Buckeye1955

32251 - Glad there is some more fans of those old glass rods around. It's never fails when I start throwing line with one that someone wants to know what the heck that is and can they try it. Maybe you had to be from that generation to appreciate them, but their aren't many rods made today that 40 years from now people will be collecting and still using. I still have my Dad's he purchased new in 1967 and several unused ones of the same model. I hope to pass them down to the grandkids when I'm gone. They were a major purchase back in their day. Dad was making $14 a week and bought two of the rods and two Ocean City reels. I don't remember the price, but I purchased one awhile back that still had the price tag on it of $18. Hey Goose, make that old rod happy and take out this spring. Bet it puts a smile on your face with the first cast!

The newer graphite rods are better for sure, but man I love throwing the line with one of the old Shakespeare Wonderods. I have a dozen of them and they are just beautiful rods. You can pick up a nice 8wt on Ebay for less then $100 usually. I have a Cabelas graphite travel rod I use for trout and have caught a few bass on it too. Does fine. I have an unused when I bought it - 40 year old Ocean City model 90 automatic on it too. Created quite a stir when I walked into the fly shop at Cabelas and asked them to put bass line on one for my bass rod. I use an FY-B 8wt- 8' 6" Wonderod and it has handled bass over 7lbs with no problem at all. Feels like I have a direct connection to my late father when I have one of those rods in my hand. Even if the blue gill are the only thing hitting, it's still a blast.

I agree with Artic Cat about the Hobie Pro Angler and trying to use it say on a small rocky river. Probably not the right boat. But for a small lake that I can't use my Triton on very well - sweet! We have several 9.9 lakes in our area where you can sit out in deeper water and attack the coves. Perfect for that! And much less hassle then messing with a bigger boat for a few hours fishing say in an evening.

I agree with the Hobie Pro angler choice. Depends on how you want to propel yourself. With the Pro Angler your hands are free to fish instead of paddling. Easily move along at 2+ MPH. A utility trailer with a drop down rear ramp makes a great way to transport one, even on a hitch on a car. Back the trailer up to the ramp, drop the rear down and slide the Hobie off. Tons of watertight storage on it. I've gone the jon boat route. It works, but a kayak seems a lot more of a stealth attack then a noisy old aluminum boat. If money is a limiting factor though, the prices on the Hobie are similar to a nicely equiped 16ft used Sylvan or Lund with a 9.9 outboard motor. A jon boat is way cheaper. Storage is on my mind. I just don't have the room for storing a 14 or 16ft boat and trailer. I can leave the Hobie on my utility trailer as I only use it a few times a year for landscapping stuff.

WOW! That is a great video! I have fished with dry poppers and sinking spiders since my Dad taught me as a kid 45 years ago. Still use a Shakespeare Wonderod and an Ocean city model 90 automatic fly reel similar to what I learned on. There is nothing in fishing like dropping a fly in the back of a quiet cove and having a hog explode on it! I'm going to pick up a Hobie Pro Angler kayak in the spring and get back to doing more of that. There is something about working a flyrod that is just good for the soul. Everthing slows down and it's just you, the water and the line. Thanks again for posting the video. I'll watch that one over and over till spring!

Yep Joe, you're right. The big boat is an all day event by the time I get it out of storage and hooked up, travel, fish, travel, clean it up and put it back away. Sometimes I just want to fish for a couple hours in the evening. The Hobie I can put on my utility trailer and be gone in 5 minutes. Not cheap, but loads of features and very stable and light. And you don't have to row or paddle. Hard to do that and fish at the same time. I think I'll get out a whole lot more if it is less work and more fun.

Starting to seriously think about picking up a Hobie Pro Angler in the spring. There are times I feel like fishing and don't want to mess with the Triton. Simplicity is really nice sometimes. I think it would be a blast on the smaller lakes around my home area. Anyone purchased one and have an opinion? What extra equipment/options should a guy pick up?

Got on TW and the prices are great! Ordered some of the new weedless grass minnows to go along with the trout I ordered from Ken H. Can't wait till april and some lunkers on Burton!

Thanks guys! That is what I bought was the weedless trout. I'm heading for Lake Burton, Ga the last week of April and I can't wait to try one of them on the largemouth there. I'll give Mr. Huddleston till after the 1st of the year and see if I hear from him or get the baits. Then I'll give him a ring. Have a Merry Christmas and a nice New Year!

I placed an order on this site and payed thru PayPal. Haven't received a repsonse to my order or a subsequent email. No phone number listed on the site, which in itself is odd. Anyone done business with them or know them? Would you have a phone number? Not a great deal of money involved, but I'd really like to get the lures for my spring fishing trip. Maybe they are away for Christmas, but my little voice in my head is starting to tell me something isn't right. Thanks for any info you can provide. http://www.huddlestonstore.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=19

I'm not a member of PETA that I know of. Hook away. I'll be in the next boat over. But why damage a trophy by being careless? Seems just like a smarter way to fish if you can put em back unharmed for another day. My 2 cents.

Now you're talking! Nice fish! I enjoy the pics way better when I see them like that. Now how do we get the news out to the 8 out of 10 you see holding a 10lb hog by the lower lip alone? Can we get someone on the site to put a tab somewhere for safe/correct handling? At least maybe for the newbies? Might save that hog until I can catch him!

I suspect this topic has been raised before and I missed it, but I have read several places where with the larger bass you can dislocate the jaws if they are held by the lower jaw alone. When I look at the pictures of all the hogs proudly displayed in pictures, it sure seems like that information doesn't get passed around much. Maybe one or two out of a dozen will be held with both hands. Is there something we could do here on the site to promote safer handling and pass the word? I hate the thought of one of the trophies you see on here putting up the fight of a lifetime for someone and then getting it's jaw dislocated having it's picture taken.

If a guy was to plan a Peacock trip, where would everyone suggest? I saw a Roland Martin video filmed in the Naples area that made that area look pretty good. Easy access/hotels would be important. Wouldn't have time on a vacation trip to do much scouting around for the tough to find spots.

I really like the Booyah counter strike and tandems in gold shiner with black Yum boogie tails as trailers. Slayed them on Champlain this year using them. I like using the smaller size. When fished just over the tops of the grass, they are dynamite!

Welaka Lodge and Resort on the St. Johns River. Straight across from the Ocklawaha river that runs up to Rodman reservoir. Just down river from Lake George. Terrific cabins and dock setup with power lifts. Golf course a few miles down the road. Got my personal best up Bear creek which runs parallel to the Ocklawaha for quite a ways. There is a cross connect between the two a couple miles up. You can run up the river and drift back down the creek. Just don't let the gators get you!

Randall, We are renting a house at 1096 Perrin cove rd. that is two coves above the dam on the map I'm looking at. if you are looking up lake from the dam, it is on the right, 2nd cove. The lady says there is a ramp in the next cove. Says probably not a good idea to take the trailers with or without boats up to the house. Do you recollect a ramp there? Where is the marina from there? It looks like on the map I have it is about 1/2 way up the lake at the end of the first long arm on the left. For largemouth, I'm guessing we'd need to fish the upper end of the lake that time of year? Or at least get back into the shallower end of the arms.

Thanks! I've got the mattlures bluegill and perch. Haven't done a whole lot with them. I fish Lake Champlain every year for a summer trip. Too many toothy critters for me to throw a $25 lure........ I'll take a look at the Huddleston. That is a new one on me. What can we expect temps wise the last week of April?

Another idea would be install a small tee and a valve off the tee that could be opened during the winter. We have instrument type 1/4 and 1/8 inch tubing tees and valves at the plant that would be ideal for that. But I'm not sure where they could be purchased at a retail store. Maybe Lowes in the plumbing supplies for something like fitting up an icemaker or something similar.

Looking at Strike King King Shad in trout on Bass Pro Shops site. Ratings look really good. What does everyone else like in a trout swimbait?

I still chuckle over being on Lake Norman when some of the pros were in pre-fishing. Ran down one side of a cove while a couple of them were working down the other. Me - 2, Them - 0. Didn't take them long when we met at the back to take a look at what I was using... I chatted with them a couple times at the docks coming and going. Good guys all. Very open and forthcoming with tips. We're all members of the same fraternity. It's great to get the chance to be around them some.

That thought crossed my mind after I read there were trout in there. I'll take care of that tonight. Really looking forward to it. From what I can see, the view won't be hard to take!

I do really well in the Alburg area fishing around the Alburg tongue. We stay at Henry's Sportsmens Cabins and fish the Carry cove area and up toward the north end of North Hero Island. Plenty of grass and weeds in that area. Great largemouth fishing.

I have a home booked on the lake the week of April 24th. Looking forward to chasing some spots. Any tips or suggestions - war stories? I ordered some Sammys and the new Koppers Live Target Blueback Herring. I'll be armed and ready!

Ah, I've pulled the toss the jig in the water after tieing it on too. Cut the wrong line too. Had my walkie (black) to talk to the buddies with laying on top of my black soft sided tackle box and flipped it open to get something.... Splash! Had my baitcasting rod with my most $$$ reel on it laying on the deck behind me. Made a cast and watched it sail over my head into the lake. (Did manage to hook it with another cast before it sunk). Had one buddy toss his anchor in without tieing it on. (TWICE). And as a kid in my old man's boat with an old 20HP merc that would start in gear and the return spring on the throttle was broke --- Got up on one knee and gave it a jerk and sailed right over the top of the motor. I'd killed it with the kill switch and with the handle in wide open position when we'd landed. Quite a surpise for the buddy in the front of the boat to turn and find me gone!