2K for lithium batteries and a charger for my boat. My wet cell Duracells from Sam's Club for my trolling motor are going on 6 years now. Yes, 6 years. I expected 3-4 years when I bought the batteries but they have been flawless and easily still last an 9-10 hour day. I do check the water every couple months and am no longer surprised with how often I must add water. Tough to beat around $200 for a couple more batteries in a year or so when I need to finally replace them. But for a 4th battery that I am using for my Livescope, I did go with a 33AH lithium. The size, weight, and performance is what led me to a lithium.

I fish primarily the same places but I have been fishing for over 20 years so I've fished most of the places in my areas. Nowadays, I primarily fish 4 different places locally but 3 of them have loads of water including Lake Michigan. When I travel I typically fish waters I have fished before but I head north in the summer and south in the spring and fall so it's usually multiple months between visits. I fish about 10 different bodies of water every year and try to fish 1 body of water I have never fished before.

It's prespawn here in IL. I am looking for structure adjacent to spawning areas- primarily points and other dropoffs. If the weather is warm, I am checking the shallows for exploring fish. I'm going with fast-moving baits like a chatterbait or jerkbait until the fish tell me I have to slow down. Water clarity will determine what type and color baits I'll throw.

A $200+ reel is not that crazy. Go for it. You can always turn around and sell a high-end Shimano reel if you need to.

I fish by myself except for the few club tournaments I fish every year. People are surprised when I tell them I take week-long fishing and camping trips 4-5 hours away by myself. I don't think twice about it and actually prefer it that way. I definitely wouldn't want to spend that much time with someone else. A couple times I have fished 4-day trips with guys in my club and that's a lot of time to spend with someone who isn't your wife or child. But like others have said, it is nice to have someone to talk to about your day on the water. A colleague that I started working with last year is an excellent fisherman and we'll often go out on the same day and launch and lock through at the same time but we are in our own boats. I guess that's weird that we don't fish together but we do our own thing and are happy about it.

Compression check and a leak down check on the motor are a must. Definitely check the transom, lay on your back and look at the hull for any obvious issues. Those are the big ones. It would be great if you could take the boat on the lake and check all the pumps, electronics, trolling motor, ect... You can do those things on the driveway but I would rather spend an hour on the lake. And if I bought a used boat I would immediately repack the trailer bearings or have it done by your local shop. Realize that spring is the worst time to buy a boat. If you see something you want, move fast. If it is priced competitively, it probably won't last the weekend. I would be checking Craigslist in a couple hundred mile radius and be ready to go as soon as you see something you want. Good luck.

Very nice. Beautiful colors!

A couple months ago, I would have completely agreed with you. But a watermellon/red plastic has easily been my most productive bait this spring even in some stained water situations. Just ordered 6 more bags of them from TW.

I don't spend much time second-guessing my decisions but I definitely spend time beating myself up for mistakes I made. I broke my line on a big fish last week and I don't know what happened. I had just retied and it was a knot I have been tying for 20 years that I have an extreme amount of confidence in. I'll also spend time reliving unfortunate events. I lost a big fish in a tournament a few weeks back just a couple feet from the net. I don't think I did anything wrong but it still bugs me. I also lost several fish the first day out this year but I was still recovering from a broken wrist so I knew I wasn't setting the hook that hard. Overall, I have had a very good start to my year but I tend to spend too much time reliving the negatives rather than focusing on the positives.