DubyaDee

They've been on the flats for weeks now from the reports that I've heard. I haven't been on St Clair this year. Weather and timing haven't been in my favor.

That's what I was thinking. We're headed to a lake this weekend and my 3 year old wants to fish with me. We've got her Dora rod with 10 lb power pro and a flouro leader ready with a 4 inch curly tail worm with a split shot about 6 inches from the barbless worm hook. I'd rather see my daughter catch a sunny than me catch a 5 pounder.

I'm a couple hours away and haven't fished western MI yet, but I'd think the inland bass would be on beds. I would hit Grand Traverse bay for some monsters.

I've been eyeing a Shimano zodias 2 piece on ebay to keep in my truck for when I stumble on some water. I think I saw them for $150 or so.

Love these reports. I usually see them on Facebook first. Thanks!

I had issues with this same thing a couple years back. I was throwing straight braid and occasionally used a flouro leader. I was getting too excited with my hooksets and the line would break at the knot. Now I've switched to straight 10 lb flouro with thin sticky hooks and no issues at all. My mentality changed when I started fishing jerkbaits more finesse. Thinner hooks, lighter line, lighter drag. Keep your hooks sharp and don't swing for the fences and you'll land most all of your jerkbait fish.

Daang A-Jay! That's a fish of a lifetime for most folks. I'd bet that you'll get a 6.5 within a year.

This gal was half and half somehow.

Sweet, love those Michigan smallmouth!

I've got a handful of 110's. My current favorite is elegy bone. The chartreuse belly looks killer in the water when it dances from side to side.

I took a trip up north with some buddies to catch some smallies. This was our first time at this lake and it for sure won't be our last. Air temp was 45ish, water was between 47-50, winds were 10-15 everyday. We targeted wind blown banks and points. I was throwing a Megabass vision 110 magnum in sexy french pearl on 10 lb flouro with a 7'2" poison adrena. I caught more 4-5 pounders in 3 days than I have in my whole life combined. Biggest fish went 6+ on the boga. These we're the most flawless smallmouth I've ever seen. This was the kind of trip that has me searching for a cabin up there to call my own. Also caught a 22 inch 5 pounder that we we're told was a male.

I'd take my Walther PPS M2 for carrying and my Dan Wesson Valor for fun. The PPS shoots like a PPQ and is super comfy to carry daily. The valor makes me smile when shoot it. There's something about the push of a 45.

Jerkbaits and tubes by far. Vision 110 in Perch 10 lb flouro dobyns 704cb or shimano adrena 7'2" Med Chronarch 51 or metanium 13 Canadian mist tube 3/8 big bite tube jig with rattles 15 power pro, 10 flouro leader Aetos ML 7'6" Stradic 2500 If I can't get them on one I'll get them on the other.

Fenwick Methods looks sweet. 5 different parts to mix and match for the action/weight that you want. St Croix has a Tidemaster inshore travel rod too.

Time of year for sure. If you need to gain confidence in top water grab a little popper or spoor jr and throw it all day long.

I've been looking for that or a poison adrena in 6'10". Jerkbait/topwater/small squarebills all day long. With a 50 size reel and 10 pound co polymer you can cover a lot of ground.

I'd get the Daemos in a heartbeat. I don't have it, but I feel like it would match up well with that reel. I like a longer rod for those techniques.

Absolutely. I look at my career as an investment. If I work 40 hours a week for the next 8 years, I'll have the rest of my life to hang out with my family and get some fishing in.

Sweet! What rod are you pairing it up with? Japan Lure Shop had a good price when I got mine a few years ago.

It's tough to find good employees, and insurance agencies are on every corner. So you'll always find jobs available. The one thing I hear from other agents is they can't find anyone to work. Most sales jobs aren't extremely picky about who they hire because it's commission based. If you can sell, it's worth hiring you. If you can't sell, you don't make any money and you quit within the first couple weeks/month. There isn't too much risk for Agency Owners. Owning an agency is the end goal and have huge benefits.

I get a little giddy every time I pick up my Conquest HG. My metanium/poison adrena combo doesn't give me the same warm special feeling like my conquest does.

I got very lucky stumbling into my career. My Sr year of college I started working part time at an insurance agency. I just started my 3rd year owning my own agency and it's the best job I could ask for. You don't have to have too much education, you get flexible hours, you're dependent on yourself, don't have to answer to big brother, potential for great money, residuals can pay you for life. Since I'm still in the beginning stages I still work full time. A lot of our tenured agents work 1 day a week and golf the other 6. Down the road I'll have tons of free time for family and fishing. It's a great career that is very under the radar.

This smallie hit a 7 inch shallow raider while I was messing around on the doc before an afternoon run. They'll hit anything they want. I've got that same perch hudd 68 and haven't committed to throwing it yet. Good luck!

I'm headed to San Antonio in a week or so for some work vacation. Any good lakes there to check out?

Braid may get you a little more distance. Just make sure it's spooled tight enough so you don't dig in. If you want distance I'd go with a longer rod and a tuned up reel. I got my jerkbait reels tuned up by DVT this year to get some extra distance. I use 10lb tatsu and upgrade my hooks to Gamakatsu G finesse trebles. The thin sticky hooks make up for the stretch of the flouro and I've got no issue with distance or hooksets. If I was using 4x strong trebles I may need to use 30lb braid and a faster rod to get those hooks set properly. If your rod/reel/line/drag/hooks are all working together you'll be fine.