MickD

OK, but why?

I've seen recommendations to remove batteries during winter storage in cold areas like MI, but am wondering whether it is important or not. I'm getting older, and my batteries in my boat are not easily accessible, so I've been leaving them in the boat, connected to "smart" chargers, and have not yet seen any problems. I will appreciate any knowledgeable comments. thanks, mick

I've seen recommendations to remove batteries during winter storage in cold areas like MI, but am wondering whether it is important or not. I'm getting older, and my batteries in my boat are not easily accessible, so I've been leaving them in the boat, connected to "smart" chargers, and have not yet seen any problems. I will appreciate any knowledgeable comments. thanks, mick

The smaller ones work great as an aid to tying reliable FG knots- Wrap the braid around one a few times and tie it to your belt loop. With the braid under tension make your FG in the normal way, but it's out in front of you , easy to manipulate, and not slipping out of your teeth in the middle of the knot. Easiest way to get a quick FG with really tight weaves that don't slip at all. Easier half hitches in this location too.

I keep my rods in the rod locker with a sleeve on them. I hook the sinker to the keeper and stick the hook into the head of the drop shot lure which is on the hook. It then slides into and out of the sleeve without getting caught or tangled. I think putting the hook into the keeper and tying the sinker to the rod butt is a good idea. Keeps everything out of the sleeve. I'm going to try it. Should be easy to keep the retention device right at the rear of the locker when not in use, very handy to get at when putting the rod away.

It is my experience that St Croix is on the high side, that their blanks are a little more powerful than most others with the same rating for power. Not talking action. I build rods and use CCS objective power/action testing to evaluate, so it's more than just an opinion. The one thing that will make different St Croix rods with the same power rating feel different is if their actions are different. Especially if comparing a "mag-bass" medium power with a moderate action medium power. You change almost anything about a blank and it will feel different. It's hard to answer your question because the way you define feel may be different than how others define it. It is a subjective term. But if you have two blanks, both with the same CCS objective power and action numbers, they will "feel" about the same. except when one weighs significantly more or less than the other. If you want blanks to feel the same, buy the same one again.

All inflatable PFD's have a rating for their flotation ability, which is, I believe, linked to the size of the CO2 cartridge. I don't believe the PFD's that have the higher ratings are any less comfortable than the lower rated ones, but the best practice would be to buy in person and try them on. I have found that the ones with the round collar section, like a ring of bologna around your neck, have less tendency to rub the neck uncomfortably. I wear mine almost all the time I'm on the water. Now and then in calm inland water, while fishing, I might take it off to remove a layer of clothing and not put right back on. But I always wear it when running with the motor. AND I have the kill switch connected. My Cabelas PFD has a handy plastic loop for attaching it. Keep in mind that now that your boys are going with you, you are setting an example with everything you do. Make sure it's the one you want to set. My son insists I wear it because he doesn't want to waste any fishing time searching for my body. The auto inflate ones that I have experience with have never gone off unless water got to the vest. Rain has not been a problem, but I usually wear it under a rain coat if fishing in the rain (which is rare). Re-arming kits can be purchased for them for less than $20. The right price based on what's in a kit would be more like about $5, but about 20 bucks it is.

From my experience I conclude there is no one single way to retrieve a blade bait. You have to find what the fish want. I think there is a wrong way, and that is to jerk the lure aggressively a long way. I'm talking my experience with smb and walleye.

Here are two of the first 4, the 5-7 in one hand. The DNR came up to check me out, all OK, and they asked if i had any fish. I said I had four, and they asked to see them. I said I was about to release them and asked if they would take a pic. They did and it is what you see.

Unfortunately I couldn't get a partner. I have a pic that the DNR took of a 5-7. But I don't have a pic of the 6-7. Remember your comment one day recently about a day when the Ned worked so well? Most of my fish came on a tube or New Money Ned, and the 6-7 came on the Ned. The little one. I'll pick the picture of the 5-7 off my phone and post it.

Anything with the Daiwa name on it. Doesn't take anything near $300 to get a very good reel. One that casts a variety of lure weights with little or no adjustment between them.

SECTION 3. COMPOSITION/INFORMATION ON INGREDIENTS Chemical Name CAS # Concentration Hydrocarbon blend* Blend < 95% Isopropanol 67-63-0 < 25% Doesn't look like mostly alcohol to me. This says that Sea Foam is less than 25% isopropanol. Based on the range of responses to this question, I go back to "If it's on the internet, it must be true."

What day was that? I went Sunday into Sag Bay and got 28, only two small, best 5 26-14, PB 6-7, and while not hot most of the time, steady big fish all day. Some days are magic. Too bad there are not more of them.

Since the action descriptions are subjective you cannot tell the differences between the rods from the descriptions. However, I believe if St Croix, Shimano, and Loomis are selling the rods as crankbait rods they will work very well for cranks. They know what they are doing. If you buy one and find it too moderate, use braid with it. If it is too fast, use mono or FC. I expect they will work fine with either, but line can change the system significantly, especially relative to fighting the fish. Even a 5-6 foot mono/FC leader on braid offers a little forgiveness in the system.

Me too. I have never heard of winterizing an outboard without changing the lower unit oil. This is done mostly to allow you to detect if fishing line has compromised the seal allowing water in. Never heard of not fogging, too. Some engine manufacturers even recommend you do it by removing spark plugs and injecting oil directly into the cylinders, but I've always done it through the induction system even when changing spark plugs. It appears to me like spark plugs are lasting longer than they used to as my Merc calls for a change only after 600 hours, if I remember correctly. I do the things that others in this forum have recommended + the owner manual stuff. One thing I forgot until now is that you need to have a bullet-proof mouse control program. Mice love to chew on wiring insulation, build messy nests, chew on boat flotation material, etc etc. After you have your program set up leave a plain paper towel or a piece of toilet paper in the boat. If there are any mice there they will show their presence by chewing it up. If you see chewing you have mice.

The Savage tube certainly looks like it will work very well.

Two piece or one is not the issue with sensitivity, which I know of no way to measure. I have built 4 rods off that blank and the one I kept is my favorite tube rod, even though it has an old guide system on it. I'm thinking of rebuilding it with Fuji KLH guides. I doubt if there is much difference between top of the line blanks for sensitivity unless they have significantly different guide systems, meaning the WEIGHT of the guides located in the top half of the blank. Lighter is better. Much more important than trying to determine the differences in sensitivity is, IMHO, going with the grip design that works the best for you. Ergonomics.

Why not the Alabama rig?

I always keep my gas well charged with a good marine fuel conditioner to help combat any fuel problems, which can be super expensive and difficult to solve. Best bet is to avoid them by buying fuel from high volume stations and adding the fuel additive with every fill. I put an extra dose in with my last fill of the season. Marine Stabil and Seafoam are good, but I'll bet there are many more. Most recommend fogging, too, which I always do. I think a good idea would be to contact your boat manufacturer for their recommendations rather than relying on us. Usually it's covered in the owner manual, too. http://robalo.com/admin/Document-Depot.php?action=owners_manuals

Yes, forgot this option.

My experience has been the best when just using the fluke on a 4/0 EWG hook, no swivel, no trailer, and perfectly rigged with the hook right down the center. It's only effective for me in clear water less than about 7 feet. But adding anything has seemed to me to screw it up. Fish hit it often when it's sinking between twitches. I only use spin with light braid and an FC leader (to enable really long casts which are important in clear shallow water).

While this solution is not elegant, it will work. There probably are tapes that won't leave a gummy deposit. I have some translucent UV resistant tape that I would use. Heavy duty packaging tape probably will work, too.

Just caught my PB smb Sunday (6# 7oz) on a New Money Ned, the little one. Around here the green/red flake is usually as good as it gets in any soft bait.

I don't think the hooks on any of the old favorites can compare with the hooks of today, so I would replace them. If you don't want to chance it, sharpen them. I think the little screws should come out OK, but I would put a drop of fingernail polish hard coat on them when reinstalling them. Careful on torquing them. The line tie on the Jitterbug is a special pin with the opening below the "bill." it is designed that way to keep the nose of the lure up. I would not tamper with that and would not use a split ring.

If one wants to know where his leader/line will break he will use a leader significantly less strong than the line, a good line to leader knot like a double uni or FG, and a terminal knot that has only about 80 per cent knot strength. Size the whole setup so that that 80% is sufficient. It will break at the lure every time. Like 20 braid, 15 leader , and an improved clinch knot.