Scott F

Does anyone have a problem with the curved lenses that are common on the high end sunglasses? I have good distance vision but the curved lenses for me distort distant objects. My eye doctor told me this is a common problem, he has he same issues. I need something like aviator styles but I never see them where sunglasses are sold.

Rivers usually mean rocky bottoms. If this is what your river looks like, ball heads would not be my first choice. They just snag too easily. My choice is to use Charlie Brewer Slider heads. They come through the rocks easily and don't snag nearly as often. The weight you use depends on how fast the current is running.

The function of a livewell is to keep fish alive. Doesn't matter if they are bass, walleyes or shiners. Your livewell will work just fine. Scales from small fish won't clog anything up.

I don't wear cotton fishing shirts anymore. I like the lighter, quick dry shirts with the vented back and long sleeves. I am much more comfotable and I like the front pockets.

They call it the Wolf River rig in Wisconsin. It's a common walleye rig also known as a 3 Way rig.

Before you invest in a mount, have you tried using your tablet outdoors in the sun? Can you see the screen in the daylight?

As an 18 year old, you are at the beginning of adulthood. You are ready to experience everything the world has to offer but want to blaze a new trail. I get that. One thing about young men is that they are not fully aware of their own mortality. They kind of believe that they are indestructible. That's one of the reasons that young men are sent off to fight our wars. I'd guess you would like to live the movie version of adventure that you've been seeing your whole life. It probably doesn't exist the way you imagine it could. Don't let that stop you from looking for it, this is the time to try. Once you meet the woman you'll marry, and have kids, your goals will change forever. Keep you eyes open for the chance to explore. More often than not, you don't find the adventure, it finds you. Maybe a stint with the armed forces will give you what you are looking for. Good luck, make the most of your youth, it will be gone before you know it.

Right now, I'm listening to mostly Blues by guys like BB King, Albert King, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Lonnie Brooks. and I'm always going to like the 60's and early 70's classic rock. I also enjoy Jazz by guys like Lee Ritenour, Al DiMeola, Jean Luc Ponty and the Crusaders.

Call Mike Mladenik (mikemladenik.com) to guide you on the Menominee River on the border of Wisconsin and the UP of Michigan. Lots of big smallmouth! You can stay at the Four Seasons Island Resort in Pembine WI. It's right on the river. The Menominee is one of the top 2 or 3 rivers in the Midwest for big smallmouth. Mike is a terrific guide, very friendly, and nobody knows that river better than he does.

Steel is still being produced in the US. My hometown of Gary Indiana is home to Gary Works, U. S. Steel’s largest manufacturing plant, and is situated on the south shore of Lake Michigan. Comprised of both steelmaking and finishing facilities, Gary Works has an annual raw steelmaking capability of 7.5 million net tons.

As an American that works for a company that manufactures products here in the US and has for well over 100 years, I am insulted that you don't believe that we take great pride in the machines that we produce. Some people may not be proud of the work they do. But I've been working for the same company for 34 years and my co-workers and myself build and stand behind our products and will match them with anything made anywhere in the world.

I own several Ambassadeur reels including a UC5600c that was made in Sweden. The only problem I ever had with any of them was a broken plastic thumb bar in that 5600 that was replaced while still under warranty.

They let you bring reels with line on them in your carry on? The last time I flew, they made us check those.

If you aren't catching fish in rivers with the baits you said you are using, you aren't fishing in the right places. Are you trying to fish from the bank, floating or wading? You have to be able to get to the few spots that concentrate the fish during low flows.

Sometimes, you don't have to wade out very far. Just enough to be able to direct your bait where you want it to go. Safety is very important. If you aren't comfortable with the conditions, stay on the bank.

Take a vibrating bait like a crankbait, inline spinner, or even a spoon, and toss it in the swift water. Let the current carry it downstream slowly letting line out. When you stop, the bait should be vibrating in the current the same way it would be if you were retrieving it in calm water. When you get the bait near the calm water, stop and let it sit there. If there are any bass sitting in the calm water near your bait, they'll find it. If possible, try and direct the bait as close as you can get to the slack water while keeping the bait in the current. If you don't get a hit, let a bit more line out and stop again. Keep doing this until you run out of room or line. You can then work the bait back toward you just moving it a little at a time. As long as you are in the fast water, the bait will continue to work and won't sink any lower than it is designed to run. Is the water too deep to wade in safely?

I've got one on my boat. I have a 75 hp motor on a boat rated for up to 115 hp. It helps me get on plane much faster and stay on plane at much lower RPMs. I do lose a little bit of top end speed which I never even notice because I almost never run wide open anyway. It has saved me a lot of money on fuel over the years. The fin was a lot cheaper than the thousands it would cost for a bigger motor.

All braid, all the time, for me.

There's no way to tell for sure if bass will be spooked by the leader, but I lean to no, they won't be spooked. If you are afraid they will be turned off, it's going to affect your fishing. Either throw lures you aren't afraid to lose without a leader, or use one. I don't like loosing lures, but I also don't like leaving baits in the mouths of fish. It's not good for them. If you think 30 pound braid will take the place of a leader, it won't. They can bite through that as easily as you can cut it.

Big fish are fine, but my thrill comes with the hit. I need action to keep me interested. Even if I caught my personal best earlier in the day, If I haven't caught anything in the last 3 hours, I'm not happy. I'm not saying I'd like to catch 10" fish all day, but I'd rather have numbers than just 1 or 2 big ones.

That's why some guys only use braid.

If you are in Park Falls WI, you can get good deals at the St Croix outlet store. They have "B" stock rods that have very slight cosmetic defects for as much as half off.

Unless you plan on doing a lot of pike fishing, store bought steel leaders will work fine. Just be sure you buy ones with cross lock snaps. While you are buying leaders, pick up a set of jaw spreaders to hold open the mouth so you can get your lure back and not lose any blood.

Does the white appear to be under the epoxy? If it is, just let them dry out, they'll be fine.

Before you plant, you should use a roto tiller to loosen up the soil. It will hold on to the water better and the roots will grow deeper.