Nitrofreak

VERY NICE !!!! Now send us some pics with her in the water and you catching some fish...and if your ever down my way I will even let you take me fishing in it...no really!!

You will love it especially when you find nothing else works, this works!!!

X2 The lizard has been the most productive for me even when the jerk bait is hot the lizard always seems hotter on a c-rig.

LOL...Yea that ol' girl does not like to give up her secrets, glad to hear and see you all did well though. Thanx for the pics!!!

It may be possible that your bait had been trapped in between rocks as you were lifting and that is why you felt it to be pulling out of mud, and could explain why only half of your bait came back. A very lethargic fish bite does not sound like a smaller fish bite, I would have to consider ruling that one out. In my opinion and experience, even in colder water temps if you can get bit from a crappie or sun fish they are still pretty aggresive and distinct in nature to the feel, to me they are not lertharic at all.

Just because you lost half of your bait 10x or so may have been due to smaller fish or too early of an hookset. The first thing I would have done in that case is pull up slow on the rod and made sure the fish had the bait fully in its mouth and then set the hook. The next change would have been a switch to a swim or jig type bait.

Nice !!!!! Man I miss being at that lake !!! Did you stay in Sturgeons all day or primarily south of that?

Nice job, thats a good looking catch !!! For those of you not having any luck and water temps in the 40's have you tried a hair jig yet?

I would have to agree with you there, studies show growing numbers in loon populations not a decline.

I am the president of that club and I have the T-Shirt to prove it!!! You are welcome to join if you like...membership is free.

Nice job Brick!!! I think swim baits and spinners are the trick right now since the weather is a little windy and the water is a little choppy, but if you find a lay down or two I like top water in these conditions as well.

As far as I know and the way I read the statement published by this group, there is a variety of ways these birds develop lead poisoning, but the only one they mentioned is lead from fishing tackle. The way I see it is they are really going way too far to ban the way we use lead, now I fully understand why they are doing this, what I mean to say is we have to look at it this way, we love to fish and we are very passionate about all things related to our sport, but at the same time they are very passionate about their birds, I totally get that, but they are in very early stages of what could happen if this method is continued to be used in the manner we use them, a few birds out of 1,500 may not be a big deal to us and to most it's not, myself included, but a few years down the road...maybe. Do we need a ban on lead fishing gear now?, HELL NO !, do we need to find an alternitive?, it wouldn't hurt to start discussions on a safe, economical alternitive I think. Here is my thoughts at least for now, until we can find that enviromentally friendly solution, most lead uses today are sealed in one form or another to help protect it in the enviroments in which we use it for, why can't we at the very least coat the lead in a durable coating of some shape or form to protect it if it should be injested.

Most all of the ways that we use lead today are protected in ways that we do not come in direct contact, X-ray techs use plates that are sealed as are the radioactive medicines too. I have been in the automotive industry for 40 years now, I used to restore and customise older vehicles, lead was used to put together roof tops and other various parts on vehicles all the way through the 70's, during that time I have handeled lead in many different ways. It has been handeled with care over my time as a tech, the only ones that have been effected by lead poisoning are usually the ones that did not know the long term effects of lead, either through pure stupidity or through companies that just did not give a crap about their employees and were not educated about the effects, tough pill to swollow I know, but way back when, you worked and were happy to have a job no matter the conditions.

New water requires homework, I hate homework even as a kid in school, but I love to fish so I do my homework first. I let the moment decide for me, when I pick a spot off the topo map, I first arrive, I look around, take it all in, lets take a look at the spot I just picked out, it's a little cool outside just enough for a sweatshirt, the water is clear you can see down 4 feet or so, at the surface it's slightly bumpy water with a little tiny bit of wind, I am approx. 30 yards from the shore looking at a point that shows a good bit of red clay and a couple of lay downs on both sides of the point. Forget about the electronics and you tell me what you would reach for.

X2 right here, The only thing that I do different here is instead of using my rod to shake the worm, I use my finger under the line at the reel.

Wayne P. I think your pulling someones leg here lol. You guys and gals are killing me man !!! Im stuck working 14hrs a day...yes weekends too...and I cant get a break long enough to wet a line, at least I have this site to enjoy hearing about and seeing you all catching some fish. Keep the pics and the stories comming ya'll and good luck and be safe!!! Ej I hope to see you put one or two on here as well!!

All at Mercer?

AWESOME !!!!! Ok now you can go put it back in your fish tank...HA! Really nice fish bocabasser!!!!

First thing I would do is go grab me a fish locater ( otherwise known as a stick of dynamite depending on your neck of the woods ) throw it over there where the ice is and watch your fish locater locate the fish for ya. Or you could just try a hair jig either way works pretty good for really cold water.

I prefer a long neck ice cold Bud myself...you wine people are just to civilised, you all need to come my way and learn how to loosen up and unwind a little...lol. I will be sure not to overcook it...I wouldn't want to melt the lead, it'l make it taste funny.

You know... if I was not at work I would come over there and jerk a big knot in your head for showing me something like that on a day like today!!! Just kidding lol. Nice fish !!!!!!!

Both humans and birds HA!!

X2, Thanx for the link by the way !

If I read this correctly the text reads as if almost half (44%) of the "breeding" loons are dieing of lead poisoning "due" to fishing sinkers etc... In the toxicology report it does not reflect the same statement that was made. 1,500 dead birds from chick to adult, lead poisoning, Fishing gear, unknown reasons for death Chick = N/A 1% 26% Immature loon = 4% 6% 28% Adult loon = 25% 9% 38% Out of that from the report where does 44% of death by lead fishing gear come from?, more die from unknown causes and trama than anything else listed. I am all about wildlife and the great outdoors and preserving it for future generations but in the famous words of our great spokesman of Monday night countdown....cuuuummmmooon man!!

You can't be serious.