Vilas15

If you can spare the space it requires for storage, get a bump board. Dunk it in water before laying the fish on it, much better than carpet. Should have a tall edge on two sides to keep fish in position to see the measurement. https://www.muskyshop.com/products/tools-measuring-ts-tackle-bump-board?_pos=5&_sid=d4f200558&_ss=r

Very nice work. Still haven't seen any foam added. If you swamp it that thing is dropping like a rock!

Terrova has ipilot link as well but with a remote or a pedal you can run to the back of the boat. Works better for my fishing, not for everyone.

The Pro V bass XS was the first thing that came to my mind. It would be perfect for me being a multispecies fisherman who doesn't troll.

I caught a big rock bass on a wiggle wart the other weekend. Those things will kamikaze musky baits too. No regard for their own lives.

Finally got out on the boat for memorial day weekend. Great trip for multispecies including walleye and crappies. My dad outfished me which bucked the trend of the past few trips. His hot bait was an xrap on a slow straight retrieve. He got a 19" largemouth (largies are rare in our lakes) and an 18.5" smallie. I only found a 17" smallie and 14" largemouth (pictured) plus a bunch of smallies under 14. Unusually clear water this year, saw 2 muskies just cruising by.

Maybe they saw rocks at the last second and turned hard right exposing the port side to impact?

I've caught them on a crappie magnet and kalins crappie scrub, both on a slip bobber recently. Need some wave action to jig them. Lots of 12s and a few 13"ers.

I'll be out there this weekend. Its dipping to 30° tonight so i doubt the rec boats will be out with all of us fishermen. Supposed to warm up as the weekend goes though.

Unrelated: I helped with structural inspection of all the light poles across the dam at Pickstown years ago. Hopefully they've been replaced because quite a few had cracked welds on the arms! Wish I could have done some fishing out there.

Ive seen them for musky as well. I believe the company might be from europe? Not 100% on that.

Year round C&R for bass just started last year in april 2020. The only argument i can see against it is it makes the walleye closed season harder to enforce. Previously if you had anything other than panfish tackle it was obvious you were targeting something out of season (bass/walleye/pike). Now you can catch walleye and argue you're after bass. And the people breaking those rules wont be releasing any walleye, just hiding them in the boat.

My rebel 1650 livewell is slightly left of center which balances out if youve got only the driver. With a full livewell and my partner in the passenger seat weighting more than me it will lean pretty good at speed. Doesnt affect steering so its not a safety issue for me. Also take into ccount where your batteries are. My starting battery is on the port side as well.

It all depends what species, what lake, what season. Can't guarantee anything for you. Im finally learning the lakes in my area and catch some nice fish but dont catch very many.

Related: And south of the border where it's even warmer can be even better.

Very fortunate my state (WI) has an abundance of public land and great stream access laws. The waters and wildlife belong to the people of the state. I could tell you a hundred lakes and don't know of a single one that is private and charges.

"I ain't here for a long time, I'm here for a good time" - Fish in warmer climates

Well apparently I'm doing it wrong since I'm the only one who does less than 7. I've only had it pull through one time and that was years ago when I was first learning it.

I use 5 or 6 wraps for 15 lb braid to 8 or 10 lb leader.

I like to lift and drop it along the bottom since the fish will hit it while it sits on the bottom, then when I go to lift they'll set the hooks on themselves. That may be the same as the yoyo but the yoyo can be done at any depth so I figured I'd specify. I did catch a small musky on a straight retrieve when I paused, then when I started cranking again I got hit.

Assuming you live around gators? Other than that there's nothing in the US that would be a reason to fear. Maybe a water snake of some kind.

I don't agree with this one. I'm much better with my UL and 3/16 oz spinners on a 5' wide stream than I'd ever be with a baitcaster.

I get 10 days off a year plus weekends and holidays, and only 3 or so of those 10 are available for fishing trips. I fish when I can and try to pick the weekend based on typical conditions that time of year. Some guys like to continue working when they could retire, won't be me! ?

Ignoring any arguments for/against catch and release during the spawn, it makes sense in the north where bass arent even the most popular fish. When the top target species are all typically eaten (walleye, crappie, perch) it makes sense to protect the spawn so that they cant be picked off easily when as soon as the season opens every legal fish will be kept. Having an open bass season during that time only complicates enforcement allowing people looking to take walleye illegally to say theyre bass fishing. When panfish is the only open season it is much easier to tell based on their gear whether theyre truly going for panfish or trying to catch walleye/pike. All that said, wisconsin just went to year round bass season with only a portion open to harvest and im excited about it since i fish for everything including bass. The data shows bass are usually the 3rd to 5th most targeted species on the lakes in my area based on angler hours per year.

I fish smaller x-raps on it, along with tubes, swimbaits, and more. Ive never been too picky about my rods like some others here so I can't be too much help. I think if you're only twitching jerkbaits and making them dance in place maybe an XF would be the ticket, but i also like to do long sweeping pull and pauses, or sometimes just straight crank them in which is fine for me on the M/F.