The Bassman

I used to live for this when I was younger. Would stay out all day. Here in central IN we didn't set up shanties, just toughed it out. As I've gotten older I much prefer fishing open water in temps above 40. Good luck and eat a few for me.

That's a great price for a now very rare (in that condition) reel. Lots of love here for that platform. I've owned several E 50's in the past. Actually still do with a JDM Brenious now. That said, for 245.00 there's newer technology that I believe beats the '09 Ald. You'll probably get lots of input on this thread. Can't speak for the rods. Others certainly will.

C'est christmas dans Indiana sans la neige.

The shallower brushy end should be great for pre spawn and spawn. Other times of the year crappie relate to structure like bass but tend to suspend above it. They'll be in open water but relating to something on the bottom like a hump or depression. BTW, welcome.

After a couple of days in the teens and 20's we'll get back above 40. Certainly more than enough cold for freeze up on small waters I fish. Long range forecast keeps us slightly above normal so I should be back at it soon. Just wish business wasn't so good. Got lots of painting to do.

I've been able to fish on Christmas day the past two years. This is as close as I'll get this go around. Cold front's gonna bring temps in the teens after tomorrow. Today was 50ish and windy with rain moving in. Seemed perfect for a jerkbait. #8 Husky Jerk got me on a good bite with several 2-3 pounders, one 4 and this big one. Really a memorable afternoon.

I'm using 15 lb. PPSSV2 (.019mm) on my Ald 50 with no issues. I just back the spool with mono and top shot it with about 50-60 yds of braid so no dig-in. I get better distance because of less wind resistance. Quieter, too.

Either rod would. They're pretty much the same specs.

Let me first welcome you to our forums. I'm like you in that I really didn't get the reasoning about this. I did the smart thing and slipped out the back door and let others hash this out.

Jerry McKinnis if he was still around. Seemed like just a normal nice guy. Really miss his show.

It's getting very hard to find older reel parts. One almost has to invest in old reels as they show up on e-bay just to scavenge parts. Curado 100B, D, Chronarch MG 50, or JDM Scorpion 1000 or 1000 MG are all the same platform. I'm not sure but I think the 100D had an aluminum drive shaft but a brass one should cross reference.

Really a broad topic to address. Mets go back to the 1990's and don't remotely resemble today's. If I were shopping for one I'd definitely go with the newest gen. Small profile, brass gears, core solid frame make it a superior version. It can be had in the low 300's JDM even with the exchange rate not so favorable right now. Try Digitaka or Japan Lure Shop. Asian Portal has great prices but they're always out of stuff.

Welcome to the forums. I'm sure this info will be helpful to someone here.

Mine's a play off an old Seinfeld episode where Kramer gets his license plate mixed up with a proctologist.

Good karma happens.

Those clear water bass are gorgeous.

I've been saying that I didn't want to deal with the cold so much this winter but couldn't resist trying for a little bit this afternoon. It was 33* but not much wind. Just fished for about 45 min. and caught one but it was decent. Ned rig did the trick.

We haven't dropped below low 20's here yet. Got out yesterday when it was 40-45* with skim ice on one end of the lake. No problem catching fish but I'm just not as enthusiastic about the cold as I used to be.

Gliss is great stuff if you reverse it after about a half dozen uses. And that's in open water. It begins to delaminate right away until it becomes about double its original diameter. I went back and forth with it until I finally retired it.

Edit: Didn't catch @Michigander's GIF. Gettin' long in the tooth and a little slow in the wit dept.

Several years ago I was wading a local creek catching a few mediocre smallies on a buzzbait. Had just released one and looked up to see an owl coming straight at me. Without thinking I swung my rod at him and wrapped my lure around his leg. I opened my bail and of all things he landed in the creek and started swimming to the other side by flapping his wings. I had to do something so I reeled him in. (He wasn't very large.) He landed about ten feet away from me on the gravel bar where I was standing. Didn't know what to do and just cut the line a couple of feet from him. I still feel bad about it. Instead of flying off he went back in the creek and swam to the other side, got out and walked into a brush pile not to be seen again. I've been buzzed by owls and even a great blue heron when fishing topwaters before but I've got to admit this sounds made up when even I read it.

You've described conditions identical to mine in central IN. Also, our weather is very similar. I prefer afternoon until the sun gets low (around 4 here) if for no other reason than comfort. I've done well early but it's usually too cold for my liking. Today was our last day of decent temps for a while and I caught several including a 3.4 on neds and a 1/4 oz. MB Dark Sleeper. I promised myself I wasn't going to do the low 30's, need hand warmers thing this winter but that's subject to change. Good luck.

I've actually had some good results with just a bit off stick worm. With bladed jigs you really don't need a trailer with action built in. I use spinning tackle a lot so it also keeps the bait a bit lighter than a big trailer would.

I'll be going out tomorrow afternoon. The wife and I are going to avoid the usual gathering at her sister's house and just do our own thing. We've got rain and 50ish weather right now. Got out a little this afternoon between the rain and caught just a few on a bladed jig. This was the best. Not real big but big enough. Weatherman's talking about highs in the 30's and some snow next week.

I've managed to fish open water all winter in recent years. We get ice that comes and goes. Years ago we would get locked in for at least a month. Fishing can actually be quite good in winter here. I'll probably try to keep it to days above 40* this go around. I proved my point the past three winters. Guides icing up and cold hands are no fun for me any more.