A-Jay

Right - OK Then, I AcTuAlLy HaVe ThReE oF tHeM, sO I'lL sEnD yOu ThIs OnE aNd If yOu LiKe It, YoU cOuLd LeT mE kNoW aNd ThEn I'Ll SeNd AlL tHe OtHeR oNeS rIgHt dOwN tO yOuR hOuSe ~ OK Buddy ? A-Jay

The River2Sea Crystal Buzz Buzzbait. I like the flat design that helps the bait to pop to the surface quickly and allows for a slower retrieve. I like the hand tied silicone skirt, the premium long shank Big Bite hook and I especially like the dual counter-rotating blades. But despite my best efforts this bait has not produced. On the same days and from the same spots, a 99 cent Wal-Mart buzzbait takes fish. WHY ? A-Jay

Great spring smb. That's some great looking water in the background and wading is an exciting and challenging way to take them. Congrats ! A-Jay

RoLo - Thanks for the Owner Sled head recommendation. I do use that method for tubes but never thought to apply it to the swim bait. I'm looking forward to heaving these baits into places I really couldn't before. A-Jay

Done - this would be a really good thing ! And it's about time - I watch so many anglers out fishing during this closed season and it's hard to believe that they are all fishing for pan fish. Additionally, I'm betting the DNR would be happier without a regulation that is nearly impossible to enforce. A-Jay

Friction ~ Really ? I've been a faithful Power Pro user since it came out in 1997 I think. This is the first and only time I have ever heard of this strange friction phenomenon. Sounds bad. A-Jay

Me Too. If you set it down to throw another bait, when you pick it up again, you're fishing with a shrunken' and shriveled up turd. But I do love the Powerbait. A-Jay

After reading about them in the In-Fisherman mag, last season I started throwing the Berkley Hollow-Belly swimbaits and Berkley's 5" PowerBait Saltwater Hand Pour Swim Shad. Both are a little pricey. I fished them most often on a jig head in open water. The Hollow baits were very effective but were routinely torn up by 2 or 3 fish. The solid Hand Poured swim shad however was almost a effective but definitely much more durable lasting several trips rather than just a few fish. And with a little Mend-it glue the solid baits are usually repairable enough to have a second or even third go at it. I was skeptic on the whole "Rigged Sideways" deal as mentioned in the magazine article. I have never rigged the hollow baits sideways, but after trying both methods side by side with the solid baits, the sideways rigging was the way to go. Looks goofy but the fish were on them. The Owner 1/2 or 3/4 ounce saltwater bullet jig head was productive and before the end of last season I played around with a few different ball head jig heads that works also. When rigging the solid baits on a jig head there is a modification you can make; by inserting a toothpick through both sides of the bait directly in front of the hook and cutting off the excess toothpick, you can dramatically extent the life of the bait. The toothpick assist in preventing the bait from tearing, especially on short strikes. I'm not sure if it would work with a hollow bait. A-Jay

A couple more Trophy smb from DH. You definitely know where the big girls live and how to catch'em. Nice fish and thanks for making the next 16 days until the season opens just a little bit harder . . . . . btw - it's SNOWING right now ! A-Jay

The final ruling concerning the whole unfortunate situation is as bizarre as it is sad. A-Jay

Not even at gun point. A-Jay

I'm betting that you'll be glad you did. A-Jay

Nice ~ But don't All Men's shorts come with a "Rod Holder" built in ? A-Jay

I got a used one (but in like new condition) last week here in the BR Flea Market for $ 35 ~ 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