flyingmonkie

Yup! Had that happen today!

I've read so many of you have good luck using 30lb braid on your cranking rods. I've been giving 30lb Power Pro a shot the past month or so and I keep snapping the dang line! I had the same issues a couple years back, but I just figured it was because poor quality braid. It happens when I'm casting a heavier lure and the spool locks-up (line digging into itself). I have fouro backing under it (it was used, off another reel)... I'm thinking a switch to mono backer will help with the line digging problem. But regardless, I had the line snap twice today! It's not at the knot... seems to be happening about midway between my rod and where the lure is at the time of the breakage. I'm confident I can get the line to stop digging, but I'm not confident in the braid now! Anybody else have this problem?

I got a good deal on a Brute 756 last week, so I took it out today for a maiden voyage. Works great, and it has no problem pulling my boat - plus it was a good excuse to go to 24V! I've looked and looked and looked, and I CANNOT find a manual. Considering it's an older motor, I'm hoping some of you on here have experience with it and can lend some wisdom. 1) I don't see any way to adjust the steering tension. Is there? Or will I just have to get use to the feel of it. 2) She whines a bit, especially in 4th and 5th gear. It's not bad, but if there is anything I can do to silence it, I'm all ears. 3) What is the 6th speed setting for? It's a little worn out, but it looks something like a steering wheel? It doesn't do anything. The simple answer is that it's "Off", but there is already an off switch on the foot pedal. 4) Also, it has the Motorguide Gator Mount. There are two big knobs on the side that control the angle at which the motor goes into the water. Is it ok if they stay a little loose? When tightened down, the motor will not stow flat. Sorry, this is a lot. I'm a first time foot-controlled trolling motor owner. Thanks for the help!

It's hard to fish a wacky rig wrong. I usually pull them off the bottom a couple feet and let them flutter back down.

LUCKY! Place looks awesome, but haven't had the chance yet. Heard some nice things. It's barely a lake - almost a pond (75 acres). I wouldn't count on that weather report 11 days out. This is Oklahoma, ya know! But as long as we don't get another one of these wierd winter-weather cold fronts, within 3 days of your trip, It should be a pretty textbook pre-spawn pattern. You'll have no problem working the whole place over a couple times. I'd expect to find them up in those three coves. Start on the outside, and work your way in.

Nice! I'm jealous. Last time I flew into Florida, I stared out the window of the plane in awe, thinking "bet there's bass there", and "yup, definately bass there"... "gotta be some in there". So much water - EVERYWHERE! And it's all connected, so you know it all has fish in it!

Did you stick with the same pattern? What other strategies did you employ? I think everybody above is on the right track. You described a maximum visibility day, which means bass will be hanging tight to cover (hiding, waiting to ambush). During lower light conditions, bass have more freedom to roam around and seak out their food. Wind also has the tendency to stir-up the top layer of the water column, adding oxygen and changing the temperature. On warm days, this increases activity - especially baitfish activity, and can lead to more aggressive feeding. On a day like that this time of year, I'd be targeting shallow structure and thinking about a natural presentation. If it was later in the year, you'd definately want to key in on shade, but I think being this early in the year, the bass would probably take advantage of the sun and find some warm shallow water... they just wouldn't be roaming. At least that's the way I think about it.

Definately doesn't take a week! A few hours was more than enough. In fact, depending on the scenario (like if it was a big female on a nest), it could only take a matter of minutes. Unless you were fishing a piece of specific structure that the fish was keyed in on, chances are you were just in the right place at the right time. That being said, it's just a matter of being in the right place at the right time again. That's fishing, man. Take pride in the fact that you fooled a wild creature into eating something as goofy looking as a spinnerbait! That's success in my book.

Well, I guess that makes ALL of us. I acquired 7 or 8 this week (mostly red/craw colored), and I too realized it's time for a new plano organizer. Life is hard.

My three most hated things: 1. Wind 2. Stickers 3. Selfish people

Have my spring "guys trip" lined up two weeks from today. I'm getting pumped. I LOVE SPRING! Although, as i get older and have kids, all the d**n tornadoes are making me like Fall more and more.

This prompted me to do about 15 minutes of research... and you know what? I can't figure out what causes wind to blow out of the east (unless you're on the equator, or the poles). Cold fronts generally cause a change in wind from the SW to the NW (clockwise)... so it wouldn't normally be due to a passing cold front. This leads me to believe it's resulting of something much larger... the moving of a huge air mass, something cyclonic, or maybe extreme weather nearby. Ever since I heard this saying, I've paid attention to how often the wind actually blows from the east, and around here, it's RARELY. Seems to me like it's something more complicated than "just a front", and tends to be associated with abnormal weather. Makes sense to me why the bass would be confused.

My "guys trip" will be at Lake Eufaula (OK) this Spring. I've driven over the lake on the way to Tenkiller but never stopped. Anybody have recommendations for areas to fish? Also need a good place to tent camp. Thanks!

Actually just discussed this at the office today! I made the mistake of not buying a bass boat before I got married. Now, I've got a wife and baby at home, and another on the way. I can't justify spending $$$ on a bass boat, even though it's the one THING I want more than anything else. Instead, I fish (sometimes, competitively) out of the world's most modded-out, okie-rigged, goofy looking pontoon boat. Lesson learned (for all you young whipper-snappers): Get everything you want while your single, because if you're blessed like me, you'll end up being the least important person in the house.

Thanks, all!

Here's a link to one in my price range; http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-022-0165-DL-WH-12-Volt-Management/dp/B000NCOKV0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1393965652&sr=8-1&keywords=2+bank+battery+tender

Any recommendations on a good charger/tender for deep cycle batteries? I currently only run a single, but am buying a 12/24V trolling motor tomorrow and am debating running duals. Regardless, I take my batteries off the boat after each use and store in my garage. I'm currently using a dumb-charger that I'm afraid is overcharging my batteries. Has anybody used the Battery Tender brand? I've been looking at one of these, single-bank or dual-bank to be decided soon. They are a slower charge than the nice on-board solutions, but I'm not too concerned about speed of recharge. Thanks!

Strike King KVD perfect plastics finesse 6.5" - a little longer than most being recommended on here, but in a watermelon w/ red flake is my confidence bait of 2013.

1) Catch a bass every month (December always gets me... I have 9 months to prepare!) 2) Successfully use my electronics to find fish and get away from the bank. 3) Get out more often!

Were the catfish still alive???

First one is a good one - that takes the cake so far.

Edwin! Tommy Biffle, Shaw Grigsby, and Skeet Reese come in behind that.

Oh, I forgot! Trolling for white bass at Ft. Cobb lake once around an island, and my little brother hooked into Rat-L-Trap… that was attached to a 6'6" ugly stick… that was attached to a nice (at the time) Quantum bait caster! Still have the reel… haven't cleaned it since I've learned the art. I know it will still work.

I catch cats on everything! Jigs and worms are common, but I've got a 16lb channel cat burning a spinnerbait, and even caught a small one on a point fishing a jerk bait!

We've got record low temps today (and a snow day!), so I'm huddled up in the house! One of the other posts (Strangest animal you've seen while fishing) made me think of another topic. What are some strange "accidental" catches you've had while fishing? Here are my two: 1) I once caught a 6 foot cottonmouth at Lake Tenkiller while bank fishing. I threw a bubble-gum stick worm over a rock, and the son of a gun was sunning on the back side of it. He put up a helluva fight, and ended up biting my worm in half. 2) Once in Florida, my wife and I were fishing off a pier with life bait, and during her cast, a seagull swooped down and grabbed her bait in the air. Ended up dropping it on some old lady's head - we had a hard time explaining that one. What about you?