Dwight Hottle

It might not make any difference. A pound of trout consumed is the same whether it be 2 or 4 except they have to eat twice as often. The trout bucketeers might fish more often or longer to compensate for the reduced size. Lots of variables in that equation. Since they are stocking less weight the obvious conclusion would be that the bass don't reach as heavy a weight as they had under the old program. The good thing is they will still be stocking that high protein food source.

Fishing slow & slower when they are off helps for sure. Sounds like a really nice day.

Mark maybe I wasn't sending baits just some old recycled fruitcakes.

The spoon might be ineffective if you are constantly dragging it in river current. It works best vertically. Fishing bottom or in your case ledges in water deeper than 10 feet up to about 40 feet. I like to use it over marked fish on bottom and drifting to cover water. I use light braid tied to a very small swivel then 10-15 mono from the swivel to a snap. The mono leader is only about 2-3 feet. If your fishing over rocky bottom and snagging a lot try just touching bottom then jig just off bottom letting the spoon touch down very occasionally. The fish usually hit on the drop after the jigging up stroke. If still snagging try replacing the treble with a single hook. Spoons & blades are like jigs in the success category. You won't believe in them until you have your first success then it can be a lights out. For me in deeper water I prefer spinning tackle over baitcasting for dropping the bait in the water column. If you get bite on the drop & forget to engage the spool you will have a serious birdnest. Just another tool in the box to make your day on the water better.

I prefer a blade bait over the jig for vertical fishing. I use jigging spoons too. The blade bait gets the nod over the spoon about 60% to 40%. I think the blade works better because of the increased vibration.

I was skeptical about the handle myself. It looks slippery but it is not. No problems with the grip in the rain either. I prefer cork but after using it for a day it became very comfortable and a non issue.

And the handle never gets dirty.

I got a new largemouth PB but I had to sneak down to Florida to do it. Smallie fishing on lake Erie was tougher this year than most other years.

I have the LXC74HF which I use for 1/2 to 1oz jigs & plastic swim baits like big EZ . You will like it if you pull the trigger.

You weren't using the 6th Sense Provoke 106 were you? Seriously sometimes a fish pushes the bait forward & it does feel different. That slight change makes me strike every time.

Mark I haven't used one but if you send me one I'll happily review it for you.

A custom is the best way to go to get exactly what you want as others have mentioned. The legend extreme black handle is very comfortable for me. The elite would give you a conventional handle but the blanks are mostly all fast or extra fast actions. The extreme has some great moderate action blanks if that is what you are looking for.

Under six lbs, probably 5.25 to 5.75 is my guess. Does not look like a lake erie fish. Looks like a long fish around 20-21 inches. Nice smallie no matter what it weighs.

You are right on. His wife & he both appreciate what you are doing behind the scenes while they deal with the major problems.

You got to be joking.

My hardest hit fishing freshwater fish would have to be a Niagara river salmon or Tennessee river striper. In saltwater it would be a big kingfish or a 35lb permit in the gulf.

Thanks I had not noticed that. It's 12-13-14. And like my buddy A-Jay I caught a 11-2 on 12-11-14. A-Jay caught a 11-11 on 11-11-13.

Florida bass.

Lou I sent you a pm.

Had a buddy from Atlanta come down for two days of fishing. Unfortunately for us both we were involved with a major cold front. Temps went down into the low forties each night. Anybody familiar with Florida bass fishing knows or have experienced tough, tough fishing after a cold front hits. Usually the bass shut down for days up to a week. The cold front started on Tuesday & we were fishing Wednesday & Thursday with dampened anticipation for the next two days. Day one really sucked because of water flow problems stirring up silt & plant debris. Day two started out cold & foggy but the water was clearing & still. We started catching fish right away. Long story short we had a really good day. My long time fishing buddy caught a new pb & I did as well. We had about 20 fish between 4-5 lbs. Two fish between 5-6lbs. Three fish between 6-7lbs. Dave's pb bass went 8lbs-8oz and my pb bass went 11lbs-2oz. What a day for a cold front! The magic baits were indigenous swimbaits.

Another entry for my fattest bass caught yesterday. She measured 26.5"x19" girth.

A December pair from Florida.

Light weight braid with a mono leader.

Sweet trip guys. And the lucky horseshoe lives.