Wayne P.

I'll add an additional benefit to gatrboy53's remark: it washes food into the water like insects, worms, etc. As far as temp change, it depends on the difference in the rain temp. and the water temp. Early in the year, it may warm the water and in the summer it may cool the water-both are beneficial. Two results make the catching difficult after a rain: if the rain drops the water temps especially if the water gets muddy, it has a negative affect. The other is if there is a water level rise, the falling water level after the rise has a negative affect.

First guess is that you haven't adjusted your drag or hook set technique for using braided line with your equipment. Second quess is it's your knot tying technique is suspect. Both of the knots you use will work if you do your part correct. Is your knot actually breaking or is the line next to the knot breaking and the knot is intact? If it's the line, which one is it?

I you get the 5.5" size, the best hook for weedless rigging to fit the thickness and length of the head segment is the Gammy G-Mag Oversize. If you want some weight, just add the lead part of a rubbercore sinker of appropiate weight to the shank after inserting the hook. All the dedicated swimbait hooks I have tried are too small or too long.

I look at it a different way. I don't have a favorite presentation/lure and don't start the day with any particlular pre-conceived lure or presention. I usually have 8-12 rods rigged with various lures that are appropiate for the season and water conditions and am prepared to change from those if needed. I let the fish tell me what they prefer then I use that as long as it is productive. I have more confidence in certain presentations that seem to produce the biggest and most, but those have to be verified by results.

I haven't fished it since the 6th of this month. I may go there tomorrow or Wed depending on the wind forcast. I'm guessing that the water level is up some and may be muddy in some coves. The bass and bluegills were spawning in the same areas. The most productive areas for me have been from mid-lake to the dam in the very back of the coves. The planned lake size is 420 acres so if it is windy or you try to cover most of the lake, take an extra battery. You can view my fishing reports at fishingva.com which include the water conditions when I was there.

Since I don't know what the highest amp draw of your motor, I can't recommend a minimum size breaker. I definately would not recommend a fuze, if you get wrapped up in grass or stall out by hitting the lake bottom, the fuse may break and you are SOL if you don't carry a spare or two. At least with a circuit breaker, you can let of cool off for the auto reset type and be back in business or if you get the manual reset you can wait about a minute and reset it and be back in business. Also only use a circuit breaker that is suitable for the marine environment. The automotive type is subject to moisture intrusion and corrosion. The next BIG issue is if the wriing you have is rated for the max amps and the distance it is from the battery to the motor connection.

Thanks for the answer. I was concerned with the possibility of you guys advocating trespassing like in a thread a few months ago about "jumping a fence" to sneak into property to fish without permission. I assume you know that you need verbal permission on unposted property and written permission on posted property to meet the criteria of the Va. fish and game laws. Good fishing <*)))))<(

You don't have to use one but to protect your motor and boat wiring you should use it. This site has them in the $10 range http://www.iboats.com/Battery_Electrical/dm/category_id.238352--view_id.238352

The spoon in the video is chrome with a patch of gold tape on the convex size. That is the cheap version. The ones the guide and I were using were air brushed painted with sparkles added. I'll be staying at Lake Fork Marina.

"To bad we were asked to leave the first pond" Does that mean all you guys just went to those locations and fished without asking permission?

I just use the Stren clear/blue fluorescent in 14# or 17#

I used one last May when fishing with a guide at Fork and did quite well with it. I am going to pick up some in a couple of weeks when I am fishing at Fork. I make a similar one using a Dardevle chrome spoon in the 1 oz. size. I remove the hook and split ring and replace it with a #4 Owner dressed treble in white with a size 4 split ring. Then I add a size 4 split ring to the line tie. For color, I use the WTP inc. decorator tape which is kind of reflective with the machining look. On the convex side, I add a 1/4" strip of blue on one edge and a 1/4" strip of chart or green next to it. Then I add a 2" X 1" patch of gold in the center of the concave side. If no local tackle shops have the plain chrome in stock, I just buy a painted one and use the same tape colors plus I add chrome tape to cover the rest of the painted surface. Most of the painted ones are brass so I don't add the gold to the concave side. The spoon is the flutter style not the compact type like Hopkins.

Forget about what the meter shows with the two different settings it is just a relative indication of the charging rate and not the amount of voltage of the battery. If the meter measured the battery condition, it would indicate something when you hook up the leads before you plug in the A/C cord-it doesn't. The most important thing you need is the max amount of amp for charging in the shortest amount of time. When/if it gets to 0 after a few hours, you are OK. That just means that the voltage of the battery has reached the output voltage of the charger and doesn't need to continue charging. From your discription of the battery, I would guess that it's life is ended or almost ended. For long battery life, it has to be kept fully charged at all times and recharged to full charge as soon as possible after a discharge of any amount. If your battery is a "healthy" 100 amp hour size and it is 1/2 discharged, it will take almost 9 hours to recover to full charge with the 6 amp setting. You can triple that time if you set it to 2 amps.

If you want more distance with small baits, use fluorocarbon. That line weighs more than nylon mono and aids in adding distance. Braids have more rod guide drag than the harder surface nylon mono or fluorocarbon lines and won't necessarially give you increased casting distance.

I prefer the action/vibration of the Original Chatterbait since the blade is directly and solidly connected to the jig eye. I don't trust the connection of the Booyah Boogie. The knock offs with the split ring connection absorb too much of the vibration and are not as snag free. The Chatterbait can be fished slower and faster with more vibration than the Gambler Swim Blade. If you want to get the full effect of that style of bait, use it with braid.

nralover, basically I was using the same ole saying most would recommend, "use the lighest line you can get away with". Not knowing what level of expertise you have, I was just giving you a formula to determine what you could get away with.

You will be lucky if the battery will charge at all. BUT, if the fluid level is above all the plates, don't add water until after you charge. Then fill to the split ring level about 1/2" below the battery top. If the plates are dry, you can add some water to cove the plates ( probably won't do any good). Then set your charger to 6 amps and hope for the best. IF you are lucky, the charge meter will be sitting on 0 in the morning. If the meter has dropped to any reading less than what it was when you hooked it up, you may get some run time, but don't go far, you might have to row back. It doesn't matter about the battery caps whether they are off or on.

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You are correct roadwarrior, nralover did only ask about MONO line size for HEAVY COVER with BAITCASTING equipment. I call heavy cover, hydrilla, milfoil, timber, docks, and lilly pads. I prefer braids for both spinning and baitcasting gear so I am covered as far a line strength in all conditions. I certainly wouldn't use or recommend 12# or less mono at Lake Fork on any equipment. I answered within the criteria of the question and didn't interject my opinion concerning any other tackle or line choices.

Whichever hook size of EWG you use, open the bend a little and that will improve your hookups.

Since you have "heavy cover" as the criteria of line size, a good "rule of thumb" is to match the pound test to the length of the fish you may catch. Example 12" fish= 12# line, 20" fish= 20# line. If there is no pound test to match the fish size, choose the next largest pound test.

Since that is not a Chatterbait, which knock-off is it and what size?

There is a yearly subscription required of $99.99 for minimal service and an extra $49.99 for complete functions.

Stren Super Braid: 30# for spinning gear and 50# - 65# for baitcasting.

Lots of large bluegills on beds Monday at Hunting Run Lake.