Bryon Shepherd

In the kayak, I keep the fish on a stringer. If I am going to be out for 12 hours I don't keep fish caught early unless I am going to paddle back past the car . When I dispatch it or them , I put the point of the knife directly on the forehead and strike. Gut it an get it on ice . It's worked in my family for more than my 59 years.......

I don't kill bass but , any walleye or catfish that take a liking to my bass lure are gonna get a grease bath . Bleeding is not so essential, removing guts is essential. Put your knife on the forehead a swift blow with your other hand and any fish will be dispatched. Gut it and put it on ice , you are good to go . Unless you don't know how to cook . 🤔

I almost , almost always begin at sun up and finish at sundown with topwater. My favorite is the Rio Rico , I do however throw Sammy's, Buzzbaits and the something dog from Megabass . Cloud cover and rainfall affect this choice. I have caught them in early spring and in late November on topwater....

I get a new pair each year. I clean them with warm soapy water after each trip . Since I started doing this they last much longer.

I have worn Onos for eight years . I Can not survive without them either!

I carry seven rods in my kayak. All multi purpose but, pretty much fitting the question. One for topwater , squarebill , and cranks, one jerkbait , a jig rod 5/16 finesse , a texas rig rod . two medium spinning rods , a grub and a midwest finesse bait Then one MH spinning for tubes and Sluggos . That serves me pretty much everywhere I go .

I despise the term " fun fishing " it is used most by people who pay $40 each week to enter a tourna ment . Do as you will but do not for a minute think that I am not serious about my fishing . Rigging rogs changing hooks studying water to fish is a part of daily life for me even though I choose not to compete .

To answer the question , they are to sell tackle. I personally use a 5/16 ball head , a 1/16 mushroom head , a 3/16 tube jig and 1/8 oz ball head and mushroom head . I have no use for anything more.......

I have landed many double digit " accidentals " like Muskie , Stripers , Wipers , Flatheads and blues ... While on my bass fishing escapades . Lotsa hooks in me and some cuts from scraps with ornery creatures! https://www.facebook.com/share/v/18zUJXRA1b/

Ohio, the state up north , Connecticut , New York , P.A. North Dakota , South Dakota , Minnesota , Kentucky ,Massachusetts , Georgia , Alabama , Mississippi , Tennessee , Nebraska I may have forgotten a couple >

Normally , if the wind is 13mph plus , I wade . If it is less I kayak . I have no use for pedals, motors or ffs. Commenting on what I like or do not like will fall on deaf ears . Wind to a point is good for me, high water to a point is good for me. to a point........

I was not trying at all to imply that I was better than anything or anyone, just that I spent most of my 59 years being Hyper competitive and now prefer to play the game with Mother Nature rather than fellow humans......

I fish because it's what I do . I do not necessarily enjoy fishing around a tournament crowd. I have fished since I was very young and I won awards and tackle galore . as I got older I traveled as a professional musician therefore having the opportunity to fish all over the country . when I settled down , I played in the amature team billiard championships in Vegas twice and qualified for and ran in the Boston Marathon eight times . all of that info is online if you care to doubt me. I don't have the desire to compete with youngsters and technology. I prefer to fish out of the way and work on the puzzle myself. I have issues with tournament anglers thinking that their fishing is more important than mine . No mal intent here just stating how I feel .

I have gone away from it . the thought of what is considered " Ned rig " and the original point of Midwest Finesse has been skewered .

I said most!

Most of you have not read Ned for thirty years . Most of you throw the media contrived version of the 2 oz " ned rig " on 100 lb test braid.... Show me someone who actually knows Neds ways !!!!!

To me ( and I am not being rude just making a statement ) Why did you stop ? Ice and lightning are the only things that stop me . I despise the word fishing season because ? I fish year round as long as I can get in the water and I am not gonna get my hair curled.