Scott F

I've saved hundreds of dollars by using the same rod and reel combo for several different lures, by adjusting my technique, instead of having a different combo for every lure I own. I've saved tens of thousands of dollars by being happy with my 28 year old boat that only goes 35mph and not trying to shave a few minutes off my travel time on the water with a 250 hp bullet. I've also saved a lot of money by realizing years ago that the angler is the biggest difference between catching and not catching, not the lures. I'm immune to the bait monkey.

ALL my spinning reels used to have triggers on them. I liked that when you backed up the handle, the bail stopped in the correct position to make the next cast. I miss that on the new reels, but instant anti-reverse is good too. Back then I used Quantums and Shimanos. Never had a failure with the trigger If you are picky about balancing your spinning outfit, the Tennessee handle lets you put the reel anywhere you like. The other gimmick that did not work was G finish lures.

I bought an Ambassadeur 5600AB anti-backlash reel for my wife several years ago for a fly-in fishing trip to Canada. since she had never fished a baitcaster before, I thought it was a good way to let her use a baitcaster without going through the learning process. Most reviews by fishermen has nothing good to say about them. It worked just fine for my wife. I had problems using it because for it to work, you have to keep your thumb off the spool. No problem for someone not used to using a baitcaster but difficult for me because I kept forgetting and let my thumb slow the spool down which causes a backlash. I guess you can still buy them, but they have to be considered a gimmick.

You do know that deer cannot digest corn during the winter don't you? Here is one of many articles you can find that say feeding deer corn in the winter can kill them. In many states it's also illegal. http://www.farmanddairy.com/columns/feeding-corn-to-deer-could-be-death-sentence/14324.html

Braided line does twist on spinning reels but it is not nearly as noticeable as it is with mono or fluoro. When it is highly twisted, slack line will wrap around your rod tip. I never use leaders with braid so my opinion is, no knot or no swivel. No leader makes life easier.

I have a friend who is a school teacher that guides during the summer doing kayak trips, wading trips and teaching guys how to river fish. He's been doing it for quite a while. To get your name out there, contact EVERY fishing club, (not just tournament clubs) in Kansas that you can find. Every club that I know that has regular meetings are always looking for guest speakers. You give talks about river and kayak fishing and promote your guide service. Do it for free if you can. Get a booth at the small outdoor shows. Write articles for outdoor publications. You'll need to spend a lot of time talking to get some time on the water. One question. While guiding, will you be fishing too?

Sonar

Google "Missouri Smallmouth Alliance". Hook up with those guys and you will learn a lot about catching smallmouth in Missouri.

Do yourself a favor and don't make any plans or make any deposits that can't be cancelled without penalty. For the last 3 years, I planned a fishing vacation with a friend of mine who is a teacher and is off during spring break. Every year the weather during that period in the Midwest from Ohio, to Missouri including Tennessee and Kentucky was so bad we had to cancel our trip. I hope you get lucky and hit a good stretch of weather but many lodges and resorts do not give refunds if you back out due to bad weather. Kayaking in near freezing temps is not as fun as it sounds.

"Match the hatch" is a trout fishing term used when there is a hatch of a particular type of insect that is emerging on the river that the trout are feeding on. Fly fishermen try to match their fly to look like that insect. Of course there are times when bass a keying on a particular food type and you would be smart to try and copy that. But, most times, bass are opportunistic feeders that when hungry, will eat nearly anything. I usually don't start out trying to match the hatch, but if I catch a few fish that are coughing up a lot of the same type food, I'll switch to something that resembles what they have been feeding on. For you guys who rely on matching the hatch, explain why worms are one of the most successful baits of all time when worms are seldom found swimming around in lakes.

Junior Brown "My Wife Thinks You're Dead" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaEzT5MusFs

Clubs don't always mean tournaments. In my area, there are several multi-species clubs where the members just get together and go fishing. Very little competition, a lot of socializing. Nothing speeds up the learning curve like fishing with experienced anglers. Guides are a great idea, if you can afford them.

Long term effects will be more on the river than on the fish. Once the water levels recede, the bass will go back doing what they always do. The places the bass hang out may change. Sand and gravel bars may shift, new log jams form, downed trees move to new locations. Some holes may fill in, new ones are created. The bass will adapt to the new geography the way they have always done.

Getting out of the current is what you have to do. Look for calm areas very tight to the bank which might be just inches from some very fast water. If the shorelines allow it, walk the banks and dunk a small jig and plastic right next to the base of a tree, rocks or man made structure at the edge of the flood. I know guys who wait for high water just to get these easy pickings. If the flood waters are very high go to riverside parks that are under water and cast the tree trunks, picnic tables and other flooded obstacles that will allow fish to escape the current.

How much does the "5 pound bass" your buddy caught REALLY weigh?

On one side of that page it says slow sinking, and on the other side it says floating.

What would make you believe in fishing calendars? Isn't it the same science as horoscopes?

What part of Illinois are you from? Lots of smallmouth rivers to kayak in the Northern part of the state.

Silicone sealant in a tube will work also.

I've been using offset seat posts for a long time. They really help give more front deck room. The "Bill Dance" curved models, would bend at the post and could not be straightened. Could be they were not designed for someone my size. I've been using the Swivel-Eze offset for the last few years. As far as I know, there is only one size available. It has the same offset as the curved ones.

That was 7.7 inches not 7 feet 7 inches

I see this repeated all the time. I use 20 pound braid on my baitcasters and can't recall it ever happening to me. Of course I've had backlashes, but the Suffix 832 I've been using for quite a while has never done it.

I browse the Bargain Cave a lot. Most of the items I really want are almost always out of stock after I order them. I can't figure out why they offer items they don't have in stock and can't deliver.

I mentioned the boat my friend bought for $2500. The dealer checked the engine compression, replaced the water pump, replaced a broken battery box, replaced the fuel hose, and fixed the bilge pump before they put it out for sale. This is all stuff that my friend would have had to do himself if he bought it from a private seller. Maybe not all dealers do stuff like that, mine does.

When you buy a used boat from a dealer, the dealer will have to stand behind the purchase. They probably checked it over for problems a private owner might not tell you about. I'd be willing to pay a few dollars more for the boat if the dealer gave me some kind of warranty.