A-Jay

Good Luck ~ I use buoys - but mostly as a reference point - to where the spot I want to fish is located, rather than at or on the actual fish holding structure or cover on a structure. Not as a learning tool. This really comes in handy when done right before sunset of a planned night trip. By placing the buoy right before dark, chilling out a bit, and then going back. I can save a lot of time getting back to the spot on the spot - in total darkness - with full confidence I'm where I want to be. Waypoints & GPS are certainly helpful and get me very close, but the black of night especially can be disorienting. I might be a little old school too. Now if I could just get the bass to hang around there all night I'd be styling .. .. .. .. .. I usually refrain from daytime buoy use in the presence of other bass anglers, the few that are up here. (which is a good thing) So Sneaky. btw - Humminbird's Auto Chart Live with it's ability to create richly detailed maps of your favorite fishing spots in real-time has been extremely helpful for helping me learn new water - A-Jay

Yea ~ LOL. That's pretty Funny. The few times I actually air traveled with rods were international deals (Mexico) Learned a lot right away. First time I went with the Massive Bazooka tube (the one with the wheels) The looks on the travel agents faces were Priceless - Sheer Terror. Initial flight was a puddle jumper and they had to "rearrange cargo" to get the thing on board - Rest of the domestic connectors were OK. But them came the Mexico & customs both ways (In & Out of CONUS) PIA to say the least. Since then I've given up on the full one piece stick strategy in lieu of the travel rods. Made my own little carry on rod case (that fits in the overhead space) and haven't looked back. I will admit to still doing some R & D to find a 3 piece stick that I don't blow up on the hook set - I'm pretty certain Jeff H @00 mod would appreciate that as well. Incidentally, the GLoomis travel sticks seem to hold up very well. A-Jay

Probably not a matter of knowing more or less ~ just an opinion. We all fish different types of habitats in different ways with our own levels of success. By recommending a little heavier line I meant to offer a larger margin of error, meaning perhaps less lost fish. A-Jay

While I'd agree that the Yo-zuri Hybrid is a decent option, 10 lb test IMO may end up being problematic. Where the OP is using set up #1 for Squarebills, which are generally fished in & around cover, 10lb anything may lack the abrasion resistance & especially overall strength to thwart the dash for freedom of an over sized & determined Slaunch Toad. This can & often does lead to sadness .. .. .. .. .. A-Jay

Congrats ~ A-Jay

That explains it. A-Jay

Check with the airline you're flying to see what the max length / size of carry-on is. https://www.suncountry.com/Fly/Baggage/Carry-On-Baggage A-Jay

Set up #1 ~ 15lb Fluorocarbon (Seagar InvisX) Set up #2 ~ 40lb Braid (Suffix 832) Set up #3 ~ 25lb Mono (Maxima Ultragreen) A-Jay

@scaleface you beat me to it ~ A-Jay

No Doubt and Failing to Plan is Planning to Fail. We always need a life jacket ~ Just that Sometimes it's more than others. A-Jay Sorry to hear that your Dad Got Hurt. Hope his surgery & subsequent Rehab goes as planned. Thanks for sharing your story. A-Jay

Holy Smokes ~ You're Right ! A-Jay

So now who says size doesn't matter ? A-Jay

When I'm target casting a 1.5 or 2.5 Squarebill to shallow shoreline cover, I'll use a 6'6" MH Graphite stick. And usually it's with 15, 17 or even 20 lb Mono. Squarebills in the 3.5 size & larger, calls for a little more Fire Power; At least the rod anyway. A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ Heck of a First Post ! Thoroughly enjoyed it. btw - spearing waves is no joke, glad you're OK. And what was the plan if the bilge pump failed ? Thank You very much for taking the time to write it up, loved the details & descriptions. Great Stuff. A-Jay

Hello Mike and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

Thanks It was / is very cool. Here's a little video of that very day. My best spot are almost always "points" A-Jay

Hello John and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ Keep poking around, there's a ton of solid (and more current) info on not only the effective drop shot, but All Things Bass. A-Jay

If that Fat Slaunch Donkey is headed to a tournament scale, as long it's not a belly full of lead or tungsten, I think you'll be OK. Nice One ~ Congrats A-Jay

Last season Michigan changed a long standing season on bass fishing to where C & R is perfectly legal the day the ice goes out. Accordingly any Bass Head worth his or her salt would just have to be on the water right at ice out or as soon as safely possible there after. If this years first day is anything like last year, (pictured below) there will probably still be some amount of ice on the water in some spots, water will be clear with temps in the mid thirties. But the smallies don't seem to care. A slow & smoothly presented suspending jerkbait will get eagerly choked. So that's what I'll be feeding them. Over & Over & Over & Over .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. A-Jay

And you'll be glad to know there was an in flight movie for those little flying fish ~ Free Willy ~ A-Jay

Perhaps think of the basses current and potential location as well as seasonal patterns as being predicated on water temps and to some extent, the length of daylight. Short days & cold water often has fish deep (often called 'wintering holes'). Warmer & longer days may have bass moving shallower or at least thinking about it. If & when a lake is ice covered, the light still gets through but the temps obviously stay low. Without the ice & warmer temp, the bass may still be in & around the same locals, but it would be a whole lot more comfortable while you're out trying to get a few . . . Iced up long or ice out early, the pre-spawn / spawn routine seems to happen around the same time every year - some years the catching is a little better than others. A-Jay

Half way through last season I started using a silicone mat. I think it's a little better on the fish than the carpet as well as keeping the fish slime (and any blood) off the boat carpet. It's flexible so I can roll it up making it convenient to store, it's easy to clean off (just rinse it in the net) and it's stain resistant & does not absorb odors or anything else. Just need to ensure it doesn't blow away at WOT .. .. .. .. A-Jay

They Are BIG and they Are Not Exactly Giving them away either. A-Jay http://www.humminbird.com/Freshwater/Lifestyle/SOLIX_FW/ http://www.bassmaster.com/fishing-tips-pros/humminbird-introduces-new-solix-series

A-Jay

I had the same situation my self. Couldn't for the life of me understand how my scale could tell the difference between a certified weight and a bass ? ? ? Then I realized I needed to recalibrate my "obviously". Once completed, the scale was very accurate. A-Jay