A-Jay

Made a quick trip to the store for a few items this morning. We are getting a little snow locally, and I mean a little. It's a 16 mile rounds trip and there were TWO fender benders road side on the way home. We won't be up late nor will we be 'out' for the next two days. New Year's Eve is Amateur Night, always has been. Seems some folks are starting early. Can't drink all day if you don't start in the morning. Stay Safe A-Jay

Fished the Mini Max more this season. Which was pretty easy, since I'd not throw them before the 2023 campaign. Just wish I got way bites with them. I certainly expected to. Maybe next year. A-Jay

Article link won't load for me. DISREGARD, I AM A KNUCKLEHEAD. A-Jay

Glad to hear it. Please continue posting here with your progress if you can. Sending you all the best old guy juju I can muster. A-Jay

A-Jay

Plano's offering something ~ https://www.planooutdoors.com/kvd-signature-series-3600-speedbag-1592663 https://www.planooutdoors.com/kvd-signature-series-small-speedbag-1592664 https://www.planooutdoors.com/weekend-series-speedbags-1592879 I have 8 of the original speed bags that are a few years old now. They are not holding up well (bottoms are breaking down) These look better. A-Jay

Workout #155 for 2023 and the last one of the year was Total Body Day 1. Wishing you all a Happy & Healthy New Year ! #borninfiftynine https://youtu.be/MwRbG5lDADQ?feature=shared A-Jay

Seems northern Michigan has adopted a Zero Tolerance Policy on hard water this winter. Not surprisingly, I'm actually good with that. Observe the Lake Menderchuck open water trifecta yesterday. I am so conflicted right now . . . . A-Jay

Wishful thinking & hoping for the best. A-Jay

A-Rig for sure. Oh, and glide baits. But that's mostly because I sold them all last year. Come at me bro . . . A-Jay

The state of Michigan 2023 licenses & regulations apply April 1, 2023 – March 31, 2024. Covers the ice fishing season. Well, not so much this year. This year it was $26 for an annual Resident license and $76 non Resident Next years info is not available yet. In 2025 if I'm still here, I'll be eligible for the Senior (65 and over) Resident license for a whopping $11 Bucks. It pays to get old. A-Jay

I hear ya ~ I just started that process as well. Usually do pace myself by doing 3 or 4 a week beginning mid December or so. Pic is just the casting reels but add in the spinners and I'm at it until at least the 1st week of March. Hasn't ever been a reason to 'speed' that up. Until now. Oh My. A-Jay

In light of this most recent development regarding open water everywhere up here this Late December, I set aside the entire morning to go check at least three of these places for myself. It was a cool partly cloudy morning with air temps in the low 30's. Totally enjoyed my ride in the new GMC and as I arrived at each lake, I enjoyed that much more. This wildly mild winter so far is starting to rub off on me. Unless we get a total deep winter weather pattern starting very soon, and lasting well into late April, I'm not certain these places will ever develop any significant ice. And the little that does show up might not take much to melt away. Feel like I should step up my off season gear prep schedule by at least a few weeks anyway. Either way, didn't see this one coming. A-Jay

Total Body Day 4 today. Still rolling with the less is more mantra. Appetite's good, I'm sleeping soundly and I'm ready for the next workout. Well, as ready as I can be. #borninfiftynine A-Jay

When it comes to pitching & flipping, especially in the traditional/conventional sense, I do very little of either over the course of an entire season. The bigger smallmouth I'm looking for rarely 'bury up' into anything that dense. At least on the lakes I fish most; and that includes docks. So my deal is a bit different. But I do fish quite a bit of hard & soft, non-visible cover, both shallow & deeper. Big smallies really seem to like to snuggle right up and into certain hard cover, both shallow and way deep. Electronics play a role and with the super clear water here, when the conditions are right, and the deal isn't over 15 ft or so, a good pair of polarized sunglasses trumps everything. Whether they are or not, I expect every trophy SMB to be wily, keenly aware and most of all, very spooky. Running my rig anywhere near where a few may be holding, is like driving a diesel tractor right to a deer stand. Just not helpful. According, every presentation I make is done at whatever the max distance is where I can still cast accurately. I'll often make 'practice casts' (on my approach) well before I get to where I'm planning on fishing to properly assess what the current casting conditions are. Knowing what type of distance/accuracy I'm getting in advance is helpful, because it changes. Seems better to jack up a few cast before I need to make The One that counts. When ready, I'm always looking to approach from either straight down or up wind. Cross fire is a tough deal. I'm often targeting fairly small spots or areas, and even just one hurried or hectic cast, especially one that lands right on their head, can turn a trophy right off or send it zooming to the depths. Might return, might not, ever. I prefer to cast past what I'm fishing and work the bait back to the cover. Often I'm casting into just a few inches of water to start. I do try NOT to get between the bass, and their 'escape route'. Especially early season when fatties are coming & going all day it seems. As for fishing the 'outside', I'll do it, but not at the expense of blowing up the spot on the spot. I'm more apt to do it at night as bass seem to be relating more 'loosely' to cover rather that getting right in it. Both of these fish catches came from a really small section of structure/cover. Took me several years to get on this deal. While making the first few cast of each trip here, during the right conditions, this basshead is pooping his pants. https://youtu.be/zIqCmH_52IQ?feature=shared&t=387 https://youtu.be/o9xew3tWuuU?feature=shared&t=1014 Fish Hard A-Jay

This causes me to make 'the face'. It's the one where I release the hounds and there's going to be screaming & attempted escape. (notice I said attempted). Among other things. Stealing from others can be risky business. A-Jay

We've worked this whole deal out a long time ago. A-Jay

Be careful what you ask for . . . . . Pike are the Bait Monkey's Minions. A-Jay

Is that a Bill Dance as a baby ? Looks like him. A-Jay

@NHBull has not logged on here since July. A-Jay

Depends who you ask. A-Jay

My unit is 5 years old - this is how it works. Newest models advertise the same level of accuracy. With three levels of integrated signal technology – GPS positioning, a powerful 406 MHz signal, and 121.5 MHz homing capability – the AquaLink™ View quickly and accurately relays your position to a worldwide network of Search and Rescue satellites, reducing search time and increasing your chances of survival. It’s reliable signaling technology that has saved more than 50,000 lives since 1982. The AquaLink™ View broadcasts a unique registered distress signal that not only tells rescuers where you are, but who you are. The onboard GPS can fix your position to within 100 meters and then utilizes a powerful 406 MHz signal to relay your distress call to orbiting satellites. As local Search and Rescue is deployed, a separate homing signal and integrated LED strobe light guide rescuers to your exact location. The AquaLink™ View sports a digital display that allows you to see all of the beacon’s operational activities. The screen displays GPS LAT/LON, operating instructions, usage tips, transmission bursts as well as battery power. The digital display also makes self-testing your beacon simple and easy to understand by visually walking you through the self-test step-by-step. No more relying on listening to beeps and looking for LEDs. The AquaLink™ View is small enough to be easily carried in a pack or pocket or can be worn on deck, at the helm, in quarters, or on a life vest and will float if accidentally dropped overboard. ACR Exclusive: Built-in GPS acquisition test mode allows you to test GPS functionality up to 60 times over the life of the battery. Tap into the same field-tested rescue technology used by the U.S. Military, U.S. Coast Guard, NATO Special Forces, and Arctic explorers. A-Jay

Drama makes me nauseous. Personally, this entire deal is like a double does of syrup of ipecac. A-Jay

Emergencies can and do take many forms . . . https://www.acrartex.com/survivor-stories/ A-Jay

I can usually get a very good idea of what the lake & bottom contours look like in advance. But regardless of reports or 'reputation', I always need to fish them to find out for myself. Some 'good' places have turned out to be really bad, and a few 'bad' places have been straight up money. Takes a lot of time, but I'm fishing. https://youtu.be/jOxHsuV83KA?feature=shared&t=13 A-Jay