RoLo

The man asked: "What would you do DIFFERENT?" I"m sorry, but that does not quality as anything different Roger

It makes me drool just thinking about it

Steve, if you enjoy fishing for chain pickerel, you might want to try the Wading River. It's a gorgeous little river and was voted the wildest river in New Jersey. There used to be a ramp at Chips Folly just west of the 542 bridge, or you can launch at Batsto State Forest. Roger

Agreed. At my age, you get tired of unhooking bass, so I use big baits to reduce the number. Some days I go all day long without unhooking one fish! Ya can't beat that Roger

> Jig & Craw > Paddletail Minnow > Plastic Worm > Lipless Plug > Culprit 9" Fat Max Oh yeah, and a plastic worm Roger

OXYCLINE More important than the thermocline is the 'oxycline'. With regard to body temperature, humans need to maintain a core temperature of 98.6 deg in order to survive, but fish have no body temperature to maintain. For this reason, cold-blooded animals have a highly UNsophisticated temperature warning system. Although fish disposition is involuntarily altered by water temperature, temperature change doesn't cause the discomfort we associate with humans. When ice-fishing, fish laid on the ice quickly become frozen to the ice. But when thawed & released they typically swim away (try that with a human). Radio-tracking has shown that in dissolved oxygen levels of 6 ppm or more, bass won't budge from their favored cover regardless of water temperature. On the other hand, when dissolved oxygen levels fall below 5 ppm, bass become increasingly stressed and will abandon their favorite site. That said, oxycline studies are more compelling for deep water species like the salmonids and lunker pike. Bass are inherently shallow-water fish, so dissolved oxygen generally isn't an issue except during the summer. THERMOCLINE Water not only seeks its own level, but gravity stacks water according to its density (water temperature). The thermocline is a thin water stratum characterized by rapid temperature change, which floats on the hypolimnion. I hasten to add however, 'all' waterbodies do not form a thermocline. On lakes with a thermocline, this bias ply strata of mixed densities tends to resist churning and limit seiches (wedge-shaped epilimnion caused by wind). Given the proper sonar settings, the thermocline may be seen on your depth sounder because of mixed water densities. Unfortunately, that's never the case with the oxycline. Due to the unpliable nature of the thermocline, water below the thermocline is essentially stagnant and anaerobic (without oxygen), which limnologists refer to as the ‘anoxic zone’. As summer wears on, the mean water temperature of a waterbody rises, causing the thermocline (metalimnion) to migrate 'downward' into the hypolimnion budget. At the same time, decaying plant matter progressively reduces the lake's dissolved oxygen, causing the oxycline to migrate gradually 'upward' toward the surface. By midsummer the oxycline may be several feet or even yards 'above' the thermocline. Therefore, even if fish were disposed to seeking specific water temperatures (they are not), it would not be accessible. Roger

It's really just semantics. I think of baseball and football as games, but think of hunting and fishing as sports. Football and baseball are played outdoors, but "Sports Afield" magazine is devoted to hunting and fishing. Sports are commonly divided into two categories: >> Participant Sports (like hunting & fishing) >> Spectator Sports: (like football & baseball) A Participant sport tends to burn calories <> A Spectator sport tends to collect calories (hotdogs, potato chips & beer) A Participant sport involves personal achievement <> A Spectator sport is watching the achievements of others Roger

I figure by this time next year, we should have all 42,832 replies. Oh wait a minute! I didn't account for any new members between now & then Roger

Based on consensus, the common denominators were: (drum roll) SLOW - DEEP - PATIENCE They are all virtues at the right time and in the right place, but I wouldn't bet-the-ranch on any one of them in isolation. Naturally, if you're not fishing in the right places you're going to need patience...LOTS of it. Roger

In northerly latitudes, the pool level in manmade lakes (reservoirs) is usually lowered in winter to accommodate the runoff from melting snow throughout the watershed. Here in Florida, we're dealing mostly with natural lakes which depend chiefly on the natural rainfall cycle, and nature's plan is impeccable. Our rainy season is Jun, Jul & Aug so the annual low on natural lakes is typically during the winter (many lakes are already down). Exposing shoreline terrain kills back invasive littoral plants that would otherwise overtake beneficial plants (e.g. pickerelweed vs. maidencane). About every 7 years or when funds are available, Florida will drastically lower the water level on selected major lakes to remove detritus (decaying vegetation), an operation they call "Muck Scraping". Lake Kissimmee is still benefiting today from a muck-scraping performed several years back. Another example of a lake benefiting from extremely low water levels is Lake Okeechobee. Roger

That would be a Catfish right? Or is that a horse of another color?

Look whose in the house. Welcome Mrs. Matstone, nice hearing from you again Merry Christmas Roger

I wouldn't mess with the Dropshot Police, most are ex-Marines and SWAT team rejects

No, that makes you normal

I'm surprised that 'Old Grand Dad' wasn't mentioned, that was my favorite bourbon before Wild Turkey. I believe Old Grand Dad is now owned by Jim Beam. Roger

I've shot several brands of bows, but the Hoyt and PSE Pacer were my favorite compound bows. Roger

My first boat was purchased in 1964 (I was 22). Kayaks certainly do count. My first boat was a 14' alum Starcraft w/ 18 hp Johnson that I took miles into the Atlantic. In heavy seas the coast guard used to chase me inshore Roger

Actually Lee, I've had 6 glass hulls and 7 aluminum (the next boat would be the 14th). Not as bad as it sounds, that's only 1 boat every 3.8 years Roger

Your concern is appreciated Rhino; all is well, and I hope the same for you. Please, no more Z8 hyping. You guys are going to cost me a bunch of money Counting rowboats, my next boat would make my 14th boat. That's about average, right? Roger