Bluebasser86

I've gone in reverse from what you have Fish Chris. I used to be able to get the stuff just standing close to it, now I walk through it all the time and rarely get it. I did get some last year helping my father-in-law clear some brush by his house but that was because I cut a poison ivy vine and got the oil on the underside of my forearm. I'd get the shot from your doctor, it clears it up so much faster than anything else for me.

I've seen bass with humped backs like that, seems like they're just deformed for some reason just like some people or animals are deformed.

I could be wrong but I believe the poison from a catfishes "sting" is a mucus based poison so it might be slightly infected, which might be causing the swelling. I've been stuck by a couple freshwater catfish (usually the really small ones when I try to turn them loose) and it is extremly painful. I've had my hands swell up and I get really sick to my stomach. I've also had a burning sensation in my hand and my arm go numb. I doubt it's anything really serious that won't go away with time but I'd probably go to the doctor just be sure, better safe than sorry in this case.

Never seen one of those before but that is something I definitly need! I just broke the mounting tabs of my main depthfinder the other day. It's still hanging on but it's only a matter of time. I'm sorry for the misinformation but I have a skimmer transducer, not a puck transducer like jigman has in his picture. They have the right bracket for that too though and I will be getting a couple of them, thanks guys!

Haven't fished the counter strike but I've had lots of problems with the booyah bassinator spinnerbaits. Seems like every one I've had, the blade gets tossed on one of the first jumps when I hook a fish. I know they aren't the most expensive bait Booyah makes but it seems like they would still want to make a quality bait.

They can see you but can they see detail about you? For all we know they just see something bigger than them coming towards them. In nature usually something bigger than you=danger because it can eat you. Plus they feel the vibrations on you walking and that might be spooking them more than seeing you. So maybe they can see the sides of the bait but with lots of detail? Probably not.

4.5-5lbs, no way that's a 2 pound fish, unless you're a vertically challenged person

That is a lot of fun teaching kids. I've taught a few groups of little kids and it never gets old. Last time I was teaching a class at a private lake I was teaching them how to fish a wacky rig because it's so simple even little kids can catch fish. One of the little girls said she was snagged but a quick look you could tell the snag was swimming. After a back and forth fight that ended with the fish burying in the weeds and me stretching out as far as I could on the dock she had a 4.5lb bass for her first fish ever! It really is a great feeling knowing you're passing the sport on to the next generation.

Bass usually inhale a soft platic very quickly. If they aren't eating it they're telling you something. Try a different color or bait style. If they still aren't eating it then they don't want a slow moving plastic bait that bad. I'd rather set the hook fast before they have a chance to realize they made a mistake then make sure they've got it good.

I don't do it a lot but everytime I do it makes me wonder why I don't do it more. By far my most successful fly has been a bonefish fly called the Bonefish Slider. It's a small, weighted fly with a stout hook that will hold a big fish. I've caught lots of bluegill,sunfish,crappie, and catfish on it also. A wooly bugger or most popping bugs will catch plenty of bass also.

I've been staying a little closer to home lately trying to save money for a trip my wife and I are about to take. I've been to Olathe lake twice and Cedar Lake once. Olathe hasn't been a bad to me as usual, I've managed to catch over 10 fish each trip which is kind of my benchmark for a good day on that lake. Nothing big, an 18" fish was the biggest so far. Cedar was better to me than usual also, fished for 2 1/2 hours and caught 9. All of them were solid fish over 15" up to 18". I don't ever feel like I've figured anything out on these lakes, just managed to catch a few this time. Seems like I catch them on something different everytime I go. Anyone else fish these lakes that regularly does well or are these lakes just always hit or miss?

The Mexico bass thing is a blast, I've been twice and would jump at the chance to go again. Probably the most exciting and at the same time relaxing fishing trip I've ever been on. Nothing but fishing for monster bass for 4 days. No tv, no cellphone, no bills, no work, no concerns at all except how big the next bass you catch will be . It really is an amazing trip. That being said I would have to go on a multi-species trip to the Amazon if I had my choice of fishing for anything. You could fish for the more flashy fish like the Peacock bass and Payara that smash topwater lures, to the giant redtail and paribia catfish that grow to monsterous proportions. If you do decide to go musky fishing Huntnfish is right about Andy Meyer's Lodge, that place is top notch. I went there with my dad several years ago and the lodging,fishing, and food are all great. Eagle Lake has some monster muskie in it. He has one replica on the wall that if I remember right is 57" and he caught it on a Poe's giant jackpot. I couldn't imagine a topwater strike from a fish like that! Good luck choosing your trip and I've got to say I'm very jealous of your "situation"

Is there a way to mount a regular puck style transducer onto a trolling motor? I thought maybe there was a bracket or something for it but I can't seem to find one. I would be mounting a standard Lowrance puck transducer to a Minn Kota Maxxum trolling motor.

You might try soaking them in water for a few minutes first to help loosen up whatever is stuck to them.

I use my 7'3" C-rigging rod for both pitching and rigging.I didn't like the moderate fast action of the pitching rod so I went with the rigging rod and use it for double duty. Plus there isn't a lot of need for an extremly long rod around here so it made it a little easier for me to handle and a tiny bit lighter. They are a strong rod and I can say from experience they can set a hook at a distance with a C-rig, or muscle a big fish out of heavy cover on a jig.

I've fished a 1/8 shakeyhead a decent amount on a baitcaster. I'd rather fish it on a spinning rod but if I have to go to a little heavier line because of cover I'd rather use a BC.

I think part of why fish strike a popper is because they don't know what it is. All they know is it looks vulnerable and it might be something they can eat. I pick colors that I have confidence in but I don't think it really matters that much. Taking the eyes off of your bait shouldn't hurt anything at all.

So does this mean Dwight has 1st,2nd,and 3rd place right now? Unreal, so I only have to catch an 8+lb largemouth,which I've never caught in the state of Kansas before? No problem. Dwight, you are the master.

Couple of nice fish there! It's amazing how aggressive crappie can be when they are hitting. Just last Tuesday I caught a couple on a Strike King Rodent flipping docks, they weren't even that big. I fished a tournament a few years ago when I couldn't keep them off of my 3/8oz jig that I was flipping in trees, never would have guessed.

Get some heavy trotline type twine and tie up a couple stout treble hooks. Bait them up with chunks of bluegill,carp, or chicken liver. Tie it to a stout limb and toss it in the water where it can settle to the bottom and sit there. Give it a few hours before checking it and more than likely he'll be there. I used to catch tons of snapping turtles like this for people who'd buy them to make turtle soup. Once he's on it's a matter of getting him on the bank. I'd suggest either using a lasso or if the line you use is heavy enough flip him on his back and drag him up the bank. If you have a gaff that will work well too but don't try to use a net, he'll trash it. Get some really long handled pliers (a foot long at least) and drink plenty of coffee so you're reflexs are fast. Pop the baits out and then cut the line. Or line up someone who wants to eat him so you can kill it after you catch it, they're a lot easier to unhook that way .

If you like it, go with it. Many people don't like them but some people love them. I happen to really like my mojo rods and have several of them. Just because it didn't work for someone else doesn't mean you won't like fishing with it.

St.Croix lists their 7' 3" rigging rod as 4.7oz. That seems pretty light to me for a rod that long. I have the older model with the full handle in the carolina rig rod and I really like it. Maybe the full handle balances it better or something. It's a very tough and sensitive rod that I really enjoy using. It's all about what you like though. I'm sure you can get a Dobyn's or Gloomis that is an ounce or two lighter. I've heard of the Veritas having some breakage issues but haven't heard much about the Verdict. If it were me and I didn't already have that rod I know I would be jumping on it.

I don't own one but a couple of my friends do and they love them. One of them hasn't ever had much luck using a baitcaster but he has had no problems casting his Caenan. The only complaint both of them have is the shape of the grip. They both put reel grips on it though and said it felt fine after that. One of them was fishing with me the other day and we were both using LC 78 pointers. I was throwing mine on a Curado 50E and he was able to cast almost as far with his Caenan.

It's pretty easy to drill out a hole for a weedguard on most jigs as long as they are big enough. I use a 1/8 bit and make sure to drill at an angle. Once you get the hang of it you can get the weedguard set in place to be just off the point of the hook so the fish doesn't have to put much pressure on it to expose the hook point.

Fish bite the tail of them a lot and can be pretty hard to hook a fish with one. Fish them in places you'd fish most shallow running crankbaits but not around timber because they don't come through it very well.