Jmrichardson2011

In Wisconsin, the problem comes when the no wake is lifted off many of the lakes and the water skiers come out. About that time, we usually maneuver our boat back into one of the deeper bays and the let the big outboards have there fun in the main body of the lake. Most folks stick to this pattern. However, sometimes the skiers decide to come back in the bays (not safe in little bays with a boat doing over 45 mph). One person I know decides at this point to typically throw a heavy lure directly behind the skier - just close enough to scare him. Is this ethical? No. Is it effective? Yes. He has never hooked anyone, but did one time cast too far and hooked a goose - that was amusing.

Those all look great. I wouldn't hesitate to tie one on.

Nice find. Looks like a great fishing boat to me.

I was at JoAnn fabrics with the better half the other day and noticed what looked like pure nylon (so should be waterproof) thread in almost any color you could want in a jig tie. Has anyone used thread from here? I am wondering if this would work because they always offer some sort of 40 or 50% discount coupon.

I agree with that one. When fishing for northerns topwater, I like to use rapala poppers with a steal leader - only way to ensure it doesn't get bit through.

Awesome rod. Can't wait to purchase a house so I have room to do this. Right now I have to stick with lures. Never would have thought of the idea with the cork handle art. Amazing work.

Congrats,

Any recommendations in the below 500 range? I need one with at least 350 lb capacity (me + 50 lbs gear). I am looking for a cheap smaller kayak. No need to stand up for me.

I would go for it. The lakes I am used to fishing I would say that probably all but one of the colors shown in the image would produce fish.

Or taking her to the craft store after spending many hours on pinterest.

Rapala Husky Jerks in Ghost variations for clear water, clown colored or blue/silver for darker water. Swim jigs with a fat curl grub tend to catch a lot of smaller pike for me.

You are always catching some beauties. Nice work

Digging the black crappie pattern. Looks like a high frequency producer.

Good advice, I am thinking about putting one of these (a small one) on the deck at my apartment to get cheap fishing bait for me and the little guy to use. I know my grandfather use to pick the giant grubs out of his and they consistently caught the largest panfish.

Agreed. I moved from Wisconsin to St louis to escape some of the cold and it seems to have followed me here. All I want to do is pond fish around town. That's what chaps me, today is the only warm day then it's going to get cold starting tomorrow.

When the water is still cold in Wisconsin I will usually fish: 1) Husky jerk in clown color (the x-raps move a bit to fast for cold water, but those are my go to in summer), fish it slow with long pauses 2) Tube in green/blue, or green/gold/red weightless on a mustad big bite 3/0 tube hook I fish both of these on a 7' medium action rod spooled with either flouro-coated copolymer or 10 lb flourocarbon. Side note: you WILL catch notherns on the husky jerks in cold weather if they are in the lake. Check you not after dragging one of those in as a lot of times you will need to retie.

I have caught a couple out of small lakes in Wisconsin. Good fighters. I caught them basically deadsticking a trick worm trying to nab some suspended bass.

I spent $50 last year on an ultralight Quantum spinning combo that I absolutely love for panfish and ultra light bass fishing. I spooled it with some 4 lb test flourocarbon and the thing casts a mile with even a 1/16 oz jig on it.

I use a medium spinning set with 8 or 10 lb flourocarbon line. Currently my rod is a custom 7' that I made myself on an IM7 blank. The lighter the line the more easily I am able to see it start to move once the fish grabs the wacky worm (light line = less mass = less force to get the line to move). I have fished wacky rigs on many hooks and jig heads, you really can't go wrong but I prefer the weedless 1/0 finesse hook as it doesn't hang up quite as often. As far as worms go, I mostly use Senko style trick sticks (yum dingers, local plastics prodcuers etc...can't justify the price for flimsy Senko worms), but have wacky rigged roboworm strait tail worms and curltail worms with some success.

Nice Work, Like the inlays

Pike have long been my second favorite predatory fish, would probably be the first if they didn't tear through lures so fast. I reeled one in that weighed about 10lbs, fought like it weight double. The inline spinner I was using hasn't run straight since. I have now moved to the St. Louis area and am thinking I have to switch from pike to catfish.

I have managed to stave off the purchases this year as my focus is going to be... *looks around to make sure no monkey is seen*... to use up what I have. Now that I have a little one fishing with me, I make my excursions more about him and less about the fish I want to catch. He can't wait to go fishing now this year (he wants to catch catfish which is a different world for me). Only thing I think I will need is new line and some reel oil as my rods have to stay in the outside closet in the winter (apartment living drawback).

No secret formula. Hard to beat a texas rigged trick stick (brand doesn't matter in my experience - the cheaper off the wall plastics makers [home makers] I generally feel make the best baits in the coolest colors - just my prefence). Second go to is a 4" tube, any of the fatter varieties. I like a mix of green & blue in my tubes.

Fishing if I had a nighttime boat. Waters are dark and cold at 630 this time of year here, but nothing I haven't braved before.

Learned more about different color presentations this year. Previously I used about 2 two colors, watermelon red flake and pumpkinseed. I played around with different color plastics and jigs to learn more about how fish see lures.