NBR

It seems to me that I have both read and seen underwater pictures that the line doesn't disappear but takes on a dark gray look. Re red hooks I fish with a guy who uses them most of the time. I catch more fish than he does but then I've always caught more fish than he does. The red does come off the hooks pretty fast. Personally I don't think the red does a thing except for confidence and if it improves your confidence it would help.

I haven't been in years but my previous experience is that it can be very good or very tough. I would get a guide for the first day or two.

Great that you help your little brother. The Natural is right on with your writing skills. Unless there has been a dramatic down grade in requirements you are in a world of hurt for your college english classes. I realize this forum is not an english class. This is intended as a bit of constructive criticism and hope it is received as such. Work hard and good luck in college.

Several years ago I was at a seminar where Woo Daves spoke. Very near his opening remarks he said that before he was through someone would ask how to tell if you are getting bit so lets answer this now. Quote, "You spend 99.9% of your time fishing not getting bit, so you should know what not getting bit feels like. When it doesn't feel like not getting bit set the hook".

I should have thought of this for the first post. Alng US rte. 2 from St Ignace to Escaaba there is water that looks interesting with some rocky areas in areas of mostly sand. I have seen them going past but never stopped to try. Might also be some areas around the bays DeNoc.

Can't help much but I have waded Waugashaunce(sp) Point which is just west of Mackinaw City on Lake Michigan-Quality Smallies. Not handy from where you are over nighting.

There are some commercial ones on the market. Years ago I used a Whiffleball Bat handle cut to the length I needed and slipped over the TM handle.

I believe the specific gravity of nylon(mono) is just a bit under 1; the sg of water so it floats. There could be additives used to enhance properties or processing that might increase the sg a bit but I doubt enough to make them sink. Yes, if you drop mono in water it floats and if you submerge it stays submerged. Mono is so close waters sg it tends to stay at the depth you put it.

The reason for so many types of lures on the market is that they all catch fish at one time or another for one peraon or another. While I fish soft plastics more than anything else but they all have their time and place. If you are on a good surface bite there is nothing more exciting nor more productive than some type of surface bait. This can be a minnow bait twitched on the surface or a popper. Don't limit your options too much.

You may be picking it up but not recognizing what you see. I have and Eagle 340p on the TM and an old Eagle Super Nav on the console. Both show the TC as a fairly narrow band that looks a lot like surface clutter. They need sensativity set at 85% or higher. Maybe your lake doesn't stratisfy.

KlubbaT, I live and fish in NH's Lakes Region. Generally speaking you will find more smallmouths than largemouths. I'd go slow in spending my total lure budget until I had some experience. I would get a surface bait like a Pop-R or a Spook, a Rattle Trap and a chartreuse spinner bait. Then some tubes, curly tailed grubs, a few Senkos or their knockoffs. Finish this out with appropriate hooks, jigs and sinkers. In the places I fish crawdads, smelt and perch are the main forage. Northern Bass Supply is the best tackle shop I have found in NH. If I were in your position I'd go there and look for some help. I can't recall the town it is in but it is 30 to 45 minutes east of Manchester towards the coast then south. Plug Northern Bass Supply into your search engine and I'm sure it will come up.

What is your TM voltage? If 12v hook 2 batteries in parallel. If 24v hook 2 batteries in series. I suspect 2 batteries are deep cycle and 1 is cranking. The deep cycles are for the TM and the cranking for the big motor and every thing else which is how my boat and most others are wired. I have no problems with this setup.

I have used 17# on my Crig outfit for 3 or 4 years and like it just fine.

Breaking off close is a normal failure. I am not sure about stretch in Yozuri Ultra Soft but if there is any as you get the fish closer there is less line to stretch so the line is less forgiving. Also you mention taking off some line because of a birds nest. As the line diameter on the spool reduces the drag force increases. Also you are pulling at a greater distance over the spool lip.

It might void your insurance and you might not pass a boat check.

Your line size should have more to do with the type of lake and how you fish. I fish very clear lakes with little cover other than rocks and use anything from 4# to 19# but usually 6 t0 12# depending on the fish and how I'm fishing. If I fished lakes with lots of wood or weeds I'd fish much heavier line. My buddy took a 16# northern last year on 8# mono with no leader; it took a while and as long to get the fish revived for release but it is done often. Make sure the line is within the line size rating for the rod. Set your drag with bend in the rod. Guide friction adds a lot of load to the line and if you are using a straight pull from the reel you are most likely set way too heavy. While a bad batch of line is possible I doubt that it is the reason you are breaking off.

IMO the Rick Clunns are at least 2 steps above an Uglystick.

Depends on what you want to do. To lube the bearings, I soak in lighter fluid, air dry on new paper towel and reoil with one drop of oil. For the gears clean and apply a small amount of grease. Less is better for both oil and grease. When you get beyond this send them to Reel Mechanic.

For help on bait casting go to Reel Mechanic's web site. He has an excellant tutorial.

Most or all of the Great Lakes have very good to great smallie fishing. I haven't fished them all but have friends who have fished several areas that I mention and I have fished some of them. Lake Huron, Saginaw Bay, the area around Drummond Island, the area around Mackinaw, Little Round Island and Bois Blanc islands. The Les Cheneaux Islands between Hessel and Cedarville. The North Channel in Ontario, also in Ontario, Georgian Bay. Lake Huron the islands around Hessel in Michigan as well as Drummond Island and up to Sault St. Marie. Lake Michigan, the point that forms the south shore of the straights. It is Waugoshance. The islands in the straights. Grand Traverse Bay. The Beaver Island group where Hog Island is probably the top rated. Little and Big Bay de Noc. Over in Wisconsin, Green Bay and a lot of Door County. In Lake Superior, Chequamgon bay at Ashland WI. I would bet there are dozens if not hundreds or thousands of other localized spots with excellant smallie fishing that have very light pressure. None probably as good as Erie but still very respectable fisheries. I think it was in the In-Fisherman's book on smallies that said the Great Lakes were untapped. I would agree since they are so vast and it can get dangerous in good sized craft let alone personal fishing boats.

I have several reels of the same vintage and they serve me very well. They don't have bearings in places I consider unnecessary like handle grips so they are not as smooth but still effective. I have 2 older Daiwa's and 2 Quantums that I like as well as a realtively new Curado. New would be nice but I'm not going to lay out $400 to $800 to replace something that works just fine.

I missed 10 questions and I have never seen a MD boating rules book nor have I ever been on a boat in MD. It is interesting to see how you might fair on the test.

For fishing the best place is off the trolling motor but if you push your boat with an outboard the sounder on a TM should not be in the water. Drilling some holes should not be a problem use marine silicone around the screws. I have seen a gadget that fastens into the boats drain hole that transducers mount to I assume they are still available.

I don't understand collapsed but if the sun load was the culprit why wouldn't it happen to car batteries often?

My boat does well with either a flat or fin type anode if I trim out correctly. Trimmed out just right I can go straight down the lake without a hand on the wheel. I say this because with the new prop you might be off just a tad with the trim.