A-Jay

Big fan of Night operations for bass. In fact, I'm going out tonight. Plenty about the subject in this thread. A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ Nice Intro. A-Jay

This out weighs the 'catching' part by quite a margin. Early & late season - there's a bit more 'predictability'. But during the dog days of summer, it really pays off for me to get the timing down. (Night ops can help) Otherwise the hours of fish-less casting can really add up. Be all kinds of awesome if all I had to do is show up, start casting & BAM - I'm whaling on them. Rarely happens - at least for me. A-Jay

I'm leaving a float plan with a responsible adult every trip. My Life Jacket & kill switch lanyard always goes on before I start the Out Board. Situational Awareness trumps everything. Location and timing comes before what I tie on the end of my line. My first task on every trip on every lake is to eliminate the areas that are not holding catch-able bass and target high % areas that have active bass. A-Jay

A-Jay

Hello Joe and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

In my experience, smallies are true nomads. They seem to have no fixed residence but move from place to place. They can be somewhat predictable seasonally and will often be within a well-defined territory; but on big water, that can be and often is a very large area. The few times I've see it where green bass take up residence in traditional brown bass areas, at least one (or perhaps more) of three things have happened. The water levels have dropped, the area has has an increase in weed growth or the area is now the residence or regular feeding area of Larger Prey fish - usually something with big teeth or a big head. (Pike, Musky, & Lake Trout) A-Jay

Buy one and see for yourself. A-Jay

As indicated by the somewhat similar responses here - a 'shorter' medium action stick usually does the job. I fish jerkbaits quite a bit and will admit to following suit right there for the most part. I'll use 10lb braid & a leader on spinning gear and 10 lb fluorocarbon on casting gear. If I'm throwing a 'bigger bait' (LC 128 size) I'll bump up the casting gear line to a notch or two. And while 'jerkbaits' are sort of in their own lure category, they're still a treble hook hard bait. So I'm always conscious of what my gear 'needs' to accommodate that. Early and late season the water's cold(er) and the fish 'fight' slower - less jumping, changing direction with speed and the head shakes seem to be in slow motion. Tends to increase the margin for error as far as landing them is concerned. Once the water warms - all that goes out the window. Fish (especially smb) go ballistic when hooked & any mismatched tackle or repeated fish fighting faux pas, can & often do lead to less net use. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. A-Jay

Best first have in Franchise History ~ Now if they can win the last game they play this season - It may end up meaning something. Either way, it's been fun to watch. A-Jay

I've almost always been my contention that 'guide sensitivity' was more hype than anything else. However recently purchased a couple of Diawa sticks that sport carbon fiber guides. After a couple of months on the water, I'm singing a totally different tune now. A-Jay

I'd vote for that as well . . . A-Jay

Great Idea ~ Either Adrian Avena https://www.bassmaster.com/anglers/adrian-avena Or Dustin Connell https://www.bassmaster.com/anglers/dustin-connell but in order for this to work I'm afraid we might just have to start ponying up membership dues . . . A-Jay

As per the link you posted - it's not looking good. Sale or transfer of air rifles.-- (1) It shall be unlawful for any dealer to sell, lend, rent, give, or otherwise transfer an air rifle to any person under the age of 18 years, where the dealer knows, or has reasonable cause to believe, the person to be under 18 years of age, or where such dealer has failed to make reasonable inquiry relative to the age of such person, and such person is under 18 years of age. (2) It shall be unlawful for any person to sell, give, lend, or otherwise transfer any air rifle to any person under 18 years of age, except where the relationship of parent and child, guardian and ward or adult instructor and pupil exists between such person and the person under 18 years of age. (b) Carrying or discharging air rifles.-- (1) It shall be unlawful for any person under 18 years of age to carry any air rifle on the highways or public lands unless accompanied by an adult, except that a person under 18 years of age may carry such rifle unloaded in a suitable case or securely wrapped. A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ Some useful info from the BR articles section right here ~ https://www.bassresource.com/lake-management/ And some right here: The goal of catching a 10 lb Bass has long been the dream of many an angler. Having a pond on your own property with this capability would be even more amazing. It can be done, but it is going to take some work on your part—and a little patience. The following are 6 steps to help you turn your private lake into a trophy Bass fishery. 1. Genetics A native Largemouth Bass has the ability to reach sizes of 6-8 lbs., and occasionally larger. That is a fine size Bass, but if you’re looking for a trophy, stocking Bass with ideal genetics that are more likely to grow to a larger size may be the right option for management plan. Stocking Florida-strain Largemouth Bass increases your potential for growing that monster of a lifetime. 2. Habitat Habitat is an often over-looked management aspect intrinsic to growing trophy Bass. The thought of not wanting to get your lure hung-up on that downed tree can’t be your reasoning for eliminating this key component. For example, a typical Bass lake should have 10-15% of total surface acreage with some form of habitat. Bass hold tight to cover, as they prefer to ambush their prey. This prevents them from having to chase prey as far, which conserves energy and allows them to keep weight and apply energy towards growth. Habitat also provides cover for smaller forage fish, like Bluegill, which helps the population to grow and develop, which, in turn, increases prey density—a must have management result for any serious trophy Bass manager. The more diverse the habitat, the better off you will be during seasonal changes. Habitat can be both natural and artificial. Natural habitat includes hardwoods, cedars, and rock piles. 3. Feeding Program Bluegill are the primary forage fish for Bass. Keep in mind that it takes approximately 10 lbs of forage to add 1 lb on a Bass—give or take some environmental factors. Having large enough broodstock of Bluegill that spawn to replenish forage stocks is vital to the long-term success of the lake and your trophy Bass fishery. Broodstock are fish that are too large for most predatory fish to consume, thus allowing an increased number of individuals to successfully spawn seasonally. The result is more prey per surface acre. Beginning a feeding program will help supplement the diet of Bluegill to produce a more robust class of broodstock. Bass will not typically utilize pelleted feed directly, but they will reap the benefits of a larger population of Bluegill. 4. Supplemental Stockings Variety is the spice of life. Bluegill are the primary food source for Bass in most ponds and small lakes, but they cannot be the only food source if you are looking to grow 10 lbers’. Supplemental stocking of forage fish is necessary to increase prey diversity and density—remember: the goal is fat, lazy Bass that don’t have to chase after prey. Stocking supplemental forage increases the amount of prey available for consumption within the system. Different types of supplemental stocking species are Golden Shiners, Threadfin Shad, Crawfish, Gizzard Shad, Mozambique Tilapia, and Rainbow Trout—just to name a few. Tilapia have added benefit to your fishery in that they will also help control any filamentous algae problems your lake may have. Rainbow Trout are high in protein content and represent substantial meals for hungry Bass looking to put on weight. 5. Selective Harvest Complete catch and release fishing is a common and disastrous mentality that has somehow managed to proliferate among pond owners. The basic premise is that releasing a Bass will result in a larger fish, at a later date. There is some truth to this, but it fails to take into account reproduction. Each season more and more mouths are added to the predatory population. There is only so much space and so many forage opportunities to go around. So, harvest Bass to keep your intra-species (among Bass) competition to a minimum. Harvesting out the mid-range Bass reduces competition and helps keep forage species abundant. 6. Water Quality/Fertilization Regular water sampling and reporting can help avoid potential harm to your fishery. Assessing both pH and alkalinity may help you to be able to determine any environmental deficits that could constrain growth. Water clarity is another important component to consider for optimization of feeding activity among Bass. The murkier the water, the harder it is for Bass to feed. On the flip side, if the water is extremely clear, prey can see the Bass coming from a greater distance, which results in greater energy expenditure for successful capture of prey. Ideal water clarity is between two to three feet. Have turbidity issues? Gypsum is a popular option to help clear a pond with suspended particles. Fertilization is another key component to use with a clear pond. Fertilization will allow your lake to produce up to four times as many pounds of fish per acre by increasing the amount of zooplankton and other primary consumers that form the base of the food chain within a lake ecosystem. Producing a trophy Bass fishery won’t happen by simply stocking a few fish and then coming back in a year looking to catch some monsters. You need to create the right environment for the fish to thrive and monitor the progress from season to season, adjusting as needed along the way. Developing a lake maintenance plan that is right for you and manage the process to ensure that the correct steps are taken will allow you more time on the water fishing for that trophy Bass you’ve always dreamt of catching. Read more here ~ http://www.pondking.com/raising-trophy-bass/ Good Luck A-Jay

Momo is very tricky . . A-Jay

Interesting - Talk about multi-tasking . . . . Do the greasy pot & pans affect bass survivability in your live well ? A-Jay

A-Jay

None of that sounds good. Hope you get it worked out sooner rather than later. A-Jay

Hello and Thank You for your Service. Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

Good Luck to you moving forward though you clearly had it on your side when you needed it most today. A-Jay

So glad you weren't injured. Any chance there's some insurance that could assist in recovering some or all of your losses ? A-Jay

Hello Cheri and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ Fishing weedless presentations is probably going to be your best bet. You'll still get hung up but it should be quite a bit less than any open hook deals. And when you do - here's some info on how to free your baits https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-videos/lure-unstuck.html A-Jay

Perfect. And those eyes . . . . . A-Jay

Because a picture is worth a thousand words and to ensure we are all on the same page - Perhaps post a few pics of the stern (back) of your boat on the trailer. Ensure that they include a clear view of your entire transom, your prop and the entire lower unit. Could be quite helpful A-Jay