TOXIC

I retire next year and plan on taking some time and fishing all over these great US lakes. I have been blessed to fish a lot of bucket list lakes and still have a lot more to explore. Hopefully one of them will appeal to me enough to sell my house here in Virginia and relocate to a lake home. I can't wait!!

Depends on your perspective. There can be an inside edge to a weedline close to shore where the water is too shallow to support weed growth. There can be weedlines deeper that will have an edge closer to shore but as a second grouping from the first example I gave. Then there are weed beds in deep water that the inside edge would be the edge closest to shallower water relative to the depth of the weedbed.

While I never had to use a paper graph, I started out with dual flashers. I was never as good as some others on reading them. I knew other guides who could ID fish as well as depth, bottom composure, etc. With the advent of sidescan and downscan, I have done my homework and taken the time to learn them. Do they increase catch rates? 1000% yes. Could I catch fish without them? Sure.

I have been through literally 30 or more different pairs of needlenose style pliers and there's 2 pair that have been with me for over 20 years. One is a large pair of hemostats that I got from someone who was an ER nurse and a pair of the black Rapala needle nose with the split ring tab at the end. As I cycled through the others rusting and having poor grip strength or the handles scissoring sideways, those 2 tools have always been with me. And worked flawlessly.

Google "Delayed Mortality" that's what he is referring to. And I'll bet we've all had it happen.

Yes although those are fit overs for wearing over your normal glasses. I got prescription Oakleys that are the same Rx as my regular glasses.

In Wisconsin I fished a drizzly day down a long stretch of docks and was catching a fair number of bass both largemouth and smallmouth. On this particular lake there is always 2 weedlines and if you can pattern them, you can catch them at will. As I fished I saw a Bassboat tied up to a dock and about 5 guys sitting in an outdoor screened in porch. They watched me catch 2 fish as I got closer to their dock. A couple of them walked out and asked me how the fishing was and before I could answer they said they had been there a week and caught 4 bass (with a proud tone) and I told them that I caught 4 bass on the last 2 docks alone (smiling). I told them I was a guide back in Virginia and how I enjoyed fishing that particular lake. One of them piped up and said that if I was that good, I should be able to be able to catch one while they watched (good natured talk) as their other buddies walked out on the dock. I said no problem and proceeded to yank one out from in front of the dock they were standing on. Everybody laughed. Then the same guy said that if I was any kind of good guide, I should be able to call my next fish. I told him no problem and that there was a fish 6 feet out from in front of the next dock. His response......prove it. So.....I did. After that catch I asked them if they wanted to know how to catch them and by this time they were all ears!! I trolled over to their dock and gave them a few packs of 5" Senkos, some EWG hooks and showed them how to rig them. I happened to be going past that dock later in the week and they waved me in to show me the 20 packs of Senkos they cleaned out of the little tackle store on the lake and to thank me for turning them on to a bait they had never fished. That is the power of the Senko.

Here's a little snippet that addresses it. Also I wear "wrap around" style glasses for a couple of reasons. 1. To protect my eyes from the different angles the sun reflects. 2. To keep the wind from drying my eyes out while traveling at speed in my boat and 3. Poly lenses to protect from impact. On the water, the combination of direct and reflected light is much brighter than on land. Unfiltered glare, the light reflected off flat surfaces like water, windshields, bright white decks and sails, is so intense that it impairs vision (a clear safety hazard). Glare causes squinting, fatigues the eyes, and can result in visual discomfort and headaches. Glare is present even on hazy days. Most sunglasses reduce light intensity by 80-90 percent with darkening gray, green, amber, or other colored lens. Colored lenses alone are not enough protection for marine conditions. To filter out intense glare and prevent squinting, sunglasses for boating should be polarized. And they should be coated to block 99-100 percent of the damaging UVA and UVB (ultraviolet) rays that can reduce visual acuity at night, and cause degenerative eye diseases like photokeratitis, snow blindness, cataracts, pterygium, and various forms of eye cancer. Sunglasses should also be shatterproof to protect the eyes from injury in the event of sudden impact.

Although night fishing is a very productive technique, I rarely do it because I have a 21 foot boat and all of the waters I fish are heavily used public waters. I do occasionally night fish when I am in Wisconsin but the parade of pontoons out on their nightly booze cruises is very annoying. For those that do kayak, make sure you are withing USCG guidelines. My brother in law is a big night fisherman and for Christmas one year I bought him a full set of nav lights for his yak. A sailing vessel, or one under oars, of less than 7 meters in length shall if practical exhibit red and green sidelights, and a stern light visible from at least one mile away. However if she does not, she can have ready at hand an electric torch or lighted lantern showing a white light which shall be exhibited in sufficient time to prevent collision.

Even Hank didn't agree with Hank I would go with a 5" Senko. Years ago when I started keeping track of all the different ways that I and others rigged the 5" Senko, I ended my logging at 78 different ways to rig it. Some were incorporating it with other baits but even if you took all of those out there's more versatility in that bait than any other that I have found.

I can't afford another hobby!! When you are seriously into fishing you are also a lure collector, rod collector, reel collector and boat motor mechanic. Last weekend when I had the boat out I had some issues so this weekend I went down to my buddies place and we tore into my Yamaha 250 HPDI. Replaced $300 worth of filters (Yamaha loves to put LOTS of filters in their fuel system). This is a bi-annual requirement. I was overdue and we felt the issues were fuel related. In the process we found that my hotfoot cable had come loose from it's housing and for the grand finale...My connector rod from my throttle to my oil injection system had broken a plastic connector part and more than likely would have caused me to blow my motor. Saving grace was that is was partially open when broken so the engine was still getting oil.

The bass haven't changed and the old school lures that catch them still work but the lure makers have got to keep us fishermen buying baits. There are some worthwhile updates and innovations but for the most part it's marketing pure and simple.

You can eliminate any opinion and go to the Federal Law..... Anchoring Anchoring is done for two principal reasons: 1) to stop for fishing, swimming, lunch, or an overnight stay, and 2) to keep the boat from running aground in bad weather or as a result of engine failure . Anchoring can be a simple task if you follow these guidelines: • Make sure you have the proper type of anchor (Danforth/Plow/ Mushroom) . • Attach a 3-6 foot length of galvanized chain to the anchor . A chain will withstand abrasion by sand, rock, or mud on the bottom much better than a fiber line . • Attach a length of nylon anchor line to the end of the chain using an anchor swivel, a combination called the “Rode .” The nylon will stretch under the impact of heavy waves or wind, cushioning the strain on the boat and the anchor . • Select an area that offers maximum protection from wind, current, and boat traffic . • Determine the water depth and type of bottom (preferably sand or mud) . • Calculate the amount of anchor line you will need to let out . The general rule is five to seven times as much line as the depth of water plus the distance from the surface of the water to where the anchor will attach to the bow . For example, if the water is eight feet deep and it is two feet from the surface of the water to your bow cleat, you would multiply 10 feet by 5 or 7 to get the amount of anchor line to put out . • Secure the anchor line to the bow cleat at the point you want it to stop . • Bring the bow of the vessel into the wind or current . • When you get to the spot you want to anchor, place the engine in neutral . • When the boat comes to a stop, slowly lower the anchor . Do not throw the anchor over, as throwing tends to foul the anchor line . • When all of the line has been let out, back down on the anchor with the engine in idle reverse to help set the anchor firmly on the bottom . • When the anchor is set, take note of reference points (landmarks) in relation to the boat . Check these points frequently to make sure you are not drifting . Do not anchor from the stern!! Anchoring by the stern has caused many boats – small boats especially – to capsize and sink . The reason is that the transom is usually squared off and has less freeboard than the bow . In addition, the stern may be carrying the added weight of a motor, fuel tank, or gear brought on board . In a strong current, the force of the water can pull the stern under . Anchoring at the stern also makes the boat vulnerable to swamping by wave action. I took out the reference to a diagram but you can look at the fed regs to see it. Personally, unless required as safety equipment, I have only used an anchor on my 2 man pvc boat with a trolling motor in a rocky river with lots of current. Because of the possibility that the anchor was going to get hung in the rocks, I used a coffee can filled with cement and an eye hook with nylon line. My biggest fear was not having enough line to keep the bow from catching in the current and going underwater. For that reason I used a longer line and tied it off at the length I needed.

I would assume that if it is not labeled "floating" the addition of salt and the original formula will all act the same way.

The catch and release fever is good in some respects but bad in others. Your local DNR, based on established science and studies, know that in order for any fishery to be healthy harvest must take place. The amount and number of fish harvested are different on different bodies of water relative to their health and fish population. That's how you get size slots and creel numbers. That's also why harvest rates on smaller bodies of water can be higher. Have you ever seen a lake or pond with an overpopulation of fish? It's not pretty. Skinny, sickly fish are common as is a large winter kill in areas that get colder temps. I have fished a pond that was over run with fish. All were small and stunted. It had Bluegill, Bass and Crappie. The pond owner asked me what could be done. I told him that for 1 season, no bluegill that was caught should go back into the water and that there needed to be a number of Crappie removed as well as every stunted bass caught. He did it for 2 seasons and I personally brought home 5 gallon buckets of stunted bluegills and Bass to be used as fertilizer. They were too small to fillet. I also brought home many, many limits of Crappie for the table even though they were really smaller than I like. He just called me the other day (it's been 4 years) and asked when I was coming back out to the pond and that the populations were healthy and large. My point is that killing or harvesting fish is not a cardinal sin as many have come to believe. Look at the Asian Carp problem in many lakes and rivers. Few fish for them no one harvests them and they are a problem. Same with some carp although they are commercially harvested in some lakes. Just do some research and educate yourself before you adopt the mindset that every fish is sacred.

Funny you mention that. My buddy was fishing that swimbait for the first time on the Potomac last weekend and on the first cast something bit the paddle tail off. I can't repeat what he said.......

Just for future reference, a 3.0 "heavy duty" hook will tear up a Senko pretty fast. I prefer a 4.0 EWG Offset (thin wire) for a 5" Senko. Gamakatsu is the brand I use but I realize there are others. Their heavy duty is called a Superline hook. I've never straightened or broke a regular one on Bass up to 8lbs, catfish up to 10lbs (not caught on purpose) and a Snakehead at 14lbs. I've caught hundreds of 4-5lb hard charging Smallmouth on the thin wire as well.

Do you free spool your reels?

Nothing worse than picking up your baitcaster that has been on the deck in a rain shower and because of the water absorbed in the spool and on the line, you get a Royal Birdnest on your first cast because you were set up for distance.

Heck, we as fisherman can't even agree on fish definitions. Take the Crappie....Other names for crappie are papermouths, strawberry bass, speckled bass or specks (especially in Michigan), speckled perch, crappie bass, calico bass, (throughout the Middle Atlantic states, and New England), sac-a-lait (in southern Louisiana, lit.. Don't forget some call graphs/Sonar.....Plotters or Finders as well. Gotta love language!!

Excellent observation!!! When I throw a Senko.....the do nothing, idiot bait that many claim it is......As soon as it hits the water, I immediately go into what I call "the zone". I get a lot of grief from my fishing friends because of it because everything around me goes blank and in my "minds eye" (that's what I call it), I am watching the bait fall underwater. Because I block out my external senses, my focus is on touch through the rod, a side view of my line at 2 points (1. where the lure is pulling it into the water and 2. where the line exits the water closest to my rod) and the action of the bait as it falls. All of these senses are heightened. They go off the chart when I perceive a bite and go "on point" deciding whether or not to pull the trigger on a hookset. IMHO those who can get to this level of concentration do very well with plastics/jigs/swimbaits, etc. It's almost a Zen experience for me. Nerdy......maybe.......but it works very well for me.

Patience Grasshoppa!! Half the fun is getting there. As a guide, my advice is to start off simple and given time you will absorb the subtle differences in gear and manufacturers. Because so many here are serious hobbyists they have gone deep into the weeds on gear/baits/applications and many of us have been fishing a long, long time. Pick a price point for rods, pick a price point for reels and do some simple comparisons.....Left or right handed, gear ratio, spool size. Keeping in mind it may not be your last purchase. You are not going to get the best right out of the box because the best for you may not be the best for me. As for rods, at your price point get rods built for the application you want to use them for. Many are labeled with the application....crankin stick, topwater, worm, punching rod, spinnerbait rod etc. Once you use them you will understand better why they are labeled the way they are. As your needs get refined and your understanding gets better, it will all clear up. It's like putting your toe in the water rather than just diving in. You can sell your used gear and step up if need be. Everyone has their own reasons for having their favorite gear but none of that applies to you. Forge your own path and enjoy the journey.

My topwater arsenal is 1. Spook 2. Buzzbait 3. Frogs (popping and regular) 4. Yamamoto DShad (twitched on top or across grass beds) 5. Plopper (Jury is still out I've thrown it but not with any success yet). Each has a time an place but there's one thing that is for sure.....Topwater bites are the absolute best!!

Yep, I lived in Fremont Iowa (between Ottumwa and Oscaloosa) and my grandparents/relatives owned farms in Castana, Iowa, Turin, Iowa and Morehead, Iowa. My father owned restaurants in Missouri Valley, Iowa and Modale, Iowa. I grew up in Nebraska as well so I'm pretty well versed on puddle lakes.

Yamamoto DShad. Nothing better for schooled up fish near the top. Work it fast like a spook, work it just under the surface like schooled bait or let it fall through the school fooling them into thinking it's a dying baitfish. Deadly bait and I ALWAYS have one tied on. Weedless, weightless on a 4.0 EWG Wide Gap hook.