Shane J

Here you go, fellow New Hampshire-ites!

I have both the spinning and casting versions of the Vendetta, and like Rick said, the spinning version is a bit heavy.

Spro Bronze Eye Popper (rainforest black), or the good ole Hula Popper.

Yeah, I'd say 4 or 5 is about right, but that fish on the ground would get your fishing license pulled for a year if you were here. Smallest you can keep is a 32" striped bass, all others must be immediately released.

Oh yeah! High, cold, muddy water calls for desperate measures. And by desperate measures, I mean lures and baits that literally cause a ruckus, like chatterbaits, and big ole jigs with big trailers and rattles. Good luck out there.

Why not get a fully outfitted bass rig with all your electronics and whatever, and then upgrade to a huge (100+ thrust) 24 volt trolling motor for use on those occasions where only small motors are allowed? I've never seen a kicker on a bass boat, and swapping out a big motor for some 9.9 to fish for a day is not feasible.

I'd say the scale is right! What a fish!

The Holy Grail of fish weights! Nice catch, man!

Rage Tail Shad is what I caught my biggest bass on, and has consistently been my top topwater lure.

New Hampshire's is $35, but that doesn't get you a salmon stamp, just all other species in freshwater.

Great reel at a great price you got, and the line should be fine. As for the rod, I'd go with a 7' MH trigger rod, and it can be used for frogs, spinnerbaits, even Carolina rigging if you put on a weight and leader. I think you'll be happy with what you got, though.

I'll be fishing the Potomac (for the first time ever)for a tournament middle of May, and I hope we get on some like those right there. Nice job!

Yeah, just about every place I've seen has been mostly open, it's great.

I will own that Elite!

I have those Oakleys in the shallow blue, and I love them! I don't have any fogging problem with them, but I guess they are a tad heavy, but the optics are the best!

12 smallies, 1 largemouth. All on a Rage Craw on a Spot Remover, and on a split-shotted Eeliminator (white). Biggest was a 3lbs, 8oz smallie.

I'm headin' out with the bass boat to fish the Merrimack today around the Bow power plant, if anyone has the day off and they want to join me, hit me up 219-8487 Shane

If you use a heavy wire Gammy 4/0, or an Owner Twistlock 5/0, maybe with a 1/16th press on keel weight, you shouldn't have a problem. The other thing you could try, is press in a belly weight, which will allow you to run it all over the water column. Some folks even use the belly weight, and rig it on a C rig, which is my favorite, even using circle octopus hooks, and nose hook the Eel. You'll get it, and you'll love the thing!

I love my Lowrider XG. I use a 7' MH for my Carolina Rigs, and couldn't be happier.

When my wife fishes with me, she does pretty good behind me with a Senko or an 7" Anaconda, basically all she ever uses.

Oh, that fin, yes, trim tab is mounted underneath the cavitration plate. Sorry.

It's a cavitration plate, and it's there to keep air bubbles from reaching your prop.

They definitely saw you, and that's why they didn't hit. Like suggested, sneak up on 'em, and try a lizard on a stand up jig head. They hate that! Just let it dance around in the area, and wait for momma to try to move that bait. Good luck, and you might be on to some hawgs, for sure!

Beautiful fish! My PB also came on a Rage Tail, incredible baits, and the Lobster certainly does seem to get the big bite. Nice job, man!

Yeah, I have a temp gauge, and thank you for the response, FFD. I'll just let it idle like you said, and I'm just going to keep it slow for now.