papajoe222

As for rod dryers, I prefer one that runs on the slow side because I don't want the rod turning fast when applying epoxy to the wraps. Mud Hole offers an inexpensive, but more than capable one in two different speeds, you'll appreciate the chuck as it centers the rod. https://www.mudhole.com/RDS-Rod-Dryer

My daughter recently moved back to Illinois and we've had a number of opportunities to get on the water together. She knows that I like to target the bigger fish in the lake and we decided to do just that on this outing. Six hours of nothing (normal for me) and she wanted to pack it in. On the way back to the ramp I talked her into hitting one more spot. I tied on a hand tied hair jig with a 6in. finesse worm as a trailer. She cast it out and I told her to let it sit without moving it, for a minute. After almost a minute she said it's time to go, went to reel in and this beauty wouldn't let her. Her first largemouth over 6lb. Of course, the only image I have is too large to add here. Sorry.

I've used 8in. Basstrix fishing northern Wisc. with some success. I'll admit that I wasn't fishing for bass though. Beware of toothy critters as there is a good possibility that they'll be attracted to your new offerings.

If I take a selfie, I also take one of the fish against a ruler taped to my boat. That way there is no question in my mind when looking through my pic library as to how big the fish actually was.

I just received the latest Mud Hole catalog and am considering using this thread for guide wrapping. Has anyone tried it? I've used metallic thread on casting rod guides in the past, but never on a spinning rod as I didn't trust it for that application. The wife loves bling and using a purple, metallic thread would really make the wraps pop.

Don't shy away from using a leader when fishing for bass. I catch some quality bass while fishing for muskie using 40lb. leaders. Granted, I'm using faster presentations than I'd consider using for a hard body swim bait, but I have used weighted 8in. hollow bodied ones and picked up more than one bass over 4lb. in a northern Wisconsin lake.

I'm still waiting for the first wave of fish movement here. The water temp has been holding right around 56 for a couple of weeks now and that's surface temp. It seems as though they are willing to sit in their deep, winter spots regardless of what the calendar says. How about sending some of that warmer water up this way and come late July and August, I'll send some of our cooler water down by you?

It sounds like the bearings you purchased may be the correct size as far as inside and outside diameters, but are too thick. If the overall thickness is more than the original, there is no space for the bearing to spin freely as the screw, or washer is locking up the bearing. If you have access to a micrometer, you can check this out yourself. Measure across the entire surface, not just the outside edge. That will eliminate a false measurement. Then measure the original bearing/bushing.

I swapped out the stock handles and drag stars on my Daiwa Sols for swept carbon fiber As stated, weight reduction was minimal, but the addition of bearings and the swept design added to the overall smoothness of the reel, not to mention the looks. Most of the mods you make to a reel, with the exception of a lightweight spool, will make very little, noticeable difference. Having the gears and spool shaft ends polished by someone that knows what they're doing is, IMO, the most noticeable improvement in performance that you can do.

What’s the launch fee on Loon and is the channel to East Loon open? I havent fished there in five years or more, but liked fishing it early in the year.

The wife is looking to add to her small collection of rods. I found the perfect blank to build it on, but it's too long at 6'10" Ideally, for her, I need to shorten it 4in. What is the best way to do it? I'm concerned that I'll mess with the integrity of the blank if I just wack of the 4in. with a hack saw. Or should I leave it as is and tell her that it (the extra length) isn't that much of an adjustment and not mess with shortening it?

Some good points here and I'll add another; What areas are you targeting this time of year? Bass are still in early pre-spawn in northern MI, so if you're fishing the same way you would in the summer and fall, you're targeting the wrong areas. Seasonal movements and patterns will get you in the ballpark when it comes to fish location. Once there, you can work to narrow things down.

What temps do SM normally spawn? I'm guessing it's cooler than LM, but I never asked.

I've been tempted a couple of times, but resisted the urge mainly because I have a hard time getting back into the boat. I have gone in after loosing my grip on a rod. Luckily there was someone in the boat to assist in MY recovery.

My experience is fishing natural lakes at night. These are the same lakes I fish deep structure during daylight hours. I begin just prior to sunset targeting that deep structure and work my way shallower along the structure as the night progresses and the bass move toward the shallows. There are nights, however, when I never move of the deep spots, like under cold front conditions, because the bass don't move.

I have a friend that is on the height challenged side at 5'5" and only uses rods 6ft. 6in. and under. A rod's power and action are more important than length no matter what the application. I prefer a 6ft rod for fishing my Spooks and a 6ft. 3in. rod I custom built for spinnerbait fishing. Bottom line; Use what's comfortable for you and gets the job done.

Anyone fishing the southeast Wisc. lakes this week-end? With the late thaw and the cold rain, I'm guessing the water temps. are still in the low 50s. I was planning on hitting either Geneva, or Delavan this coming Wed. or Thurs., but if I'm correct about the colder than normal water temps, I think I'll hold off a couple of weeks.

Green pumpkin/red flake, or watermelon/black flake, unless you know the lake bottom is muck, then I'd say PB&J, or purple

I use one of these. https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/EZE-LAP_Diamond_Pen_Type_Hook_Sharpener/descpage-EZELAPPENTP.html?from=Google&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI7obYm6uD4gIVRbnACh27_wDwEAQYBSABEgJumvD_BwE A few swipes down the groove and you're good to go. It clips on your shirt pocket like a pen, so it's always handy.

If you want that spiral fall that makes a tube so enticing, try stupid rigging the tube. Personally once the weeds are up, I prefer a straight fall as it avoids the line catching on the weeds as the tube falls. There are a few different ways to rig a tube weedless. One is an internal weight as mentioned and the other is a pegged bullet weight and a wide gap hook. I love using a tube as a punch bait. Once it falls through the weeds and hits bottom, it'll release the air trapped inside. I call it burping a tube. Unlike most soft plastics used for punching, bites come after the bait has fallen. I just let it sit for a while after it burps and that is when most of my bites take place. A tube with less, or no salt will rest tail up and seems to work better for this technique.

Buck never said all fish go deep after cold fronts. Just because a small percentage of fish seek the security of holding tight to cover doesn't disprove his theory that fish will seek security under cold front conditions and deep water offers security. I consider myself a serious angler and I've caught hundreds of bass under cold front conditions fishing deep structure. IMO the addition of down and side imaging units have actually proven Perry's findings to be accurate. What has been removed from his system is the methodical approach to covering the water column. If, as an angler, you are content fishing shallow water cover, do so. If, on the other hand, you want to understand the fish migration patterns and become a more versatile angler, don't discount the knowledge Mr. Perry has passed on as bogus.

Culprit 7.5 worm, or a tube. I’ll switch to a big worm during the summer.

Where can I get one? Seriously