PhishLI

The majority of my local fishing is at no-boats lakes. My leg-up is wading, but I really can't see much more than someone stuck on the bank as I really can't get out too far. Pad fields are obvious in where they begin and end, but weed beds aren't at 40'-150' out. I use jigs as a tool to find where they begin and end, and the lanes in between them. When the fish aren't eating up, or directly in the weeds, or when I can't get them to bite there, I like to run the open lanes of those weed bed edges and the gaps I've found. They're perfect ambush points, and just like running baits right on the edge of lily pad fields, I often find fish there waiting in ambush. Not necessarily with a jig either, but sometimes.

We have 9 acre millponds around here with a similar forage base, including eels, where 9 lbers have been caught. My brother has a 6 acre spot right down the road where a 7.5lber was caught recently, and that joint has otters. Shiner lakes always have monsters in them. 170 acres of unmolested habitat with that forage base? No doubt that there are queens in there. Focus. Believe it. Do your thing, mix in some patience, and you're golden. Personally, I'd barely fish anywhere else if I were you. 170 acres doesn't sound like much, but it is, and it's a lot to unwind. Codes within codes over a full season. Get something simple like a Striker 4 just so you can map the contours and holes before the weeds come up. Find the ambush points and prime real estate/territories where a big might claim. If panfish beds pop up anywhere close to those areas post-spawn, work them hard.

We'll see you holding at least an 8lber eventually. For sure. Fish it hard during mid-late April/early May. The spookier bigs are somewhat reckless during late prespawn.

With that type of acreage, you've only scratched the surface then. Stunted populations rarely exceed 2 lbs in the north with a whole bunch of fully mature 1- 1.25lbers dominating. It's striking to see an old fish that small. You can't miss the difference compared to a young fish of the same length and weight. If you've caught 3.5lbers, there are pigs in there. Believe it. They won't be jumping into your boat, but they're 100% in there. Put in the time, adjust your pace and presentations, and you'll hit em eventually.

Outstanding! Congratulations! Guaranteed there are some big mamas in there for sure.

X2^^ The pinion bearing needs grease. Use a magnifying glass or a loupe and you'll find a circlip holding down the shields. Pull one and you can clean then grease the bearing if it isn't shot. Pinion bearings on the frame side are fragile. Even on Daiwas.

I have a box of different colored WPs. Threw black at night til my face fell off. Caught exactly 2 fish on those over a long season. One on a 75, and one on a 110. Nothing afterward. Bone has been OK. Not great. Bluegill, barely better, plus they're pickerel magnets. Monkeybutt, meh. Once I got a 75 in Perch I could do no wrong for nearly 2 years. Unreal. Since then, even it has dropped off, but I still throw them all and perch is the only one getting bit, especially at night. Just bought another one. All of this means nothing though, as it only applies to my waters. A whole bunch of 4 and 5 pounders got stung by these baits in small acreage spots by me and others, so I guess they've learned.

Do you fish very challenging waters, or at places where there are tons of fish? Are you discouraged by the difficulty in finding them, or are you bored because it's just too easy? My local waters see massive fishing pressure by anglers and despicable poachers, so every trip is Rubik's-Cube-tough. With those issues, I'm always challenged. It's never close to boring, so when I catch one, or get on a rare rally, it's cause for celebration. Even only one bite and miss during a trip will feel like a win because it's downloadable info. Something to work with for the next time. However, if I happened to live 75 miles east, like somewhere in Hamptons, and had total access to the resident's only lakes, I would definitely get bored. I know this because I have access to a few of them because I can fish there as a guest occasionally. When you can close your eyes, cast backwards, and catch a bass, it gets old very quickly. For me anyway. I've actually capped off a day of fishing out there with a night trip to one of my local grinder lakes just to wash off the easy. Once or twice a year at those places shooting fish in a barrel is enough for me. Do you fit into either category, somewhere in the middle, or has it simply all just gotten old? One of the reasons it stays interesting for me is that I like to go down rabbit holes. I don't like to keep it simple. One day I'll be fishing big swimbaits, and the next I'm fishing small finesse baits. I've proven to myself that I can find fish, so catching them in new and challenging ways outside of my middle-of-the road comfort zone has kept things spicy.

Exactly. I wouldn't feel weird about that at all. However, no way I'd have a reel named Myanus though. "Hey, take a look at Myanus". Nope.

Double check your form copy for errors. Sent a copy of the receipt too? Sent it registered mail? Mine came quickly.

This keeps happening around here. We get a little break, then a string of overnights in the 20s. Really chills the shallow spots around here especially with wind in the mix, and keeps bass glued to the out-of-reach deeper areas. The Pickeral are biting though. They've also swiped about $60 worth of baits during my few last outings. I got about 3 casts out of a brand-new Flashback Mini before I set into a stout one. Felt like I snagged a log until I saw the swell, felt the headshake, then blink, line cut like nothing once again.

Give it a whirl.

If it's a 703 or 733, no problem flinging a weightless 5" stick bait.

Z-Man Trick Shotz | Tackle Warehouse Z-Man - Tackle Warehouse

Here's a little more encouragement on the subject that just popped up and I screenshotted from one of our local bass pages.

Buy extras of the same size, lube them before installation, and swap them out occasionally or when you notice signs of degradation like stiffness. O-rings don't like UV.

This is what I've settled on. 4.2" Hazedong/Owner on left. 3.8" Saucy on right.

If like me, you despise un-skin hooking skin-hooked plastics, then these might be the ticket if you have a closed-loop hook keeper or no hook keeper and have only used the typical all-plastic Fujis as found on TW and elsewhere. Why this particular model seems to be an overseas-only model is mystifying. Amazon.com: Fuji Kogyo MHKM-R Multi-Hook Keeper, Red : Industrial & Scientific How is this a sale item? Well, do a general search typed out using the 3rd picture down as a reference and you'll be shown a link for the auction site at 1/2 that price and free shipping. I was surprised by how fast they arrived from Singapore.

Maybe here, but not everywhere and not for everyone. Going back to 2017, 12 of my 30+ rods are 13. Zero issues. Zero warranty claims, and I fish completely choked out swamps.

Word. Amen.

The OP quit fishing for hang gliding in 2017.

Awesome, man! I've learned that when crappie are in the zone, stay put. If they're chasing bait, bass come alive in that zone and are probably keyed in on the same bait, so I keep it small.

I've been using one for the past two weeks. Tested at its weight limit bombing 1 oz baits. No problem. Pulled in several big Pickeral so far. Slightly slower than an OMEN Black II which is a crisp MHF, so also using baits with heavier trebles will be fine. I like it. Might get another. Way better than its asking price. You'll probably like it.

Nah. Pickaxe.

I was at a no boats lake today and spent half my time with pruning shears opening up overgrown cuts and trimming branches behind me to protect from getting snagged on the backswing. Gotta do what ya gotta do. Sawzall next trip. I'm ready. I've needed to cut my way in to wade or else I'd have to fish from the shore with the rest of the suckas.