retiredbosn

top one is closing in on four pounds, the bottom 3 or so. The top one is exceptionally fat. btw there is a fish weight estimator on this site if you happen to know the circumference http://www.bassresource.com/bassfishing/fishcalculator.html . My pb smallie was 19.5 and weighed a little over 4 lbs.

Having conducted numerous boardings in the Coast Guard, the secondary HIN is typically on themain beam in larger commercial vessels, I.E. tawlers, etc. On small boats they may as well not be there at all, because the secondary HIN will be in the bilge area of bass boats, on the main stringer (typically) or on the starboard one. I have never seen a secondary HIN on a jon boat. Many states do not require a title or registration on jon boats or trailers, even if they have trolling motors. Here in WV if the boat is less than 16 foot and doesn't use a trolling motor there is no registration or title required. My jon boat has old SC hull numbers, so I run a trolling motor and can get by with it as the boat has to meet the requirements of it's home state and not the one you are in at the time, SC no longer requires titles, on boats or trailers at least according to my uncle who I got the boat from. Good luck

Anyone ever had success with these baits. I'm learning that they have to be fished really slow, but as with other cranks, until last night I haven't fished it enough to know how productive they are. Let me know what think.

Went to the small local lake yesterday afternoon, this small impoundment is only 40 acres, but in all honesty it is more like 20, the 40 has to include the wetland surrounding the pond. Anyway started with a Norman Little N deep in citrus shad, caught 2 the first one on the second cast. Then nothing, I downsized and started throwing a black back, yellow sided rebel, caught 2 more would have caught more but messed up my hookset, I was just suprised that I was getting strikes, lol. Ended up with six fish, two came on a black buzz right at dusk. Thanks for all the input and keep the advice coming, I'm determined to learn more. BTW I can now tell when I'm hitting wood versus having my line over a limb and the crank getting ready to hit, can actually feel the heavier weeds before I get the lure covered up. And I learned that a bass will bury a crankbait hook in your hand given the chance. Pulling that teble hook out of my hand was not fun!!!! I'm glad it was on the 1 1/2 " Rebel, has smaller hooks. Glad I had my needle nose pliers handy. FWIW the fish hooked my left hand, I was holding the fish in my right, couldn't quite manage to get the fish switched to my left, and could not free the hook with my left. It was a mess for a few minutes, fortunately the fish shook and threw the hook out of its mouth and landed in the water, the downside was that the hook was still in my hand and driven deeper ;D I can laugh about it now, but last night I wasn't laughing to much >

I bught so many cranks because they are supposed to work and the bait monkey had me ;D

I fish lakes, mainly clear to lightly cloudy, small resevoirs typically. I use DD22's, Norman little N's, Rapala XR's, Rapala jointed shadrap, Bomber fat free shads, Bandits 200 series, Rebels something or other look like a miniature little n, rattl traps, even tried the dancing eel (shad), colors are shad, citrus shad, rootbeer, baby bass, stuff like that.

sounds like water in the fuel. you can also run some seafoam or marvels mystery oil with your gas it will clean the carbs.

Ok, I must be a crankbait idiot. I mean I can not catch fish on these things!!! I use megastrike attractant, fish with using a steady slow, or faster , sometimes a stop go, or jerky retrieve to switch things up. I knock them into brush, bounce it off the bottom, everything that you are supposed to do, I think. Give some advice to the bassresource crankbait idiot please. BTW I know there are fish in the lake cause I watch them hitting the shad and try to color match my cranks and all of that stuff. I think I have caught 6 fish total off of cranks. I catch the majority of my fish on jigs, worms, and buzzbaits, with some on spinners and precious few on cranks but I refuse to give up and I want to learn this bait. FWIW my crank set up is two crankin sticks from BP and 2 David Fritts reels one 5:2 and one 4:7. Any advice would be appreciated.

IMO it was the side sweep hookset. I caught my pb smallie on a black blue chatter. I always set the hook straight up with jigs and chatters as I it sets the hook better and I loose a lot fewer fish that way. I use a side sweep on crigs and cranks everything else straight up. BTW I think the chatters are awesome.

smallie pig and jig largemouth double prop buzz

Any one fish these monster cranks? If so how do you fish them without being beat to death. I mean I have caught fish that pulled less!! I use a BP Cranking stick MH and a Daivid Fritts reel 5.2 ratio, and my goodness it just beats me to death. Any advice

Took the boat out today, no leaks. Operator error, letting the wake wave over the transom :-[

I have had her in the water and everything went well, I think the water came in either over the transom or in through the drain for the livewell (see my other post). All of the wood has been replaced within the past couple of years, including the stringers and transom. I am hoping to put her in the water this afternoon, tomorrow at the latest. Thanks

Finally have posted enough to be able to post pictures, here is my PB smallie

I picked this boat up for a little bit of nothing, I think I got a great deal, everything works, the 110 is strong. Specs 1980 Hydrasports, 1987 Johnson 110, 1992 motorguide trolling motor, have no idea on the trailer, it was a real pig when I picked her up. The white paint looked like Wal-Mart special spray paint, the paint didn't cover the original paint, was peeling, cracking, and moldy. I've painted it and got new seats, I am still working on the trailer, just small stuff really. Anyway here are a couple of pics. After

here is a couple of pics of the pig that leaks from nowhere. b4 After

I've heard Claytor Lake is a good smb fishery, hoping to find out as soon as I get the kinks out of my boat

Welcome, I am a long time lurker myself, new poster.

FWIW I release all of the larger ones, due more to fear of mercury levels than anything. I have no problems keeping fish to consume, but I personally eat trout, crappie and cats, not real fond of bass, smallies although are better than lmb. If I were regularly consuming fish from any body of water I would keep tabs with the local game and fish people as they monitor the water quality of the water. Most fishing regulation have warnings on the amount of fish consumed. I live in WV and am fortunate to have clean fisheries for the most part, but I wouldn't eat anything from the kanawha, or ohio river. Good luck and good eating, fish are a great food.

How did the trip go? Catch any toads?

looks like you shoot a Remington 760, I'm guessing a 30-06. Have one just like it.

Greenbrier River in WV 19.5 inches and 4.24 pounds, have a picture of her but can't post it yet. BTW caught it on a 1/2 ounce pig and jig blue and black, couldn't believe it.

Here in WV I have a pond at the end of the road. Gets really bad in the summer, lots of algea and hydrilla, the oxygen level seems to drop badly and the only thing that works in the summer is plastics for this pond. also the fish are definitely more active early and late. Don't give up and good luck

I'll be testing her out again asap. the weather is changing around some, so I'm having some pain, as soon as it dies down I'm heading for the lake again. Thanks for the advice fellas.

I'm definitely not ruling that possibilty out!!!