king fisher

I have ran Jet boats of different sizes, and hull designs professionally on rivers for over 30 years. I prefer flat bottom jon boats for smaller rivers with tight turns. I also prefer to steer the motor with a tiller handle on the motor over a steering system. Tunnel hulls with steering wheels are fine for most rivers, but it is best to be able to slide the back end of the boat around tight corners if you intend to use the boat in the smallest water. I'm not saying you can't run the most technical water with a tunnel, you can and I have, just saying flat bottom is better for small water with sharp turns. A flat bottom jon boat with the motor installed correctly will go in less than 3 inches of water. The quick instant response of tiller operation will significantly help in maneuvering in very tight places. Tunnel hulls turn similar to a prop, which can be a plus for control, but makes it harder to slide the boat for quick turns or if you have to do a emergency 180 when a another boat is met in tight place head on. V hull, or semi V hulls can limit shallow water performance depending on the individual hull. The stern must be flat, or tunneled in order to get the best shallow water performance. If you have to drive through lots of weeds, a jet is not for you. If you are not comfortable driving in shallow water on step than a jet is not for you. Jets only go through shallow water while on plane. At, sub plane speeds they need as much water as a prop. Larger heavier boats with more power need more speed to plane, and require more boating skill to run in shallow water. If you do not like buying gas, a jet is not for you. All things being equal, a jet will go through much more fuel than a prop. Some manufacturers currently rate the power of a jet at the pump, and others sill rate them at the motor. You need plenty of power to get a jet on step quickly. Unless you have to travel a long ways, overall speed once on step is usually not an issue. You need deep water to get on plane and if you are in a tight place a low power motor will not get you on plane quickly before getting to the the shallow water. If you reach the shallow water while still trying to get on plane, you will come to a quick stop and could damage your engine and or stern of the boat. Extra weight such as live wells, etc.. can also make getting on step a longer process. If you are going to fish larger rivers, smaller rivers, without ridicules' tight turns, don't load you boat to heavy, and don't need the ultimate in shallow small water performance, the boat you are looking at with a 40 horse power rated at the pump would be fine. It will safely get you to places you never dreamed of going with a prop. If the motor isn't rated at the pump, than you will be severely under powered, with a 40 horse, and you might not be able to get on plane with much of a load.

Only one way to find out, besides you can't have to many rods.

Way to much, but somehow not enough. 1-Anchor, 2-Fish finder, and battery 3-flash light 4-whistle, flare, flag, and first aid kit 5-sunscreen 6-insect repellent 7-Anchor 8-scale 9-marker buoys 10-Fish grippers 11-Camera 12-phone 13-pliers 14-split ring pliers 15-knife 16-scissors 17-TP 18-lure retriever 19-lunch 20-Water and soft drinks 21-4 rod and reel combos 22-spare reel, and line 23-Tackle is way to much to list, so I will simply say the Bait Monkey is a passenger at all times, but some how I only have one of the hot lure for the day. 24-One sore back from loading and unloading everything.

I always use a swivel with inline spinners. The swivel does not hinder the lure in any way, and does help with line twist. The reason Mepps spinners don't come with a swivel is the same reason why jigs don't come with a trailer. No need to when people can add their own. I add a barrel swivel to every inline spinner I make. Spinners may not twist other peoples line, but they sure have twisted, my clients and my line many times.

I have a Coastal SV as well as A Coastal 200. I prefer both of them over my Tat Ct. As others have stated, the Coastal SV is not a distance caster. I can bomb casts with the Coastal 200 but that might be because of the rod, and size of lures I use with it. Both reels get used on a regular basis in salt water, and are like new condition after 3 years of use. I just saw this post, and all ready the bait monkey has climbed on my back screaming Coastal 80. He has been screaming in my ear for over a year about the new Zillion and I have been able to resist. I fear I may cave on this new Coastal. Has anyone used the Zillion in Salt Water? Any opinions on durability in Salt compared to a Coastal?

I'm not sure, but my guess is Green Pumpkin is what caused motor oil to become extinct, while at the same time Black Grape evolved in to Junebug. I'm sure Motor oil works as well now as it did when green pumpkin was a pumpkin that wasn't ripe, and watermelon was something you ate on the 4th of July.

Tackle Warehouse lists 120 different Senko colors, but doesn't offer Junebug in the 7 inch size. Last I heard Junebug was one of the most popular color for all soft plastics nation wide. They have 120 colors, but don't offer one of the most popular colors in all the sizes? I'm down to my last pack, I guess I will have to try one of the other 120 colors.

Blue fox Vibrax # 1-5 with #3 my favorite, Mepps Aglia #1-5 On days the French blades don't work try a Panther Martin they get down deeper, and have a unique vibration. Any color of body or blades work. I prefer gold blades, but have caught bass on sliver or colored blades too.

No, and I don't buy jeans with holes already in them either.

There was a time when the Bait Monkey only lived in Magazines and the Bass Pro Catalogue. He was small but just as strong as he is now. Then he found the internet and multiplied. Now he is everywhere. His whole family hangs out at UTube sites such as Tactical Bass'n. AJ is not the Monkey, but looking at some of his tackle porn he posts on this site, I'm positive the Monkey lives in his garage. The Monkey lived at my house for years, until I got married and my wife kicked him to the streets. It was a sad day when my long time friend limped out of the house with a bloody nose. Now he only comes in my house at Christmas, and my birthday. He hasn't given up. Every once in awhile he knocks on the door when my wife's car is gone, and tells me a member on this site highly recommends I try some expensive swimbaits. I simply tell him I saw the post, but have to pay some bills. I also tell him he will get more than a bloody nose if my wife catches him showing me pictures of DD bass caught on any bait costing more than 10 dollars. He still hangs out across the street and I meet up with him once in awhile for a beer.

Yes, because the Hobie Mirage drive, is a superior propulsion system.

There is a reason the Hobie Outback is the most popular pedal kayak in the world, and it isn't because they are inexpensive. They are stable enough to stand in or launch in surf, or fish offshore with. The Mirage drive is simple, efficient, small, light, powerful, and fast. The only down side is you do have to pull a cord to go from forward to reverse and back. Being able to simply pedal backwards is a huge advantage the propeller pedal drives have. Now that I am used to my Mirage drive, I will never own another pedal drive system. The Outback is heavy, but is also loaded with accessories.

Fishing was slow, but I was able to find a couple King Salmon for a client on the Togiak river.

As a general rule, the owner of a business should not be tipped, and employees should be tipped according to the quality of service they provided. As with anything to do with fishing, you can not go by general rules. One problem is many guides are the owner and only employee. They should only be stiffed completely if the service was sup par. a small tip if service was average, and the sky is the limit if the service was exceptional. You should tip for the service, not simply by the size and numbers of fish caught. A lazy guide can have a lucky day and catch you fish, but a good guide will never give up if fishing is slow and give you extra time on the water if that what it takes to get fish in the boat. You should learn something from a good guide, and feel like you would want to fish with them again, regardless of size and number of fish caught. If you feel like you would not want to fish with them again, then they did not do their job. They should be able to provide exceptional service for any factor they have complete control over, such as lunch, drinks, safety ,boat handling, teaching ability, and general comfort. The factors they can't control like making the fish, bite they should demonstrate exceptional knowledge, skill and do their very best. All the outfitters, I have worked for both hunting and fishing would give any tips they got to their staff. If the owner is the only employee, than they probably depend on tips to keep in business, and you should tip something unless they did not live up to the service they promised when you booked the trip, were rude, didn't try their hardest to get you fish, or you simply did not enjoy your day. Tipping is a very personal matter, and no one but the fisherman can determine what they should tip. I have had clients that tipped almost nothing for unbelievable days in the field, or on the water. I look forward to taking these anglers out year after year regardless of how much they tip. I have had others, that tipped far more than I expected, but I would dread having to ever take them fishing again. Remember guides usually guide for the love of the sport, and hope to some how make a living. For every great guide, there is a great client, and for every poor guide their is a poor client. I have always tried to be a great guide, and if you want to be a great client, a big tip may help, but being a fun person to spend a day on the water with is more important. A good guide will know the fishery like the back of his hand, not be intimidated by sub par weather, or water conditions, and be be able to adjust to any skill level of angler. They will be an excellent teacher, and a fun person to spend a day on the water with. If he or she does all that, then a generous tip is a great way to show your appreciation. What you think is generous is personal, and will vary from anger to angler. If your guide works for a lodge or outfitter, the owner should be able to give you an idea, of what they consider and average tip. Please never ask the guide how much to tip. It makes for a very awkward moment, and most guides will simply say whatever you want and you haven't found anything out anyway. Also, guides can always use and appreciate any gear from lures to waders, and most wont turn down a beer at the end of the day.

Anything with pictures. I like to read, but sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. Especially a picture of a giant bass or a well stocked tackle box.

Make sure your sim card is installed and in good condition. If that isn't the problem, it is most likely in your settings. You may have to get your manual out, and follow all the instructions of start up and go through all of your settings.

Yes. I don't have enough combos to have any be a one technique only, rod reel. The bait monkey is unhappy with the situation, and is constantly complaining. If he had his way, I would have rods, that never even get used. My A rig rod is borrowed from my salmon steelhead quiver. All other bass fishing combos do double duty with bass techniques, as well as may get used for other species.

For me the difference between a $100 and an $800 rod is one will get me bass, and the other will get me a divorce.

I only have back ups for lures that are not working that day. I will only have one of the hot lure for the day.

Diawa BG for the reel. In my experience, nothing else comes close in the price range for salt water spinning reels. I own Shimano, Penn, and Okuma salt water spinning reels that cost twice as much as the BG and prefer the BG. none of the others are even a close second. As far as rods, go, I defer to other members, with more experience.

It happened again. I'm not in the market for a reel, but now that I read this thread, the Bait Monkey is climbing on my back speaking in Japanese and screaming Zillion Zillion Zillion. The last time this happened a couple weeks ago, my wife had to use the silent treatment to get him to leave. The silent treatment is not fun for the Monkey or me. To make matters worse the Monkey is now starting to whisper Expride too. Just a whisper now, but that is how it always starts.

I don't know about Mosquitos in Florida, but I do know the ones in Alaska will eat Skin So Soft for breakfast lunch and dinner. 100% DEET may not be healthy, but it sure beats bleeding to death. Fishing off shore is the best remedy for bugs. I don't know of any insect that can fly as fast as a bass boat can drive offshore where they don't live.

I have a friend who always answers the questions of race, sex, and in case of emergency contact number with. Human, often, and 911. He has been doing this for over 10 years, and has never even had a person notice what he put down.

Chartreuse and black back, Shad Scales, Jaint juice, Bluegill Spawn, Boiled Crawfish.

Zen and the art of casting. Tune out any distractions, focus on your target, total concentration, make a smooth cast, don't take your eye off of your target, follow through, and swear like a sailor when you get hung in a tree.