Craig P

I sold my FFS this past spring after seeing fish on bed literally scatter when I pointed the transducer at them. Mind you, I was close to the beds but I wanted to learn what they would do. Coincidentally, I had not caught a bass that morning yet either. After seeing that, I turned it off and I started picking up fish, it turned out to be a good day, without FFS. I believe fish have become keen to the sound as it’s more popular now. I was on the fence about keeping FFS anyways this year, if I were a crappie angler, I’d still have it but I am not. I much prefer being stealth and just fishing. This season without FFS has been really fun. My catch rate has increased as I am not looking for that perfect target, it’s just that I make more casts now. I don’t tourney fish, I’m just a regular guy that goes fishing when I get the chance. I won’t lie though, FFS taught me a TON! over the years and seriously reduced my learning curve.

I have a numbers mind so I can’t help but count though I do not record it. I take a picture of the first and any larger fish thereafter in spots I fish just so I document on my photos/map area where I found action. I have learned through the years that while my every day memory is downright lousy, my fishing memory is off the charts so I do actually remember some fish I’ve caught before, trees that have moved in or out, stream banks that have changed when fishing streams or rivers, etc. It kind of freaks me out at times, how could my memory be so good there but I can’t remember anything else. Fish on the brain I suppose.

I don’t see any reason to not buy online, as long as you have your prescription and know you’ll like the fit of the frames you are purchasing, it is no different than your local eye doctor ordering them.

I see that my wife created an account here under the alias fishhugger. Sorry dear, the answer is still, and will always remain, the fifth.

I will only add 2. 1. Casting Accuracy Applies to any species of fishing. If you can place your presentation where the fish lives, your bite count will go up. 2. Know your region What works down south may not apply up north and vice versa, the same goes for east - west. With that said, when you seek advice on the internet, you’re going to get an amazing amount of variation. Understand that poster is giving you advice based on what works for them. All is great knowledge but make sure it actually applies to your region or world, you will save a ton of money!

I fish trout, bass, salmon and salt so my setups are all over the place. I am guessing around 20 but I can honestly say that all see action during the year. I do have a few “archived” setups that will never see action again but they stick around for nostalgia. I think a fun follow up thread could be “How many setups do you actually use”. I would wager that most hobbyists / enthusiasts find themselves with the same 1 or 2 rods in their hands every trip.

My routine is to photo the first catch and any big one after that, thinking it may be the fish of the day. If a larger one tops that, I’ll photo that. I use the map feature in photos to see where I have caught and it helps me to create patterns where I fish.

I feel your pain! I am in SE Pa too and looking for flows. 1” of rain is suppose to come Tuesday / Wednesday. Should be enough to bump up my favorite Skook spot for a day or two so I’ll have to seize that. I have been resorting to hitting the banks of my local little reservoir for some LMs but nothing of size and I much prefer fishing from my boat.

FWIW, I had that exact boat, 2016. The lockers regularly filled with water on rough condition days. Also, if you stop too fast, it will take on water over the stern and is possibly the source of your water. Staying on top of the bilge every couple of stops will be your friend. You will want to remove your seat post mounting plates in the lower floor area. You are not going to be happy with what you see but it’s an area that has to be dried and addressed because the foam will not let the water drain and because of the way the foam is poured, there is just no way to make a drain. For me, it just became part of the maintenance after rough water trips. Remove the plates, suction out the water, let a fan circulate in the garage or sit in the sun to dry the whole boat. I do not miss that boat……

Are you doing business in a small town where everyone knows eachother? Was this 20-30 years ago? Simply stated, bank pays dealer, buyer pays bank. Buyer stops making payments and their credit takes a hit and the item gets repo’d. Now if the financier is part of the group, owned by Johnny that is, I could see some pressure being applied but only after all parties are coordinated. Never stop making payments on a loan unless you want your credit negatively affected.

You’re kidding right? Tongue in cheek I hope. Never do this!

Check the specs of the reel and make sure your line diameter is within the specifications. This is very important.

I don’t know the history of bass tournament series but one thing I have noticed about bass anglers of yester-year and today is that they go on the road and those with kids (many) have a solid anchor at home, Mom! I don’t know that a woman would get the same kind of support from their spouse. As controversial as it is to say today, I will say it in general, Mom has always been and will always be better than Dad at raising a family.

I have stopped using boxes for bait storage. I thought they would keep me organized but I found they made me loose track of what I needed to stock up on so I moved to just clear zip lock storage bags with the plastics in their original packaging. I even use a zip lock bag for spinbaits and skirts. When I open the hatch, I see the bag I am looking for and it prevents me from banging around boxes. This method works well for me when I have new baits I want to try too. I throw the loose bait packages into the hatch so that I see them when I am on the water. If I find that they work, they go into the “proven” zip lock bag. The “proven” bag is top secret ya know but I won’t lie, every man has their price, including me. Offers can be set to……. LOL Anyways, I throw empty packages into the minnow bucket of my livewell and at the end of the day, it reminds me that I have to re-stock that item into the boat. I am not senile yet but one day I plan to be and I think this method will work well then.

I won’t say that lakes near me (SE PA) have suffered quality, arguments could be made….. but they have severely suffered pressure since Covid and a peaceful day fishing from a boat is hard to find now. Today being Tuesday, one would think you could get to the lake mid-morning and fish peacefully into the afternoon. Not so, Waverunners, Wake Boats and Skiers are on the water by 9am now, sometimes even earlier. Many people in Gov’t and Fortune 100 companies are still “working” from home a portion of the week. That looks like it is finally coming to an end in some sectors at least. I suppose you can look at it as it can only get better from here right? Right? Please someone say Right! I only have so much hair left!