mainebasser

Darren- That's the same problem I have- There is hardly any information on the lakes in Maine besides some of the big ones like China, Big Lake, and Moosehead. I finally found a guy starting to put together info at Maine Lake Chart- I wish I could help him get some of my favorites done. One of the guys in the club is a lobster fisherman and he has a setup that automatically builds a map as you go through areas using GPS and sonar in unison to build it's own database. I sure it's super expensive, but the maps are incredible. I wish I could afford one, but it may look funny on my 14' SmokerCraft.

That's Awesome!!

I've been using GPS's since they first appeared to the public in US Calvary. I think I paid $700 dollars for mine (Garmin GPS12) and it was going for less than $60 before it went off the market more than a few years ago. Here is my setup now. I use a Garmin etrex Legend and Delorme Steet Atlas and Topo for PC. Don't be fooled by the base maps that many companies, including Garmin, advertise. They usually aren't very good for roads and are terrible for bodies of water. I use my Delorme Topo on my PC to mark points like docks, islands, points, and the like and then tranfer those waypoints to my etrex Legend. You can also set tracks and routes. This setup works very well for me. I regularly use this setup to get me through 20,30,40 miles of lake navigation in Maine. It is a great pairing. Here is a screenshot of what I like to do. This is a typical 30 mile-4 day fishing/camping trip that we like to do in Maine. The maps in Delorme are much more accurate than most handheld GPS base maps. I simply do my thinkin' on my PC and then transfer it to my Garmin. You can just as easlily do this in reverse. I'm sure there are other great GPS units out there, I just wouldn't rely on there maps of bodies of water. Most of them are developed with automobiles in mind, not boats.

I've spent years refining my skills sharpening knives and hooks. I won't even use Gammies or Owners out of the box. You can always get them sharper. Get a good piece of super fine emery cloth and a small piece of leather. The hooks will grab onto stuff like a magnet. I think it's cheaper than spending $.60/hook.

I like my days with a lot of fish, but living in Maine we see quite a few of those days. The fish are hardly pressured up here. I have caught my share of +3 pound smallies, but I have yet to break the 4lb mark. I had one on the scale that kept jumping from 3-15 to 4-0. I couldn't, in good concience, call it a 4 pounder. Here is a photo of a 3-13 that I caught last summer.

Do you use them? What kind do you use? I fish smallies in Maine, that means there are pike and chain pickerel around, I don't need a $30 lure,that would be silly. I have seen some video of the LA Slider- The action looks great, but I know that doesn't always translate into catching fish. Do you guys have any ideas of what I should look at. I'd love some in a alewife or yellow perch pattern.

This is what I think. Being able to fish, be it aritificial or live, is an opportunity to enjoy the lakes or rivers across the US... The opportunity to enjoy these lakes and rivers creates a sense of responsibility to protect them and aid in their conservation. Regardless of the type of outdoor activity, if a person is not allowed to enjoy the opportunity to make use of it, (e.g.- camping, fishing, hiking, skiing, snowmobiling, hunting), then it rarely leads to an interest in the conservation of a certian area. Think about the lady that owns Burt's Bees in Maine- she wanted to buy land in Maine around the Baxter State Park area and close it off to most outdoor activities. I doubt that the the fishemen and hunters would give two shakes to help protect an area that they could not enjoy. If using live bait allows to to have some fun- and in turn help conserve our wild areas- then strap on the biggest, baddest, ugliest, shiniest shiner you can and go catch some fish.

There are plenty of better ways to sell your boat than ebay. Try CraigsList. It's always better to be able to meet someone in person for a sale like that. Good Luck... If you can't find anyone to buy it, I'll come by and pick it up if it's gettin' in you way. LOL

That's awesome bub! I have a great little aluminum, but I can't wait to get my first bass boat. I can only imagine how it feels. Good luck to ya.

Thanks Fellas for all the input. I decided on the Shimano Symetre Reel.... and the Pfluger President Reel. That's the way I settle indecision... It's a good reason to buy another pole.

I am debating between the two. I have a Shimano Saraha and I have been happy with it, but I have been being pushed towards Pflugers by some other guys in the club. The reel I choose will be going on a 6' M BPS Extreme. What do you think?

I usually kiss my fish. Like many of the guys I thank that beauty, and then make it promise me not to tell anyone that I'm here are what I'm using. I also ask them to tell their enemy fish to eat that tasty worm that's crawling by. As I was growing up and teaching my little sister to fish, I always taught her to kiss and talk to her fish. She does it quite often and has become quite the fisherwoman. Here is a nice 4 pounder she caught in Maine. http://lowphotos.com/fishing/index.html

I caugth mine on Mount Desert Island in Maine on 4" Senko baby bass color with a 2/0 rigged weightless. She weighed 3lbs 13oz and I think she was full of eggs. I've now caught several just below that but have yet to break 4lbs. I'm determined to do it this summer. My woman had one on that I'm think was over 4lbs, but I can't be sure- it ripped her line across some rocks on the Union River in Maine and she lost it as it made a hard run. I felt terrible for her.

Here is something fun to try. In Maine, as the season opens, some of the lakes are just starting to thaw. I've found that smallies seek out those thawed areas- usually near the shore- and look for food there. Maybe they are just bored of the ice overhead and are just longing to see the sun. Anyway, I'll put on a Gitzet, cast it from the shore onto the ice and then pull it untill it just falls over the edge and sinks to the bottom. I've never caught small fish with this technique- they aren't monsters, but they are usually it the three pound range. The water temp during this time is usually in the low 30's. I aslo rely on suspending cranks and spider jigs during this time of the year. I've found that the bass in Maine come up to shallow water (15-20') to stage for the spawn as soon as the water is in the mid-40's.

Thanks LBH, do you know anything about framing with aluminum, more specifically joining aluminum. I know you can weld it, and I also heard you can bond it. It needs to be strong enough to hold some weight. I was looking to use 1"X1" to frame some areas of the platforms in the boat. Keeping the boat as light as possible is paramount to me. I fish many lakes here in Maine where the boat has to be hand carried a short distance. I'd like to keep it under 200lbs "dry weight". I'm looking at many different options as I'm determined to make the best of what I've got and what I need. Here is a mock up of what I'd like to do. Simple.

I am looking to modify my 14' V-Hull Smokercraft and I need some ideas on how to build storage boxes on the floor. Another thing, does anyone else know where to get carpet for a boat at a decent price.

Low Budget- That looks great! How did you prepare the boat for painting like that? I would like to put in seats such as yours but how do I attach them so they are stable? Thanks for the photos

Does anyone have any ideas as to how to set up a 14' aluminum boat for bass fishing. I live in Maine so keeping a boat light enough to put in the water with two people is ideal. There are several 1000 acre lakes without a ramp anywhere on them- no other people either. The boat I have is a Smoker Craft and I'm wondering if I could take out the middle bench seat and not compromise the integrity of the boat. Any info or ideas would be helpful.

As for me, Maine is has some of the best smallmouth bass fishing. We don't always get the size (my largest is just over 4lbs) but I rutinely fish lakes that are 500+ acres and never have to share them with anyone. To me there is nothing like spending two or three days camped on a mid-lake island with my woman and my best friends and slayin' smallies left and right. If you like a lake all to yourself then Maine is the place. If you are ever in Maine drop me a line and I'll show you some incredible spots.