Jerkbate

Thanks guys. I didn't mount the x-ducer thru hull because of the risk of running into uncontrolled problems like the ones that were mentioned. I'm going to lower the x-ducer a little and see if that helps.

I mounted the transom transducer of my new fishfinder on my Skeeter boat. The boat originally came equipped with a flasher unit with a shoot-thru hull tranducer. I followed the directions for choosing a location. However, I get a lot of interference when the boat is moving much over idle. I mounted the tranducer in line with a flat part of the hull bottom like the directions recommended. If any of you guys run a Skeeter I'm just wondering where your transducer is located.

I'm the same as Jig Man. I turn mine on as soon as I hit the water, and it stays on until I load up. I fish three lakes in the 40,000 acre range. I also fish several smaller lakes from 20 - 7000 acres, and I still use it a lot on these lakes. While I know a lot of productive areas on these smaller lakes, I find something new almost every trip.

I totally agree.

While I do not support breaking any laws, I disagree with some of your opinions that removing 30 fish is unhealthy for any body of water. I live at Grenada Lake. Every year there are hundred of limits of 30 crappie kept out of this lake each year. Also, I removed over 200 bass, at the request of the land owner, from his pond of about 6 acres. I did this in 4 days. You can still catch 30-50 bass every trip, and they are all 10 - 12 inches. I realize that sustained removal rates this high will eventually have negative affects on a fishery, but to say removing 30 fish at any time is not healthy is untrue. I strictly bass fish and release 99.9% of all of the fish I caught. The only time I keep one is in situations like the one mentioned above or if it dies. I love to bass fish and want healthy fisheries as much as the next guy, but when did the LMB become so highly regarded? It isn't that different than any other fish. We have no problem with people keeping crappie, catfish, or bream. Why not bass? In some situations C-n-R is not healthy for the fishery. Also, it is proven that most people who fish do not fish for bass. Especially in my area, crappie are the fish that are mostly pursued. So, there is no threat of overfishing for largemouths. I say all that to say this, people shouldn't get so bent out of shape because someone keeps a few bass to eat. If you are strictly C-n-R that's fine; just realize that some people are not. As long as they are within their legal limits, nothing should ever be said. If fact I feel they should be congratulated on their catch.

I fish them weightless with a 2/0 wide gap hook on 12 lb test line. I cast out and let it sink for a couple of seconds. I then give the worm a couple of twitches and then pause for a couple of seconds. I then repeat. I start out twitching the worm pretty fast close to the surface basically like a jerkbait. If that doesn't draw strikes, I'll increase the length of the pauses between twitches letting the worm sink deeper into the water before twitching. The only colors I fish are bubblegum (clear water) and black (stained/muddy water).

I average three trips a week for about 4-5 hours per trip.

Carp are invasive species. When bowfishing, we usually try to find someone who will take them, but if not, we bury them. The carp are overrunning my local reservoir. It has been nothing to see hundreds in the shallows the past couple of years. In that same time the bream and bass fishing have plummeted to practically none existent. I've included an excerpt from an article written about the affects of carp on a body of water. I agree that shooting carp is akin to shooting prairie dogs. They have to be controlled, and it's a ton of fun. "After the tributaries were cleared of carp, we placed fences across two of them to prevent carp from reentering, and monitored bottom food organisms, zooplankton, water clarity, and submerged aquatic plant abundance above and below the fences. A comparison of the two locations would help us identify the effects of carp. Water samples collected before and after the rotenone applications are being analyzed by the North Dakota State Department of Health to assess effects on water quality. Of special interest is how decaying carp affected nutrient levels of the tributaries. Within 24 hours after the carp were removed, water clarity within the tributaries increased remarkably; from only a few inches with carp to more than two feet without carp. The increased visibility above the fences persisted the rest of the summer. The clearer water above the fences enabled submerged aquatic plants to flourish, so that by the end of July, areas less than two feet deep were completely covered with submerged vegetation. Submerged vegetation abundance also increased in deeper areas of the tributaries, as well as in the main reservoir. In areas where submerged plants grew, seine catches of young-of-the-year game fish were five times higher than in areas without vegetation. Overabundant carp can severely deplete lake bottom food sources needed by species such as yellow perch, bluegills, and channel catfish."

FB, I just checked out their closeout section. Your right, most of ther items are out of stock. Like you, I wasn't really impressed by that. When I ordered from them, I went there for a few specific items, and didn't look through the entire site. Like I said before, I was well pleased with their service.

I was tired of BPS having my stuff back ordered so I placed an order with these guys. They were a couple of dollars higher than BPS, but I couldn't have asked for better service. I placed an order on Saturday night and received my order on Wednesday by standard shipping. I'll be ordering from them again.

While I always expect to catch at least one, any day fishing is a good day. I enjoy the challenge of trying to figure out how to catch'em.

Buzz, jerk, twitch, and crank; Deep and shallow boat and bank; brush, stumps, weeds, and creeks.

11 lbs 7 oz. - Minnow 13 lbs 4 oz. - Minnow 10 lbs 5 oz. - Culprit Worm 10 lbs 0 oz. - Berkley Black Powerbait Worm 11 lbs 2 oz. - Spinnerbait 13 lbs 14oz. - Spinnerbait

Thanks guys. I found a site called Mikesreels.com. It seems to be pretty fair.

I have an older Daiwa 103hi reel that I need to order some parts for. I have the exploded assembly diagram with part numbers. Anyone know where can I order parts on-line?

Sorry to hear that. My prayers are with your family. As other have said, always wear a life jacket. I'm guilty myself of not always wearing one when I should. I need to do better. A couple of years ago one of my dad's fishing buddies, who was a very experienced fisherman, had a heart attack while loading his boat. He fell out and drowned. The autopsy showed that he most likely would have survived the minor heart attack. If only he had been wearing his life jacket, he may still be with us.

I've never fished the bruised banana, but I have fished the standard yellow trick worm with success.

I set my thumb screw to where, when holding the rod horizontally, the spool will stop once the lure reaches the water. You could also try turning the brake down a little.

You probably do not have your reel adjusted properly. The medium action rod should cast most crankbaits without any problems. Also, how much distance are you getting?

Sowbelly is a good book.

Listen to these guys. GO TO COLLEGE. I am a college instructor, & I currently have several older guys that are enrolled in my programs. Most of them are in their forties. I also have several guys in their late twenties to early thirties who went to college straight out of high school but did not finish. They realized the importance of the college degree and have returned to get their degree. Regardless of their situation, they will all tell you quick that they regret not going to or finishing college when they were younger. It is unbelievable the opportunities that open up to you once you get you degree. Like others have mentioned, you may not need a college education to succeed, but it is proven that college graduates earn much more money over their lifetime. Go to Monster.com or Americas Job Bank and look at the top paying job postings. 99% of them will require at least a two year degree; most a 4 year degree or higher. Right now you say you know what you want to do, & it doesn't require a degree. Later in your life I assure you that your aspirations will change. College will open you up to a whole new world that you do not know exists.

If the course is public & is on public land (Corp of Engineers owns it), do you guys think you would still need to ask permission?

Looks to be a black bullhead.

Fire & Ice is the only color Culprit I fish.

White Mike sorry I haven't replied. I've been away from the computer. Fishin Phil gave you some good advice. SBA is a good site with a lot of information. Startupnation.com is another very good small business site. They put keep things simple & easy to understand. When you start to prepare your business plan, I recommend that you interview owners of similar businesses that are already successful. Be professional about everything. Call, explain your situation, & setup a meeting to discuss their business model, finances, and other information you feel relevant. Some business owners won't give you the time of day, but others will be more than glad to help you. The startup will not be easy & will take a lot of work. However, with the proper planning and effort you can make it successful. Good luck & keep us informed about what happens. If you have specific questions about anything shoot me an e-mail at cbaker@holmescc.edu, & I'll help you as much as possible. I must warn you that I will be VERY honest about everything. If it's wrong or will not work, I'll tell you.