gulfcaptain

I would go out and get your own. Fishing as a co-angler this year and being prepaired with your own gear will show you are serious about being there and not expecting them to furnish you a life jacket.

Coming from years of reading Furuno units (both sounders and sonars) running charter boats, we used a bit different style of fathometers. Learned to change the HZ bandwith (on the newer Furuno's instead of just fishing a 50/200 split picture). From my understanding and learning on those units from guys that have been doing it for 20+ years I took their word for how it marked fish. But you may be correct on pulse length for the smaller units. I do like your pictures and display set up on your unit though, you have the two overlapped. Was talking about the units that just show fish shapes in the lower priced units. Your's shows a bit more information with the color arches as well in an overlapped picture alongside the side and down imaging. You have it set up to give you the most information and how you like it presented. But bottom line, he will have to spend time on the water and learn how his meter marks and reads to be efficient using it.

Arches are basiclly the swimbladder of the fish. Each fish will mark a bit differently depending on the species. Once you learn over time what each fish marks as you can quickly identify what you are looking at.. Bait will mark as a big ball or shape. Your's being black and white, I can't go deeper into color. But each "meter" (fishfinder) will mark a bit differently. The more time you spend on it the more you will learn it. Try and stay away from the little fish mark option that they have on some.....junk. Learn to read a baisic meter and the marks and then if you move to a down imaging unit, use a split screen....the down imaging will help you see the structure a bit more clear, the color meter option will let you pick fish up a lot easier. Learn to use the two together then it will give you a better idea of what's going on.

I'm in agreement with the increased population of sunfish/forage base. As for PVC, you can make different arrangements with this.....I would use 4" on the bottom parts then add quickcrete to the piping to keep it down. Now you can reduce and fit all kinds of 1 and 2 inch piping into in. But cover for small fish is most important. Concrete blocks, clay fowerpots, rock piles, concete pipes, etc would be your best bet if you don't want to buy fish attracking cover and if you're going to add brush, use something other then xmas trees. Hard woods are great, maybe you can find someone who is trimming their trees and can get some of the larger branches and use clay pots(more natural then plastic buckets) and concrete to sink them and hold them in place. Keep the cattails trimmed and the roots pulled otherwise they can take over. You can also add base rock in areas to improve bottom composition.

The one I have has plastic clips with different colored tubing. Nothing to get tangled up with. Just make sure you're clips are Stainless Steel otherwise you are going to have rusting issues.

Drink one a day....Monster Low Carb or Zero. And yes energy drinks can be bad for you if you drink a bunch of them a day. It's all about moderation and self control. If you have high blood pressure and a bad heart, then no you shouldn't drink them. Been drinking one a day for 6years or more since I don't drink coffee.....blood pressure is still perfect.

they make a Rockin Road Runner too which is a cross between a chatterbait and a roadrunner. But use both with some nice success.

Word to the wise, if you are looking to fish as a co-anger here is some advice. #1 Be where you said you will meet them early. If they say 6:30, be there at 6:20 that way they aren't waiting on you. #2 Give them or offer some money for gas first thing before the boat launches. Show's character and sets the mood. #3 If you can back a boat up, bonus points. If you can't let them know right away. Anything you can do to help them get the boat in the water quicker and reduce the stress of everything going on before take off is a big help to them. #4 Keep your gear organized. Don't have your crap everywhere. Bring your own lifejacket. Be prepared to fish. #5 Really important, DO NOT backseat fish. You are along for the ride. I fished two very tough days in a recent tournament. Last thing they need is someone questioning everything going on. The less stressed out and easygoing you are, the more relaxed they are as well. And if you do catch fish, DO NOT tell anyone where you fished. You have to keep that info quiet. If they ask you can give generalized answers such as what kind of area (no exact spots). Main thing, just enjoy the day and have fun. Tough days show exactly what kind of fisherman you are. If you make the best of it you are likely to make a new fishing partner down the road that would be more then willing to meet up and pre-fish tournaments with you not to mention give you insight on other venues and techniques that they may not share with you if you're "that annoying guy" that isn't fun to fish with.

There's always something to learn on a fishless day. And I'm betting you would rather have a great day outside fishing although not catching then sitting at work for 8hrs watching the clock and waiting for it to be time to go home. Every day on the water is a blessing and some days you catch them, some days you don't. Some days you don't have the right tackle for what the fish are wanting or keying in on. And although going fishless that day, coming back the next and putting the hurt on them with what you observed the day before I would count as an enjoyable valued fishless day that yielded information to the observant angler willing to pay attention.

Well fish many rods because I can. Rods for everything. Always have atleast 4 in my car when I pond hop, and well restricted to 7 as a co-angler although there will be 10 going with me(need some spares or possibly gear/technique change). Bottom line I fish a bunch of different rods and continue to aquire more simply because I can. Also find the more combos I have the less wear is put on just a couple outfits which tend to lead to longer gear life and some are simply for certain techniques that need a more refined tool to do the job.

Learn how to walk them and vary the retrieve. Pop it, let it sit, walk it a foot or so and twitch pop it again. Repeat until it disappears in a swirl or explosion from below.

this year's half time show was 100 times better then Beyonce. Honestly from a performance view, this one was better then pretty much all of them in the last 10 years. But I would rather see a tribute to our troops overseas that give us the ability to enjoy the things we do. Why can't we give them 30min of tribute and respect they deserve on a national stage?

Falcon's are really close, ***'s are a bit under rated. Their MH could be a heavy in a Falcon, and their M are inbetween a M action and a MH. I've used many 68 hudds on their Green *** MH 7'7" and although not rated for baits of that size, I could still underhand cast them quite well. Think I was an ounce over if not more.

I would get a good plastic/jig rod. Convert your lighting rod into a crankbait rod. The softer action of the IM-6 will work great for squarebills, spinnerbaits, blade baits, etc. I use d one of the lightning shocks for a crankbait rod for about a year as it had a softer tip and a composite blank until I got more of an idea of what I was looking for.

so short answer would be....... Yes. Along with the 2 other baits you're using to look along the tops of the grass, you can drop the swimjigs into holes if you can see them. And then you can punch (with just enough weight to get down)into the thicker areas as well.

Insert a glass rattle into your frogs.....gives it a little bit more noise.

I feel under equipped....I use a 7'3"H or 7'6"MH rod, 30 or 40lb braid, and a handful of the following Phat Frogs, Poppin Phatty, LT Field Mouse, Bronze Eye Shad. My list isn't even close.

Hey some like to throw fuel on the fire......I was when I said they are different but the same but different. Only difference really was the packaging, a few colors, and the amount per pack you got. I'm sure there a small differences in a lot of the same worms due to plastic pooring, if you got really technical. But ww2farmer tells ya his opinion straight out. No sugar coating needed. I respect that. And appriciate the info he brings to the discussions as well.

The two can not be the same....they have to have suttle differences in them otherwise copyright infringements. And one you get 10 for $9 the other you get 5 for like $6. So they are different but the same...but different.

theres a few plus the one in my Avatar. All on the 8"

That's a nice local pond, can be tough but it can also be good. Fish there quite often when I'm in town. Maybe I'll run into you some day in person.

It's not gonna break as long as you don't try and "bomb" it. Pitch casting, underhand role cast you shouldn't have an issue. Just don't try and load the rod up too much and lob you bait. A MH would probably be better for that size but it will perform if you're gentle.

What blank/rod do you have? May be able to give you more of an answer since I have quite a few of them.

Why not throw him some money for expenses and then after the day, you could also show your gratitude with a little extra if the pro/boat owner gave you a shot at some fish and didn't backseat you and leave you in left field. Then atleast he knows you appriciated the extra bit of effort he put forth trying to give you a shot at some fishable water as well....weather you caught fish or not.

Wels Catfish, probably somewhere in Italy, I believe.