ward131

I always fish shadows. I released a bass at my dock. He was very worn out. He slowly swam away along my shore. I was able to walk along with him. He stopped in the shadow of a cedar stump that over hangs the water. He did not stop under the stump. He was a foot to the left..in the shadow. Ever since then I have been catching fish in the shadows of trees.

I have broken two. One many years ago. I set the hook and the rod snapped just above the reel. The broken part slid down the line into the water. I reeled it back in with the fish. If I recall correctly it was a little bass. . The second was this summer. My Ugly Stick handle cracked. Don't know how. The replaced it.

I removed my anchor, to big, didn't stow well. Haven't missed it.

I Have a Lucky fishing hat. I bought it several years ago. When spring came around I couldn't find it. Then in the middle of winter I would come across it. Then in the spring not find it again. This went on until I moved to this house on the pond. I found the hat when we moved in and I have worn it for every fish I have caught since. My dog even knows when I put the hat on...get on the boat!

I hate the Tail bitters! I find them to be very small bass and blue gills. Usually I move away from them to deeper water or switch to a hard bait that they don't bother.

I have some that when the bow is touching shore, the stern depth finder says 40 ft. I like to drop long worms (10-12 inches) with very little weight. They don't usually make it to the bottom before something picks it up.

Ya, no shad in Maine...Blue gill and white and yellow perch. I find the white perch in schools in the deeper water. The yellow perch are in the weeds and the blue gill seem to like the rocks. when I start to catch blue gill and white perch in a minnow trap, I Then throw lures that look like them. Seems to work.

I started using Big Bites because of the price. I keep using them because they/we catch fish. If I find something on sale I'll pick it up but when I NEED more, I go buy Big Bites.

Watching this now. My first MLF show on TV. I like the Landing Penalty and that all fish over 12 inches count toward the weight. It is great to see my local lakes on the show but it Don't help with the cabin fever. I'm 10 miles away and -7 deg.

I have both. I was lucky enough to find myself in a position to make this choice. I chose the land first. Once I was settled in I started to look at a boat that fit the pond. I usually take the boat to nearby lakes in the spring, then set it at the dock for the summer. The freedom of walking to the water and getting on the boat is worth the cost of the land! My only regret is I didn't do it 20 years ago. Buy land, they are not making it any more. Mark Twain Boats are just holes in the water you through money into. Ward131. (USCG Ret)

It's OK to change lures...often

I will kick the bait monkeys a$$ When I have the set up that catches every fish every time!

Sitting on a frozen pond in Maine. The hum of the ice augers is constant. I miss my open water!

Try to catch more on top water. I have the worst luck with them.

My state (Maine) has depth, access and fish info on line. With a kayak I would search out ponds with canoe/hand carry access only. Less fishing pressure. I also prefer Bing maps...better 360 deg view