A-Jay

I've had a few first week in May dates that started my season as well. Taking it one day at a time. A-Jay

8/0 A-Jay

I like it on an under spin. A-Jay

My boy Tank was determined to guard the last on our snow today. A-Jay

Still ice this morning, but very little. Will check again later today. Might wet a line midday tomorrow, which puts me right on my date. Who knew? A-Jay

What am I throwing ? A fit, still looking at hard water. A-Jay

Hello Jack and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

Solve this and you will not need us. Knowledge is confidence. But not if you lack the knowledge to know what the heck you're buying and more importantly WHY ! Having a unit and having the right unit are two completely different deals. And only you can choose. Every angler uses their electronics differently. It's like medicine; you can't take mine, and I can't take yours. That might explain the type of responses you are getting here. We all went through it. Good Luck. A-Jay

This morning RECON was mostly obscured by fog, but I was able to get a couple of decent glimpses at the lake. We do have some open water. Along with some 'long strips' of ice flows. I'm two days from my prediction and I might even hit it. As usual, the windy, cold & dank weather will be returning for a while. Even if there is open water in a day or three, forecast is telling me next Tuesday is probably the first trip with the potential to actually get a few bites and not freeze my arse off in the process. Time to make the rest of my final preparations. Not exactly sure what they are, but there's a very decent chance it will include a little insomnia. btw- am I the only mope on this site who still doesn't have open water ? 😵 A-Jay

As you might guess, my unit has been getting abused up here. I think it is 15 years old; it might even be older than that. I take care of it but the hours are adding up. I've been going back & forth on either selling it and buying a new model. Or having this one rebuilt with all new parts (cables, auger, muffler). The new ones are different, some plastic and not built to last, IMO. My rig is an all-steel deal that has ZERO "electric" moving parts.. all cables. #oldschool You know I like that. I'll be doing an repair vs. new price comparison this summer. Hope I can even get the parts I need at this point. If so, we'll be making this old girl like new again, and it should outlive me. Time will tell A-Jay

Get with the program dude. A-Jay

Congrats ! That's quite an accomplishment. A-Jay

Workout Day 2 ~ Feeling pretty good. In fact, I'd go so far as to say I am exactly where I want to be right before the ice goes out on Lake Menderchuck. And man, it is very close ! #borninfiftynine A-Jay

First off, my thoughts are with many living in the more northern part of Michigan, which is getting wild river overflows from big snowmelt plus epic rains several nights in a row. Hundreds of folks are being evacuated due to dams being blown out and run over. Hope everyone is ok the best they can be. Just returned from my morning RECON trip over to local Lake Menderchuck. It's certainly heading in the right direction. Hard to tell, but a very loose guess might put it at something like 35% open water. All on the west side. My preseason prognostication gives me 2 days and a wake-up. Don't think we're going to make that this time around. But it shouldn't be long after that. I've still got a few more things to button up tackle-wise, which should keep me busy. Either way, whether there's a dock at the ramp or if I'm going wader launch, the giddiness will be palpable. A-Jay

Still thinking that sidecar deal may be the way to go ~ A-Jay

Time flies when we're having fun, and the fun this week comes in the form of purchasing the new boat trailer tire replacements. That might have been the quickest 5 years in quite a while. Either way, after running two sets of the OE Carlisle Radial Trail HD Trailer Tires and being mostly happy with them, I was looking to upgrade the "guts" of the tire without having to change my wheels or fenders. Went with the same size but got the Taskmaster Provider ST205/75R15 . Stumbled across a stupid good deal at Walmart of all places and went for it. Seems like a significant step up from standard stock tires in a few key areas: Speed Rating (The "M" Factor): Most standard trailer tires are rated for 65 mph. The Providers carry an M speed rating, meaning they are rated for up to 81 mph. I don't plan on hitting those speeds; having that overhead means the tire runs cooler and handles highway heat much better than a tire pushed to its limit. Automotive-Grade Tread: Unlike traditional trailer tires with solid ribs, these have siping (small slits) and a tread pattern more like a truck tire. This helps significantly with water evacuation, which is a big plus when you're backing down a slick northern Michigan ramp or hauling in a downpour. Full Nylon Overlay: One of the main reasons trailer tires fail is tread separation. The Provider uses a nylon wrap over the steel belts to help keep everything together under the high heat and stress of long-distance towing. Roadside Assistance: A nice "old school" perk they include is 2 years of complimentary roadside assistance. If you're on the shoulder with a flat, someone will come out to swap your spare. Tire mounting and balancing happens next week. Trailer goes up on jackstands for a day in the garage. So just an FYI. A-Jay

Nice Job ~ "Set the hook—release. Set the hook—release, Set the hook—release. Set the hook—release. Set the hook—release. Set the hook—release. Set the hook—release. Set the hook—release. Set the hook—release. Set the hook—release. Set the hook—release. Set the hook—release. Set the hook—release. Set the hook—release. Set the hook—release. Set the hook—release. Set the hook—release. Set the hook—release." I think I get the picture now. Congrats A-jay

After another long, cold, wet & hard winter, I'm pretty sure my boy Tank is totally ready to get after that ball again. #MakeFetchHappen A-Jay

Sounds like it might depend on how big the ski is. I suppose I would ask in advance. Don't want to mess that one up. A-Jay

Before the Pro-V Bass came into the picture, the Old Town Canoe and Fish small waters exclusively. Both night & day trips, and it was fun. My tackle matched where & what I was fishing. Overall baits were a little smaller in size & profile, but not always. Currently, the canoe has been relegated to Lake Minichuck use only. As I paddle my wife around its perimeter looking for mostly keeper-sized green bass and the occasional disproportionately large pike. Stick baits, swim jigs, Texas-rigged plastics, and vibrating jigs dominate. Sometimes a spinnerbait gets in on the action. A-Jay

In a couple of weeks, before I go out and hammer a 25 or 30 lb bag of plus sized brown bass. I'll take a picture of the dark parking lot at the Lake Menderchuck boat ramp when I pull in at 0345 am. It will be 25 degrees out, snowing, and the water temp will be 41. There will be no docks in yet, so I will be launching solo with waders on and a headlamp. Besides the turkey, deer, raccoon, rabbits, and skunks, you can let me know if you see anyone else in the picture. I love AI but don't count on it to provide the end user with intestinal fortitude. A-Jay

Workout Day 1 ~ While many view a life of discipline through a lens of sacrifice, I see it as a profound investment in my own freedom. By prioritizing a clean diet and the steady iron of resistance training over the fleeting pleasures of late nights or indulgence, I haven’t given anything up; rather, I’ve traded the temporary for the enduring. At 66, these choices are the daily rewards that grant me a higher quality of life, proving that the true luxury of my golden years is the strength and vitality to fully inhabit them. #borninfiftynine A-Jay

Nope. I'm done with that. I said this before and I'll say it again. Watching a Bruce Lee movie doesn't suddenly turn anyone into a Kung Fu master. A-Jay

Sweet-looking rig right there ! Congrats A-Jay

Yup A-Jay