A-Jay

I didn't realize that the bait monkey was also a miner. He helped me strike Gold ! Alien Gold . . . A-Jay

This ~ Also a friendly reminder. We can check the life jacket inflation integrity without canister discharge by using the manual oral inflation tube. Most every inflatable jacket has one. I test my own unit at the beginning of each season in the tackle room. Also, when the canister needs replacement, before I do it, I put the jacket on and fire off the manual pull feature. Offers another way to ensure the unit operates correctly. These things build confidence for me. Stay Safe. A-Jay

It's been 'feeling' like it for a few days now and we finally got our first measurable snow last night. A whopping 1 inch. Some left in the grass but nothing on the roads. It shouldn't be much longer before we get a few lake-effect dumpings. With a 150-inch annual snowfall average, there needs to be at least an inch falling every day now for the next 5 months or so. The faster the lakes freeze over, the less evaporation occurs which is both a good and a bad thing. Longer open water means more snow, which could be good. But it also often results in lower lake levels if it stays too warm for snow. Last year was great for the area on both fronts. (except for the super damaging ice storm in March). Time will tell how this season plays out. Stay Warm A-Jay

Well, I'll have you know that I thoroughly enjoy each and every one. Thank you very much for taking the time and extra effort. A-Jay

The 200 hp ProXS is a 4.6L V8—"fuel efficiency" seems about right for how I run it and what I get out of it. Truth be told, I pay more attention to the tach, trim, engine temp & water pressure than I ever do to the fuel gauge. Either way, after 5000 rpms, it's fun but she gets pretty thirsty. A-Jay

Kya Kya Kya, thinks she's the bestest little stalker and loves Chuckit Fetch Games. https://www.facebook.com/share/r/16SekxFjz6/ A-Jay

^^^^^ Nice ~ 8 ~ Cain Walker just dropped this one . . . . https://youtu.be/nIOXAIvVQfs?si=kjXgZz-RZPpmQLrj A-Jay

Have to admit, while I can respect the honest response here, I am a bit surprised by it. A-Jay

I enjoy looking at pictures in the picture thread and reading reports in the reports thread. As for the contents, I'd encourage folks to post whatever they like and in whatever manner they chose. That's what I do. A-Jay

Good Luck. A-Jay

I get that. When I'm looking to fish bite windows, I'll camp out. When I get bites, obviously I'm staying well past when the batteries die in my GoPros. No bites through whatever I believe the duration of a bite window might be, I might stay a little longer but usually I'm bailing and heading toward plan B. A perfect example of that is when the early morning shallow water topwater bite is over. Often fades as the daylight or sun gets brighter. Finally, if this topic is directed at derby participants, then my deal is most likely far less applicable. Because "time is on my side, yes it is." https://youtu.be/TUA-s2SZZr0?si=rmHU75u2fqnUX2__ A-Jay

My best waters are bigger waters, relatively speaking. My style/process is to hunt areas/spots. The next part of that is to vary my 'timing' when fishing said spots. Clearly early and later in the day are by far the best 'times.' However, there's plenty of room for variation on that. So being a bit flexible and adaptable can occasionally produce. All that said, I am SQUARELY in the CAMP OUT category. In fact, I almost always want to be there 'earlier' than I believe I need to. I want to be set up & quiet when she comes by. Many times I do not fish in advance of when I think the bite window will happen. Mind you, this often occurs in some skinny water (a relative term for big water brown bass). However since the bass need to be within casting distance and with the gin-clear water here, Stealth is a lifestyle. It often takes me years to locate a few golden zones. So doing whatever I need to not to jack it up becomes the mission. YMMV https://youtu.be/zIqCmH_52IQ?si=67q3l5uUeBjdOgxG&t=2048 A-Jay

A couple of us eclipse that weight a few times a season. Is there a Lake Menderchuck in Vermont ? Asking for a friend. 🤓 A-Jay

Thanks. It was set up and taken as a topic specific presentation. I'm sort of zany like that. Along with a jerkbait, this deal is big fish producer on just about every Lake Menderchuck I fish. Especially early and later in the season. https://youtu.be/o9xew3tWuuU?si=17R9A-GT5J50vdxP&t=1014 A-Jay

How awesome was that ! Epically Gorgeous weather for November accompanied by an abundance of chunky brown bass. I am green with envy. Congrats A-Jay

Me too ~ The music was the best and is still being played today. A-Jay

It's been a minute since I've added anything to this one. After my last submission here, I took several days off from the gym. I felt the need to spend as much time on the water as possible before the end of the fishing season here. Glad I fished when I did but it's over for 2025. I've been back in the home gym every other day now for the past week or so. All Good. Capturing, editing and posting videos of my training helps me in a few different ways. The least of which is simply to help pass the time during hard water. Currently, I am on a brief video hiatus, but expect to resume early next year. #borninfiftynine A-Jay

I hate wearing gloves fishing. I will put them on for a long, cold run of several miles. But rarely wear them fishing. Just too cumbersome. If it's too cold for me to bear, I go home. Also, since you're fishing from a kayak, I'd like to leave this. Stay Safe A-Jay

@Backroad Angler TAKE A SAFE BOATING COURSE. As a prior Search and Rescue Professional, from both the planning and operational side, leaving an accurate float plan with at least one responsible adult every time we hit the water is Rule #1. Including accurate phone numbers of the emergency agencies you want them to call in the event you are late getting back home as planned (overdue), this saves valuable time you may or may not have. All of this is far less useful if and when your plans change and you don't keep them informed. So, make sure you can get help if and when you need it. The world is a big place, so help yourself out. Requires a bit of time and effort on your part but you need to ask yourself, am I worth it ? I know I am. Congrats, good luck and stay safe. A-Jay

I've been following your boat refurbishment with tremendous interest. I'm truly delighted that the outcome met your expectations. I would like to share my perspective on the re-power process. First, some background for context. I exclusively operated Mercury 2-stroke outboard motors professionally for over 20 years. I operated these motors mostly on the North Atlantic, from Maine to South Carolina. In some conditions that still haunt me to this day. They always got me there and back, and they even helped save a few lives along the way. Including my own. So when it was time for me to purchase a rig of my own, you can guess where I went. I'm not suggesting that other motors are inferior, but this is where my confidence was in 2016. After two years, the 200 hp OptiMaxDFI had just over a hundred hours on it—a full year left on the all-inclusive factory warranty—and looked and ran like brand new. While still having an almost a cult following, the big two strokes Mercs are No Longer made. The ProXS 4-stroke had just come out and Mercury was offering very friendly refinancing options. Additionally, the funds expended on this new motor would be about the same as what I'd need to spend on an 'extended warranty' for a three-year-old motor. Instead, I get a brand new unit. Either way, all that seemed to make it a pretty good time to repower. So I did. https://youtu.be/TOB6-lDjea0?si=2-TPu14F_upvPhal Here is the current information. After 7 full seasons with the 4-stroke, I could not be happier. My rig runs about the same. In addition to being significantly quieter, the 4-stroke eliminates the need for oil addition and produces almost no exhaust, making it IMO, just as reliable as the 2-stroke. I tend to be difficult to convince, but I accept the situation as it is. If it were me in this case, and I was happy with the reliability of this motor, I would have it professionally serviced by a trained Mercury OB tech, and I would let this person tell me what the status of the unit is. If the unit is in reasonable condition and requires minimal maintenance, I would keep it. If there is any other determination offered, I'd get a new unit in a New York minute. Good luck with your decision. A-Jay

Lynn's holding steady. Her blood tests have been moved to only twice a month. The same applies to her infusion medication schedule. As we honker down for the winter, we continue to count our blessings every day. Photo from our day trip last week. A-Jay

@gim ~ Sincerely hope your Mom is on the mend. A-Jay

The OP posed the question of what we do to catch giant bass. So would "go fish any place that has bass in it" be your answer ? In my experience, this approach would be minimally effective. A-Jay

How to catch big bass is, IMO, a fairly massive topic and undertaking. Accomplished bass anglers/authors have and will no doubt continue to write entire books about it. One of my favorites by Bill Murphy talks about "the fascination and mystery" of catching giant bass. He also talks about how hard work, self-discipline, and a proven fishing system can be the most consistent game plan. His book, "In Pursuit of Giant Bass," convinced me to change my deal quite a bit. Adopting what I can has helped me in my quest for plus-sized smallmouth bass. With that in mind, here is my summarized version. At its very core, I break this down into three parts or aspects. Motivation - makes up 50 % Before beginning, I must recognize and understand that this task is similar to searching for hidden treasure. I must expect countless fishless days, weeks, and even entire seasons without progress. Therefore, I need to mentally prepare myself to endure this challenge ahead of time. Not doing so usually decreases my chances of success. In this context, motivation resembles an endurance event. This has always been the case and will continue to be so. This is just one aspect of my approach. Any shaky or wavering commitment here will be exposed in short order. #givingup Preparation -Makes up 25 % This includes 'everything' I need to do well before I get on the water. The preparation process can vary significantly for each basshead. I believe that I am only as strong as my weakest point. However, having confidence in this deal can serve as a powerful motivator and is preferable to worrying about my lack of preparation. Properly maintaining everything is the only way I roll here. Execution - Makes up the final 25%. This is where the rubber meets the road and if I'm fortunate, it all comes together. Extended drives, early mornings, long days on the water, precise boat positioning, and enduring frequent periods of inclement weather all contribute to being at the right place, at the right time, and doing the right thing. Hooking, playing, and landing plus-sized fish is rarely an accident. Although I understand that I can't land them all, I certainly do my best to do so. Preparation comes into play here again. Knowing how I plan on being successful in advance of doing it cannot be underestimated. Self-discipline and self-control with the fish of a lifetime doing everything possible to go free can at least even the playing field. I feel like I have a lot to learn. The positive aspect of this situation is that spending time on the water serves as the most effective teacher. Fish Hard A-Jay

OK, here we go Nope. So first off I appreciate all the efforts made to help resolve this. And if this is the worst thing that happens I am having a great day. But I would love to see a member who is not a Moderator or the Owner of this platform make this work. I will still feel foolish either way. A-Jay