wnybassman

I don't worry too much about noise in the boat, I don't go out of my way to be quite. I also don't go stomping around or slam compartment lids either. Somewhere in between I guess. Sometimes I turn my sonar off when fishing shallow, but that is more to conserve battery if needed. I never run my trolling motor on continuous because I figure if I fell in the water I would be kinda SOL. lol

The biggest enemy storing stuff in the cold will be moisture and condensation. If things are bone dry you will have less of an issue, but if there is moisture anywhere it will not dry and linger for quite some time in freezing/thawing conditions. Plastic baits with impregnated salt will eventually take on this moisture and make them appear as if they are sweating. Hooks and hardware on hardbaits will eventually rust as well. My boat almost never gets put away bone dry, so everything comes out.

What he is going through physically is unimaginable, but what he will be going through mentally will be even worse. Not much you guys can do physically for him, but staying strong for him will help immensely. And I know all of you will.

****, I didn't know it was Doug. I heard on the mail route today it was Dave, wrong info I guess. So sorry to hear this! We'll keep everyone in our thoughts and prayers.

I'm not even sure I could pick one genre to listen to for the rest of my life.

Best I can figure is we got 30-32 inches total between the two events, although with the ground still being warm it has settled out to a couple feet now. Routes 20, 19 and 63 were parking lots last night, but delivering mail on them today you would never know it, most were bared off to pavement.

Our turn now. Not sure exactly what we got today, but wading through the lawn it is well up over my kneecaps, and I measured those at 19-20 inches. They are pulling our plows off the road at dusk because they simply can't see the road.

I can sympathize, the sugar monkey got me this year. Probably won't contribute to this thread much. All I can recall buying this year fishing related was three bags of plastics during the mid summer, and a few spools of line back in April.

The best part of lake effect snow, is I can sit here and think to myself "Yesterday, world class smallmouth were swimming in that!" lol

I think I see smallies getting sucked up into that cloud. lol

An awesome picture from Darien in Genesee County.

Don't rule out braid.

This was a fun day too.

Bill, I've got a pretty good shot of you (I think Rob J took it that day) from many moons ago. That was a fun day!!

Good to ask that question here, that should help clear things up for you. And I won't answer your question, because you wouldn't believe me if I told you. lol

The past couple winters I have left them right in the boat, making sure the charge is topped off and everything is disconnected from them. I have not noticed any ill effects from doing so. The 16 years before that I would haul them out and put them in a heated area, definitely a p.i.t.a. I'll keep leaving them in until something tells me not to.

I carefully hook the hook in a guide frame (never in the guide itself) about halfway up the rod and slip a rod sock over everything. The dropline with the weight ends up in the sock and not able to cause a mess. The hook is also protected by the guide frame and not able to get caught in the sock.

Usually the first good hookset on a fish straightens out any springyness in my line.

But if I know the farmer at all, this likely loosely translates to "Stay tuned for a report later". lol In all fairness though, I had plans of going today also up until an incident a couple days ago that prevents me from holding a rod very well. I'll be cleaning out my boat this week.

The wind was actually a fair amount stronger from daybreak until shortly before I saw you, after the rain it tapered off. One reason I made it to the other side of the lake, trying to find a good chop again. But I do agree, what shallow bite I had seemingly turned off about the time you got there.

Fixed it for you lol

I had to file tournament winnings two years in a row. It wasn't $70k, but it was in the thousands each year. My accountant listed it as misc. income and was able to separate out the receipts for that particular income. It was very easy to make it a wash with the pile of receipts I had. Again, that was only for $3k to $5k.

I'll probably wait a month or three until all the excitement wears off. Maybe I'll have a couple more gift cards to use when I do go. Maybe I'll actually need something also. lol