Handy

It's a sure thing when fishing with my brother he will be the one to catch them while I get nada, so we switch spots so I can feel better and catch one and I don't and he does in the spot I was just in! Paul

My color choices are very simple. Cranks, dark back light belly. Some of my cranks are silver belly black back and some are yellow belly blue back. And some firetiger. As for plastic all are either watermelon green with red flake, smoke with some sort of flake, and pumpkinseed. Paul

Hey gys, I bought a bc for 30$ and have to say I was not impressed. I can't get any decent distance from it or accuracy, even buy using a half ounce weight. I did set it up by reading a "how to" somewhere. Someone is going to say practice but I have had it for 2 years and will spend some time every now and then working with it but nothing changes. I am thinking a better quality unit will help. I am not hung up on brand names so any suggestions will work. I am willing to spend around 80$. Thanks. Paul

Ketchup on a brat? Yep, that's my steak sause(LOL)! I even put it on steak. I get teased on this allot. I just don't like many other sauces. Onece in a while bbq sauce but other than that ketchup. And it comes in little packets that are easy to carry in my lunchbox. i have also been told I am weird, not an insult, I know I am different than most. I do allot of stuff thats "not the right way to do that". Paul

I read somewhere(I think here) that a guy boiled water then pours it into a thermos and then puts in hot dogs. When it's time to eat you have a nice hot meal. I have done this with brats and it worked very well for me. Just make sure to take buns and ketchup. It definately makes for a nice change of pace from pb&j's and granola bars. Paul

I live in north central Iowa and today it is 2 degres. Yesterday it was 8 with 35 mph winds! There is about 24 plus inches of ice on almost all bodies of water. I do go ice fishing and that does help with cabin fever but it just isn't the same. I thought about fishing in one of the little creeks that somehow manages to stay open even with these temps and is only a 1 ft deep, but it would still be fishing(LOL). I did catch a Largemouth saturday ice fishing, about 14 inches long nice an fat, many bluegill and a 18 inch channel cat. Paul

I would only use them in open water as being on the braid hoop would mean they could "flop" around abit and catch some grass or wood. I have some but use them for other riggings. Hope this helps. Paul

I just came across this crank from SK and was wondering if anybody has any feedback on it. Thanks. Paul

From what I have read most guys don't like them at all. I did like them but 2 years ago they stopped producing for me so they went into the "extras" box. If you do get some sharpen the hooks right away, most of mine were dull out of the box. Paul

I caught one last year at about 13 inches. A friend of mine caught 2 about a month ago at 15 plus. I read an article about it and the auther said the trick is to find them. When I caught mine I was using a red northland forage minnow spoon with wax worms on, it not sure what my friend used but I know he does use waxies too. I was hoping to catch one this year but none yet, just bluegill, crappie and catfish. Paul

I caught a huge leather back turtle, my youngest son, his own head. My friends dad some large water fowl bird(don't remember wich kind) and my friend caught a drift sock loaded with lures. Paul

Randall, summers where I live run in the high 80's quite routinely and can have frequent jumps into the 90's, with high humidity too(80-90%). I was thinking about dragging a carolina rig around in deeper water last year but never got to it. Now I am thinking I need to pick the right spot to do so ie cover or structure. Right now in Iowa though the water is very cold with 22(at least) inches of ice on top. Paul

I have noticed a temp difference in my friends pond and one of the smaller bodies I fish(that I have swam in). Compared to the surface temp my feet felt cold and when you dive down you really could feel the change. This ussually takes place around 6 ft deep(I know beacause I am a little over 6ft tall). All of my local fishing holes have algea blooms with the largest being the clearest with visibility up to 6ft+-. The others only have visiblility to maybe 2ft(sometimes less) except in the fall they will clear up a little bit. But 2 years ago one was almost gin clear wich was very cool because I could see what the bottom looked like. OK, there is a temp change I know for sure, how would this change how and where I would fish and do you think there would be 02 in the cooler layer at the bottom? In the heat of the summer would fish be there instead of the warm upper layer? Paul

It goes onto the worm to the middle then slide the hook just under the o ring. It helps to prevent tearing the worm in half everytime you catch a fish. You do need to size the o ring to the worm though. Just tight enough to hold it in place. You can use split rings to for a little more weight. It looks weird with the hook facing the way it does but has not been a problem for me in any way. Hope this helps. Paul

I fish mainly smaller bodies of water 44 acres and less and most of them are 13ft deep at best except one that tops out at 22ft deep(it's the one that's 44 acres). While doing some winter reading I came across the section in my book about thermoclines and got to thinking does one form in small shallow bodies water? I have not seen any signs of one on my sonar but I have not really tinkered with the settings much on it. Anybody experience this on small shallow waters? Thanks. Paul

Hi guys, This year I have decided to actually use a jig and need some good sound jigs to use. What are your favs and wich ones do you hate. I currently have a couple of spot stalker jigs in 1/8 and 1/4 ounce. Thanks. Paul

I bought one strike king king kong and it caught nothing but water even in pike waters. It is now in the extra stuff box. I am looking at the tru-tungsten adjustable swimbait. Paul

This subject is very interesting. I just finished a book on bass fishing and in it the auther states to use wide in spring and tighter wiggle in summer. One of the reasons for the skinny bait in the summer was you could crank it in faster. I ussually just throw what I think(wide vs tight) will work and go from there. Paul

I bought one a few weeks ago at cabelas but have not been able to use nor will I get a chance anytime soon as I will have to put up with hard water for at least 2 1/2 months yet. But it does seem built well and the few colors I saw looked really good. I hope it works as well as it looks. Paul

I am looking for a custom rod maker. I am in need of a custom rod and don't think I can do it correctly myself. Anyone here do it for others? Thanks. Paul

I too have caught a few largemouths flyfishing. Small to most but where I live good sized and nice eaters. Catch allot of bluegill too but that doesn't bother me, that's just part of fishing. I really enjoy it but don't get to do it allot, I don't cast well enough to fight the wind so I only do it on calmish days. I also flyfish for creekchubs, then I go catfishing. I have even caught minnows on a teeny tiny fly. I still laugh at that one. I say its fun. Go for it. Paul

When your friends and family call you on the cell phone and don't ask what you are doing, just what lake you are at and hows the fishing. Or somehow you have a peice of tackle with you at all time. For some reason I carry a small bomber square a with me in my winter coat sans hooks and there seems to be a loose peice of tackle in every vehicle I own. Paul

My daughter always wanted to go when I went but the older she gets the more I get the "na I'll stay home". She will be 13 in December. She loved to go buy lures, baited her own hooks(live bait), took her fish off unless it was really deep hooked and for the most part would fish the whole time and not complain. So I guess I can't complain. As for the wife part, she can't say anything as we are divorced. I can buy all the gear I can afford(key word here is "afford") and no evil stares. My mother used to fish with my dad once in a while when they were younger. I bet she would still go if he asked her to when he went. My friends wife goes with him allot to fish and they do enjoy the time together so good for them. My brothers wife fished with us on our family vacation up in northern Minnesota and had a good time. So I do know a few women that fish but none that have the bug like I do. I would like to meet a woman that liked to fish but wouldn't have to go with every time as I do enjoy fishing alone. Paul

There are different version in the smartcast family. I bought one 2 years ago and really enjoyed using it. I got the one with the largest screen, not the wrist or rod mounted ones. It did help me to find structure wich is what I was after. It was not super accurate but would show depth and conture and if there were fish there. I havn't used it for some time as I bought a 2 man "bassboat" and a normal sonar. But if you fish only from shore I will say it did work just don't be thinking you will be getting 3d side imaging quality screens, it is basic. Hope this helps. Paul

I bought one but have yet to catch anything with it. I have had some small bass hit at it but not enough to take it. Still going to through it and will see if it gets better. If it doesn't it goes into the "extra" tacklebox. Paul