J Francho

You cook them in a deep fryer? Is that the only way to cook them? I've never even heard of eating the eggs. The idea intrigues me a bit though as I like to try new foods. Skein from yellow perch is very good. Just cut it cross ways into little disks, roll them in egg then flour and pan fry in a little vegetable oil. Make a sour cream and chive dipping sauce. This was a great treat when I was younger.

I use a St. Croix Avid AVC62MXF and a Daiwa Black Widow. You can get Black Widows at Tackle Warehouse for $99.99 right now. Its basically the old TD-A (Tierra now) with an extra bearing and a sweet paint job. You should also consider a Shimano Citica. Anything 6:1 or faster is fine for jerkbaits. I use 12# P-line CXX X-Tuf. Braid + fast action rod + treble hooks = lost fish.

As a "recovering Catholic," and a person that has faith in many things spiritual, one the greatest gifts bestowed upon us was the ability to question things.

I'm about 5-7 and the only time my height is a factor is when using topwater and jerkbaits or other "tip down" presentations. I have a short handle, 6-2 rod for that. Flipping is generally a "tip up" presentation. I've been eying 8' heavy cover rods, and currently use a 7-6 for flipping mats and such. For trout fishing in streams, rod lengths start at about 7', and we use them up to about 15'. As with all things, it may take time and practice, and some people just don't have the same coordination as others. I know I was downright goofy with my flipping stick when I first got it. It takes time.

Treat it with KVD L&L as soon as you spool it up. Its great line. So is Siege. In fact, the fish in my avatar was caught on 8# Siege and a 4# FC leader.

Can't go wrong with some Bombers. Get a couple of Secret Weapon Lures minikits - like having four spinnerbaits in one, for $10. 2x Zara Super Spooks, 1 black broke-back Jitterbug, 1 Sammy 115 in Aurora Black. 2x Rapala X-Rap XR-10, 2x Pointer 100. For colors, I like a white bait and something with a blue black back. Primary baitfish in my area are alewife. If yours is shad, then something more golden or golden-purple woulod suit you. I realize the Pointers and Sammy are pricey baits, but the Sammy and the Pointers are very much worth every penny.

And, good luck this year, my back of the boat brutha!

Uhhh, I don't, smallies? Do they even count? Just kidding - Post them man!!!!! These early reports are great for me, while I wait for open water up here.

Most stores sell a trout six pack of Panther Martin inline spinners. PowerBait Trout Dough works, as will small spoons, like Kastmasters, Little Cleos, Phoebes, KO Wobblers. If the surface temp gets about 55°, the fish will retreat to deeper, cooler water. Any medium-light power/moderate action spinning rod will work. 6# line should be sufficiant. I landed this hoss on 4# leader

Have you ever felt like 6.4:1 wasn't fast enough? 15 years ago, 5:1 was "Super High Speed." My first reels were like 3:1, LOL. I could see 7:! or faster being useful for toads, or other baits you burn across the surface, but not jigs or t-rig worms and creatures.

OK, I am pretty anal about a lot of things fishing, and tend to be details oriented, but this takes "measurebator" to a new level. Wouldn't it just be easier to tie up the bait, and cast it to see if it all works together?

I know what you mean - I have fresh hook OCD.

I think having a longer, heavy power rod is more important for fishing heavy cover than a fast reel. A longer rod allows you to set the hook and lift the fish from cover in motion. Since you're usually fishing close, reeling in rarely comes into play.

Keuka Lake? Smallies? They are there. I've only had success in spring and fall. Our club had a tournament there last summer, I couldn't buy a bass bite, LOL. I did catch several 4 lb.+ trophy pickerel.

Fluorocarbon is much more resistant to degradation than mono. I refill when it dips below about 1/4" below the full spool from retying. Usually about once every 3-6 weeks, depending on how much use the rig gets. As far as swapping out mono, your rigorous maintenance schedule is way overboard. Use KVD Line & Lure Conditioner to get better life from your mono. Incidentally, I don't really like mono until its been fished for about two hours. i usually change it once a month. The other option is to switch to a copolymer. P-Line CXX X-Tuf and Yo-Zuri Hybrid are two off the top of my head that are better than just about any mono for bass fishing. i opnly use mono for winter steelheading.

Unless they're lake trout, most salmonoids spawn in streams. How big are the trout?

Someone just posted last week about a trout hitting a lipless crank... This Chinook took a Rattlin' Rapala in the Genny:

I just refurbished an original CI200 - THAT HAD NEVER BEEN CLEANED! When did these come out - '91? Underneath all the grit, grime, dried grease, mildew, and God knows what that chunk of stinky stuff was, was an amazingly smooth retrieving and easy to cast reel. In fact, aside from a little boat rash, and dated styling, it looked like a reel that was only a few years old. Get a new one, if you have the means.

Looks like you'll have to call Yakima's # listed on their site: 509-854-1311. I can't call right now, because I won't hang up without ordering $50 worth of baits.

To elaborate on manufacturers' claims, running depth is affected by line diameter and material as well.

Paul, your quality of life is significantly higher than those in the know about that song, LOL. Every time it came on the TV, I wanted to stick a fork in my eye. -------------------- I'll keep an eye out for them, but if you come up with anything, let me know - I'd like to give these a spin. They look like they'd suit my style as well.

Nope. Probably some congenital defect or injury related when the fish was just a fry. Here's mangled brown I caught last fall:

Wasn't that Right Said Fred? I really am too sexy for spinnerbaits ;D _______________________ I don't see them on Yakima's website. They might not be out. I bet *** has the poop on them.

Dude that works? So i can just throw together a rig without buying all the D/S tackle? If you want to fish finesse style baits, then I highly recommend a rod in 6'6-7' range, and MED/X-Fast power action. If you want to experiment with bigger stuff, use a rig appropriate for the cover. I have a Kistler 6'9" "Dropshot Special" that I use for light DS, flick-shake, light standup and shaky jigs, and split shot/Mojo rigs.The drop shot rig solves a few problems when fishing. Do you hate waiting for a Senko to get down to 15+ FOW water, where the fish are? Use a DS rig with a 3-4' drop line to speed past the upper unproductive water. Tired of your tubes and beavers betting tore up by zebra mussels, and your line getting nicked? Use a DS rig to keep the business end of your presentation just out of trouble. Ever thought that if you could just keep your plastic worm or creature in that weed pocket just a little longer, you could get that big girl? Use a DS rig to pin it in the hole. Ever wanted to "suspend" your finesse worm 20' down in 40 FOW on the fringe of a huge baitball with actively feeding bass? Use a DS rig, and set your electronics to narrow beam to "fish in the cone" like an ice fisherman. There are lots of applications, not all necessarily require a special rod.

As a former boater and a non boater now, I still do not understand the urge by some boaters for equality in expenses. The club I fish in uses a random draw for launch order and pairings. Its a team format, and you weigh in the best five fish between the two angler team. BASS and BFL type trails are a whole 'nother beast. I'll leave that political mess for another thread.... In my club, I generally bring six rods, and a Flambeau AZ8 tackle bag. Rods I ALWAYS bring: 6-9 M/XF spinning 7-0 M/Mod casting 7-6 XH/F casting I fill the other three slots based on the lake, and time of year. Generally, its 2x 7 MH/F casting rods and a 6-2 M/XF TW/JB rod. If I'm going to be fishing open water for smallies, I'll sub my tube spinning rod, and some lighter casting rods. If its going to be a crankfest, then I'm bringing another M/Mod cranker and a MH/Mod. If its going to be a slopfest, I will bring all the MH/F rods I can scrounge up, and any H-XH gear I have. Do your homework, decide your techniques, take into account that your in the back of the boat, and plan accordingly. An example of positive "back boat mentality" would be bringing a deep crank, worm 'n jig rig, and spinnerbait rig for fishing the spawn. You'll want to concentrate on fish tat are either still prespawn, or the non spawners while your boater sits on a bed. He's in a 6' or less, and you'll be plying the heck out of 10-15 FOW.