NYWayfarer

I was fishing on a dock this weekend for smallmouth when along came a group of young ladies to fish. They were using live nightcrawlers and were catching both perch and bluegill. I was nice to see girls interested in fishing and how many perch they caught. My ego was saved when I pulled in a keeper bass that looked like it could have swallowed their biggest fish.

I was looking at this combo, its a Dick's F&S exclusive. It is on sale now $10 off the baitcast combo and $30 off the spinning. I like my Carbon Fire spinning reel (also a Dick's exclusive) I might have to get one once my wife forgets how much I have spent on the new canoe and accessories.

I had the rear drag Spirex. If you are going to get one the rear drag model is the one to get. It has the fighting drag handle on it. Another gimmick but one I actually like. If they made the Spirex rear drag with fighting drag, double paddle handle but no quick shot it would be one of my favorite reels.

The Spirex is a decent reel. Just keep in mind the weakest point on it is the quick shot, one handed bail opener. It is cheap plastic and when it goes, and it will (I speak from personal experience) the reel loses its balance. I generally like Shimano stuff but I think this reel is more gimmick than substance.

I am 50 years old and my motto has always been, what is better than owning a boat? Having a friend who owns a boat ? Well that ended tonight. I bought a used Pelican Explorer canoe. I am hoping to use it a few times before the weather turns up here.

I did love my ugly sticks back in the day but I would rather have a Berkley Lightning rod for the same money. Much more sensitive than the mushy tipped ugly stick.

I have never sealed the cork on any of my rods. I had this crazy theory that they need to "breathe" and sealing them would prevent that. Don't know where I got that idea from. I wipe down my rods with a wet rag after every trip. I clean any stains with Dawn dishwashing detergent. I also repair any chips in the cork with a cork powder and white wood glue mixture. My rods are fine, even the ones that are a few decades old, without sealing.

Same here. I was taught how to fish with live bait (crawlers, shiners, craws, etc.) and that artificial baits don't work. When I left the nest I became experimental and tried new things. I can still remember the first trout I caught on a rooster tail. I am now fishing with almost 100% artificial baits. I also wish I had learned sooner that the Ugly Stick is not the best rod in the world.

The SG suicide duck looks like one of those lures that catches more people and their wallets then it does fish.

With all the advances in technology it is only a matter of time before someone creates a "drone" type lure. A little flying drone disguised as a bug that has a hook and a place to attach line to it, maybe a built in camera. On your line you can fly it inches above the water to entice a bite. Talk about the ultimate top water action!

I have dozens of rods and reels yet I find myself using the same few all the time. Use what you like.

I agree. That's why I stick with my Fenwick Eagles. They are pretty tough and if I damage it myself it's not that much coin to replace.

I agree. My wife and I moved from LI to upstate NY a few years after 9/11 It was too crowded and unsafe for us to raise our son. I got laid off and thought a change of scenery would do us some good. The people up here hate us "flat landers" even after a decade plus of being here. They hear that accent and you can see their whole complexion change. We met a few good people but they are few and far between.

I use the VMC mushroom head jig hooks and have not had a problem landing fish this season. The few I lost were when I didn't keep tension on the line.

I voted other since I use senkos in so many different ways on any given day. I normally fish senkos the following ways: Weightless Texas rig Texas rigged with a bullet sinker Wacky rigged weightless On a drop shot, nose hooked (3 or 4 inch senko) On a drop shot wacky rigged (5 inch or pro senko)

I have a 6' medium action Fenwick Eagle GT that is still kicking I have yet to find a casting rod that size and action to replace it. f you can get one at that price I say snap it up!

For spinning set ups I always recommend Fenwick Eagle rods. Perfect balance of good price and great quality. Pflueger President on a Fenwick Eagle rod goes like peanut butter and jelly, just a great combo. I have a 6'6" med/fast. Its one of the rods I always take with me when on the water.

VMC Spinshot hooks are great for avoiding line twist. I tend not to keep line on my reel long enough to worry about twist. I pull a yard or more off after a trip when I get a lot of bites. I fish most of the time with mono (Stren) so its not to expensive to replace.

Measure and weigh. I tend to measure and weigh fish that are 12" and over. Yesterday for instance, my fishing partner and I caught 20 smallmouth bass, 1 sunfish and 1 rock bass. We only measured and weighed 3 of the smallies as the rest were clearly under the legal size limit. best catch yesterday was a 2.5 lb bass on a senko followed by a 2.3 also on a senko and my 2.0 on a dropshot roboworm. The dinks were caught on califonia craw colored TRD ned rig, drop shot roboworms and biospawn plasma tails. The sunfish went after a red hook that was hanging in the water while my partner was getting out a senko.

I am not a big fan of contacts so my sunglasses have to be prescription. I am a big fan of the Ray Ban Wayfarer style frames so I have polarized prescription lens ground for them. I like the dark grey colored lens.

Nice northern bass. Congratulations! "When fishing I have been known to fish for hours with out a bite just to get one last fish." I have that stubborn streak as well.

I like the drop shot in situations like this. I have also used swimbaits with a slip bobber rig. I cast past the area I intend to fish and drag the bait through the desired depth for suspended bass.

My Father-in-law and I were out fishing yesterday and he was trying Yum Dingers. After a slow morning he finally switched to GY Senkos and got 2 of the 3 keepers we caught. He was so happy when he bought the $3 Yum thinking he saved a penny but he is slowly coming to realize you get what you pay for sometimes.

I like Strongbow. It is crisp and refreshing. A great summer/fall drink. I also recommend Stella Artois Cidre. For those with a sweet tooth or those looking for more of a kick than the 4.5 ABV cider, add a shot of cinnamon whiskey.

That about sums it up.