DaubsNU1

1. 2" White power grub 2. 7" blue fleck power worm 3. Chartreuse spinner bait 4. Black buzz bait 5. Rainbow trout colored 6" Slug-Go

Good stuff. Thanks!

One of my 20+year old fishing rods lost a guide...I have a replacement guide...looking at rod dryer systems... Complete rod building kits are not much more. Anyone build their own fishing rods? I have a few Cabela's C44x casting rods with spiral guides...gets the line under the rod...been thinking of building my own.

I like Strike-King. I have some older spinner-baits that have some crazy strong and flexible shafts (titanium?). Can't remember who made them as most of my lures are from the early to mid 1990's. Uncle told me once, "lure manufacturers are more interested in catching fishermen than they are fish..." There sure are a lot of lures out there these days...

Holy crap A-Jay! Wife was complaining because it's -5 here in Nebraska this morning with a wind-chill of -27. You win! (or lose) Stay warm brothers!

Not bad, and as others have stated, you got the fish landed. I like a quick, sharp hook-set, that drives the hook in to the fish mouth. I want to feel the weight of the fish on my line to make sure that hook is good and set. When reeling in fish, I keep my rod at least 45 degree angle...that way I can adjust quickly. If I sense a big fish is on, and going to make a run to deeper water, I can lower the rod tip and give him some slack. If the fish is running towards me to ease tension on the line, and potentially throw my lure, I can raise rod and keep pressure on him. As others have said, I raise rod to move the fish, then lower rod and reel. When fish get close to the shore or boat, I raise the rod tip and use it as a shock absorber...again, if the fish makes a run, I can lower the rod and give him room. With the rod tip high, it acts like a shock absorber. I've seen many anglers keep a low rod or even point at the fish as they approach the boat...and have seen many fish make a run and snap the line. Keep the rod tip high, and keep tension on the fish. Hand placement on spinning rods: I hold the rod in front of the reel seat and ride the handle against my forearm if the fish is big. I'm using my bicep to power the fish in, not my wrist. If it's a smaller fish, I keep the same grip and instead of using my bicep, I just work it with my wrist. Gives me best of both worlds. Hop on Youtube and watch professional anglers videos...mimic their techniques.

Great list. I would add... 1. Don't be afraid to fish new water, smaller lakes / reservoirs , even ponds. 2. Don't be afraid to try new lures, or something different. My personal best was an 8 lb. largemouth caught on a rainbow trout colored slug-go on a 2 acre pond in NE Missouri. This was in the early 90's, when slug-go's were pretty new. My #2 biggest bass is just under 5 lbs.

My brother got an electric steer trolling motor...he can lock on a spot and it will keep him there. Very cool. I cannot stand to drive it...so used to my cable steer trolling motor. I keep a small anchor and rope in the front of my boat. Also keep brush gripper, I fish lots of flooded timber.

Minnow: I don't fish tournaments, no need for a live-well, not looking to spend a ton of $$ or completely rip out everything and build a "Tiny Boat." They are very cool, just not something I'm interested in at this point in my life (I've got a 72 Chevy K-20 project truck for chits-n-giggles). And my brother is very close to ordering a Lund Alaskan. Goals for this boat: Keep it a simple, light weight, don't-care-if-I-bang-in-to-trees fishing boat Create better layout / efficiency / ergonomics, while keeping costs down Ability for two fisherman, especially my 80 year old Dad Thinking more...and adding to the list: Installing electric control/switch panel, tying everything together Adding night-time running lights Re-wiring the bilge pump Adding an inexpensive on-board charger Running wiring for the front and rear fish finders Motor needs a carb kit and tune...I've owned since 2001 and the only thing I've done to the engine is change plugs, & installed new water pump last summer...that's it(!) My brother has a guy locally, will probably take it to him. The old Merc was a little testy last summer...

Overall layout works well for the way I fish. Need to re-design the trolling motor mount and incorporate the new Garmin 73sv. Thinking of a hatch on the up-front casting deck to utilize the area underneath for storage. Possibly deck over the gas tank and battery(?). Will be doing some wiring, I plan on a Garmin Striker 4cv for the rear of the boat. Thoughts / suggestions are welcome...Thanks!

Just picked up Garmin Echomap 73SV...and will be doing the same, mounting my transducer on trolling motor. I want it secure and non-moveable. I think they are pretty tough.

Agree with Big 'un, give the solar powered trickle charger / maintainer a try. Before my shop had power, I had a heck of a time keeping ATV's, John Deere garden tractor, and my boat batteries charged in the winter (Nebraska). I ran an extension cable down there and got inexpensive chargers / maintainers for each...works well. Now that I have power in the shop, the chargers / maintainers are hooked year round. No problems starting in temps well below freezing, and even single digits. You may just have to pull the battery and charge it...

Update: Wife and daughters got me a Garmin Striker 4 ice fishing bundle for Christmas. They said it was the only Garmin they could find at the time. I was very thankful! Wife said it it wasn't the right unit, go ahead and return or exchange. Scheels had the Garmin ECHOMAP UHD 73sv with GT54 Transducer on clearance for $499... I managed to snag one of the last three in the store. They were going pretty fast. Striker exchange was good for $250, so I had to pony up $267 out of pocket... Glad I waited...Echomap and touch screen should be nice additions. Appreciate all the advice!

I'm right here close to you in Eastern Nebraska. For me, hunting is really my favorite...fishing is something to kill the time between seasons. Duck and Goose ended last week at my brother's spot (I wasn't able to go with him last weekend). Buddies own land on the Platte...we can hunt through first week of February. I get really antsy after the Super Bowl...hunting season closes, still ice on the lakes...not much of a basketball fan now that my kids are out of HS. February and March are tough times. I will likely get back to my 1972 Chevy K-20 project truck until open water. Brother and I are building a new blind...will probably work on that. I've already organized my fishing tackle, cleaned and oiled reels, got the boat winterized and squared away.

I have a side gig as a picture guy (senior pictures, family, sports, headshots, occasional wedding). Started probably 15 years ago with just base level camera...then cousin loaned me her camera for a night....Ooooooooh, what a difference between her good camera / lens, and my entry-level stuff...it was over right there. Once you experience good "glass" it's pointless to go back to entry-level. So now, 15 years later I have about $10k worth of cameras and lenses in my bag, all pro-level stuff. So when I dusted off my reels and rods (all purchased in the early to mid 1990's) I purposely did NOT get anything new. Won't even touch the new stuff when I'm at Cabela's or Scheels...cause I know...once I spin that $400 reel, it's coming home with me. That is all...

Buddy had Tracker...hated it. My brother has been planning for a Lund Alaskan for many years. He's school teacher, retiring in 5 years...going to get his Alaskan this summer. He's stoked. Awesome boat...18', 90hp merc, single console.

Man, you are #1, brave. And #2, lucky! My Dad told a story of duck hunting the Platte River in Nebraska. It's known to be "an inch deep, and a mile wide," but there are deep spots, holes, etc. They were hunting December, temps in the 30's...this was back in the 1980's, before neoprene waders and people wearing PFD's. They were setting out decoys in the dark...looked down river...buddy was there one minute, gone the next. He stepped in a hole and went under, shotgun in hand. Dad and Uncle quickly got the decoy boat, by that time he had surfaced and was shivering. They got to him quickly and tried to get him in the boat...he refused...said he was standing on his shotgun (water was only a few feet deep now). He dunked down, got the gun...hopped in the boat, and they rowed him to the bank. Got to his truck, didn't even take off his waders, and drove home. Spooked him pretty bad. Stay careful out there!

Great advice above (heck, I learned something just now). My set up is old, and I don't fish huge bodies of water. My 14' Rich Line has had 40lb / 12v Minn Kota purchased in 2000. I've always run a Wal-mart marine deep cycle battery...nothing special, around $100. I can fish all day no problem. Does just fine. I charge it nightly. When I'm fishing electric only lake, I throw on a transom mount 36lb / 12v Minn Kota and add another battery. On calm water I can hit 4 MPH with the bow mount only...adding the transom trolling motor gets me to 5 MPH (gotta love phone GPS). Find a way to secure your rods / store your rods. You can kind of see how I store mine here. I am really paranoid about rod security...all mine are Cabela's brand from the 1990's...can't buy them any more. Also, think about other storage -- the green dry bag contains the following: - PFDs - Fishing log - First Aid Kit - Whistle - Boat lights - Extra trolling motor blade - Tools - Towels - Wet wipes (TP) - Raingear This spring I will probably put in a door and store stuff under the front casting deck.

I fished a belly-boat for a long time. Picked one up from the Bargain Cave at Cabela's...unfortunately they got rid of the bargain cave. Amazon... https://www.amazon.com/Belly-Boat/s?k=Belly+Boat Belly-boat can be fished in a swimsuit, or with waders. Easy to transport as well. Next fishing vessel was an old canoe a buddy got from his uncle for next to nothing. Hunting buddy sold me his 12' jon-boat for $100. Paid welder to patch all the holes for $75. It's a decoy boat at our waterfowl spot now. Found my 14" Rich Line in 2000. Paid $600 for boat, trailer and 20hp Merc...the trailer was basically brand new at the time. Good deals are out there...keep searching.

I had some old spinner baits and jigs and the band that holds skirts were old and cracked. Some I replaced with new skirts from BP/Cabela's... Others were reinforced with some old braid fishing line. They are holding up well.

New note to self, courtesy of Minnow... Always, I mean ALWAYS "check out" when there is no one in the house to rat-me-out to the wife. : )

The wife pulled a fast one on me...for weeks she kept saying, "we aren't getting each other Christmas presents this year...our trip to Arizona the first week of January is our present..." Of course I ignored that declaration and got her a few gifts...trekking poles for our trip, fun/naughty socks ("I baked you a batch of shut-the-f$#K-up-cakes"), and a few other things, which shoe opened Christmas Eve. Of course she gave me crap, "thought we weren't getting presents..." Christmas morning her boys (18-16) were up early to open their presents...I walk out to find a Garmin fish finder on the fireplace : ) Very cool! It is the Garmin Plus 4 Ice Fishing Bundle https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/735509/pn/010-01870-30. I'm likely going to exchange it and get the following: Back of boat: Striker 4cv Front of boat, on trolling motor: Striker 7sv Happy Christmas to all!

Keep a close eye on the Cabela's and Bass Pro web sites...I thought I had found a smoking deal...only to realize the item was not in stock or available on-line : ( Good luck!

Well, hell... That messes up that theory. I might have to re-think my plans going forward. My trolling motor, at max setting, can barely hit 4 MPH. Thoughts?

Really? 4-5 MPH? I was hoping I could have it on my trolling motor...just sitting there...then turn the trolling motor sideways and "look" in front of the boat(???)