Fishingmickey

X5 said the experienced belly boater. Get a set of diving fins with booties from a dive shop or used.

You turn the handle and the spool turns but but the line doesn't come in. Drag will not work properly either. FM

Let the non-fishing dogs bark as you go by. pay them no mind for they know not of which they speak. FM

Two to three liters of water per day here. FM

It really sounds like you've got something wrong either with the motor or wiring between the motor and battery. Maybe the motor shaft is bent and rubbing on the housing (you'd feel vibration if that's the case). Or is there possibly some braid wrapped tightly around the prop shaft that is causing friction and high amps when your pushing the motor hard. Maybe a bearing failing on the motor? I don't know if you have access to a multimeter with a clamp for measuring amps that will read DC voltage. If your tripping a 60 amp breaker something is wrong, bad wrong. Honestly it might be the motor is going out on you and the trip powering through the weeds weakened/burnt the windings and now your amps are high.

Howdy UmairF, You might look into a inflatable Kayak/SUP. Greg Blanchard's got a You Tube video out where he tested one he just got. Looked like a fairly solid ride for an inflatable. Check out some of the inflatable SUP's too. They've got something out there that would work for you to get out on the water. Lot's of harbors (Montrose comes to mind) and spots to hit in the Chicago land area. FM

X3, I wish I would have bought more when the yen to dollar exchange rate was low. FM

Howdy "9", For me it depends on the thickness of the worm. That dictates the EWG hook size. Something like a skinny Zoom 7" finesse or 7" Robo worm would be a 2/0 or 3/0 EWG, A medium thick worm like a 7" Berkley power worm, 4/0 EWG. Say a really fat 7" stick bait like a Berkley General, Yamamoto Senko, Strike King Ocho could take a 5/0 or 6/0. I feel like the important thing to remember when using a EWG type hook is having enough gap between the bend of the hook (between the eye and the point) and the plastic. A short fat swim bait like a Zako or Keitech swing impact fat need that gap for the plastic to be pushed down and that gap helps the hook point become more exposed when a fish bites your bait. Also take those hook sizes as a general guide line. Different manufactures hooks may say the same size on the package but in reality they are not the same size. I find when searching for a particular hook for a specific bait. I'll take the package of plastics and hold it against a package of hooks to get an idea of the "fit". Too long, impedes the action, too short means maybe not getting the fish in the mouth, Again IMHO matching the correct size and style of hook to the bait is very important. I know TLDR, but I didn't just want to throw a hook size out and hope it stuck for you. Regards, Fishingmickey

Thoughts and prayers to you and Lynn. Fingers crossed, rabbit's foot rubbed, etc. Sincerely, Fishingmickey

I've lost a couple overboard since 2014. One was loaded with good limit of bass pictures that I had not uploaded during a tournament and it was in February. Cost me a top five finish in a field of 80-90 kayaks. I use a Rogue tether now. FM

Hi Crickety, We've got a cabin rented for three nights and I'll probably be renting a Bass Tracker from Maine boat rentals for those three days. So most of my Maine fishing will be on China Lake. I've had pretty good luck there in past trips. 25-30 fish day's mostly largemouth with a few smallies and pike thrown in. FM

Very nice, Katy! I'm counting down the four weeks for my Maine fishing adventure. Fishingmickey

Happy Birthday, A-Jay. Is that Beatles song playing in your head? Will you still need me, will you still feed me when I'm 64. FM

Could be a weeds or Hydrilla patch, but that is awfully deep for weeds. Super clear water? FM

Aye Capt. The only thing I can suggest is make sure that the wire is very clean. I've done a good bit of soldering and I use flux core solder. I'd strip back 3/4" the 18-20 gauge power wire from the fish finder power cord and twist wrap it around the 10 AWG with 1/2" stripped. I'd finish it off with a piece of the 3m heat shrink ( 1/12" - 2") that has the hot melt adhesive in it. It will make for a waterproof connection. FM

Jim, I've found with my Shimano JDM Scorpins and I think one of my Met's using all four brake tabs on really worked well and no noticeable difference in casting distance but big difference in professional overruns. I do fish with IMHO with very little braking and I was two on two off for years. Fishingmickey

Beautiful Speck! I hope to hit the salt here soon. FM

Quick question Bulldog, What do you use to coat your knots with? FM

Sun Line Defier Armillo. It's about two to three times the price of Trilene XL, Big game or Stren. But I have been very happy with it's performance.

I fished night crawlers very successfully as a kid. I'd use a Eagle Claw snelled hook, size four or six. I'd thread the hook into the night crawler and then bury the point back in at the collar. Sometimes no weight or just a small split shot. Cast, let it sink and very slow retrieve. Keep a very close eye on your line! FM

Hello Pawley, Batteries eventually die. If they are old batteries, out of warrenty and the charge isn't holding like it used too. It is possible they are reaching that point. The battery companies have the science down to a art form. At least in car batteries, you get to that three year (or two or one) pro-rated point depending on battery and it dies. I've been through several batteries for the boat/s too, both trolling motor and starting. If they don't get used and maintained regularly, I think they die sooner. FM p.s. Not much help in the post, but considerable commiseration.

I used the baseball bat grip wrapping tape they sell in sporting goods stores. I think both Academy and Dick's carry it. FM

Community holes are named that for a reason. because usually they are good fishing spots. Opposite side of that coin is they are usually highly pressured too. Fishing big swimbaits can be very educational. A lot of the time you will get some interesting follows and they can also tell you if an area might be productive or conducive to harboring big bass or bigger then average bass. Then there is the chance you catch a really big bass too! FM

Hi GTN, I have had the same thing happen to me from excessive spinner bait chunking. It sounds like Carpel Tunnel syndrome. It's a repetitive motion injury. What happens is the tendon that goes through the hole in your wrist gets bigger and pinches the nerves going through the same hole. It makes your hands go numb. The real cure is rest or surgery to enlarge the hole/tunnel. You might try a fatter grip or grip differently? I know that having a fatter grip for my big hands helped greatly when chunking the spinner. I know I hold the rod too tight, I like to "burn" and burble (make the blades break water for a second) when retrieving the spinner bait. FM

Combine it with a weekend trip to Gulf shores? FM