NBR

My experience with missing fish with "Senko" type baits is the fish are either dinks or blue gills or sunfish. If I fool around with them long enough I'll catch a dink or nothing.

Your problem is you are not practicing enough before you go to the lake. Going to the lake before you are reasonable capable with a bait caster just adds to frustration and wastes precious fishing time. The back yard was, is and will always be the best place to get a basic proficiency in bait casting.

I agree with learning to use spinning gear as step one to getting a baitcaster. If you and control a spincaster the spinning rig should be a piece of cake. I lived in S.W. MI for years and have fished many of the lakes.

Like Catt I've heard the theory and don't put much into it. We have sat in one spot and caught many smallies; you might put them down but I don't believe it is from catching their brethern.

As I'm sure you know better not take a few beers along fishing in Ontario.

Jim, I hear you. a few years ago I put a notice on the net. I believe it was this site looking for partners for a geezer (me) and the only response was from a smart**** responding to my statement about my glass boat and wasn't I afraid it would break. I haven't bothered since. I bought an automatic self inflating PFD. Now that I'm older it has become a struggle to launch and recover.

I'm with Gangley, turtles coming up can mean there is cover or some sort of structure below!

Many, many, many years ago I fished a small lake with very heavy mats. We just cast an unweighted weedless hook with a pork chunk and reeled it across the mats. If the lure ran over an open pocket so much the better. Hope your heart is in good shape cause when they come through the mat to get that pork it is more than a little exciting. If you are not in a boat the issue comes in dragging the fish out of the moss.

Unless you left something turned on disconnecting the battery did nothing to help or hurt your cause. Recharge all batteries after every use.

Ditto on TN!

I think this is typical of the computer/internet/information technology industry. On a quality basis my opinion is that the whole ball of wax is much worse than 1960 and 70's cars. I shut down at night and when I open up and/or log on in the morning things have changed. Microsoft updates their software but don't announce what is new. I bought a new computer a year or two ago in less than a month the CRY pooped out, less than a month more the computer died. After I sent it in it came back but the hard drive didn't work properly. I finally got them to send me a new hard drive after opening the drive by pushing the end of a paper clip in the little hole in the drive for weeks. Even with out the languadge issue the customer service is at best terrible. Most of the net that I pull up is pretty good but industry hardware and software is far from acceptable.

New England without a doubt. Manhattan in my experience is vegtable soup with a few clams thrown-in to give it taste. (I don't care for vegtable soup) I've never had the clear. Sounds like some thing worth a try.

I have 4 reels circa 1950. A Langly Streamlite, a Shahespeare Marhoff, a Pflueger Supreme and one I have always thought was a Shakespeare Master but the Master might be the manufacturer and not Shakespeare's model number. The Master(Shakespeare?)is the closest but not quite the same. They all have the same features which on todays standards are nil. They cranked and level wound the line beyond that very little. Drag was your thumb, backlash control was your thumb, there is a cast control knob but if you needed it you weren't going to cast very far and when line went out the crank free wheeled. Keep your knuckles out of the way or they get barked. The original value of three is unknown but the Pflueger cost $35.00. Add annual cost increases and that comes up as a bunch. As I recall the Pflueger's $35 was a paycheck from my highschool summer job. What I can't remember is whether I was paid weekly or biweekly.

I pinch the barbs on every thing and have for years. At one time I didn't on lipless cranks but now I include them and frankly I don't see the difference. Pinched barbs are so much easier to get out of the fish, me, my clothes, boat carpet and on and on. Easier to get out of the fish sounds like s contradiction to not making a difference in catch rates but when you take the hook out the line is slack and when a fish throws the hook the line is slack! Manatoba has a barbless hook statute and I have never heard a complaint.

Nothing wrong with your gear, although some will chide you about getting a better reel. I would use a softer mono since it casts a bit easier. I have been working on the backlash thing for over 65 years and still manage to get one from time to time. Watch the pro's like KVD, every once in a while he will lift his rod after a cast. He is just getting rid of some slack on the reel spool that was the making of a backlash. I do it often!

X 2 on the bluegill or other pan fish. Spinning reels I have the antireverse off 100% of fishing time and back reel. Baitcaster I set the drag rather light and use my thumb as an instant drag adjuster.

There are lots of good options at that range and under. If you don't practice it won't make any difference. I've been doing this for well over 60 years and I still do a little yard work before ice out and if I don't I'll usually pay for it.

Like all of the above plus on a C-Rig.

Tim Horton's, sort of Canada's answer to Dunking Donuts (also have stores in the states) went after Tim Horton the B.A.S.S pro a few years ago for using his own name. They ultimately settled and as I remember Tim Horton the fisherman is now offically Timmy Horton. I thought the donut kings attorneys were stupid and should have signed the fisherman to a contract. Since then I use Tim Horton's shop only for a bathroom stop and in other dire emergencies.

Re. NH Lead Ban. The ban is for fresh water. No ban in saltunless recently changed. Where do the loons go after freeze up? Duh! The ocean.

Most if not all oils are hydrocarbons consist of long string molecules with many atoms, i.e. organic chemistry. I am not sure scent works but it doesn't hurt. So I use it from time to time sapecially with a tough bite.

So much depends on your budget for the week end. The down town hotels are great. I particuarly like north Michigan avenue north of the river and Trib building. Great resturants and the lake shore in walking distance. It can be pricey. I always liked it better on company money but the family and I went on occasion.

I prefer BC's but you do not need one. Having said that everyone I know that bought a baitcaster and spent the time to learn to use it now prefers baitcasters. If you aren't willing to spend the time don't bother!

Some where I read not to wash fiber glass boats at the car wash because the pressure could be harmful. I'd take this with a grain of salt but I would think 160F water and pressure would remove the wax.

Agreed the most active fish are usually shallow so I usually sit deep and throw shallow but sometimes it works just the opposite. Don't get trapped into what worked yesterday, last week or last year is what is effective today.