J Francho

Mass is mass. 1 gal. of water weighs over 8 lbs., regardless.

I hate it, too. And I fish a club series for points. Maybe being a non boater/co angler changes my perspective. I don't have as much opportunity at the back of the boat for the fish that boater is targeting. Why would I try for sloppy seconds? I fish for a few big bites.

EVERYTHING you ever needed to know about the drop shot: http://www.richz.com/fishing/articles/dropshot.html Personally, I use 3/8 oz and 1/2 oz. more than any other weight. A #4 Gamakatsu Split Shot/Drop Shot hook works great with those baits.

Can't go wrong with Shimano Permalub and Bantam oil.

Why not? Here's my son at 7 after literally stealing my spinnerbait rig:

My wife has a Nook 3G. She likes it, it was simple to setup. It's all we really know, but I don't have any complaints.

That statement makes me curious. Not trying to start a big debate here, but there is low recruitment on Erie, and it's a world class smallmouth fishery, as in a possible record holder. The majority of fish there are the biggest fish in the lake. It's a reverse pyramid there. High recruitment would mean greater quantities of smaller fish. I'm just not sure recruitment is always a good barometer of a fishery's health. I think you have to correlate lack of a food source due to a lack of weeds to make that statement. Perhaps having an overly abundant food source (round gobies) trumps cover. In the past, you used to have to find a clump weeds on Lake Ontario to locate smallmouth. Not anymore. There aren't any weeds. Many local lakes use weed eater machines here. Homeowners treat their lawns, which leaches into the surrounding waters. All this adds up to pea soup in mid to late summer. Algae blooms take in the sunlight and nutrients. The fish are still there, but they relate more to existing cover. Docks, laydowns, and overhanging trees all create shadows that bass use. They also seem to congregate on ledges, and near current - near, not in.

It's a bail arm. Probably $5 for the part,and $5 to ship it. Get a bottle of oil for $1.50, and hit the obvious spots with it.

The model # should be on the side of the reel. Then go up to the Shimano site and DL the proper schematic, which will tell what part number to order when calling the parts dept. at 877-577-0600.

I thought bathymetrics was about depth of your shower?...... You are correct Mike, but it's your job to be right, LOL.

Define "warm." I need to see steady low 60s and a full moon around the corner before I'll see fish locked on beds.

I'm pretty sure he's looking for depth charts.

Topography? Try this: http://www.findyourwater.com/

It was moved to the proper category. I thought I left a redirect to it, but I must not have. Please take a look at the sticky topics and forum FAQ.

My son, Big Al, and I worked as part of the ground crew at the NY BASS Chapter Federation's "Take a Soldier Fishing" day on Oneida Lake. Some may know, bass are off limits until mid May, when the walleye are done spawning, but you are allowed to target freshwater drum, panfish, and pickerel with soft plastics. Al and I got to get out for a couple hours, and here's our big catch of the day, finally caught on a tube. We spotted this fish in some flooded timber - the lake is up about three feet from heavy rains, and much of the shoreline is flooded. Al thought it was a shopping bag floating in the shallows, but I saw that was a live. It was tailing in the shallows, stirring up worms and bugs, pigging out without a care in the world. Al hooked for a few seconds, using a wacky jigged finesse worm, but lost it. I hooked four more times, on a 3" tube and the hook kept pulling free. Once I had him hooked really good, and the line broke, almost knocking me in the head, LOL. After about an hour of chasing him in Big Bay, we finally landed him. 13 lb. 12 oz. Freshwater Drum, by far my largest. Al was right there with the net. Without him, no way I boat this thing on 6# fluoro.

#2 for peanut size baits. #3 for most cranks. #4 for big deep divers and small to medium swimbaits.

Boiling water. Dip it, and reform it.

Owner Wide Gap Plus, Offset Worm Hooks, and Straight Shank Flipping hooks are all pinched at the eyelet. Snell them, and you'll have no issue - been doing this for years. Otherwise, get BMF or Paycheck hooks that are welded.

Works fine for cranks....I have three.

Snell it.

Coontail = Jigs =

6# Invizx on a 2500 size Shimano reel, and some KVD L&L Conditioner works great for me. My avatar was caught using that gear.

The pond is gone, but thankfully you're still here. I hear it pretty wild out that way.

Fluorocarbon is a mono filament line.

Wait until three. They're worse. You got to get them where it hurts. Figure that out, and you have control. Some kids, it isn't spankings. Others, a pat on the butt is so humiliating, that's all it takes. For my oldest, free time was where I had leverage. For the youngest, counting to three, and then corner, and if that doesn't work, a pat (literally, LOL) on the butt, and he's like putty in my hand.