Way north bass guy

Amen to that brother! I guess the closest thing to shad around me would be smelts, and they’re defenitely a different forage still.

This guy right here. I use a lot of different baits all season and there’s others I’d likely get more fish on in some instances but I’ve caught more big smallies and largies on this ( or something very similar) over the years than on anything else. Also, I just love that monster thump when a huge smallmouth absolutely hammers it and near takes the rod out of my hands. Fun stuff right there.

The main reason I used the extra 2d was because the large si transducer made a huge rooster tail and because it didn’t show a decent image at high speed ( also to keep it up higher and out of harms way at high speed).

I’d get a splitter cable and 2d transducer, mount the 2d at the bottom where it’ll read depth on plane and mount the mega transducer higher up. SI and DI are no good at high speed anyway and you’ll also have the mega transducer up out of the way from hitting logs etc. at speed.

This is new to me, I’m pretty sure when your 30,000 feet up you DO NOT want any air leakage in your mode of transportation. I’ve owned several riveted aluminum boats and I’ll keep using them. ?

Up here some of the lakes have literally dozens of beaver houses, especial the ones with not too many cottages on them. An absolutely awesome spot for bass, pike and panfish, even the odd Muskie in some lakes. For bass, I love to let a popper sit until the ripples disappear then slowly “blurp” it back. If it’s really thick cover and a lot of sticks come up to the surface then a topwater frog works great as well.

I used to watch his show all the time when I was a kid, seems like a great guy. When his book came out a few years ago, my wife wanted to get one for me for Father’s Day. We’re in Canada so it was all but impossible to order it online here so she called the given number and talked directly to one of his assistants and low and behold, right before Father’s Day the book showed up in the mail and was autographed to me with a personal note saying happy Father’s Day in his writing. Defenitely something I’m going to keep for a long time.

I don’t do it as often as I used to but I’ve fished smallmouth with a fly rod for quite a few years. I think my rod is about a 7 weight rod, weight forward bass taper line and I catch most of my bass on poppers and mouse imitations. Something about a big smallie slurping up a topwater then going absolutely nuts on a fly rod that you just can’t get enough of. I’ve fished for largemouths a bit but mostly smallies.

Probably one of the areas I’d like to work on is going back to an area that produces earlier in the day and hit it again. When I used to fish tournaments if I found a spot that was holding good numbers I’d hit it several times a day if the timing worked out, and often there were more biters later in the day. For some reason lately I find myself hitting a spot and wanting to see if “the grass is greener on the other side”, and I know I should buckle down more in that spot and milk it better, especially when I’m not in a tournament and don’t have to worry about saving fish for tomorrow.

Great rig! I have the same motor, owned Yamaha’s and Mercs over the years but this is the best motor I’ve owned. Super quiet, even at wot and super smooth running. I responded to your other post about break in, don’t worry too much about it. Enjoy??

I have the same motor ( but a 2015), and basically did what the book said. Just drive it, vary the rpms a bit and don’t worry too much. These four strokes are like a car engine, pretty tough. I think as long as you don’t fire it up the first time and immediately open it all the way up and stay there for an hour, you’ll be fine. I’ve run mine for three years now, flying around at wot and downrigging as well and it’s a champ. Absolutely no issues at all.

#1- Strike King #2- Nichols Pulsator I'm a huge fan of double willow heavy weight ones for burning over the years of big smallies. Different variations of white, chartreuse, with standard or painted blades depending on water clarity.

I’ve used quite a few different ones over the years, lots of Rapalas and Smithwicks back in the day, but the last couple of years the one that’s been my go to is the strike king KVD jerkbaits in both sizes. I’ve caught a ridiculous number of smallmouth and largemouth on both sizes and use the larger size in the spring and fall for big pike as well. I really like their action and there’s some pretty good colours as well.

Guess you get frontlashes then?

That’s for “back hand casting” ?.

Thanks guys, that makes perfect sense ( the wax). I’ve never had problems with other two piece rods in the past. These ones do fit fairly tight together but the ends do seem a bit “dry”. Guess they just need a little help ??.

Can’t say I can agree with all of this ^ I’ve lived in Ontario and fished in tons of lakes here from southern Ontario to the north, and I can tell you there’s lots of forage in our lakes. On both the Great Lakes and many inland lakes I’ve seen absolutely massive schools of bait that take several minutes to go over with the boat. Sure, the shad don’t survive our winters here, but there’s many different kinds of pelagic minnow species and lots of different types of shallow water zone life. I’ve caught bass (both species), that are gorging on smelt and spit up mouthfuls when fighting but still hammer a spinnerbait or jerkbait. I think a lot of it is simply they are targeting the easiest single prey to catch, in this case, your lure. I think in quite a few cases up north, some of the lakes just aren’t getting the pressure that the southern impoundments get, and the fish don’t see as many lures. Perhaps that’s why they might seem easier to catch for you than in the south.

Probably 95% of my rods are one piece, but I do have a couple two piece rods that work great for what I use them for. They’re decent rods, not cheap ones. The one problem I’m having with two of them ( same exact brand/model) is when using something like a jerkbait the top wants to turn a bit after using it a while. It’s not a huge problem, it’s never came apart and I just stop and straighten it out and keep going but I was wondering if there’s anything that can be used to glue/stick them together so it doesn’t move. I don’t need to take them apart so if it’s permanent that’s fine too. Any ideas?

Alberto all the way. I’ve used it for bass and Muskie/pike leaders and never once had a slip or failure at the knot.

Most times I’m using 8lb fluoro all the way, but I have used braid to fluoro. I don’t personally find any improvement with braid so usually just stick to the straight fluoro, it’s easier to rig, takes less time than tying on a new leader sometimes.

4” Berkley gulp minnow, it’s like crack up here for smallies ( largemouth love it too).

Don’t come up here to Parry Sound, On. We’ve probably got average about 18” on most lakes. Trucks are driving out on some of them. Gonna be a while before I’m backing the boat down the ramp ?.

After trying for several years to have a child, we decided to adopt. Our son came to us at 13 months old, and now at 8-1/2, he truly is the best thing in our lives. He may not have inherited the fishing genes directly from me, but he sure has it thick in his blood and we’re together on the lake every single chance we get.

Up here in the north, a 1.5 in sexy shad works great on a windy day, burned like a spinnerbait over cabbage beds or rock shoals. Sometimes, you can’t reel it fast enough!

Non of them! Just the best bassin place in the north, Ontario. ?? Although one of these days I’m gonna hit the warm south when it’s super crappy up here ( mostly dec. to apr. ).