Fishing Rhino

I'd like to know a bit about the bottom. Is it rocky? Is there vegetation, and at what depths? Water clarity. I would fish it just like I do the ponds around here. Fish the steeper drop offs. Cast toward the shore, but not to the shore. It looks like there are places where the bottom slopes gradually then drops off more steeply. I call that point where it drops off more steeply, the shoulder. Position your boat in deeper water, but close enough to cast to the shoulder. I'd fish a weighted wacky worm. To be specific, a 3/32 ounce Jackall or Inichi wacky jig heads. Cast to the shoulder, let the bait settle to the bottom, then retrieve it slowly with twitches and hops. If it runs into grass or other vegetation, all the better. If you have rocky bottom that transitions to grass or other vegetation, hit those spots. You can also rig a Rage Tail grub on the same Jackall wacky jig heads. Use a drop of super glue (I prefer Loctite) to button the nose of the grub to the weight. It should run with the tail down. Rigged up, it looks like this. Cast them and let them settle to the bottom. Retrieve by lifting slightly. I fish them much the same as wacky worms. Use the glue or you'll be pushing the bait back to the weight on every cast. You should be able to catch several fish per grub, provided you glue it in place.

Truer words were never spoken. But, you'll get the sympathy vote from me.

A very wise method. Now, is it a case of "Great minds run in the same channel", or "Fools think alike."?

Hey, be thankful. Checking the list, you don't need to worry about halitosis, or perspiration odor. Nothing much worse than being stuck on a boat with someone who smells like a locker room.

Let's see. Our televisions are fully functional. So if the weather isn't suitable for fishing, and should I be inclined to watch a football game, college or pro, I'm as ready as I need to be. Am I anxious for the season to get started. Nah, I don't believe in wishing my life away. I have many things I'm looking forward to between now and then, plus a few surprises, some pleasant, and others maybe not so pleasant. But that's life. I lost interest in all of the stick and ball pro sports when the owners and players were whining about how tough they had it. I washed my hands of them all, and, truth be told, my life is the better for it. I will watch a game now and then. But only if I have nothing better to do.

I'm interested, but not able to commit at the moment. If and when I can do it, you'll be the first to know.

They can be the same or different. It doesn't matter. I have Humminbird units, plus the basic Lowrance that came mounted in the console of my boat. I will not say the Humminbirds are better than the Lowrance or Garmin units. In the end, it all boils down to this. Get something you are comfortable using.

Fishermen who look down their noses at wacky rigged senkos are missing out. They are not always the best bait, but day in, and day out, they are tough to beat. If you'd like to try something a bit different, try a 3/32 ounce Jackall, or Iniche, or a Buckeye Flick It rigged with your slim Senkos in deeper water. Heck, I use em in shallow water as well. Normally, I fish them very slowly along the bottom, in short twitches and hops. But, there are times when it is light, but the sun has not yet risen above the horizon, that the bass (small and largemouth) prefer them to be fished by swimming them in the water column. Yes, even if they are weighted. Don't get stuck in a rut to the exclusion of baits with proven track records.

The next time you have a bleeding fish, hold it over the water and watch what happens. It clots instantly upon hitting the water. Maybe Sprite or whatever causes the blood to clot faster, I don't know. But it surely won't clot as long as it's out of the water unless you do something.

Here's the deal on extended warranties, as I see it. They wouldn't sell them, if they didn't make money on them. Granted, they may lose money on a policy now and then, just like insurance companies do when they have to pay large claims against individual policies. All in all, they make a profit on overall sales. It's the same with warranties. Overall, they make a profit on the total sales of extended warranties, or they would not sell them. If they make money, the customers have to lose money, save for the few who have unusual problems. I don't buy extended warranties on cars, appliances or electronics, and have yet to lose a cent because of it. My best guess is that we are more than a few thousand dollars ahead of the game for declining the extended warranties over the past couple of decades.

I hate to admit it, but for the replies, I didn't understand that was an iPad being used as a cutting board. We have a couple of cutting boards that are about that size. At least I think they are cutting boards. 'scuse me, I gotta go check to be sure.

Maybe I oughta pick me up some fireworks on my way to Pickwick next May. If my mind and body are still intact. Intact being a relative term.

Dicks Sporting Goods stores usually have a pretty good selection of the Rage Tail products. At least the ones in this area do. They carry the Anacondas, Space Monkeys, Craws, and a couple of the others in a variety of colors. Looks like the nearest one to Rome, GA is 38 miles away. Gonna take four or five gallons of gas to make the round trip, so free shipping is the way to go. But, if you're ever heading to an area that has one, stop in and check 'em out. Also, check their flyers online. They have 20 percent off of all Strike King products several times a year, as well as other brands too.

An invisible gear box so it doesn't spook the fish. What will they think of next?

All I know is this. I wouldn't do it. It's not just the danger. I've had a friend setting out a trawl in his boat and got caught in the line, and taken over the side. His body was never recovered. Any fishing is dangerous, though not on the same level as the crabbing on the Bering Sea. It's the grind, the mind numbing, relentless grind in all kinds of weather. You've got to be physically able to do the job, but even more important is the mental side of it. You've got to be able to push through physical pain, exhaustion, and knowing that you've still got days or weeks of fishing ahead of you. If you find out it's not for you a few days into the trip there's no escape, no way out, and no mercy or compassion from the rest of the crew. You are stuck at sea until the boat gets to port to offload their catch. You will be alone, among a crew that has to pick up your slack. What you see on television, and what you'll experience are two entirely different things. It's interesting, even fascinating to watch green water sweep over the side. On the boat, it's downright terrifying. Hey, you may love it. Most who try it think they will. They see a crewman making forty or fifty thousand dollars for a few weeks work. Those few weeks can seem like an eternity when you are at sea. The boats featured on the show are for the most part successful ventures. Other boats may barely scratch out a living. I've had guests make a day trip with us on the lobsterboat. Some say they had a good time, but they wouldn't want to have to do it for a living. Some dream of the freedom of the sea. The reality is more like the boat is a prison. Those hundred plus foot boats get mighty small when nature throws them a fastball of strong winds. I'm not saying these things to discourage you. If you do it, I wish you success. I hope to fill out the image of what you have seen with the downside of the job.

Not to mention the two batteries that will be needed for an 80 pound thrust motor. I could be wrong, but I believe that trolling motors with that much thrust are 24 volts. I know the 70 pound thrust on my Nitro is 24 volts. Two batteries and one trolling motor compared to a 9.9 or less horspower = a no brainer. I'd stay with the outburst. Ooops, I meant outboard.

An electric motor can also be a pain. You'll need another battery. As to speed, it will be a lot slower than even a 5 hp gas engine. I doubt you'd get much over five mph, if even that. I've got a 55 pound Minnkota on my canoe and I cannot fish a whole day on a single battery unless the pond is very small, and I know it pretty well. Then I don't have to do much searching to find where the fish hang out. Keep in mind, a canoe glides a lot easier than a jon boat, even moreso with a fiberglass boat. Needing a second battery, you'll need to charge them both after each use. That will require another charger. Unless you are fishing electric only waters, I'd stick with the gas engine. It also depends on what yoou mean by the outboard being a pain. Are there mechanical problems, or is it just the handling of it?

Around here we call fish like those ............................................bait.

Sounds like a poor ground, or connection in the wiring. We had something like you are describing with our microwave oven. It would remain powered up, but intermittently would shut down, tripping the circuit breaker when you tried to nuke something. Reset the circuit breaker, and it would power up. The clock and display would work until you hit the start button. Had the serviceman come out to check the unit. He tested polarity and several other things and found nothing wrong. So, we plugged it into another circuit using an extension cord and it worked just fine. Couldn't find a problem so he left. I went downstairs and started following the wiring of that circuit. What I found was that someone had stapled through the wiring when they were securing it to the framing of the house. Keep in mind, our home is almost forty years old. We've had pinhole leaks develop in the copper water tubing, and one of them had sprayed onto that staple which had pierced the insulation, causing a short which did not affect the trickle of power needed for the clock and display. But when the unit called for more power, in high humidity, the breaker would trip. I cut out the damaged section and spliced in another piece of wiring, and no more problem. Electrical problems can be frustratingly difficult to diagnose, even for qualified electricians. Once you get past the initial check of all the connections you can get to, it's best to have a pro check it out. You are doing the right thing by taking it to a local dealer.

I prefer to start early. Is the fishing better? It really doesn't matter if it is or isn't. I like to get to the ramp early enough so I need a flashlight to make sure everything is connected or disconnected before launching. A glow in the east provides enough light to see the outlines of trees at the ramp and enough visibility to walk around without bumping into them. But to check the drain plug and other items prior to launching, I need the light, unless I do it by braille. By the time I'm on the water with the seat mounted, the gear out including my pfd, and on the trolling motor, I can see well enough to fish without light. If I need to tie on a bait, I need the light for the first half hour or so of fishing. The upside is, it's the best part of the day. It's usually the calmest and quietest part of the day. I can get in four or five hours of fishing before the jet skis and party barges begin their assaults on the pond. The only distractions are the break of day birdsongs, and the occasional splash of a fish breaking the surface of the water. I'm on the water for an hour or two before the next boat shows up at the ramp. No rush, no line of rigs waiting to launch, no one to bother or be bothered by. I don't know for sure if the fishing (catching) is better or not, but the fishing (trying to catch them) is definitely better. I can fish for seven or eight hours and still get home in time to mow the lawn or do other chores around the house. Maybe even get home in time for lunch.

Yes. When are you planning on being there? Do you have a boat? Some of the ponds listed are limited horsepower, some are electric only or paddle powered. I'm about an hour from most of those ponds. Send me a pm. Maybe we can get together and I can take you to what I consider to be the best pond of the bunch.

It has to be close to 300 pounds. More than you want to lift, even with a helper. For safety and security, you need to lift it with this type of hoist. If you don't have one, borrow or rent one. You don't need one as hefty as the one in the image below.

Check out the ponds in Barnstable and Mashpee on this site. It will give you some general fishing info about the ponds, their location and where they can be accessed. http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/habitat/maps/ponds/pond_maps_sd.htm

Considering that you are only 35, I don't recommend hot water. Considering that I don't shave, save for my neckline, my recommendation isn't worth spit.

Hershey, bars or kisses, makes no difference. Your Reeses, Three Musketeers, Milky Way or Snickers without the chocolate would be..............................well, let's put it this way. I like them all, but, I cannot recall ever getting an urge to dip into peanut butter with a spoon and eat it straight. I like it fine in a peanut butter, peanut butter and jelly, or marshmallow and peanut butter sandwiches, but no desire to take it as a stand alone. Here, this might explain it better. http://www.eromance.com/romance/advice-125.html