A-Jay

Anchoring safely is something that has not been mentioned in this thread and I'll admit I haven't read all the articles posted by Glenn so this may be contained in one or more of those. Anchoring is one of those things that many folks take for granted and when the weather is calm there really isn't much to it - you toss it out and then, you pull it in. This is what a career on the water has taught me about anchoring. Regardless of the weather conditions there is only 1 safe way to anchor any boat - and that is From The Bow. (Especially with a big O/B engine hanging off the stern). On calm days you can get way with simply tossing the thing over the port/starboard side or even off the stern but this is a very bad habit to get into because you may end up doing it on the wrong day. Even on an otherwise calm outing I've seen many vessels anchored off the stern with a very short scope of anchor line out, CAPSIZED by boat wakes. Again, deploying, securing and recovering an anchor, regardless of the level of inconvenience it may cause, is always done from the bow. As for anchor line length, in fairly calm conditions 5-7 times the depth of the water is standard. When attempting to hold a vessel in the conditions you described, 7-10 times the depth of the water is what is actually necessary to safely hold the bottom and often times that is not enough. So when you're in only 20 feet of water, you may need over 200 feet of anchor line. Very few vessels come with this much line and it's up to you to plan and equip your vessel appropriately. When anchored in any rough weather (or even heavy boat wakes) if your bow is coming close to dipping into or under water - your vessel is in danger of capsizing. I would also encourage you to read up on and practice the proper techniques to recover a fouled anchor (one that is stuck or wedged on the bottom or an obstruction and can not be recovered in a conventional manner). This is another situation that many anglers have not encountered and another one that if not approached safely and with some fore thought can turn an otherwise fun day on the water into a very bad day, especially when you add adverse weather conditions to the equation. Lastly, please teach your family and friends how and why to do it right as well, you'll be glad you did. Stay Safe. A-Jay

Muddy cold water is tough. You probably have already tried this but if you have not ~ maybe try looking a little shallower than you have been. The darker water might be a little warmer and could hold a few fish, especially when there is deeper water close by. As for a bait a Rapala X-Rap Deep in Hot Pink sometimes works under these conditions. A-Jay http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp;jsessionid=LZF0F4PTPSXPJLAQBBICCOVMCAEFCIWE?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat20166-cat600082-cat20388&id=0042758122451a&navCount=2&podId=0042758&parentId=cat20388&masterpathid=&navAction=push&catalogCode=IA&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat20388&hasJS=true

Hands down #1 producer for me last two seasons. St Clair Tease and BBQ Melon are both money. A-Jay http://www.providertackle.com//catalog/index.php?cPath=31_35&osCsid=7e7f7d70a82662d43e257f108da12e02

I love the night watch. Everything seems so different at night. The best thing is, you will routinely have the water all to yourself all night. As usual you have gotten some great responses from anglers who have burned more than their share of midnight oil while on the water. I'll add this ~ Having a very intimate knowledge of the area your fishing will really help when fishing at night, especially the first few times out. Knowing where the logs, rocks, shallow bars and all other hazards to navigation are is a must to ensure your safety besides being the areas that usually attract a few fish. GPS and waypoints help quite a bit but once you get on a spot, knowing which way the point extends and how far or where the weedlines starts and ends will help put the odds in your favor. Also when traveling from spot to spot - go slow - even if you know the lake like the back of your hand you might not see that partially submerged log ahead of you. Only go as fast as you are willing to crash into something. Besides, what's the rush, you've got all night ! Good Luck. A-Jay

I am a big Stick Jacket fan and that's a great price. A-Jay

This dinosaur was one of the larger specimens we've encountered. He followed us half the morning about 3-5 feet from the canoe. This guy was determined to get our baits as they came by. He did not but it was not for a lack of effort on his part. We were very glad we were not in the float tubes that morning. A-Jay

I used these. No rattles. A little tricky to rig. Might want to practice on a few recycled tubes. Rigged with an EWG hooks makes a nice compact weedless presentation. For reference - I use a 2/0 ewg hook with a 3.5" tube. A-Jay http://www.***.com/Yamamoto_Snagfree_Tube_Weight/descpage-YSTW.html

Yea that's fun - especially with virtually no horizon for reference. More than once I was a bit closer to the bank than I thought and ended up throwing my bait three-quarters of the way up a very tall pine tree ~ but I got a great hook set. A-Jay

I use an older model Plano spinnerbait box where the baits hang from the center vertically. For those of you using the pouch binder, do you have to let the baits dry out after use and before sealing them in the pouches ? A-Jay

As long as I get to see this smile ~ Life is good. A-Jay

Thank you A-Jay

x2 I took that information to heart before last season. I also picked up a nice swim jig starter kit (which has since turned into a hefty collection). These baits were very effective for me on both LMB and SMB. It's been very versatile taking fish around all kinds of cover from very shallow with 1/4 oz to about 15-20 feet with 3/8 oz in early spring right through fall. But the niche I found a swim jig fits into best is as sort of a semi-finesse cool water moving bait - if that make sense. During the spring when the fish aren't willing to hit a jerk bait, the swim jigs takes fish. The presentation I use almost exclusively but especially in the spring, starts with a cast into/around structure, cover, a drop off/ledge, (you get the idea) allowing the bait to get to the bottom and then nothing more than a slow steady retrieve. An occasional pause to allow the bait to sink will re-establish contact with the bottom - many many strikes occur during the pause/fall. I have thrown 1/4 and 3/8 oz baits on both casting and spinning gear and have no particular preference. Like any other bait, I let the conditions / cover dictate the tackle. Natural darker colors, greens, browns, dark reds - (sounds like crayfish colors) have been the best. And despite many anglers having good results throwing "spinner bait" colored swim jigs - whites, chartreuse and other bright colors, I have had almost NO fish on those colors. But when there are bait fish around, I'll keep trying. Also the 5.2 pb in my avatar gobbled up a *** 1/4 green pumpkin swim jig w/ 4" Berkley Power grub also in green pumpkin. A-Jay

;D ;D Good Stuff. But ~ Professional = pregnant dog ? I don't get it ? A-Jay

I didn't realize you were friends with the owner. We may never know. I love those reel and would be bummin' if it were one of mine. A-Jay

Although the reel was not used in salt water, many plastic baits do have salt added but I question if salt alone could do that kind of damage in such a short period of time. Really does look like an acid / corrosive issue though. What did the rod it came off look like ? A-Jay

I was incorrect. Took ten minutes and I found what I'll need to give it a go. Thanks again Garry2Rs A-Jay

Different strokes for different folks. I would at least like to try it out. Unless something new comes out, I will Never go back to fishing with reels full of anything but some kind of braid. The days of fishing with a elastic band are gone. With few exceptions, I'm throwing some kind of leader. I am not a fan of having the leader knot clicking it's way through the guides. I like trying new stuff. If nothing else, it gives me another option. I did this type of spice on a larger scale years ago while offshore trolling with high test Dacron line and mono top shot. I'm confident that it does have an effective application, at least for me. Getting the line seems easy enough but location one of those little needles to splice with sounds challenging. A-Jay

Way to go ! I am very jealous - the snows gone and we're still working on the ice. A-Jay

I'm guessing reality. Is that Power Pro's new Hollow Ace line spliced with the needle (from the guy on the West Coast) that could put 12 to 15 pound fluoro inside this PP 40# test ? I'm not sure if this is going to be the next big thing, but I am very interested and would certainly appreciate any and all information you'd be willing to share. A-Jay

That's it. The spinning rod covers fit a bit looser than the casting rod models. However, as a previous BR member posted in another thread, a little touch up with a heat gun on the cover (without the rod in it) will snug it up nicely. A-Jay

All Blue & Yellow? I think we have ourselves a Wolverine fan here. ;D Well, sort of - My wife is really the true fan. I think the bait monkey might have picked those particular colors to get financial clearance for the purchase. A-Jay

Sorry I can not help you with a comparison regarding the Mojo or the Gloomis. I'm sure others can and will. A-Jay

That's one big bug-eyed bass. Nice Job ! A-Jay

I really enjoyed watching the BASS weigh-ins before they started with the 360 deal because after that there was no way to see any of the tournament action until the network broadcast several weeks later. ESPN.360 was not available via my Internet provider. But this weekend and I don't exactly know how or why, I was able to see every weigh in of the Elite Series TroKar Duel in the Delta. Hope it continues. Of course, I'd rather be fishing. A-Jay

That's Really Funny ! ;D A-Jay