TOXIC

Relax and don't let it get into your head. I call bad days "dues paying days". Your account must be getting close to paid in full!!

GYCB stopped production of the 100 ct bags. They are not available in "bulk" as in loose packaging, they do not sell unpackaged which is where the bulk retailers get theirs. They also do not package for anyone else like most plastic manufacturers do so you get the same bait from different companies at different prices. Your best bet would be to call them in Page, AZ directly and if you get enough friends to go together, they may cut you a deal. I know the minimum order for a custom color is 500.

And that's called a "reaction bite" where you are appealing to the instinctive part of the bass' brain and they strike out of instinct.

I replied to your IM. Many times, eradicating an "invasive" like EWM also hurts the fishing because although it is a an invasive, it gives shelter to fry and improves water clarity. I'm sorry but the DNR has a pretty sad record of controlling any of the invasives like Zebra Mussels but it is a daunting task at best. Look forward to talking to you when I get up to Waupaca.

We caught a snakehead this weekend as well (on a swimbait) but last weekend I nailed one on a Senko with 10lb test in the grass and we had to run it down like a marlin!! 14lbs+ You need to come on down to the Potomac. It's fishing strong right now.

I have been going to a chain of lakes in Wisconsin annually for over 20 years. 28 lakes joined by canals and streams, some no wake, some set up for water sports, some inaccessible (with my boat). I have pulled a boat up there from Virginia and fished all of them every year. Fishing was GREAT because it was a chain of lakes lightly pressured with pontoon boats outnumbering fishing boats 10 to 1. Then the powers that be decided to start managing the grass in the lakes. Fishing tanked. In order for me to get back on some quality fish, I had to go deep and change tactics. Were they still there? Yes. Now going forward, I see a rebound in the fishing somewhat because it's too expensive for them to keep treating and the grass has re-established itself. It's also been about 4 years so the biggest problem with killing off the grass (fry predation and low survival rates) is showing signs of improvement. I'll be back up there in August and will report back!

Seriously? You're not in a tournament and you are arguing with someone on "rules" of fishing.....? If I were you, I'd invite him up on the front deck!! There is a certain amount of skill required to keep someone in the back of the boat positioned based on what they are throwing. As a guide, this is BURNED into my routine, for some of my fishing friends it is not second nature so, they may unintentionally back boat me when we are fishing certain situations and I am on the back deck. Or they may be on the TM too heavy for me to fish my technique. Tournaments are a different game entirely. Back boater is not to cast in front of the console(s). Period. And if the boater knowingly "front ends" you, I would have a pleasant conversation with him and tell him if it continues, you will refuse to sign their weigh slip or file a protest at weigh in. That is for professionally run tournaments. If it is a club deal, I'd approach it differently. If it's just 2 friends, it shouldn't be an issue, so you can do this like we did this weekend. HAVE FUN!!

I had 2 break me off this weekend and that NEVER happens with me. One was probably a Snakehead because at the first feel of pressure my line just went "tink" and hook/bait was no more. On the second, I set the hook on a weightless Senko on a long cast over pretty heavy grass. Got wrapped up in the grass and snapped 10lb test. Wasn't ready for that and when the line snapped (because I never break off) my hands came up and I punched myself in the face........HARD!! That didn't keep us from getting our fair share though.....

Sometimes it's very hard to keep up with the litter. I fish the Potomac River a lot and the amount of trash is overwhelming. The river has been cleaned up and is a premier fishing destination for many. The Elites and FLW routinely come here. Here's the problem....Most of the really good fishing is downstream from.....Washington. DC. The amount of trash that is generated is huge!! Add in that the Potomac is fed by hundreds of small streams and tributaries from up north all the way to the Chesapeake Bay. After hard rains all of these "feeders" act just like a trash chute funneling into the river. I have been out an seen large kitchen appliances (refrigerator) and Semi-truck tires still on the rim floating down the river. Let alone all of the trees and natural flotsam and jetsam. The amount of garbage is staggering.

If you want a challenge try guiding!! After you get past the controversy of "should the guide fish" and you have a couple of Tournament anglers in the boat, it can get interesting. Peoples expectations when they hire a guide is that they are going to catch fish. Never mind their experience level, weather conditions, etc. I found that when "fishermen" brought their wives, I always had an easier time getting the wives to catch fish...why?........because they actually listened to what I was telling them and did what I told them. The husbands tended to be more stubborn and that went up with the more experience they had.

Here's a fun fact since I have been going to lake St Clair in Michigan for 14 years....In the early days, you could not throw a dropshot on St Clair. Why you ask? Because of a bleed over regulation from the other species on the lake. The Michigan DNR in order to control "Snagging" of fish ruled that ANY presentation where the weight was below the hook is prohibited. It has since been changed.

That's a nice rig. As with any boat you need to make sure EVERYTHING works as advertised and your water test will be a great time to do that. All pumps, lights, gauges, graphs, etc.... and don't forget the trailer, check out all the lights, bunks, straps and feel the bearings to see if they are hot to the touch. Let whoever brings it to you run it up on plane and show you how to work the trim, etc. Make sure they fill the livewells and get it on plane as well. As for the horror stories, just make sure everything works BEFORE you drive away with it and you will get a good response on getting things repaired. Looks like you are also buying from a dealer and not Bass Pro. That's a plus, I have found that dealers (good dealers) can make the entire process painless and are more willing to work after the sale. As with any boat, there are bugs that will need to be worked out. If the motor hasn't been broken in make sure you get Mercs instructions on that and do it by the book!!

Totally depends on where I am going. River or lake.....but.......I will always have a weightless Senko like in the picture, I will also have a Senko rigged with a screw in Bullet weight (different weights for location and/or tide/wind). a weightless Senko on a Gamakatsu Skip Gap hook if I am going to be skipping docks or in heavy grass, and I'll drop down to a Pro-Senko for finesse Dropshotting and Shakeyhead. I can upsize to a 5 inch instead of the Pro-Senko if I want to powerfish those presentations. I will have a Senko rigged on a 1/4 oz football jig for dragging if the situation presents itself.....I can go on and on.

First, let me say this and I am being honest, I say it in every seminar I give regarding Senkos. "There is no wrong way to fish a Senko." Fish a Senko in whatever way gives you the most confidence. All the years of my being sponsored and and my trips to the factory interacting the the folks that make them in Page, AZ, allow me to get a little of the inside scoop on "why" they are made the way they are and "how" they were intended to be fished but that in no way means there aren't other ways to fish them that aren't productive. I've seen this topic get pretty heated on other sites and it always starts off with the Senko vs knockoffs debate. Just like the different rigging methods, there is no one right answer.

In my 60 years on this planet, I never got it until about 10 years ago. I was ignorant to the effects because I never had it and spent a lot of time outdoors. I took my weedeater to a brush covered hill in the forest behind my house while in shorts and when the briers cut my legs, the poison ivy got into my bloodstream. Needless to say I watch out now.

I was just the opposite years ago. I am a finesse fisherman and threw 90% plastics year round. My tournament partner is a cranker and I have to admit I throw a lot more cranks now. What you need to realize is that there are times when 1 will outproduce the other but as a general rule, finesse plastics will always produce. Whenever I get frustrated, the weightless Senko comes out and I have had 4 different rods rigged with different senko presentations at times. I will never be caught without a senko rod rigged up. This was last weekend. You can see the bait....

The resistance of braid and it's floating characteristic will eliminate the natural action of a weightless senko unless you use a leader. That is why I like mono for weightless senkos. 10lb mono to be exact. I caught a 14lb Northern Snakehead on that setup last weekend. If you set your gear up right then it's possible. You can't upsize a hook big enough to keep an average size bass (1-4lbs) from inhaling it.

Kudos to you for the upfront effort. I used to wade fish the Shenandoah River quite frequently. Access is a constant problem. Once in the river you are fine to travel where ever as long as you don't go up on shore on to private property. I had a friend that owned 300 feet of shoreline property that I used for access and I waded about 3 miles upstream or downstream. I had a friend come to town and wanted to give it a try but we didn't want to drive the extra distance to my other friends property, so we took a road along the river looking for access points. All areas were posted no trespassing. Came to one small pull-off that looked good. Got out and it was littered with everything from beer cans to baby diapers. I always carry a box of trash bags in my jeep so I told my buddy that we needed to clean this up before we fish. We filled 4 trash bags!! Went fishing and after about an hour I see someone standing by my jeep so I wade back over and it is a DNR Officer. He asked if I had permission to access at this spot. I told him no and stated I didn't see any signs. He pointed up in a tree and sure enough there was one. They have a -0- tolerance policy for trespassing. I thought I was getting a ticket for sure. He then looked over at the 4 trash bags laying against the jeep and asked if that was trash. I told him yes and that we cleaned up the area before we started to fish. Not only did I not get a ticket, he took down my information and said he would give it to the landowner and "suggest" I have access going forward. Too many places that used to be access points were shut down, posted and patrolled because of inconsiderate people who trashed the river. It's a shame.

Spot Sticker Pro jig heads are the best I have used but they aren't cheap.

Great minds think alike!!

Unless of course the tire manufacturers advise you to exceed sidewall pressure (see my attachment). I think it is more important to replace your tires per the manufacturers recommendations and a lot of people do not. According to rubber industry research, trailer tires need to be replaced after 3-5 years of use, even though they usually appear to have plenty of tread left. Unlike your car’s tires, it isn’t miles of driving but oxidation of the rubber that wears out the tire. Mostly, a trailer tire sits in one spot for days or weeks at a time, and may travel only 10,000 miles (or sometimes a lot less) per year. UV radiation from sunlight and ozone from exhaust cause exterior damage to the sidewalls, and oxygen from pressurized air creates unseen damage deep inside.

99% of my shakeyhead and dropshot fishing is done with this bait. I will switch to a 6" Kut-Tail if I go to power shakey head fishing.

You are going to have a hard time finding 1 line that will do everything well. If I had to choose just 1 line (and that's never gonna happen), I would go with 12lb mono. It's undersized for some applications and overkill for others but if I had to choose that would be it. You didn't say what you were spooling the line on but my second choice would be 15lb braid.

Not so fast....Max Tire pressure on the sidewall of the tire is not always right. I have found no recommendation to underinflate any ST rated tire and won't get into the practice of some boat manufacturers to put vehicle tires on their trailers (BassCat for one). I did find a TSB for Goodyear tires that advises higher than sidewall pressure for higher towing speeds. Marathon_Special_Trailer_Applications.pdf

Keep your spinning gear and learn plastics. T-Rig, weightless Senko, Shakey Head, etc. All of these techniques can be done on cheaper spinning gear and produce outstanding results.