Bankc

If it's working for you, then don't worry about it. If it's not working, then try it another way. I find it easier to maintain bottom contact by dragging. But you can slowly reel a bait, pause it, and give the fish pretty much the same presentation. To me, dragging gives you a better feel for what's going on with the lure as it slides across the bottom, and this allows me more control. One thing I'll do, that I don't really see other people do, is I'll tickle the line. I'll wiggle my finger on the line right in front of my reel and ever so slightly, to give the bait a tiny bit of action while it's otherwise sitting still. Most people I've seen will gently shake their rod tip, but I find that's often too violent of an action, probably because I'm just not that good at it. It's a technique that I've developed that works for me. It's okay to figure your own ways of doing things. So long as it works for you, then there's nothing to worry about.

I only use scent when I'm wearing sunscreen, or dead-sticking something. Any worries about human scents go away for me after the first catch. After that, my hands smell like fish all day anyway.

If the boat is under power, then most states (like Ohio) will require red and green nav lights. Usually, the only time you can get by with a white 360 light is if it's under oars. And it's still illegal in most places to not have those lights installed, even in broad daylight. Though, you probably won't get a ticket for it, as I'm betting most law enforcement officers aren't interested in being that petty. Most of those guys you run into will understand the point of the law, and aren't looking to enforce it arbitrarily, but are just looking to keep people safe. However, I've had enough run-ins with law enforcement and court systems in small towns to say that it's also possible to find yourself in a situation where a cash strapped town is looking for any excuse to hand out a ticket. And more than once, I've had them make that excuse up.

You learn over time what to do. You'll do stuff wrong and lose fish over it. But you'll learn from those mistakes, and then make all new ones. Eventually, you've made enough mistakes that you learned enough to not make too many. But you'll never stop making mistakes, or learning. What you'll find is that different types of hooks, lures, rods, lines, etc. require different types of hooksets. You can read and hear about it from others, but there's no teacher like experience. So if it's working for you, then you're doing it right. If it's not, then you need to adjust.

You'll have to check your state laws to verify. There are USCG regulations, but states make up their own laws that supersede USCG regulations. https://ohiodnr.gov/rules-and-regulations/rules-and-regulations-by-division/state-parks-and-watercraft/boating-rules/navigation-lights Looks like Ohio requires them. So I'd probably invest in some, as they're relatively cheap and easy to install. Probably less than the cost of a ticket. And while the odds of getting a ticket aren't high, why mess with it? Besides, you might find yourself needing them one day if you get stuck out late or run into unexpected fog or heavy rain.

I think it's not only possible, but it's easier. The smaller the body of water, the quicker you can learn it and its patterns. For me, bigger lakes are harder to pattern, as they can often act more like a bunch of ponds tied together than one big lake. Sometimes a pattern working on the north end will be completely at odds with the pattern working on the south end. In a pond, it's usually just one pattern for the whole pond. For me, this summer, I'm going to work on my deep water game more. I've never done well in deep, stained water. And this year, I'm going to change that. I might end up catching fewer fish this year, but I'm betting I'll land more fish in the long run by working on my weaknesses, rather than relying on my strengths.

And the similarities don't end at the boat! He's got the same username as you too!

I almost always snell my hooks if I can. Not so much for the knot strength, as for the leverage. Run it through the back of the eye and it kick up the hook under tension. But if it's muskie, then there's not much you can do. Anything to prevent the muskie from biting you off (like a steel leader) will probably scare away the bass.

I wouldn't say I've had this exact problem, but I have had issues with Palomar knots and fluorocarbon breaking before it should. That not tends to pinch the line off right at the top of the knot. It's easy to tell with a leader, because you retain almost all of your leader length, and there's a clean break where the knot started. For wacky rigs, I usually snell the hook. For other situations with fluoro, I've migrated to the Berkley Braid Knot. Oddly enough, I don't use that knot for braid. I use the Fish N Fool. As others have said, check the line to make sure it's not getting nicked or deteriorating, and make sure you're not getting bit from a toothy fish. Fluorocarbon stretches, but unlike mono, it doesn't return to its original shape after the pressure is released. So it tends to get worn out quicker than other lines, in my experience.

I have little problem keeping my kayak in one place with a regular variable speed trolling motor. It takes some practice, but you can learn to control it so that you're moving at the same speed into the wind and current, so you're effectively staying put. I have foot controllers on my kayak to control the direction of the motor and have to control the speed via a dial with my hands. So it's basically flipped from a pedal kayak where you control the speed with your feet and direction with your hands. Either way, it's going to amount to the same thing, as depending on the wind speed and direction, you'll have to make constant adjustments with both hands and feet to stay positioned. But I can usually get 3-4 good casts in to a target in 15 mph winds before having to completely reposition myself, depending on gusts. A lot depends on how well you initially set up your position. It's better to drop anchor if you're really going to spend a lot of time on one spot. The Old Town Sportsman is a different setup from mine however. The prop is in the middle and the rudder controls steering from the rear. The prop doesn't move, so I'm not entirely sure how that would differ from my experience. But I imagine it would be the same with either the pedal or the motor. So I'd weigh other factors when considering pedal vs. motor. Without spot lock doing everything for you, you're going to have to stay on top of it either way. But it can work.

Silica gel isn't actually gel. It's just glass beads that are made in a special process that creates specially sized pores that trap and release moisture. They work through geometry, not chemistry. They tell you not to eat it, because glass can cut and grind your insides as it passes through and clog up your intestines. And the glass beads can pop if exposed to liquid water. It's not toxic (unless it's been exposed to toxins). And they won't last long if exposed to moisture, so you'll probably need to replace them after every time you go fishing for them to work properly. The best thing I've done to prevent rust, other than letting my tackle dry out before storing it, is to quit buying Eagle Claw brand hooks. Those things rust like crazy, and once rust starts, it spreads quickly. Since I got rid of all of them, I haven't had rust issues.

I was kind of thinking the same thing. But they get hung up a lot more easily on wood than regular spinnerbaits, in my experience. Which kind of defeats the purpose of using them in many instances for me. They do catch fish though. I also avoid the War Eagle Coverts. The regular War Eagles are fine by me. But I have had too many issues with the Covert's blades falling off or getting tangled up in my line whenever I kill it. Once I had the blade fall off AND get tangled in my line on the same cast. I reeled it in to find the split ring on the blade, free of the lure, but attached to my line.

I once replaced bushings with ceramic bearings in a reel. I expected to see a huge difference, since I went from no bearings to bearings. Truth be told, the added noise was the biggest difference. So long as the bushings were clean and well lubricated, which I was pretty good at keeping up with, there wasn't a noticeable improvement in distance. What I found was the spool would free spin longer and faster with the bearings. But it would still backlash at the same point. So I needed to keep the brakes and spool tension applied to keep the spool under control. So in the end, I had to create the same amount of friction to make the reel usable. Whether that came from the bushings, bearings, or spool tension knob, didn't matter. If your old bearings are shot, you'll notice and improvement. Otherwise, my bet is any improvement you experience is likely more related to the placebo effect than anything else.

Shad Rap 05. I don't like throwing them because they're so light, get caught up in grass too easily, and only go to one depth. But if I fish one long enough, I can usually boat at least one bass just about any day of the year.

Each day is different and each body of water is different. They may not be working were you are now, but they do work. I've got a few lakes near me that I frequent. On one, they work pretty well, especially in summer. On another, they're not that effective. Bass seem to prefer worms there. Both lakes have crawfish in them. Fishing is all about finding what works at any given moment. So don't give up on them completely. They may come in handy from time to time. But if they're not regularly producing, then I wouldn't make them my first choice.

I use a 7ah battery for my fish finder. I've never had issues with it. If I'm planning on being out on the water longer than 7 hours, I turn it off when I drop anchor somewhere. What kind of trolling motor do you use? Typically, only the ones with variable speeds create issues. If the motor has set speeds (like 5 forward and 3 reverse), then it shouldn't create any interference.

It is my understanding, that this is the correct use. However, I don't much care, as the point of language is communication. And as long as what you mean is communicated through what you say, then it shouldn't be a problem for anyone outside of academia.

I wish the odds were as high as a game of craps!

I have one of these too. They work extremely well. Though I prefer to use this: https://www.amazon.com/Draw-Tite-63080-HITCH-SILENCING-SYSTEM/dp/B011E8BWH6/ref=sr_1_2?crid=TEKTXYNFGD6R&keywords=drawtite+qsp&qid=1651858236&sprefix=drawtite+qsp%2Caps%2C89&sr=8-2 It only works with Draw-Tite receivers (which I have) and it still leaves a little bit of play. You probably cut back on 90% of the noise and vibrations of the more permanent solutions above. But it's much easier and quicker to use and doesn't require tools. And since I'm always pulling mine off and on, this is the more convenient solution for me.

What do you hate to throw, but it works, so you throw it anyway? For me, drop shots and ned rigs. They're so slow and boring! At least with a shaky head I can give it some action, and not be afraid to scare off the fish. I know you can fish them faster, but by the time I'm grabbing these rigs, I'm pretty much convinced that the fish aren't biting anything that moves, so these are my methods to slow it down to almost a standstill. I know some people hate throwing crankbaits because they get hung up so easily. But at least using a plug knocker is doing something!

I guess if you wanted to throw a crankbait into the weeds it would be a good idea. I mean, your hookup ratio would go down, but not as low as it would if you didn't fish the weeds at all, right? And you'd need specialized crankbaits just for that scenario, as I'd hate to have them on any other time. It seems to me like there are just better options out there if you want to fish in the weeds. However, I'm lazy and cheap.

I've tried a bunch. In a spinning reel, it doesn't make much difference. There are a few minor differences, like Sufix 832 and 131 will sink better, due to the Gore fiber strand. And Power Pro seems to hold its color better. But in the end, they all pretty much fish the same for me, outside of some minor differences. On a baitcasting reel, I'm a little more picky with thinner braids, as higher strand count briads (8+ carrier) tend to not dig into the spool as easily. But on a spinning reel, I don't usually have that problem, as I only using spinning reels for finesse presentations, and usually have the drag set a lot lighter.

I always remove my trailer hitch when not in use. Those things love to bite my shins.

Nice! I bet that was quite a fight! I've got a good recipe for carp. Slit the belly of the carp to remove the entrails, but otherwise leave whole. Soak the carp in brine (refrigerated or with ice) for three hours. Season the carp liberally with salt, parsley and oregano. Tie two large cedar planks to the top and bottom of the carp, and rotate the whole carp on a spit over an open flame until the temperature inside reaches 155 °F. Serve cedar planks with a side of horseradish sauce and a sprig of dill.

In Oklahoma, the Department of Wildlife Conservation has been running some surveys in our lakes and in February of this year announced that people aren't keeping enough black bass anymore. They have virtually no natural predators once they reach about a pound, outside of maybe a few aggressive and large catfish, and they're getting stunted in their growth and hurting their own populations with their numbers. I won't be keeping them though. I don't like the taste of bass. But I'll support those that do. Every body of water will be different, and if you're concerned about the environment, ask your local regulators what their opinions are on the matter. In some waters, catch and release is helpful. On others, it will be harmful. There's not a one-size-fits-all answer. So ask the people who study this for a living.