Scott F

The study obviously did not look at tournaments where the fish are pulled off the beds, taken to the weigh in and released miles from where they were caught. What do think the success rate would be if tournament fishing took place at the study site?

Do you have rollers on your trailer instead of bunks?

Guys have been doing very well with big smallies on the Fox. Swim jigs, and jerkbaits have both been catching fish, size and numbers. Water temps are near 50 which means go time. Fish near current and near deep water.

I was just sharpening that point a bit.

Bass living in fresh water are not affected by tides. Freshwater lakes even the Great Lakes, are too small to have tides. Also, even during the new moon, the pull exhibited by the moon is so weak that your boat has more gravitational pull on a bass than the moon does.

On windy days, I'll set up a drift across a big weedy flat and throw a spinner bait.

Yes, they don't.

Go pick up the In-Fisherman Smallmouth book. It will explain in great detail all about the seasonal movements of smallmouth in lakes and reservoirs.

To make the seat collapse down to the deck, just remove the post and put the seat pin back in the hole in the deck.

Are you talking about a tournament club or a fishing club? I've run a few fishing clubs, never a tournament club

Define "regular" sinkers. I fished Lake Vermilion for smallies for about 20 years. We used to catch as many or more walleyes while we were bass fishing as most guys did who were back trolling for them.

I almost NEVER pay any attention to color when fishing Senkos. That doesn't mean I don't own several different colors. I usually just stick my hand in the box and whatever color comes out, I use. I have caught too many bass on Senkos to believe that on any particular day, that I just by chance, happened to pick just the right color they wanted that day. Several times I have intentionally switched colors after catching a bass but it never seemed to make any difference. The only time color matters to me is when I might be sight fishing and I want to see the bait under the water and then I'll switch to a white or bright color.

You want to get better, have a better year? Fish some new stretches of your rivers with some other good fishermen. Falling back on old habits sometimes works, sometimes it doesn't. A new fishing partner will give you some new ways to look at your approach. Having more options available to you will up your odds when things get tough.

what do you mean by "seal up the battery permanently"?

I use ML spinning rods for most of my smallmouth fishing on both rivers and lakes. Jerkbaits, plastics, in-line spinners, top waters etc. I use 8 & 10 pound braid with 10 to 20 size reel.

Spinning or baitcaster?

I use it for everything. The stretch of mono & fluoro is a deal breaker for me.

Judging by the amount of posts concerning equipment that are on these forums, there are still a lot of fisherman who have not yet come to the same conclusion. The great thing about bass fishing is you can be "that guy" or not and still get enjoyment out of the sport. I still enjoy the simple approach with light rods, light line, no leaders and a basic assortment of baits. Be the enthusiast, with every piece of gear that was ever made if that's what makes it fun for you or fish with a cane pole, a hook and a worm, it doesn't matter. It's the tug at the end of the line that's the common denominator for all of us.

I had a local shop I was was trying to support. I could have ordered the high end reel I wanted online, but I decided to get it from my local guy who had to order it as well. He told me 3 or 4 days to get it which was fine. After a week when it wasn't in he said 2 more days. Another week went by and it still wasn't in. He acted like I was too much trouble to deal with. It took a month to get. If a small shop wants my business, he should provide a bit of customer service to make up for his lack of selection and higher prices.

You still have ice? All the ice has been gone for 4 or 5 days around that area that I've seen.

With river fish, I've never felt the color of plastics mattered much at all. The Fox is generally so stained that color seldom matters. Use the lightest weight you can. The heavier the weight, the faster you'll get snagged.

I agree with you. While we're ranting about fishing videos, as soon as I see a long shot of someone fishing that used a GoPro, often on a chest mount, I shut it off. GoPros are designed for close up shots where the subject is very close to the camera. Shooting anything at a distance the makes the horizon "bend" looks goofy and for me is hard to watch.

I never toss worn plastics on the floor of my boat and get irritated when my fishing partners do. They always wind up back in the bilge area where they get sucked up into my bilge pump and block it up. But in response to your question, I am not the least bit superstitious. My psychic told me not to believe in that stuff.

I fish clear, rocky, shallow rivers with 8 and 10 pound test braid and never use a leader. In the last 15 years, I can honestly say I have never broken off because my line got weak due to abrasion. I'm sure some guys who fish in zebra muscle infested waters or guys who fish in heavy timber might have abrasion issues but I never have, at least not in the waters I fish.

A personal pontoon is a lot more stable than any canoe or kayak.