Bluebasser86

I brought a really nice smallmouth into our quarantine tank when I worked at Cabela's. A few days before it's time to go into the aquarium was there, I found it floating on the surface nearly dead. When I netted it, there were 4 pink marks on one side, 1 on the other, nearly a perfect outline of someone's hand where they had grabbed the fish. Video later pointed to a custodian as the one who had been handling the fish. I'm guessing he must have had some kind of cleaner on his hands that removed the slime coat from the fish and eventually killed it. Normally I don't think that would have happened, but something to be aware of if you've possibly got something on your hands before handling a fish.

Ever lost a bait in your own tackle bag? I did it a few years ago with one of my favorite poppers. I'd fished it that morning and remembered putting it on the console of my boat, thought it must have blown out and was gone forever, even offered a reward if anyone found it and returned it. Found it 2 months later hiding in my deep diving crankbait box for some reason (I rarely fished deep cranks then). It was this Zell Pop.

Don't give up on them, it's worth it when you get on a hot bite. You might try them when they're not supposed to work. The fish in the picture I posted were all caught on a calm, sunny spring day. The bite actually stopped as the sun started to get low, opposite of how it's supposed to work.

If the weeds aren't too thick you might be able to raise your motor up high and chop through them. Be careful though because you can easily burn up your motor if you're not careful. Some trolling motor props will slice through the stuff better than others as well and there's trolling motor add ons that you can attach that will help cut the weeds.

It has a bit of a cult following around here. Big bass in our end of the year tournament last year was caught on one.

DD22, anything in the DT lineup except the DT4 or DT6 although I no longer buy them because of breakage issues, Rapala Rattlin Rap.

I've done very well night fishing from the bank. I'm usually leaving when everyone else is just showing up for the "morning bite".

Have you tried to tighten the nut down that holds the handle on?

Welcome!

Welcome and thank you for your service!

Welcome!

Welcome!

I've fished one a lot and have yet to catch a fish on one. It's really nothing like a wart like I thought it was supposed to be.

6' 6" MH/F 6.4:1 15lb Big Game

Proof that catch and release works!

21lb 12oz bag all on a 3/8 black on black Cavitron.

Second muskie I ever caught I sight fished with a 1/16oz white crappie jig. Pike will eat anything. I wouldn't be surprised by them eating anything really. My dad had one jump in the boat when it missed his spinnerbait as he lifted it out of the water to make another cast.

I used to fish the creek out of my 2 man during the summer and do really well with a green pumpkin/purple flake flipping tube or a firetiger 100 series Bandit. Had a great day on a chartreuse blue back Baby -1 too. That said, if the wind isn't bad you could easily do Cedar Valley in a 2 man and it's produced big fish for everyone that's been there recently.

I started to stick my fingers into a walleye's mouth last week to get my Ned rig back. We'd been catching so many fish I think my brain was just on autopilot

I enjoy both. It's fun sharing time on the water with friends. I also like fishing by myself because I can just worry about catching fish instead of trying to make sure someone else is having fun too.

Welcome!

You'll notice a huge difference between those two spinning reels for sure.

Are you completely set on a new boat? I bought my 2012 very lightly used for 17K. 18' 9", 150 Pro XS, 80lb Maxxum, and a 34 gallon livewell with a removable divider that will hold 10 bass, or a small person.

That was the same issue I had with it. 10 minutes and I was done. Took it off and went back to what I normally use.

Gardnerjigman with possibly the smallest smallmouth I've ever seen caught on an lure.