schplurg

Interesting premise: the use of live baits making it harder to catch with artificials in an entire body of water. Maybe I just like to argue sometimes but I wonder about that. If you fished a pond nobody had ever fished before would you not catch fish with artificials? Every fish up until that day would have been eating live bait exclusively. We all want to fish unpressured waters. Isn't that the same thing as fishing a lake where everyone else is using live bait (in other words nobody is fishing it as far as the fish are concerned since they are seeing no fake baits)? Sort of? Show 'em something different, right? How many fish in a lake that size have ever seen an artificial bait? A small percentage? Large? And how many remember it the next day, especially if they didn't bite it? Finally, if fish keep getting caught with shiners I would think they'd stop after awhile and eat something else if they were that smart. I don't think it makes sense. It seems to go against some of what we think about bass fishing. I'm willing to hear any explanations though.

Did that just a few days ago. Had an emotional evening I guess, and ended up messaging a friend I've had since I was 21. We're best friends and live close. Told him how much I appreciated him and loved him. He is a great guy. Doesn't lie, will do anything for you. Never judges. He has done the same to me. Pretty sure I wasn't drinking either maybe one beer. He doesn't fish but I overlook that! We've both gone through enough crap in our lives and I guess we relate well to each other. He's a brother. I have a girl friend that I feel the same way about. We're like family.

Never heard of it. Looks like they're around $100. Not sure about it yet, I need to take a good long look at it. It's a bigger profile for wind to grab I'd say. It has a lot of space I don't think I'd use because of my front hatch. I think it needs a lid on top. I couldn't use it for my setup, but definitely interesting. I definitely could not use the YakGadget Low Pro Crate. I don't see anything I like about it. The XD I saw was priced at $169. No way. For what? https://yakgadget.com/products/lowpro-crate-xd?variant=37552278569117 How's that? I like my Plano boxes side by side so I don't have to reach toward the back of the box for any of them. Maybe you can do a no-look reach with this kit but opening it looks ... I dunno hard to tell. I mean it holds a few Planos and has rod holders, a zipper pouch, and is $169.

My pedal drive has a compartment in it that you can store some baits and stuff in. I use it for my phone, wallet and keys. Sometimes a used bait. Sportsman 106. See photo. I can slide 2 Planos under my seat which is very nice. The front hatch gets my extra prop and tools, lunch, cart maybe, cooler. Clothes if needed. Hatch under/behind the seat is kind of useless in my opinion. Good for hull access though. The two side pockets are nice. @Koz I wonder if you could velcro a small Plano somewhere on your deck for quick and divided storage?

I rarely stood in my WS Ride 115, didn't find it as stable as others do. At all. Almost gave up kayaking altogether, but mainly due to paddling. Did not feel stable enough sitting either. Not like my new one. The Sportsman 106 I don't even have to think about it. Stand up, turn around and kneel on the seat to grab something. Step into it off the dock. Lean to one side or the other. Climbing inside from shallow water. I'm 5' 10', 190#. Standing is great for pitching into reeds, or targets that are hard to spot when sitting. Sometimes I just stand up to stretch out for awhile, or maybe do some sight fishing, look at the bottom see what's going on down there. My favorite thing to do standing is face shore and let the current or wind blow me along. I just cast after cast without needing to pedal or steer for long stretches. One more thing - I really don't stand that much, but the stability also comes into play when you're sitting. Reaching behind you, setting the hook. Stability isn't just for standing. I felt like I was gonna tip my Ride 115 once just reaching into my crate. Edit: Here is a video I made last summer of my first trips in the Sportsman. I do everything I mentioned above and comment on how crazy stable it is.

I'll go the other way and say that if you want to save a bit of cash try the Stik-Os. Maybe fish are particular to flake color but I find it a bit hard to believe that they'd avoid red or blue but eat black on the same color worm. I could be wrong. Others here have more experience than I, but it wouldn't hurt to try and find out yourself (and let us know ). I use mainly YUM Dingers for my worms. I started making my own too. Can make any color combo I want, and there are guys making worms comparable to Senkos in action, weight, appearance and more durable, so they say.

That's what I do. "Looks like 6 feet of water and I can see the bottom" means it's pretty clear for around here. That's as technical as I get so far. I can tell from shore too especially if I'm up a bit high on the bank. Nothing I do is set in stone though because I'm still relatively new and learning a lot.

You will love it.

You could put the battery for the motor toward the front. I see you said you don't like running wires but if going lead acid it's what I would try to do. There also many good (depending on how good you want) LiFePO4 batteries available now that are pretty much the same price as AGM when you figure amount of actual hours you can use. This guy tears apart, inspects, tests and reviews these batteries, it's a great Youtube channel. DIY Solar Power with Will Prowse - YouTube I made some of my own mounts with Starboard and scraps of aluminum. Transducer. Aluminum scrap cuts and drills like wood, pretty much. Starboard FF mount. I painted it black later. I can swivel it out over the water or slide it along the rail wherever I need. Stole the ball mount from a track mountable rod holder. Crate. made the lid and holders. Homemade battery box for fish finder, light, cameras, whatever. I don't have a trolling motor, may do that too. I'd get a 100ah LiFePO4 from Amazon for $350. Lasts as long as a 200ah lead acid, same price, and is many times lighter. Something like 25 pounds vs 130.

Who stole my decimal point?

I only bed fished once really, for spots at New Melones. Was on the bank throwing a Speed Craw and just irritating them with it. If I put it dead center on the bed they'd grab it. I gave my cousin one and he caught some too.

Not so bad, but I had a huge back spasm after walking around a local lake. Maybe 1.3 miles. Was walking on flattish ground to my back pack and for no reason at all - BAM I was on the ground. My friend was with me and he grabbed my pack. I hobbled back around the lake in agony. Like someone twisting a knife in my back. Moral of the story - before you head out hiking (or in a boat) try and imagine every bad thing that can happen to you and make sure you have a plan for it. Break a leg, throw out your back, whatever. There are mountain lions on that side of the lake and if it was a late evening trip I'd be walking in the dark. I'm sure I'll have better stories as I put more fishing years behind me

Delta has a ton of spots like that. I was bank fishing one day imagining I was in my kayak near the reeds across from me. Suddenly a Sheriff boat came blasting out of the reeds and I was kinda freaked out. There was an opening for it, but if I was crossing it there I'd be dead. But the Delta has lots of dangers so...I dunno. I expect it.

Wages here are going up as companies try to find workers. I see signs outside of fast-food, car washes, paying 17 - $19 an hour to start where before it was minimum wage. Target has some starting jobs at $24. If that sounds high remember this is California. It's expensive here. I personally think that anyone who works full time in this country should get a fair living wage. It takes all of us to make a society, and without any of these workers it breaks down, whether it's hotel staff, burger flippers or janitors.

I mini-van top my OT Sportsman 106 easily. I put it on from the side of the van. Lift one end up so it's perpendicular to the van, then slide it up and rotate it 90 degrees to face forward. Not a problem on ramps either. I'd rather have a trailer though.

Use ribbed, they really grab. I like the electrical tape idea (because I have some!). I may try that, I've never used an o-ring or anything on a wacky rig.

One bummer about bank fishing is the weight of water. I'm always trying to lighten the pack, but water is not an option. I'm gonna get one of those mini water filters for backpacking just in case, as long as you know the water is safe to do that with. I spilled my water once on a hot day and had to leave early.

Ya the Delta is definitely tricky, good choice. In the yak I plan Delta trips around wind more than anything maybe. You caught some though!

I'm sure The Far Side was a big influence for me, I think Gary Larson is brilliant. I like rough drafts too. When I write and record music it's the same deal. There are things in the original rough draft recording that I can never replicate again. Refining it seems to lose some of the original magic. When you look at the original you are seeing the raw creativity I suppose.

Was joking in another thread about having too many cameras when I fish and thought this one up. It's my "Five minute quickie because I'm too tired" version. Maybe I'll redo it if I still think it's funny later. It is to me because I feel like this sometimes. Should add a dog with a cam. Maybe I shouldn't redraw it? Not cause it sucks but maybe...I dunno what kind of look I want yet. This is me drawing too fast and on the spot.

This is my "get the idea down quick because I'm tired" version. I dunno if it's funny but that's how I feel sometimes.

I hear that (see photo to the left)! I wonder if a little sun sneaks through, but I mostly feel irritated along the edge or band of the hat. I washed the hat recently too so it isn't that. Just remembered I did an experiment today! I put lotion on my head today, THEN the cap, and my head feels fine. No itch. Wasn't in the sun as long as usual but...hmmmmm. I only wear the ballcap because I clip a GoPro to it. I used to use a bucket hat but can't use it with the camera. I used a chest mounted cam and a hat cam a few weeks ago and probably looked ridiculous. Don't care! I should get a drone to follow me too. Or 3! * * and that will be the next cartoon that I draw LOL!

Let's hear it! What happened?

They are. I bought some a few months ago and was impressed. They were on sale because they were "blemished" but I'll be danged if I can find the imperfection on any of them. If that's their "oops!" stuff then ya...they're good! I also like how the website works. You can pick wire wrapped, color, I forget what else. Everything!

Which will affect when I go to and leave work, which will affect my fishing