Fishes in trees

I'm thinking what did you expect? Chompers smell like garlic, they've always smelled like garlic. Doesn't it say on the packaging "garlic scented"? You shouldn't have thrown them away. Maybe keep them in the garage or something. I think Chompers are good baits.

Get a Calcutta or maybe one those Curado 3oo E's.

There is all kinds of stuff to look at when you're out on the water. Binoculars help extend your range and look at stuff farther away. Lets say you got several acquaintences and their boats all look kind of alike at 300 to 400 yards away. Some of these guys you want to talk to and some of them you'd just as soon not. Binoculars help the identity process. I almost always keep a pair in my boat and I got a heavy duty waterproof Pelican case to keep them in. A $35 case to protect a $120 pair of binocularsmight be overkill, but I don't think so. I've had the same pair for going on 15 years now.

I have polarized prescription sunglasses and I'm uncomfortable being outside in sunlight without them. When I go fishing, I do use a glasses strap. I've considered getting some of those Wiley X type prescription goggles, but I haven't found a dealer near me and I haven't decided that they are necessary - yet. I use the dark grey lens, I think for every day use, if you're just going to have one color of prescription sun glasses, that's the one to get. Maybe not, I'm pretty sure my prescription will change in the next year or so and I'll see what is available then.

A couple of different companies have tried to market this idea. A lure called the "front runner" comes to mind. I think Norman used to make it, but I'm uncertain. I recall reading an article about it years ago in Bassmaster magazine, (8 or 10, maybe more, years ago) It was a very light, shad shaped lure, with one feathered treble hook hanging from the belly. Basically it was made out of styrofoam and a thin wire internal frame. The concept was tying your main line to the nose of the front runner and then running a leader off the rear of the bait to either a walking or popper type bait. The notion was for it to serve as an attractor and present an image of a fish chasing fish on the surface situation. I've tried it off and on again over the years - very mixed results. I never caught a fish on the front runner and it seemed to deaden the action of the trailing lure. I tried varying the leader from less than a foot to around a foot and a half. I tried it with various brands of poppers and a spook and a sammy, and like I said it seemed to deaden the action. It was harder to get the sammy or the spook to walk right and it was harder to get the poppers to pop. Overall, I thought it was a good idea that just didn't work for me. It must have worked for someone or it never would have been marketed. A classic case of "go figger". Please though, don't let my experiences deter you from your experiments, you might hit on the next great thing.

This thread has nearly convinced me to go to the BPS sale and throw money on some $5 Rapala DT cranks. I don't know, we'll see. Lifetime, I've only had modest success with crankbaits with a couple of notable exceptions. I think the Shad Rap should be put in its own category of "finesse cranking". I've never had any luck on a Shad Rap unless I used 8 lb line on spinning gear and a 6 1/2 or 7 foot medium light graphite rod. I've caught a number of big (6 lb +) fish on crankbaits in and around standing timber and trees in 14 to 25 feet of water. All of these fish have happened using heavier line, generally some 14 lb abrasion resistant mono or fluorocarbon and all of them using a Timber Tiger DC 13 or 16. The ability of this crankbait to smack into trees and then bounce over or around them and not get stuck is amazing. Another subset of cranking is throwing 1/2 ounce or larger square bills in 7' or less water around cover or weeds using 17 or 20 lb line. There are lots of different square bills out there for this application that all work good. My current fave is a Timber Tiger DC8. Anyway, I think when the subject of "best crankbait" comes up, the very next question has to be "Best at what?"

You're talking about putting the weight inside the tube? That just takes practice and the willingness to sacrifice a few (or maybe more than a few) tubes until you get proficient at it. Thin walled tubes are easier than thick wall tubes. Several different companies make tube weight inserts (with & without rattles) which are easier to use than the bass casting sinkers. If you're going to use the casting sinkers, putting a 45 to 60 or so degree bend in the eyelet makes it a little easier to hit with the point of the hook. et some slobber on them and they are easier to insert into the tube. Finding a hook you like for this can be a challenge. I most often use the Owner Big Mouth Tube hook in 3/0 or 4/0, but I'm not totally happy with that hook and I occasionally try different brands and shapes, all with mixed results. Looking through the different manufacturers websites via the links, I've seen that Yamamoto and Chompers both carry an insert weight that is more flattened and has a bigger eye that would probably be easier to hit with the hook point but as yet I haven't found any dealer near me that carries that particular item and I haven't been motivated enough to buy some direct.

I'm not a big fan of spending alot of money on spinning reels. Basically all they do is hold the line. I understand that more expensive reels have a better drag system, yet I can honestly say I've never lost a fish because of any drag malfunction. Any fish I've lost on spinning tackle can be chalked up to operator error. I own a few Shimano Spirex reels, I'm happy with them and they cost me around $50. A coulple of years ago, Rogers Lures in Liberty had the US Reels Supercasters on sale for around $40. I bought a couple of them and I held one in reserve and used the other one for throwing soft swimbaits (1/2 to3/4 oz) , using 14 lb Fireline and a 20 lb flurorcarbon leader. I've had no issues with the reel, casting distance seems to be unlimited and they've easily handled every fish I've caught on them. No really big fish but several quality keepers in the 18 to 20 inch range. This season I'll probably bench one of the Spirex reels and pull the other Supercaster out of the box. Just saying,in my experience spending $80 for a spinning reel is overkill. If I had unlimited funds, I'd have several Shimano Stellas, just because they say Shimano on the side, but I don't.

It is possible to wear out a trollling motor. They generally don't die quickly, they die a lingering death due to being smacked into countless stumps. I don't know how old yours is, but that could be a factor.

I'm not a big fan of the Carrot Stix because I don't think their handles are comfortable. I think there is such a thing as a rod handle/grip being too thin and skeletonized.

Those Hummingbird (formerly Bottom Line) Fishing Buddy depth/side finders work well and they are totally portable. That could be very handy in a strip pit situation.

Which one? I've probably fished it.

I think paddle tail worms are good. I'm more likely to choose one for stained/muddy water than I am for clear water. I prefer to fish them on some sort of a jig head, like a 1/4 ounce Brewer spider slider head, or a pegged texas rig than I am with a sliding tx rig sinker. I've had some decent days fishing the Berkley paddle tail (which is a little heavier and longer) on a Bubba drop shot rig.

What you're going to need as a co-angler will vary quite a bit, depending on where you're fishing. Do you know any other guys who are co-anglers at the level you're wanting to fish? They could be a good source of local information. Gear for a co-angler starts with rods and reels but it certainly doesn't end there. You'll need to bring a modest amount of baits and a handy, easy to access way to store them. There are lots of different tackle bags out there, find one you like. There is a fine line between bringing too much stuff and not enough stuff. You will need a rain suit. Early season requires a good one, like Cabelas Guidewear or equivalent. Being cold and wet in the early spring out on the water isn't any fun. Early morning take off - don't forget about wind chill. Wind chill will commonly get below freezing - a suit that absolutely stops the wind is a great first step to staying warm. I got one of those Fishhedz face masks and that made alot of difference on long runs. (even in the summer, a june bug in the face can spoil your day) If you don't like the face mask - get a set of goggles - some sort of eye protection. If you're not used to rriding in a bass boat, your eyes will tear up when you're running and you won't be able to see a thing. Late spring, summer, early fall tournaments, you can get by with a set of frogg toggs. (the jacket and bibs are better than the jacket and pants) Final answer - don't skimp on rain wear & don't fall into the trap of thinking a poncho is "good enough" You will need a life jacket - get a good one that fits. I'd recommend one of those auto inflatable models, but let your wallet and comfort be the judge. When I was co-angling I was famous for getting a backlash to start out the day. Picking out a backlash wastes time. I got to the point to where I just carried 2 or 3 extra bait casters in my tackle bag. If it looked like it was going to take more than a minute or two to unsnarl it, I just changed out the reel. Co -angler is fun, but you've got to be adaptable and it helps to be prepared for different angling situations. Most of the time what I would do is bring a whole bunch of stuff with me to the tournament and pare it down considerably after talking to the boater I drew.

I've had issues with Strike King jig skirts (and several other brands for that matter). I took some wire and clinched them down tight, and then removed the rubber skirt band with a scalpel. I like the way the War Eagle skirts come wired tight. As far as missing fish when jig fishing, I think everyone goes through phases where they just miss fish. No good reason, they just miss them. I chalk it up to operator error.

I don't know that this threat has helped all that much but it has gotten me to thinking. I recently got diagnosed as a diabetic, just a couple of weeks ago.(I don't have to do insulin shots, just eat pills and watch diet for now) Some of the healthy things (like carry a lot of water and stay hydrated) I already do. I'll just have to find some food I like that tolerate travel and cooler storage well. Previously I just got a subway sandwich (or 2) and kept them in a water tight lunch box. Now, I can't eat as much and I'm supposed to spread the meals out throughout the day. I'm supposed to go back to the hospital dietitian at the end of March and I'll get some ideas from them.

If you need a heavy duty, light weight reel in a 5 something to one ratio, you've got several options. Shimano makes a Calais in a 5-1 version. I've got a couple - they work great. You can get a Curado in 5 - 1 ration. I've got a few, they work great. If you can deal with one that weighs a little bit more, you can get a Calcutta or a Calcutta TEGT i a 5-1 gear ratio. They work great and they will last forever. Just sayin, you don't have to stick with the Revo label.

There are lots of different brands on pond boats out there. Most of them are very similar. I've never ridden in this particular brand of pond boat, but I owned a different brand of one for a while. The 8 foot size is a great one man boat. It sucks as a 2 man boat. 8 foot is just too small for 2 guys, you will just get in each others way. That being said, go ahead and get the boat. Be aware that you're going to spend at least $150 on auxillary items. Be sure and get the biggest deep cycle battery you can find. Don't forget a paddle. A life jacket is a really good idea. One of those auto inflatable life vests that you'll wear all the time is an even better idea. How are you going to transport this boat? Even throwing it on the back of a pickup, it is a good idea to strap it in.

I live in a different neighborhood than you live in, but for me, I've never had much luck throwing jerkbaits in muddy water. I think jerkbaits work better in water that has at least a few feet of visibility. I think spinnerbaits or if you've gotto go deeper some kind of rattling crankbait is a better option in muddy water.

Generally, jerkbaits are more of anopen water bait, so I like to throw them ona rig that I can get maximum distance with. For me that is a medium light spinning rod and 10 or 14 lb fireline. I generally use a short, 2 foot or so fluorocarbon leader. I find that I can cast better in the wind with a spinning rod as opposed toa bait caster.

I fished a number of years as a co-angler in BFL tournaments and the one thing I can tell you is to every tournament is different. Bring a bunch of stuff with you, if you have some one to pre-fish with then pre-fish. Make your preliminary tackle choices based on seasonal patterns. Make your final selections after you've met and talked with your boater. This gives you a much better idea of how much and what kind of stuff to bring. I carried a few as four rods up to as many as eight. If your boater has a nice boat, 8 rods is doable. I had tournaments where it was useful to have a rattle trap rod and a crankbait rod and a squarebill rod all rigged up. In the spring time, a dedicated jerkbait rod saves alot of time. I always had a flipping stick, but most of the time I had it rigged up in bubba dropshot fashion. For many summer tournaments, it is unwise to ignore the top water bite first thing in the morning, so there were several tournaments I had a dedicated poper rod. Should I choose to get back onto tournament fishing, I'm pretty certain that I'd have some sort of dedicated swim bait rod. Every tournament is different. You've got to make your own choices about what rods to dedicate to which technique. Good luck.

When I was in college, and into my 20's and 30's, I had to deal with this situation quite a bit. One thing that works is networking. Friends and friends of friends will help you out if you just talk to them. This is how I found my very best spot. (a 50 acre lake on private land in the middle of a national forest) All I had to do was occasionally do some odd job for the older woman who acquired the property in a divorce proceeding. One thing, should you be going about tresspassing on private lakes, don't look skuffy. Wear clean clothes and be presentable. Know the names of the real estate agents selling in that particular area. I know several private lakes that I got on by telling residents that real estate agent X recommended this lake to me. Asking for permission works most of the time, sometimes it is easier to say you're sorry than it is to ask for permission. Really, I was fishing in and around Boone County Mo and surrounding counties and I can only think of a couple lakes that I was denied permission to fish on. It's just one of those things that you've got to work at. Should you put your mind to it you should get permission to fish any where you want to.

I'm glad your local sports show was good this year. I can't say that about the local Kansas City Sports show. This year, and for the past few years it has sucked. This year there was only one or two tackle dealers. I can remember in years past where there were 20+ tackle dealers. There were NO tackle deals at this years sports show. The closest thing to a deal was the one tackle dealer who was there had Megabass jerk baits and the new Rick Clunn jerk baits side by side and he would sell you some for exactly the same price as the Bass Pro catalog. What a deal. No discounts for cash, nothing for buying several, nothing. This year the show "featured" a guy calling himself "the outboard doc" or something like that. Apparently, from what I heard, should you have a newer Mercury, he knew all about it. Guys who had questions about their older Force engines, or their older Tohatsu engines or in my case a 2002 Yamaha, all got the same answer, which was "I'm not sure, I don't want to give you incorrect advice, you should go to a ( fill in the brand) dealer and ask them." Sorry about the rant, but I'm pretty steamed about just how pitiful the KC sports show was I couldn't help myself..

While you're looking for a boat that you can afford, go ahead and dream, stranger things have happened. I can recall 40 years ago, I was living in the dorms at Mizzou and one of the guys on my floor shows up on Sunday evening driving a 6 year old Porsche. It seems some wealthy Kansas City matron was steamed at her husband and decided to sell his Porsche - for $500. Never mind that in 1972, liability only, it cost more to insure that car than he paid for it. It was fun for a while. While you're looking for a boat, don't ignore that insurance. Every year, a few people somewhere in the country do something stupid/tragic and there are unfortunate consequences. If you're not insured, there are a whole lot more consequences, some of them fiscally catastrophic.

I've always thought that the Culprit color - tomato - was an interesting color. Over the years, I've tried that color over a dozen times and I never could get any fish interested in it. At the time I was fishing farm ponds and small conservation lakes in the mid-mo area. The small conservation lakes had the reputation of being pounded pretty heavy. The farm ponds were relatively private, a pristine environment. I couldn't get bit in either of those environments using that color of Culprit worm. I hope it works where you live.