Daniel My Brother

There are lots of ways to get shad colored cranks down that deep. A chome and blue ratl-trap or a Norman DD22 will both go deep. You can even buy sticky weights that attach right to your crankbait, or try carolina rigging a crankbait. I'll bet if you experiment, you'll find something that works. Keep us posted. Dan

Ben, You have some major league size grapfruits to post that question. I really expected the shouts of "Get a job!" to be heard 'round the internet. A dad who gives you a job, makes you work, and save your money for college is a lot more valuable than a dad who buys you a bass boat. Consider yourself already blessed. Good Fishing! Dan

The big fish finders are great, but you won't find one for $69. Any fish finder that can help you figure out how deep the water is, and where the drop-offs are will be a big help, especially in the heat of summer when the bass go deep. I looked at the cuda, but went with a PihranaMAX20, I can't remember why, but it has helped put fish in the boat.

We set jugs out with live sunfish to catch flatheads. A small flathead took the bait, then a large (6.3 pound) bass took the flathead. It's too strange to pull in a jug with a bass and catfish hanging out of it's mouth! We don't jug fish on that lake anymore, don't want to risk killing a trophy bass on a milk jug.

This is the stupidest and possibly coolest idea I've ever heard of! PLEASE do it! I want to see pictures. You make this work and you are my hero! Good luck! ;D

Do yourself a favor and check out www.maptech.com for FREE topographic maps. I looked up my home lake, and they even had the old creek channels marked.

I carry the shame driving of the only Ford Windstar mini-van at the ramp. ;D

Ben & TD, Thanks for the good advice, and the link. Dan

The closest decent fishing lake is a 45 minute drive from my house. With 3 trips this past week, it's getting a little tough at the pump. I'm just curious how far is your average commute to fish? Am I insane, or is this normal?

I'm certainly no expert on this, but I push a 1436 jon with an old 9.8 mercury (many lakes here are 10hp and under). I weigh about 180 and I've had fishing buddies up to 250 and have had no problems yet. Normal amount of gear. one 12 volt battery, a cooler, tackle bags, etc. I hope someone more qualified than me can help you with this one...sounds like you've done quite a bit of research on the subject already. Good Luck!

I've got a 1984 9.8 hp Mercury that I use often. It runs great, but it's a bear to get started cold. Usually 10 to 15 hard pulls! Once it's warmed up, it'll start on the first pull. Is this just what happens to old outboards, or could there be a simple fix? I've heard mercurys are notorious for this. Any thoughts? Thanks, Dan

I fished with a guide on Table Rock lake last year (Branson, MO). This guy fishes 4 to 12 hours a day, every day. Still, his biggest bass ever was just 8lbs 12 oz. I fish Southern Illinois. I'll catch a few 5+ pounders every year. I've caught a few over 6 lifetime. I've got friends who've caught 7s. I've heard stories of 8s. I've seen pictures of 10s, from the power plant lakes (coffeen and Egypt). If I caught an 8 pounder, I'd think I'd faint.

My buddy and I are like Gomer Pile and Barney Fife on a stakeout. We really have no clue, but occasionally we get lucky.

Not all sunnys are built alike. Some, like green sunfish and goggle eye, have larger mouths and will compete with young bass for food. Bluegill are not much of a threat.

Glenn, GREAT article! It really opened my eyes, and makes a lot of sense. Thank You!

I have NO idea. Sometimes on the drive home from the lake I struggle to remember how many I caught that day. I do know the action in Southern Illinois is better this year than last...but last year was terrible for me. I would guess that I haven't caught 100 yet, but I have caught several over 4 pounds.

I'm a believer in slot limits. Those 14-18 inch fish reproduce faster than the Osmonds....And I certainly don't care to eat big bass - besides, why would you want to take Shaq out of the gene pool? That just leaves the little tasty ones. Bring on the corn meal!

This is a great topic. Like alot of you, I've got children (four daughters), and the money I used to spend on fishing, I now spend on tuition, dental bills, tennis shoes, etc...I buy what I need and that's it. Rarely more than $50 a month. Funny thing is, I fish more now than I ever have, and I always have 4 willing partners. There's a lot of gear I'd like to have, but I don't know that I'd actually be catching any more fish or having more fun.

This sounds very similar to the strip mine pits we fish in southern Illinois. Very little structure, but some cover. During the daytime we troll a LOT. We've pulled some big bass trolling with deep diving crankbaits (I like the Norman DD22s) and are able to cover a lot of ground, and enjoy a beer in the process. It seems the bass are always on the move. We get most of our quality fish at night, just beating the shoreline, when we can have the lake to ourselves. What works one trip, usually fails miserably the next.

If you really want cheap, you can pick up a $96 transom mount TM from Wal-Mart, then flip the head around (easy) and mount it to the bow. This worked for me for several years.

Tough call. How's the floor and transom? There's a lot of wood supporting both on older model tri-hulls. If there's rot, replacing a floor is a lot of work. I'm guessing this is a mid to late 70's model? Boats like this normally sell for between $600 and $1,000 in the midwest. You're always rolling the dice with a boat this old, but it might be a steal if everything checks out. Maybe the owner would let you take it to your local boat shop for a quick check?

The muskrat actually grabbed him by the dorsal fin. Helluva ride.

Could be...I found 2 dry flies, 3 hula poppers, and a Norman DD22 crank bait.

Hey FAW, I've had dry spells, too. Here's what worked for me. First I trapped a small muskrat, then ran treble hooks through him fore and aft. After a couple of casts I landed this nice 36 pounder. I hope this helps.

Firetiger?