Vilas15

I'll 3rd the recommendation for an Ulterra if you've got the cash and don't fish in freezing conditions. The stow/deploy can get jammed up if its wet and below freezing.

I used some reviveX on a columbia rain jacket that didnt bead water any more. Wash it in a machine and put the stuff in where the fabric softener goes. Then take the jacket straight out without rinsing and into the dryer to basically bake the stuff it on it. Worked pretty well and now its a great backup to the new Simms jacket i just got.

You can max it out and pay $1500 more now for 3 mph and be able to sell it for an extra $500 in 10 years. Not a great return on investment if you ask me. Boats depreciate, increasing your upfront cost only increases the depreciation. There's plenty more to that conversation than some would lead you to believe. Ive got a 60 hp on a 16.5 foot aluminum deep V rated for 90. Planes fine and does 32 mph. Some boats don't perform well below their rating like heavy *** nitro deep Vs. Every situation is unique. A test ride will always tell you if you're satisfied or not.

Ive got one from back in 2015 or so. Does the job just fine. Sensitive enough to catch big walleyes in 30' of water no problem with braided line.

Some of you sound like you'd sprinkle DDT on your food if a billion dollar company told you it tastes good. We really don't know how fortunate we are when looking at our rivers and lakes compared to other parts of the world. Try bass fishing in that river of trash in India. Same people advocating for picking up trash at the ramp dont care when 3M dumps cancer causing chemicals in the river because you can't physically see it and "we'll all die from something!".

Sturgeon Bay. Forget the fishing entirely and its still an amazing area.

Southern half of Wisconsin ice is bad as well. Forecast for the next 2 weeks doesnt show any improvement. I don't know if I'll be able to go out locally at all this year.

Up here guys will drive around open water for an entire day without casting until they spot a big musky on the sonar and proceed to harass it until it bites. Every advancement in tech should be looked at through the lens of a "fair chase". At some point it will be too far and the only thing protecting these fish is the culture of catch and release. Thats great and all but the harvest regs need to keep up and it doesnt prevent some mortality from catching big deep fish in the heat of summer. Following fish around and watching them react to your lure in real time is too much for me when you're not restricted to a hole in the ice.

Yup. Average catch rate is 25-40 hrs per fish in Northern WI. And thats the average muskie fisherman who has some idea what he's doing taking a entire work week for a single fish. It tracks with my own data for the last few I've caught.

I'll specifically target brook trout, brown trout, crappie, walleye, smallmouth, muskies. I also don't mind the occasional bluegill, perch, pike, largemouth but rarely go looking for them, they find me sometimes.

It is very unique and different than the smell of a pike. You think they'd be the same since the species are so close but they're not. It lingers in the boat for a while after you've caught one and the water drips off it onto the carpet.

If there isn't enough light to reflect on a shiny bait then by the same token there isn't enough light to see the bait at all and it wont matter what color it is. The only way to see color is by the specific wavelengths of light that are reflected and reach your eyes. I always try one of both in most new baits.

Haven't been on here lately since I only fish bass a few times a year in the spring. Figured I'd share my best from this weekend. Caught on a clown shadow rap.

Can't go wrong with any of those 3 in my opinion. I fish a Lexa 400 and old abu C3 6500s. If i upgraded Id go prorex or tranx.

I'll be out there. Water is still cold enough I doubt there will be any rec boaters on the lakes. I think it's low 60s right now. Fishing traffic was surprisingly light last year, hopefully that remains the case.

You'll see the parking spots and bridge crossings full on opening weekend. But thank god its nothing like out east. Trout stocking is spread over thousands of miles of streams instead of a few lakes. And the stocking for the most part is browns or brooks to supplement the existing populations, not put and take rainbows. Thats probably the biggest reason, once its harvest season you can catch them all season not just until all the stockers are taken.

Another benefit of wearing waders when I'm stream fishing even if I don't go past ankle deep.

St Croix Avid 6'9" ML/XF I saw you said relatively shallow water so Id go with 1/8 oz jig, maybe 1/4 if the current is good and not too snaggy. BfishN pulsar paddle tail in bright colors in stained water, or keitech easy shiner if you want a more realistic option in clear water. You can just swim them or hop them along. like a lift and let them swing, then crank up slack and lift again hitting bottom every time.

Wind breaks up light penetrating the water. Baitfish can get blown around, harder for birds of prey to hunt, easier for predator fish like bass to hunt. I hate fishing in the wind, but catch more fishing in the wind. You have to fight the urge to head to a protected bay for longer than a snack break before getting back out there. Greatest walleye fishing day of my life was this past fall in the highest winds I've seen. Killed the TM batteries spot locked on a point just getting beat up, but we were the only ones out there. Wind blowing into the shoreline is great to get things churned up and get the fish going, boat control is difficult though.

I've created a new technique in which I dont reel the bait in. Instead i cast out a crankbait and move the boat to pull the lure behind it until something bites. Somebody help me come up with a new "rig" name for it.

I think they did online for customer appreciation day in 2020 which cleared out their whole stock. Now they probably dont have an exact model youre looking for if you show up and ask. Customer appreciation day used to be in person with huge bins full of B stocks at 50% off or more but now they just sell cheap combos and there isn't any good sales.

Premier is SCII graphite. MOJO is SCIII, Supposed to be more sensitive.

Youre right there is 2 piece mojos. I was wrong about that one. The legend elite is another non-technique/species specific line similar to the avid and premier so that doesnt surprise me. I was referring to legend tournament bass.

I would say very low. Their higher end or bass focused lines dont seem to offer 2 pieces since lots of bass fishermen seem to be against them. (Legends, mojo, bass x). The 2 pieces are found in premier and avid, plus saltwater lines. The victory seems to be bass focused so I wouldn't get your hopes up. Ive got a 2 piece premier that Ive had zero issues with an havent taken apart in years. Sensitive enough to catch a 13" walleye short striking a stinger hook this fall in 30' of water but ask about it here and some will tell you its junk.

Rollie & Helen's Musky Shop - Minocqua WI Kurt's Island Bait Shop - Minocqua WI Dorn Outdoor Pro Shop - Madison WI I was pleasantly surprised by the selection at Dorns since they had some Megabass stuff and lots of baits I see talked about on here. I'm just tired of BPS brand filling entire aisles at Cabelas.