TOXIC

On the boat I normally co-pilot, the 2 console units (2, 12 inch) are GPS and 2d when running. When fishing, the GPS unit is put in standby and the second unit is split screen down scan/side scan for me to look at from the back deck. Front has 3 units, FFS, GPS, side scan/down scan split. 2, 16 inch and 1 10 inch. On my boat I’m cheap. I have a 8 up front with down scan side scan and a 9 at the console for split screen GPS, 2d.

I know I sound like a broken record but a Ned just like a dropshot is a finesse presentation. Light wire hooks biggest advantage is that you don’t (and shouldn’t) try to cross their eyes on the hookset. All these braid to leader riggings just add complexity to a finesse application the should be kept super simple IMHO. I use 6lb straight mono and Ned heads custom made with trout hooks. The only time I have hookset problems is when I try to use a Ned bait that overpowers the hook. For example, I like a 4 inch Senko as a Ned bait. When I step up to a Baby Ika which is thicker and heavier plastic, I have to make sure I rig it so that the hook gets exposed to the bend or I will have problem hooksets and fish throwing the bait. What bait are you rigging?

If you are not going to go with someone like Rover who should have the specific knowledge you require (I for sure would quiz them ahead of time), it sounds like you are active in the rabbit industry and I would find someone in your groups with the knowledge to take care of it and put your mind to rest. I sympathize because at one time I was heavily into African Cichlids and had 40 tanks of various sizes. I had fish directly imported from Africa that were very valuable. When my agency relocated me, they had to hire a speciality company to just handle my tanks/fish. Vacations were always stressful.

So far I’m somewhat pleased at GSM’s performance regarding Yamamoto. There have been some back room things that are very different from the way Yamamoto was run by the original HQ staff and it’s taken some getting used to. I’m still not convinced that my original opinion, that was reinforced by the new ownership, that Yamamoto is a premium product line and to keep that mystique they should not dilute the brand with a bunch of new offerings, isn’t still valid. Normally, higher level products aren’t made in mass quantities, that make them cheaper. So far most of the new additions have been good but IMHO they have to be very careful to avoid trying to put a bait in every plastics category. If you do then you’re just another mass producer and will lose the premium title.

I use a Plano style box that holds multiple spools with rubber grommet feeding holes. Spool just spins in the dividers in the box.

We went out of Little Falls the week before and went upriver hoping to find cleaner water. It was a very tough day. I caught 2 dinks. Last week was out of Hopyard and we went up river in the morning and way downriver in the afternoon. Past the 301 bridge by a few miles. There’s a couple of creeks we fish upriver from Hopyard but remember we are in a 20 foot Ranger and navigating the backwaters is not very possible. That being said, we have been up a creek on the right during high tide that has a lake like feature to the left and a secondary creek on the right. We’ve caught fish in there but almost all of our fishing is done from the main river. We put together a good incoming tide pattern a little farther upriver where the tide hit a flat with a couple of feeder creeks. Drifted Ned rigs with the tide along the channel and they bit it good.

Luckily it skirted us to the North here in Virginia.

My daughter was one of the top sitters on Rover for a long time. If they are on Rover, they have insurance (provided by Rover) and if you ask, they should be well versed in the care of whatever animal you have. My daughter was a bit on the advanced level and offered in-home, drop in, medicine care (including injections), aggressive animal and everything from home, farm and exotic. So, if you want the best I’d give Rover a shot.

All I know is I wanna fish them all. ?

Well, Glenn got the scoop on me for this one. Don’t forget GSM also owns Steel Shad and Buckeye Lures. I find it a little odd they they would venture into another plastics line when they already own Yamamoto. I’ll put my ear to the wall and see what I can find out. If I had to speculate maybe they see the option of 2 tier priced plastics. They’re moving awfully fast and furious in the marketplace.

Hot as in temperature. Both air and water. Launched at Hopyard went up river caught a few on the incoming tide. River temp was over 80 degrees. Worked our way downriver catching a few on creek drains on the outgoing tide. Air temperature got up over 90 and we were roasting. Last week got slapped down pretty good. This last trip got us some good green fish and a couple of brown fish. No Snakeheads or other species. Got chased off the water by an approaching thunderstorm. Homie don’t do lightening on the water. ??

Yesterday on the Rappahonock river we went pretty far downriver from our launch point probably 15 miles or so. We have had a lot of on and off rain with higher than normal tides that have caused a lot of “floaters” from sticks and branches to full size tree trunks. One of our friends was also out and he stopped by us and asked us to look at the lower unit on his motor and his prop since he smacked a log pretty hard running. There was some wood splinters in his intake screens but prop and lower looked good. While fishing, my partners lowrance unit lit up with weather warnings and it showed multiple lightening bursts. We decided to get off the water ASAP. I’m used to going 70mph in a bass boat but when the water is full of debris it a whole another ballgame. Hitting a log at 70 is a very scary event. I was riding a little puckered to say the least.

Did I read it right that the lake is 5,000 acres? I don’t know of any setup that would cover that amount of water. You might be better off looking at the motors that are like stand alone outboards or the ones that mount to the foot of a big outboard used in trolling.

Keep in mind this was on lake Kissimmee in Florida. It’s a dang buffalo with a white Egret who periodically rode on its back. ??

Really broad question and the answers will vary according to the river and your target species. I fish Virginia tidal rivers 95% of the time and they are nothing like the St Clair river we fished for walleye. Was just out yesterday and did well on the tidal Rappahonock river here for bass. Pics of bass on the Rapp and on the St Clair river.

Don’t forget Christmas Tree.?

You all are going to think I’m crazy but I’ve thrown Senkos for so long, I have discovered different action characteristics, sink rates, skipping ability, etc., associated with certain colors and certain flakes. I always chalked it up to the amount of flake or combination of flakes and how the color dyes and the amount of dye needed to make a color react with the plastic.

Just had them tonight at my daughters farm. Smaller ones cut in half and roasted with bacon and thyme. Had it with walnut crusted chicken breast. ?

Coming from a guide who has helped literally hundreds of youngsters and adults alike catch their first fish, it’s very simple, T-rig a weedless Senko on a spinning rod, watch their line so you can tell them when they have a bite and coach them on everything else (casting, retrieving, fighting the fish, locating the fish, etc.) as they catch them. Newbies normally don’t have a problem slowing down for a Senko bite.

Depth change edges with a dropshot and weed edges if there are any. Ned shallow early.

Funny you bring that up. When I lived in Florida for a couple years and all of the locals found out I am pro staff for Yamamoto, they all started asking me to get them that color. You would have thought I was running a drug house with all the vehicles pulling in at all times of the night to get baits. Normal phone call was “Hey Tox, I’ve got a tournament tomorrow and can’t find any Christmas tree, can you hook a brother up?” Lol. Green Pumpkin Black Fleck (297) has been Yamamoto’s #1 seller for years but I’d venture a guess it’s not in Florida. In all of my years fishing Yamamoto plastics I have found certain bodies of water where a certain fleck works better. Normally if I’m going to stray from the norm, I will choose a red fleck. Just seems to be a trigger color.

Depends on how strong you want the taste. Personally, I like them halved and sprinkled with olive oil and a good SPG combo and then roasted in a veggie basket on the grill. If you like them a little more mild the boil them before following the same recipe.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve guided a husband and wife with the husband having a little oversized ego. Everything I suggested he would question and interject his own opinion. I would then turn to the wife and devote my time to her. They always listened and did exactly what I suggested and almost all of the time would out fish the husband.

Who called anybody a lazy bum? My point is simple economics, you don’t work enough to have a supplemental income to support yourself when you quit working then don’t ask me to fund your retirement through social programs that I pay for out of my taxes. You want to live the good life and be “fulfilled” now, fine then plan on working the rest of your life. And since when did working 40 hours automatically qualify you for a living wage? Every job I have ever had, I advanced because I was willing to work harder, longer or better than what was required. This attitude of minimum work for minimum pay has been around forever. The unemployment ranks are full of that attitude. I never once blamed my employers for underpaying me because I showed up and did the minimum.

I found that I did a lot better once I quit counting fish.?