slonezp

The problem with the Ugly Sticks is they are too bendy. Too much like an ice fishing rod for my liking. A 6-1/2 to 7 ft rod needs some backbone that should reach 2/3 to 3/4 the length of the rod. The standard Ugly Stick doesn't have that.

So, I would never own a G Loomis or St Croix. They won't make me a better fisherman, help me connect more, help me land more fish, and the "fatigue" factor is negligible. That being said, the only good Ugly Stick currently made is their trolling rods. The rest are sub par to say the least. Try yourself a $100-$150 rod that is not St Croix or G Loomis. You'll be surprised.

A hundred dollar rod feels better, more balanced, more refined, than a $50 rod, depending on the brand. I'm partial to Fenwick. My opinion is it's the best bang for the buck. A $100 dollar St Croix feels like a $40 Ugly Stick. A $100 Fenwick feels like a $300 St Croix.

Cheap gear you say? I have caught more fish (not necessarily bass) on a Shakespeare ultralight spinning rig that I caught. Yes, I caught the spinning combo a few years back on a jig. I dried it out, oiled it up and it has been very good to me. I'd bet I have caught a thousand panfish in the last 3 years on that combo.

Heavens no!!!

Big baits=big fish

Once the ice is gone, all bets are off. I won't even start getting antsy for at least another 6-8 weeks. I am, however, topping off the boat batteries as I type this

Have done maybe 50 paypal transactions as a buyer and seller. They have been flawless.

Global Marine Insurance(broker). I used State Farm for years and was overcharged. Never filed a claim. Switched over to Global Marine, I have better insurance for less than 1/2 of what SF was charging me. https://www.globalmarineinsurance.com/

A couple weeks ago, on the shores of Lake Michigan, in Manitowoc Wisconsin the lighthouse beacon was washed away. https://fox11online.com/weather/weather-stories/manitowoc-lighthouse-washed-into-lake-michigan

Ziplock bags inside 60qt Ziplock Weathershield storage bins

I'm probably going Thursday after work. See you there

I think the real recommendation should be to research research research before making a purchase. Different brands and different boats serve different needs. Before purchasing a boat, we need to get all our ducks in a row. Don't buy based on price alone. Don't buy based on reputation alone. Find a happy median. I researched boats for 3 years prior to buying the Lund. I know others here have as well. If someone buys a boat on impulse, they are sure to be disappointed.

Don't forget the muffin tops squeezed out over their blue jeans

Just watch. Amazon will be the pioneer with their warehouses. They're are already robots making fast food. My sister has teamed up with a bot startup that will eliminate bookkeeping jobs that have already been outsourced to india and south America. A lot of unskilled labor will be unemployed. America's workforce will need to adapt or become obsolete.

We get a toxic fluorescent bluegreen algae bloom here periodically. Many claim it's from fertilizer runoff

Were I to get into the trades today, robotics is what I would pursue. Going to be a huge future, not only in design and engineering, but in diagnostics and repair. Eventually, any job that is repetitive, will be replaced with robotic technology. The money saved on salaries, benefits, and down time will far exceed the initial cost and maintenance of the robots.

Crappies like cover. Trees, docks, boat lifts, weeds. A lot will depend on the lake itself. If you've caught crappie from the lake before, ask yourself why. What was there that attracted the crappie? They can be finicky. They could be tight to cover and if you cast 3ft away you may not get a bite. If you do catch one, repeat what you are doing. If you don't catch more, try the same spot a little deeper or a little shallower. Crappies are a schooling fish. There is always more than one.

Look up Boston Dynamics on youtube

Take a hammer to the ice and use it in a cocktail.

It's just snow. I don't see the problem

Agree and disagree. After the spawn, the fish will follow the forage. Walleye, pike and crappie spawn in colder water than other fish. Depending on forage, crappie and walleye could stay shallow weeks after the spawn and the crappie will leave well before the walleye. I agree with cover and crappies. They are addicted to it. I'd hit every tree and boat dock/lift around no matter what the time of year. Stick and move is my motto for catching panfish and my livewell pics prove it. Keep moving until you find them. Were I fishing that area for walleyes, I'd head north to the steep drop that is not circled and drag a jig shallow to deep.

Your trailer is designed to be out in the elements. Make it part of your spring rituals to lubricate the coupler, locks, boat buckles, winch, bearings, leaf spring pivots (if you have tandem axles), and what ever else that needs lubricating.

If you know the lake has a good population of walleyes and crappies, I think bait is the first thing you need to find.