Further North

Rock Bass are fun. Savage little rascals; if they got to a decent size, they'd be among our favorite fish. If it were me, I'd throw flies at them.

Yes, MMV considerably. I don't fish tournaments...and as I've already commented, I don't weigh my fish...and I plugged my live well the day I bought my boat 11 years ago and I use it for storage. ...but I'll offer the thought that with a device and app like this there would be no need for any fish to be kept in a live well.

You can collect photos and use the app to measure when you have cell service.

We were on a river, which I expect to be cooler than a lake. We saw 72° on a local impoundment last Sunday afternoon.

We saw 60° - 62° here yesterday.

What are your water temps down to?

I'm sure you could - or just hold the ball back further...but why would anyone do that? They'd only be fooling themselves.

I have no idea where the scale is...it may be in the landfill... ...but it didn't have tare function....and I don't have a bag. I do appreciate the info though, it's good for people who care what a fish weighs. I have no idea. I haven't had a scale in my boat for at least 11 years... I'm really only interested in length; I haven't weighed a fish in years...and I don't think Glenn actually tried one...

I quote previous posts to ensure anyone reading knows which specific post I'm replying to. I'd use Copy/Paste, then tag whoever I wanted to quote. 😉

The app is free, it's the purchase of the proof ball that the $25 covers.

Better to just hold the ball on a finger, I think. If I want a picture without the ball, I can make it disappear in 30 seconds. I guess it depends on how accurate you want/need it to be. It's more than close enough for what I want.

I'll double check a couple...as long as it's close it's more than good enough for me. As I noted, I don't care about fish weight at all - I haven't weighed a fish in at least 11 years - my scale has never been in the boat I own now. I don't need to know fish weight enough to hang a fish vertically by it's jaw, particularly bigger fish - not good for them. Close enough for me. It's a reference - it's a known constant regardless of the distance from the camera lens.

I used it here on a smallie, but it's supposed to work on any species. https://www.store.fishtechy.com/products/fishtechy-proof-ball-1-4-v2-1-pack They send you a little orange ball - you download the app - take photo of fish, it measures the fish, estimates the girth and weight. No fumbling around with a bump board, or a tape measure. Time out of the water is seconds, total.

Same. Stepping on on 8/0 hook is a day ender.

Lighter colors reflect light and don't get as hot. My Crestliner is a light cream color; I don't recall it ever getting warm to the touch. My drift boat is a medium grey, and it can get uncomfortably warm...If I had it to do over again, I'd go with a lighter color. Do you recall what that paint was? I used spaghetti mat inside my drift boat to the same effect. I don't recall ever having any issue with any reasonable amount of wind blowing my Crestliner CMV 1850 around; it's a 2005.

The "aluminum" is hotter debate rages on drift boad forums all over the place... ...it's nonsense. It depends on what the metal is in contact with, and what color it's painted. Same thing with the "aluminum is louder" argument...don't hit things...no noise...

I love my 2005 DF 140... ...the problem with Suzukis is that they last forever...

We can always anchor, or even anchor and get out. ...or if whoever is on the oars is good, they may be able to hold the boat in place. We don't do it often, but it works.

I do it now and then...I prefer floating the rivers in a drift oat or raft.

It's good stuff, but I've seen that twice on really good fish...

Not always 😉 They are...but try muskies. They can make trout look like groupies...

It took me a while to try it, but after I figured it out I was all in. There's only two potential failure points: the two knots...and I never have to worry about the upper end of the thing wrecking my tip guides.

I've never had any kind of issue with any of the musky sized lures, baits or flies I use with my tieable wire leaders. The Knot-2-Kinky wire I mentioned is available up to 100# in single strand and 25# in the 1 x 7 version.

The easiest, least expensive, and arguably best option is to buy a spool of tieable wire and tie it directly to your main line braid. I use an FG knot for coated wire, and an Alberto knot for uncoated wire. About a foot of wire is all your need. Tie a swivel with a snap into the end and you're in business. AFW makes a good tieable wire, as do several others. I've been using Knot-2-Kinky 1 x 7 nickel-titanium wire this season and am seriously impressed. It's true to its name - no kinks, even after bunches of fish.

I can send it to you...if the software will allow a PDF file. ...I just tried...I can't attach a PDF. I can e-mail it if you'd like.