flyfisher

Looks good!!! I will be making lasagna for Christmas dinner this year as part of a larger feast.

Fluke Square bill crank Yum DInger Jig Colors and sizes will change depending on season as will rigging options for the plastics. I would go with a 7'mXF spinning rod with 20lb braid and a 7'mhF casting rod with 40lb braid

I have used alot of different frogs and i like the stanley ribbits because they are the easiest to find without ordering online. I did start throwing the http://bogbaits.com/ frogs last year and they are really nice. I also like that they have floating versions that you can actually cast, not like the ribbits. I usually go with a 4/0 or 5/0 screw lock trokar for rigging and haven't had to much luck with the double take frog hooks.

Just curious if you already are getting paid and in the industry writing then why pose the question?

There can be a career in anything that you want but depending on what type of lifestyle you want to have it may not be the most lucrative. There are tons of fishing publications out there and many if not all take freelance type articles. I am not sure how much an article will get you paid but i am sure it is at least a little something. As far as making it goes, you need to write, write, write and write some more. Get feedback on your articles from everyone that you can and don't take it personally but take it to heart. When i would write papers in college i would intentionally give the paper to someone who did not know the topic i was talking about to get their input. This way they could provide input on everything from writing style, to content etc...i would then ask them after reading if they thought the intention of the paper was and if they gained any knowledge by reading. If they said no, i would scrap it and start over. Just keep in mind it is not easy and i would probably add in photography to it as well because that will make your articles even better and also you can possibly use photography as another source of income.

If you think a kayak is a hassle then you will hate the inflatable. You have to inflate and deflate each trip and then open it up when you get home to dry it out. I like pontoon crafts but unless you leave them pretty much inflated all the time they can be a hassle. But nothing handles rivers better once you get the hang of using the oars.

Zoom, yum and my new favorite stankxbaitco.

Part of a hoax the Internet project for a 3d digital class. Still very nicely done....

I have done it one my square bills and they get hung up even less frequently and it seems to bounce of structure better. I saw it on alton jones facebook page when he was holding up a fish from falcon lake caught on a crank. It is pretty easy to tell which one it is by laying the split ring flat and there will be one hook that protrudes from the bottom of the bait....take out your snips and cut it off and you will be fine.

I am going to have to join you for a trip because deep water fishing is not something i do well at all..... My biggest strength is my back since I use it to paddle from spot to spot and have been known to paddle 15-20 miles in a day because that next cove, point, Lilly pad field etc....always looks so good all the way until I have to paddle back to the ramp

As long as there isn't ice I will go out. I fish from a kayak and have the appropriate gear so I am pretty good as far as safety goes. I may not catch much but I use the time to learn the lakes better and search for features that may hold fish in different seasons. It can also be a good time to go on the rivers because water is usually crystal clear and you can see features that you might miss in the summer time. Once I stop having fun I do usually focus on trout too because they like the cold weather and nothing beats fishing in the mountains in the winter time.

I like rapalas myself too and haven't found them to break any more often than other baits and the warranty is good enough that i don't really worry about it. I started throwing the KVD 1.5, 2.5 and 3x this year as well and they seem to do pretty well. I am not as skilled in throwing cranks to notice all the subtle differences between baits yet but i am sure others are and can pick apart a bait. To me if you are catching fish then why change. I have used the DT series as well and i really like them and also the rapala clackin' rap.

Anyone know whose blanks the carbonlites are built on? I have also read good reviews on them and I know most house brand stuff is made by another company and rebranded...

Like the guy who taught me rock climbing said....."a not neat knot need not be tied". Now granted these were life and death situations where a knot failure would have you cratering from some high places but the thought is the same. All knots need to be properly tied and dressed and it will increase their ability to hold. I go with three knots basically. Palomar, improved clinch and for leaders I have been using the seaguar knot here lately and it has done well.

i like either 50lb Power Pro super slick or suffix 832. Like others i tie direct and rarely if ever use a leader.

What he can't look around before posting? I woudl spend more on the rod than the reel for bottom contact baits. If you can bump a little bit you can get a veritas. mojo bass or something similar and then a cheap reel. Once you can save up a little you can then replace the reel and still have a pretty good rod.

i don't think it would be a big deal wither. You can usually tell if you are throwing something to heavy. I doubt you will do any damage to the rod because otherwise wouldn't swinging a fish into the boat or pulling on a snagged bait would surely break the rod. I have seen a difference in performance on using certain baits that are on to light of a rod that resulted in poorer hooksets, lack of sensitivity etc....

I believe you made the Taco Bell double decker taco....I actually made tacos tonight myself. My 2 year old said he wanted tacos so tacos with fresh guacamole and pico de gallo it was....

Another place to check out in the Richmond area, mechcanicsville in particular is surfside bait & tackle. Great little shop with a pretty good selection of everything. As far as losing commission based sales staff I am ok with that.....I don't need someone trying to make a sale following me around and then having to make sure the right person gets the commission for my sale.

I love fishing flukes and have caught fish on them every month out of the year here in VA. The key to me is making sure the bait is rigged straight and then finding the cadence that works for your area. Also, do not be afraid to throw them into thick cover because they are about the most weedless bait i have ever used. If you are keeping a steady twitching cadence then i think you are missing out on the beauty of the bait. You need a sharp twitch followed by slack line. Notice i didn't say a long twitch i said a sharp twitch. This sharp twitch followed by the slack line will create the darting affect that makes the bait irresistible to fish. Once you get the hang of it, you will actually be able to "steer" the bait around things via the action of he bait. Also don't hesitate to let them go down deep, yeah it will take a while but you may be rewarded with some big bass. One more tip i learned is that if you are planning on fishing the bait shallow when you weightless texas rig the bait push the hook a little further into the plastic nose. What this does is create more of a pull upwards on the bait when you twitch which makes the bait jump towards the surface. The opposite is also true if you put a little less plastic it will want to stay more level on the retrieve. As far as colors go i use anything that is green with any type of fleck or the mocassin blue from the zoom products. Recently though i have been using baits from Stankxbaitco that are working really well and they will even do a custom color and plastic densities for a reasonable fee. i particularly like their bluegilla color combo. Ok one more tip then i will shut up.......try nose hooking them if the area you are fishing isn't to weedy.....killer action. Enjoy learning to use the fluke.....if i had to only have one bait to fish with i would probably fish a fluke.

Growing up in philly scrapple was always for breakfast but i don't like the stuff. My dad on the other hand loves it and always gets it sliced thin and fried crisp. It is definitely a NE thing and probably even more specifically a philly area thing as i think that is where it was "Created". I like to cook so i would probably use a food forum but I also don't have a problem with just using this forum too......

really, i had no idea i thought everyone was a catch & release bass fisherman or a crappie fisherman and i am even more shocked that there are other fish to actually eat out there too...... I am just basing it on the people i see on the lakes and the number of people i see taking fish home. I also think it is somewhat regional in nature based on species present etc......

you think so? I would say the exact opposite other than crappie fisherman maybe....

When i used to play in hoop it up 3 on 3 tournaments in the philly area sandbagging was huge. People would completely lie about their height and skill levels....it was actually one of the reasons i stopped playing. I don't mind playing against better competition but when teams were saying that they were all under 6'1" and never played anything higher than high school ball but in reality they all were over 6' 2" and played college ball it kind of sucked.....luckily we beat that particular team in the finals of our bracket Gotta love it when score is kept by 1's and 2's rather than 2's and 3's

there is also a reason why bars are extremely busy on thanksgiving....to much family for some people in one day