Scott F

Probably not. Drive-ins, like today’s movie theaters, make all of their profits from the concession stand. They could let people stay in their cars, but the hot dog/popcorn stand would probably have to stay closed.

Directions are on the web site. You can send a picture. If you can’t send a picture, and you want a replacement, you break the rod into pieces to send it back. See if you can read this screenshot from their website.

I only use 20lb braid and never have my braid “bite down”. There must be something you do to cause it to happen. A buried backlash maybe, or pulling on a snag using the reel? Drag set too tight?

Largemouth bass won’t be spawning until the water gets much warmer. You won’t see any beds for a few weeks depending on the weather.

Pickerel are a lot more active, and getting ready to spawn, when the water is near 50 degrees, than largemouth are at the same temperature. If it were me, I’d be targeting the pickeral while they are active, then switch back to bass when the pickeral bite slows and the bass get more active as the water warms.

You could have taken the old phone to an Apple store and gotten the battery replaced for $49.

I replaced mine with my boat on the trailer, but the bow wasn’t pulled up really tight.

Fluoro is not heavy enough to sink a floating crank bait or cause it to run deeper, just as braid is not buoyant enough to prevent a lure from reaching its maximum diving depth. In truth, the thicker fluoro line will not let the lure run as deep as the much thinner braided line. Clear water in my opinion, doesn’t matter as fluoro line is not invisible and even if a bass can see it, the fish does not have enough brain power to reason out that line is bad. As far as a leader, if things like zebra mussels are cutting your line and you think fluoro will help from getting cut off, you might consider using it as a leader.

Years ago, I was on a fly in fishing trip in Manitoba. There was a small pike that we could see living under the dock. He was there all the time. One of our guys would go down in the morning and brush his teeth while standing on the dock. The pike must have gotten tired of this every day. One morning, when my friend bent down to rinse his toothbrush, the pike bit him hard on the hand!

My river boat has an anchor, but it doesn’t drag. When it hits the bottom, no matter how fast the current, it sticks. 55lbs of chain, with an electric winch.

If there is any way you could afford the extra money, get the Terrova. You’ll soon forget how much you paid, but for the next several years, you’ll be happy you did it.

What part of the country are you in? Do you catch smallmouth in the same areas during other seasons? Is that the only shore access you have? How do you know what the depths are? What river are you fishing? Are there feeders creeks? This time of year, the bass will be feeding and moving toward spawning areas which can be slack water eddies, with gravel bottoms. Eddies that have a lot of silt on the bottom won’t be good for spawning. Vegetation, depending on the species, can be good or bad.

Anybody who bank fishes a wide river like you described is going to get blanked frequently. You’ll have to find a way to cover more water and learn the prime holding spots. Your post didn’t have enough information to help me give you any better information.

I get some cheap hand towels, put a brass grommet on it, and hang it from my belt while fishing. I might dunk part of it in the lake to keep it damp. Towels keep me from wiping my hands on my pants and keep the handles on my rods clean too. I keep it attached to me so I always know where it is without having to look for it. Leaving it on the deck means it will blow out of the boat when I forget to secure it before taking off.

I got the blues now. I just got a call from the resort I was going to stay at the last two weeks of May to fish for prespawn smallies. The state of Wisconsin is going to keep things closed up until the end of May so my trip has been cancelled. ?

I fish clear water most of the time and I have never found line visibility to have any effect on the number of strikes I get.

My favorite movie quote of all time. “She turned me into a newt........I got better...”

In the early 80’s, I inherited a couple of red Ambassadeur 5000’s. I was always a spinning reel guy so they sat in a closet until 1993 When I made my first Canadian fly-in trip. The 5000’s were put to use fishing big spoons for pike. I still prefer lighter gear, but bait casters have been a part of my arsenal ever since. I still have the 5000’s, but they sit in a prominent place on my shelf, a reminder of my father.

My original plan was to leave last Sunday and be on the trip right now. But, all plans were canceled. I’ll try it again next year unless we are still under lockdown by then.

For the Monty Python fans.

Different problem that the original post from 13 years ago. The anti-reverse which some call a bearing, is actually a one way clutch that only allows the spool to turn open one direction. There are a number of rollers in it that lock up when trying to go in the opposite direction. If the rollers get dirty or get flat spots they can slip. You have to get to that bearing/clutch and clean it or replace it. Missing washers or parts installed in the wrong order aren’t the problem.

The point of keeping motor boats off the water is to keep people at home and not traveling all over the state pulling a boat or coming from another state to continue the spread of the virus.

Surface water temps may only go a foot or so deep. A change in wind direction can push that warmer surface water away and replace it with colder water pretty quickly. The actual spawn is at least a month or more away. Today’s weather will probably have zero effect on when spawning takes place. If this weather happens next month, that will make a difference. Be patient.

Lots of arguments have been started on this subject. I still prefer the original Transom Saver or one of its copies.

Isn’t boating while under the influence a felony in WI?