papajoe222

I stopped using a loop knot on my walking baits and minnow baits years ago, because I stopped trusting them. I went the split ring, or snap route and although I have nothing against either, I was wondering if there isn't a loop knot that retains most of the strength of the line. Any recommendations?

I completely understand someone setting up 30ft from me even if I'm not the only one out there and it's a good location. It isn't his fault I got out there before him. Then again I would never pull a gun on a guy because it was 'my spot' and I was late getting there. One of the first rules I was taught about firearms: Don't point a gun at anything you don't intend to shoot. That's my mind set and if some idiot points a gun at me, even if he never intended to shoot me, The lesson he will learn will be short lived.

I don't get upset when I loose a fish as long as I had the enjoyment of fighting it. Heck, I was going to release it anyway. I do get upset when my hookset doesn't get the job done and the fish is lost in a heart beat. Never upset with the fish, it gave me a chance and I blew it.

I hope the word spreads,. as I don't wish tennitis on anyone. I was in the artillery and the only protection offered back then was the gunner shouting 'cover your ears.' The ringing in my ears didn't begin until 15yrs. after I was discharged. Hearing loss due to age may not be avoidable, but this can be. Shooting while hunting, be it rifle or shotgun isn't a culprit as you may only take one or two shots at a deer, or half a dozen a birds during an outing. And it isn't just loud bangs. More people are discovering when they get into their 40's that the loud music they were exposed to when they were young has begun to take its toll

Will still fish from shore. I actually love the simplicity of it. What I hate is how many lures I loose. In a boat, I can retrieve most lures by pulling in the opposite direction, bow pull/release, or using a lure retriever. I’ve actually lost a lure retriever fishing from shore.

LOL!! We sound exactly the way old farts are supposed to. Talking about ailments, surgeries and body aches.

How handy are you? I built a storage system (not for fishing gear) using plastic tubs with lids from Home Depot. 2X4 supports and 1X1 runners for the drawers. I added ball bearings to the underside of the lids for the bottom, heavy contents drawers. My daughter has it in her garage now. 😂

I have a collection of jazz on vinyl, but nothing to play it on anymore. It's all on CDs now, which I don't listen to either. Every thing I listen to is on Pandora. Mostly classic rock and smooth jazz.

The worst thing for me is the hearing loss combined with tenitis, both of which get worse as time goes by. That and chronic shoulder and wrist pain. Four hand and wrist surgeries and they want to do one on my shoulder. I'm actually working on using a left handed baitcaster. I worked outside and inside in the cold and as long as the weather doesn't change overnight, I get aclimated to the cold. I just don't like it, so I'm moving south, maybe Missouri or Oklahoma, next year.

I throw white jigs a lot in vegetation, unless I'm punching then I tend to go with green/brown or black/blue. There was a time I only used white jigs in the fall, but once I figured out how productive they were throughout the year, I had a hard time putting them down.They're more visible in the weeds than say a bluegill pattern. I can add a trailer to match or contrast. As someone

I troll for other species, but for bass the closest thing to trolling is drifting while dragging a jig or worm. I like a little more control of my presentations than trolling offers, like changing speed, direction, depth, etc.

Sorry for your loss. Chances are there are some gems in that lot. Reels and lures that are no longer in production should be the easiest to sell. Once you sell off the good stuff, put the all the rest up on FB Marketplace as a lot. Deal with cash only if and when you go that route.

For the vast majority of bass I catch, a jig off some sort is the lure used. If I were to put casting, flipping swimming, hair, feather and swimbait all in the same category They'd easily account for 70% of the fish I catch. Add crankbaits and the two add up to 80% without even checking my fishing logs.

The only jigs that are worth more than $5 or $6, IMO are tungsten jigs. Their big selling point for me is how much more information feedback I get from one vs a lead head. My jig game is my strong suit and tungsten jigs keep me at the top of my game.

Not any particular lure, but a category. Texas rigged soft plastics. I fish a lot of soft plastics as trailers for different jig, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, etc., but other than worms, I very rarely fish them by themselves. Beavers, Creature Baits, Swimbaits, and Toads will see more action this year.

Although I rarely fish lakes that have numbers of them, smallmouth are my favorite. There aren't many species of freshwater fish that compare to their fight to the finish attitude and the thrill they impart every time they jump. I was introduced to them the summer I turned 13 when a friend invited me on a fishing trip to upper Wisconsin with his dad. His dad went into a nearby town to get some supplies leaving us to fish from shore. The water was super clear, shallow and there was some current. I hooked into my first smallie and I just kept tension on the line while that fish jumped time after time as my friend and I watched with excitement. That was the only fish I caught on that trip, but 62years later, I still recall and relive that experience.

Sound reasoning, but that don't mean it'll happen that way. One of my favorite natural lakes was drained because of all the 'rough' fish it contained. Sport fish and table fare were hard to come by. On a lake fed by the Wisconsin river, it overflowed the earthen dam and there was nothing left but puddles. After rebuilding the dam, the lake returned to normal pool. Fast forward five years and which lake do you think was producing bigger fish? The natural lake. The elimination of the rough fish allowed the new crop of sportfish better forage to feed on. It's doubtful that, except for the stocking of musky, the numbers of those fish changed, but the forage numbers did. In your case, like the lake initially fed by the WI river. Nothing really changed once it refilled. How that bog will fare once water level returns to what it was will remain to be seen. For your sake, I'm rooting for more big ones and fewer numbers.

Do what you think you'll be most comfortable with. I have two St. Croix cranking rods in MH/MF. They're rated for 3/8-1oz.and for anything over 3/8oz. they are the ones I use. I have no difficulty making 30-40yrd casts with them and I have a bum shoulder.

LOL, no he’s still in high school. The Yankees 🤮are looking at him as a possible draft option and asked him to come down so their staff can observe him.

I'll be heading down to Tampa for spring training as my grandson will be working out with that team that all Red Sox fans despise. I've never been to Florida in Feb, but I understand that is prime time to catch some big fish. It would be great if someone here, that is familiar with that area, could recommend some places to fish from shore. I'll be blowing most of my spending cash on gas and hotels, so hooking up with a guide is out of the question. I'd be happy fishing some ponds with shore access. TIA

Fluorocarbon line here, too. I first tried it as leader material for my jig fishing. Lost a handful of pricey jigs on the hook set. Swore off it for a few seasons, then tried a different brand as the mainline for my crankin'. Hated how stiff it was, but I wasn't breaking off any cranks. Tried an expensive one for worming and ran into break offs again, so I switched to a fluoro friendly knot........not! Now it's a staple on all my cranking rigs and I've gone back to mono as leader line for single hook presentations.

I plan on buying a 7-7’2” carbon cranking rod, able to cast 5/16-5/8 oz I'd recommend a MH/Mod.Fast Unless you'll be using braid, in which case go with a moderate action.

I pitch into some really cover and my pitches are 15yrds max. I can take up that short line with a 7.1:1 reel and a bass will more often than not, head further into cover rather than out of it and toward me. I'll take the better torque of a slower reel.

The rod has much more to do with this than the reel. I assume that you're going short (vs.7'6"-8'0") is for a reason. If you can find a rod with those specs, you should be okay with most baitcasters. As long as you can set the cast control knob to match the lure, you'll be fine.

You've likely done this before, if not, give it a shot. A 4in.-6in. tube Texas rigged, with just enough weight (pegged) so it will fall into any openings, but light enough to keep the tube on top when reeling it in. It will get blow-ups like a frog, but sink when paused over an opening. Sometimes a flippin' hook is just enough weight.