Mike L

There’s a berm that encircles the whole thing, with what is called a rim canal that have locks to enter the big water. It’s like one huge soup bowl. Mike

Weather will stabilize this weekend with highs in low 70’s. They should be able to make it up. There’ll be a few areas today that’s gonna get a little congested. Mike

To my Fantasy Football Hero!! Your expertise in all things fantasy football is rightfully admired by all like minded competitors. However, don’t get complacent in your lavish victory... Never Forget.. Past success is never an indication of future results!! ?? I remain Your humble servant Owner Operator of the one and only Mike’s Meatballs Football Club

Thanks Fella’s... I retired all my Sweet Beavers which I’ve used exclusively for years when the regular bug came out and have no complaints. Sure The smaller appendages will slide in better which may or may not be a plus. Comparatively so, the larger ones on the regular bug haven’t been hinderance. Ma Bass won’t hit anything until it comes through anyway and the larger flappers with the flange along with the larger appendages is what they key on. I was mostly interested in these because of the hardened core and the ribb’s. Thanks for the replies Mike

I’d swim a speed worm with a 3/16 weight or work a weightless stick worm from end to end and parallel to shore. Try to stay as stealthy as you can as you approach and make long casts. Ideally cast up on the opposite shore if you can, then bring it up through the grass. If you’re gonna walk the shore, backup about 5 yards then move, staying a few feet off. Mike

Anybody try these? I saw a few this past weekend and they look good. It had a ribbed body with the appendages closer together. It also seems to have a stiffer inner core. Thanks Mike

Your line is the most critical part of what you have in your hand. It your direct path to the fish. Braid is a specialty tool to be used in those situations that give you best chance of success. I use 50# and 80# for those presentations. I never was a fan of change just for the sake of change. Mike

I kinda got away from them as a part of the normal rotation. I look at them now as more of a “specialty” lure that I only use in choppy water. Mike

Thanks again James! I kinda got away from tying the double Palomar on a frog for some reason. I used to do it all the time. Gotta remember that. Mike

Grass, wood, rocks, docks etc.. Anywhere but open water. Mike

After casting or pitching a bottom contact bait I keep the tip where it ends up’s (about 11) and pull off a few feet of line before lowering to about 10. If flipping or reeling moving baits I keep the tip parallel or lower. Mike

I haven’t had a drop of any liquor since 4th of July weekend 1973 and couldn’t care less. I’d much rather be everybody’s designated driver. Even to people I don’t know. Mike

Phenix X Series Mike

They need to extend now imho. He goes from 2.7 in 2020 to 24 in his option year. If the number is 40 a year, that essentially is a 7 yr contract before the new CBA. The question of how much the contract is really worth is if it’s “new money” or just a straight extension. If that’s the case the average will approach 50. I don’t follow the Chiefs enough to know where they stand cap wise but I saw somewhere that it’s in the bottom 1/3 of the league. He should go after a guaranteed percentage increase every year as the cap increases. That could help to free up cap space to sign other players which all teams need to do with qb’s out of their rookie contract. Especially 1st round picks. Mike

You know why Frank is successful with just one bait?? You said it yourself., ”Maybe we over think this stuff”..... “He had the utmost confidence in his bait choice”..... “Maybe we should be driven by confidence first”..... All so true. Most of us think that if “this” isn’t working then “that” must be better. Then we add in the different colors, sizes, action of every new choice and before we know it we’re more confused than when we started. ‘Ol Frank might be old and set in his ways but most of us can learn a lesson from the ‘ol guy. Mike

Thanks Todd Mike

This past week I had all my pre op tests done (MRI, CT, chest X-ray, blood and urine) in anticipation of my second fusion..L3 to L4 which is already fused to L5. If all comes out well I’ll be having surgery sometime in the next few weeks. This time he’s gonna use a cage, with a plate and screws drilled through them holding it in. And yes sir, I’m scared as hell. As I mentioned in my previous posts (12-8 and 12-15) on this thread, there are no guarantees that a fusion will work for you, but there are also no guarantees that it won’t. My first one worked and I was pain free for years but the one “side effect” of having one is that you may need another, Thats me. I wish you the best in whatever decision you make. I envy you, you still have a choice. Mike

There is no hard and fast limit. Ive been with boaters who’ll stay out until waves are almost breaking over the gunnel’s, and everything in between. Mike

Gotcha! But Still..... If you ever decide to thin out your inventory of any casting, let me know. ? Mike

6 ??!!! You own 6 AV’s??!! You Da Man! ? Mike

Good Question!! Mike

The boat would have to be and you’ll need a fishing license unless you’re over 65. In my opinion, If the weather is not good, the best option would be is to stay in Coots Bay nest the lock, or fish Uncle Joe’s Cut. It’s a 20-30 yd wide canal that opens into the lake. It would be more protected and you can fish both sides. Turn left out of the lock and it’ll be a few miles up towards Moore Haven. If you do that, and wanted too you could come out of there and head for the Monkey Box. That time of the year the water could be low there which would be perfect for a smaller boat. Now, I can’t stress this enough, I WOULD NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES go anywhere into that lake with a small under powered boat without some type of mapping and perfect weather. Please be smart, that is no place to mess with if you’re not prepared. Let us know how you do. Mike

Sorry but You’ll have to find the beds. As I said that time of year they’ll be in all 3 phases but not all concentrated in one particular area. (I wish they were) The 2 places I suggested you try on the South end are South Bay, and Pelican Bay. To reach So Bay, come out of the lock, go through the rim canal then you’ll be in Coots Bay on the right. You can fish all the way down to get there. The easy way to get to Pelican is turn right into the rim canal and take that all the way. Also, if you’re gonna travel to each or even just one, I suggest you try to get a bigger boat. Both places are a ways down. I would get a map of the lake itself. You’ll see what I mean. Mike

That little girl will Always be Daddy’s!! Always... That will never change regardless of what she changes her name to. Congratulations to them both, and to Mom and Dad Mike

Because there are so many better options these days than 20-30 yrs ago when all there was mono. I know all the records were broken using it, it was spooled on our first reels, It’s a must for top waters, It’s cheap etc etc... I hear all the rationalized arguments. Is it the best choice for most techniques? No Does it have its place? Maybe I know a lot of members here use it for most everything and are very very good anglers that we can learn something from. But it seems that the prevailing opinion that mono is the be all end all because it’s what we learned on, and it’s always better for this or that just makes me nuts. I don’t want this to get into a long discussion about it as that is not what the OP intended. Right or wrong it’s just my opinion. Mike