Junk Fisherman

Spinning Reels Tatula 3000 3 Ballistic 2500 Procyon 2500 Casting Zillion (7.1) Tatula SV TWS (6.1) Tatula Type R (8.1) Tatula 5.4 gear ratio 2 Team Daiwa TDX (the older ones) (6.3) 2 Team Daiwa Advantage 153 (6.1) Curado 70 MGL (7.1) * I have a bunch of backup reels. Old green Curados and Daiwa spinning reels that were in the $50 to $75 range.

Reading the other thread got me thinking.... What is the behavior of the big females during the spawn? How long do they stay on the beds? Do they dump their eggs and leave? Do bigger fish spawn deeper? How long do males guard the bed? The reasons I am asking is because I have spent a lot of time up north in the very clear water during the spawn. These waters have lots of 4-6 lb smallies. The biggest spawner on a bed I have ever caught was 18" maybe 19". I can catch as many 16"ers as I want. All of my 4-6 lb female smallies I have caught over the years were prespawn. Overall, I am not that concerned since I know fishing for bedding fish hurts the fishery and I catch plenty of big fish otherwise but I am curious.

Long story short- I need a new deep cycle so I have decided to replace my boat starting battery since it is 5 years old. It is a size 27 Duracell wet cell and it has been great. If I didn't need the battery for something else I would keep using it for the year. My troller batteries are also 5-year old Duracells and the are still going strong. I am going to go with either a Duracell 31 AGM or the Wet Cell. The AGM is twice the cost. I have searched two different sites and couldn't find this answer so I am making this post. Besides no maintenance, what are the important advantages of the AGM over the wet cell? How many years can I expect to get out of an AGM? I am leaning towards getting the wet cell Duracell and save the extra $100+. I would already be buying a bigger battery than I already had and I easily got 5 years out of my old one. What are your thoughts?

This is what I am faced with tomorrow. 80 degree high with 20-30 mi/hr winds with gusts up to 40. My gameplan is a variety of swimbaits, a swimjig, a crankbait, and a dropshot with a 1/2 oz sinker. Probably tie on a C-rig. Think I'll be fishing fast moving baits all day long. Might have to put the Talon down if it's as bad as I fear.

I use TRDs and other "Ned rig" baits on a dropshot all the time. With a dropshot and a 3/8 or 1/2 oz sinker, you can get that bait down instantly and you know exactly where your bait is. The Ned rig catches fish on the fall since it sinks much slower. I prefer to use a dropshot on isolated rocks that I find on my electronics since it is easier to hit my target. With wind and a slow fall you often don't get your Ned where you want it. I probably should fish my Ned off the bottom more but I am typically fishing it on the fall and then dragging and hopping it on the bottom (unless the bottom doesn't allow it).

Crankbaits and jerkbaits for the most part. I might use it for light pitching or senkos but I prefer 15 lb. I use 15 lb FC probably 80% of the time when using fluorocarbon.

My wife never gives me a hard time about what I spend on fishing. She told me for years before I bought my boat to get a new boat if it would make you happy. I told her the last rod I bought was $500 and that I wanted to buy Panoptix and it would run roughly 3K. She told me buy it but I am waiting.

You just never know. I have had days when a thunderstorm moved through and shut everything down. I've had other experiences where the fish were biting before and then after a thunderstorm. Generally speaking, I like fishing in overcast, rainy. Storm on Monday, fishing on Wednesday- I would be more concerned if it was a big cold front. I've always heard the 2nd day after the cold front is the worst and then it gets better on the 3rd day.

I fished there once but I spent most of my time on the Kank in the State Park or by Area 7 (or is it 9?) up to the Warner Bridge. But I'm talking 15 years ago when I was on a wading kick. If I was starting from scratch I would focus on the Dupage around Shorewood. Seems like that stretch kicks out a lot of nice fish. Also, they are catching a lot of nice pike in the Des Plaines. Both of those places are closer too.

Back when I used to fish the Kankakee a lot, I crushed the postspawn smallies on Mother's Day Weekend in some eddies. I had some epic days in the State Park back when the Kank was kicking out a lot of 20" bass. That pattern worked every year. So by that timing, smallies should be spawning right now in the rivers.

Dropshot will load the boat with them. I have caught them with Ned rigs but I like the control of the dropshot better. I love when they spawn and all the anglers go fish beds. I stick to the prespawners and catch bigger fish.

I love Fluoroclear but only for certain applications. It casts great, has reduced visibility in the water, and is cheap. It is not very abraison-resistant compared to other lines so I don't use it for bottom contact baits. But I love it for jerkbaits (10-12 lb), chatterbaits/swimjigs/spinnerbaits (15 lb), and A-Rigs (25 lb). Leaders? I definitely would use straight fluorocarbon over Fluoroclear but you can't knock your success and confidence.

10 to 20 lb braid with a 12' 8lb leader to start. Once I get to about 6'-7' I will tie on a new leader.

Change your knot. Why not go to a Palomar? I don't use it anymore but it is strong, easy to tie, and many, many people rely on it. What's unique is that you are tying the FG knot correctly which is usually the knot that gives people, including me, problems but are having issues with your terminal knot.

Thanks for the update. I am going to have give Heidecke a shot this summer when Braidwood gets too hot.

Do you ever find yourself using the same few lures over and over again and feel like you are missing out by not experimenting more? So far this year I have primarily used a swimbait, chatterbait, a couple different jigs, and a couple different Ned rigs. Naturally, my boat is filled with everything a typical bass angler would use. And while I have done well so far this year, I feel like I am missing out. I know the easy answer is to force myself to use different baits but my default mode is to keep using what works for me which I have a high confidence in my ability to fish. How say you?

I sometimes take a break in the dog days of the summer for a couple weeks. I definitely take a break from longer, overnight trips at that time but I usually still sneak out around the house locally. I have historically taken my last extended summer trip at the beginning of August and then not go anywhere again till the start of October. But I will say that I took a Labor Day trip last summer and the lake was relatively quiet (It was a HP-restricted lake so no fast boats). No tournaments and a low number of fishermen made for a very nice weekend. Think I might make that a trend moving forward.

Agreed. This is what I would go with. If you could get them onsale, you might be able to get the Tatula Elite AGS and a Fuego for around $300. Those AGS guides are fantastic and for a dropshot rig you want the most sensitive, high-end rod you can afford. Good luck.

I have trouble with an FG knot slipping when using light braid (14 lb) and an 8 lb leader so I use a doubled Alberto knot. I have no issues with the size of the knot and it is very strong. I use the FG knot for 30lb+ braid and 12 lb+ flouro leaders without issues. I don't have the slippage problem with the heavier line. The FG knot is more important on baitcasters since I am using heavier line and I need the thinnest knot possible. With light braid on spinning, a thicker knot is not a problem. Good luck.

It just comes in cycles. I had 3 good weekends in a row in March. Then, I had a week off for a fishing trip and a massive cold front hit. I feel your pain.

Let's hope so. I had a club outing there on a Saturday in March and it was an absolute madhouse. A 7 lber? Dam!

There are times in the summer where a dropshot and a Ned make up 95% of what I cast all day when smallmouth fishing. I don't even own a Whopper Plopper.

I used to do this but with the day of fishing overall. If I went the first couple hours without much luck, I felt defeated and destined to have a bad day and just kind of went through the motions until it was time to leave. But with experience and time on the water, I have learned that often times the fish turn on later in the day or I change tactics and/or location and it makes all the difference. One of my best days ever on smallmouth up north started at 11 AM where I hadn't had a single bite for the previous 3 hours. Then the wind picked up a little and several 5 lbers later and bunch of 4 lbers, I had a 24 lb bag.

Nothing I own compares to my Steez rod but at over $500 those are not very practical for building an arsenal. My Dobyns Champion XP and HP rods are fantastic and in the $200 to $300 range so I'll say them.

Rivers or Lake Michigan? Lake Michigan smallies start in early to mid May while in rivers it should be starting just about now.