.ghoti.

Cool pics, George. Couldn't agree more.

Happy birthday, young lady. Here's to hoping the next fifty treat you as well as the first fifty.

Just got home yesterday from our annual trip north. Went to Crane Lake for the second time. First trip was three years ago, when we rented a houseboat for a week. That's a lot of work, cutting into the fishing time, so this time we rented a cabin and a boat. First, the pike bite was on, after we figured out where to fish. We had cool, mid-seventies temps, mostly overcast, some rain, and light winds. Perfect pike weather. All we had to do was find a windblown weedbed and start catching pike. After the first day we had five spots to alternate between. As soon as the bite died, we moved. Spinnerbaits were the sure thing this week. What was really cool was watching my wife figure out the right pattern. She'd never used a spinnerbait before, and didn't really want to try one. Of course after saying that, she caught one of the second or third cast. That got her interested. She figured out to toss the bait up into a pocket in the weeds, work it back through the tangle, and kill at right at the weedline, let it flutter down and then do a slow roll retrieve. She came up with that on the second day and there after proceeded to outfish me about two to one on pike. No big fish, but plenty of action on the 24 - 28 inchers. Lots of fun on light line. I got the biggest pike, a 36 incher, on a Rage Tail Shad. Mixed in with the pike, particularly on the rainy days, were some smallmouth. Again, no trophy fish, but plenty of fun on light line. We were about even in numbers on the smallies, but I got the biggest one, at 2 3/4 pounds. Caught that on one of the new giant Super Flukes. I was trying the magnum fluke out on the pike, and got the smallie. We also found smallies on a couple of rock walls, and on one very long breakline that started in 5 feet of water, and dropped to over thirty feet, in about a 15 foot span. Very steep drop-off with fish all the way up and down it. They were only there one day, but on that day, they were THERE. No walleye, at all. The reports from the locals were not good. Everybody said the walleye fishing was tough. The only people catching any were long line trolling, out over deep water, and they were catching very few. We were not set up for trolling, and I don't like to troll anyway. If I have to troll to catch fish, I'd just as soon go back to the cabin, and find a ballgame to watch. We decided who needs walleye when the pike and smallies were willing to come out and play. Here's the cabin. We were roughing it, as you can plainly see. http://www.wildwoodescape.com/retreat.htm As soon as I find the cable for my camera, I'll put up some pics. Cheers, GK

I can verify that. I don't use a spinning reel often, but my wife uses only spinning gear. We've both had a lot less line trouble on the spinning gear since I started treating the line with KVD.

I don't see how closing the bail manually will reduce line twist. Twist is created by rotation of the bail, and thus the line, during the retrieve. It will reduce formation of loops on the spool, which will cause problems on subsequent casts.

Pi's aren't square, pi's is round

An Evolution Shaky2 head is a great jighead for the Swim Senko. I usually have a Swim Senko rigged on a 5/0 EWG hook, adding weight as required for the depth I want to target. When the baits get torn up, and they will, I save them for use with the Shaky2 jighead. Cut off the first 1/2 - 3/4" and rig it using the shank on the hook, not the post. It will swim straight, with some added action from the jig's keel.

I don't shorten them, I cut "em off entirely. I'd never caught many fish on a jig, despite repeated efforts. Once I started cutting off the weedguards, I started catching fish. I think the weedguard is just one more negative cue that you can dispense with.

I have a Rapala Lok-N-Weigh. It's not digital, but a spring scale. It's accurate, and has been tough as nails. It's basically a cheaper version of a Boca Grip. Cabela's puts them on sale every now and then. Got mine for fifty bucks, and I consider it money well spent.

NAH, everybody knows that you have to have donuts with coffee. I've actually caught quite a few decent fish with the coffee tubes this year.

No more lead weights in my box. I went to Ultra Steel weights for all my T-rigging. I started using the steel weights because I got tired of throwing away all my lead sinkers every year due to the eyes being pinched shut from banging about in the box. The steel weights never get deformed, and have never done any damage to my line. I still have some lead split shot. I've started using tin shot, and will probably stay with that unless something better comes along. I've stopped buying lead shot. Dinsmore makes a coated tin split shot, designed for fly fishing, that looks interesting. I haven't tried those yet. Still have a ton of leadhead jigs. I've tried a few tungsten weights, and do not see anything at all about them that even comes close to justifying the price. The use of lead is banned in some places now. I don't see that doing anything but becoming more widespread. We'd all better find something else we like, and start getting used to it. Cheers, GK

I think I'll hold off on buying any until they come out wqith the PEBBLZ series for finesse applications.

I use a St Croix Avid 6'8" MXF, Revo STX and 10lb test flouro for Senkos and Ikas.

Let's see. I had my reading glasses on; so four eyes for me. The bass did not have his shades on; so two eyes for him. Which also negates the idea that he was hanging out in the sunlight. The nearest nuke plant is 75 miles away; all the three eyed fish are up there. Can't be a chemical thing, or all the fish would have been affected. My consumption of "sports drinks" will not make the fish hot. It will make them much larger in the telling, though. I think I'm going with Muddy and Sam, and say the fish was suspending right at the surface long enough to get that warm. He must have either followed the bait down, or had dove down right before I caught him. You guys crack me up.

Couldn't agree more. Get a Benchmade if you can afford it. You won't be sorry.

OK Brian that's it. Every time I read one of your posts I end up at the tackle store, or online, spending more money on more baits. I'm not reading any more, you hear me? You used to be called Aint_Texan. I'm giving you a new moniker: Aint_Safe_For_My_Wallet_To_Hang_Around_With ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

I tried an Ika on a Shaky2 head, and had no success with it. i really thought it was worth a shot. I'll have to try it again after reading your report. For a non-traditional use, I'll submit a friend of mines tactic with the Fat Ika. He rigs it skirt down, like a tube, on a 4/0 EWG hook, and adds a couple of bull shot about a foot up the line. He casts it out, lets it sink, and then retrieves it like a crankbait. He catches fish doing this. I've tried it, and can't catch a thing. I guess it pays to remember that there are no rules, just results.

I have a very high tech spooling station, and I'm here to tell you it's worth every penny. Put a pencil through the spool, grab the pencil ends with your toes, control the line tension with downward pressure, and crank the line on. Note: you have to take off your shoes first.

You are a sick man ;D ;D ;D

http://www.knifeoutlet.com/ I bought quite a bit of stuff from these guys. good prices and quick service. CHeers, GK

Thanks Crow. That's about what I remember from the last trip. Lots of smallies on Super Flukes and 4" Senkos, little walleye on leeches and minnows, quite a few big "eyes on Rapalas and X-Raps, and a few nice pike on whatever we had on at the time. Cheers, GK

Had something very strange the other night. It was about 85 degrees out, I'd been there for about an hour, so I was fairly hot under the collar. Not mad, just sweating a bit. I got a tap-tap, and the line moved off very slowly, and I thought to myself, self, here's a nice fish. Around here the bigger fish tend to hit softly and move slowly. It's hard bangs and quick runs that result in dinks. So I set the hook, and had what felt like a dink on the line. Not much fight at all. Bait was in about ten feet of water, so the fight didn't last long. When I got it in, it was a nice fat 3 1/2 pounder. Very strange, a fish that size with so little fight. Here's the really strange part. When I lipped him, he felt HOT. Not water temperature, which cool to the touch. This fish was hot to the touch. And remember, I was hot from standing out in the sun on an 85 degree late afternoon. Anybody ever experience this? Or have an explanation? Cheers, GK edit; the other fish I caught that evening were all at water temp, slightly cool to the touch.

I don't use braid fro any bass fishing; I only use it for muskie fishing. My frog setup is a 6'10" Setyr heavy, mod-fast rod, Energy PT 7:1 reel and 14lb geen mono. I used to have 17lb line on this, and went to 14 for better handling and longer casts. I've had no problem with the swap to lighter line. I'm fishing most silver dollars, sparse pads and pond weed. No need for heavier line to get the fish out of these. Like I told Muddy, I bend the points of the hooks out on the Snag-proof frogs. And, I flatten out the V. That makes them no longer snag-proof, but also no longer hookup-proof. I quit using the Snag-proof frogs when Horny Toads came out. I get a lot better hookup percentage with these type of frogs. I have a new favorite; the NetBait Paca Toad in the larger of the two sizes. I use a 5/0 EWG hook when I want to fish it slow with pauses. The big Paca Toad will float a 5/0 EWG. When I want to fish it faster, I use a 5/0 EWG Superline hook. The toad will not float this hook, but the hook is heavy enough to act as a keel and keep the bait running straight on a fast retrieve. One thing I've discovered when using any of these toads is this; lubrication is required. These baits are thick enough that the bass can get a very good grip on them. If you can't quickly slide the bait in their mouths, you can't get a good hookset. MegaStrike works great for this. So does Pam garlic flavored cooking spray, but I no longer carry that stuff around. Mega Strike is easier and less messy to use. Cheers, GK

Don't let me keep you away. The Cumara is a fine rod, it's just not what I expected. I have six baitcasting rods that see a lot of use, and six more that see limited use as specialty rigs. The Cumara is in the second group. I use it for any situation where I need heavier baits; 3/8oz and up T-rigs and 1/2oz and up jigs. This is my deep water plastics rod; something I don't need very often. I thought about putting it up for sale. But I figured the most I could get out of a used $200 rod was about $120. Figure in a tube and shipping, and I could net maybe $90 for it. It's worth more than that to me to just keep around for the occasional use. It is very light and sensitive, so it funtions very well as a deep water plastics/jig rod. On a side note, I fished this past january with George Welcome at Stick Marsh. He told me to bring heavy tackle. I plan to go back to that area, and fish with him again. I'll take the Cumara for that. It has more than enough backbone for those big fish in that kind of cover. I don't own any Crucial's, but my brother does. The M and MH rods seems to be just that; medium and medium-heavy power. I liked his when I tried them out on one trip we took. But, in the same price range are the Team Daiwa Light&Tough rods. I have two of those, a 6'3" MH and a 7' M. For my money the L&T's are a better rod than the Crucials. Cheers, GK

I have a Cumara 6'8" MXF, and an Avid 6'8" MXF. Both are baitcast models. A good case for comparison, eh? The Cumara is a great looking rod. I like the EVA split grip, no foregrip design and the minimalist reel seat. The finish looks cool in the sun. The hook keeper is interesting anf functional, and never gets in the way. I give it high marks for style. The Avid is rather plain jane looking. I give it high marks for function. I use the Avid all the time. The Cumara stays in the car most of the time. The Cumara I have is way too stiff. It's rated for 1/4 - 1/2oz baits. BULL. A 1/4oz bait will not come close to loading this rod for decent casting. It's like trying to cast with a pool cue. I know that you can't compare ratings across different companies. It's the apples and oranges thing. But, this rod, compared to all the others I have, is closest in power to a Setyr 6'10" H pitchin stick. The Cumara just might be stiffer than the heavy power Setyr. As such, I don't have much use for it. I've been wondering if it's possible that I got a heavy power rod that was mislabeled as medium at the factory. It doesn't feel like any other medium power rod I have; or any other that I've tried. A lot of people really like these rods. For my part, I wish I'd bought a St Croix LT, in the same length and action. Cheers, GK