DaubsNU1

Good looking truck! Drop the pan, check for shavings, top her off.

I'm still fishing the same four casting rods and five spinning rods purchased in the 1990's....but I have added three new casting rods and one used in the past year. And two new spinning rods. I blame @A-Jay for my recent jerkbait purchases : ) And I did stock up on pike lures for the upcoming trip to Canada...the bait monkey got me good that week!

I am still pretty new to my Helix / Ulterra set up. I do very much like the lakemaster cards. Search youtube or Humminbird site for directions to get the card active. Note: You need a lakemaster card for EACH H-Bird unit, they cannot share the maps, even when networked. If you have multiple units, and they are networked...the CAN share waypoints. And a very cool feature my brother showed me...remember, my Helix 9's are networked with the Ulterra. Running the big motor...watching side imaging and notice a nice brushpile. I mark the brushpile, shut off the Mercury, and deploy the Ulterra...then I select "go to mark" and the Ulterra will take me to that mark, and spot-lock over it. Very neat! I did have Garmin Echomap on my last boat. Mapping was pretty good, but I find down and side imaging much better on my Helix units. I'm not interested in FFS. Hope this helps.

Nebraska, and I believe South Dakota, have the same laws. Preventing spread of the dreaded zebra muscle. I am in the "have not forgot the drain plug...YET" group. I know my time is coming...soon...

@king fisher, great point, and very TRUE! I was on a mad-worm bite last Sunday...and thought about tying on another lure..but NOPE! I just kept throwing that 7" power worm...and kept catching fish! Your post a great reminder to experiment when the bite is on!

Man, I feel very fortunate to live where I do, and have access to water. All houses in our village have their own water well. I don't have sprinkler system...Mother Nature has been very good to us this spring. I love to mow, takes me about 2 hours to mow and trim. In the winter I break out the chainsaw and cut down trees along the creek that have died. Wife has some nice flower gardens in front of the house. I spend about 15-20 minutes a day checking pool chemicals and/or vacuuming. Previous owner built four raised garden beds...we mainly grow tomatoes. There is a water spigot next to the garden beds...makes live very easy. It's a great place to live...wife and I were just commenting last night how much we love it here!

All our kids are iPhone, but me and the Mrs. are Android. I have built my own computers (windows based) since 2000. We do have iPads for our tablet experience. Find what works best for you and your family. Lots out there to experience.

@gimruis, I like the "pop" idea to give the bait some movement. I'm too impatient to kick back and drink a beer...but I like the idea of fishing this in some chop while spot-locked up wind.

What engine in that truck? I had a 2004 with the 496/8.1....it was a BEAST!

On Sunday a Dad and his grade school sons were fishing a panfish and bass tournament...they were tossing worms on a bobber in to flooded timber in about 5 feet of water, trying to land some bluegills. Bobber sank, and Dad set the hook with ultra-light rod and 6# test. Thankfully his son was pretty good on the net...landed 3lb-10oz largemouth(!) Got me thinking of running a slip-bobber to a wacky-Senko back in the trees. Anyone have luck slip-bobbering for LMBs?

@gimruis keeping boat garaged really helps...no sunlight beating down on the tires. Keep eye on tire manufacture date. I'm replacing every ~5 years going forward, regardless of tread wear. Buddy recommended I swap out tires on my 5th wheel (we purchased it used in 2020). I did not realize those tires were nine years old(!) Tread looked great. Tire tech showed me one of the tires was bulging...and about to grenade. Stay safe out there people!

We have hit the 90's a touch in the past few weeks. Back down in the mid 70's this week. Sunday it was 57 degrees when I hit the water. Water temps right around 80 degrees. Beautiful day!

Worst skill: I'm in the same boat as @gimruis, for sure! "I caught fish off that tree last week...he's for sure going to be on that same tree...let's throw the same lure...why don't he bite???" Best skill: casting a spinnerbait. I can get it within a few inches of my target most casts.

Roger that!!

@Functional & @A-Jay, I have not noticed line-twist when using these hooks...but I will pay attention next time out and circle back. I do have to play with rigging to keep the worm straight (come in at an angle at the top...and an angle for the hook side) Better penetration vs. a Gama EWG? I don't know... I like that they are a little beefier, and they rig up well with a 7" power worm. I don't run them on anything else.

Thanks all! I ordered last two 50 packs from Cabela's / BPS, found another 50 pack on e-bay, and ordered 200 just now from Walmart (thanks @flatcreek!!)

Excellent work @The Baron! You HAMMERED them!!

@Functional agreed, but I think it depends where you got your start... Growing up I bank fished, then finally got a belly boat...then a buddy had a canoe. I've had a boat since 2000...but still tend to slow down, work certain areas, try to key on what they want. Strong work @ol'crickety!! That's a heck of a morning!!!

I believe this is it! THANKS!

Purchase the crap ton of these back in the 90s.. my stock is dwindling.. who makes them and what model? Thanks!!

The home lake has lots and LOTS of standing timber, nice creek channel, rip-rap, and good brush piles. I have not done well this season. Yesterday I finally caught a bass while fishing one of the off-shore brush piles in 12' of water. Nice 16" 2+lb LMB. Today I planned to fish the brush piles again...but the standing timber was calling my name. I decided to go old-school and throw on a blue-fleck 7" power worm, t-rigged. This was my "GO-TO" set up back in the 90's when living in northeast Missouri. I've been tossing the 10" power worm, but it has not produced. Fish in this lake just love green-pumpkin...anything. So I changed it up. And boy did the blue-fleck produce! Twelve bass total in about three hours...seven were 16" or larger, with the biggest 19-1/2," 3-lbs, 5-oz. Four of the first five fish... All were caught in just two spots...I set up spot-lock and kept tossing the worm in there. It seemed like every other cast a fish was nibbling on my worm. I broke off close to 10 times...most were fish on, then wrapping around trees and such. Had two "drive-by-shootings" (that's what we call it when a Northern grabs your lure, you feel the weight...then the PLINK of the fluoro snapping). It was really a great day of fishing! I have less than 10 blue-fleck worms left...order time!

@Tackleholic topic got me thinking... How do you handle needing to go the bathroom when you are on the boat? Back in the mid 1990's we fished Lake Fork in Texas with a bunch of buddies and friends. One of the friends was very environmental friendly guy from Seattle. He refused to pee in the lake, and demanded we take him to shore every time. Happy to accommodate his request. And the rest of us continued to pee over the side. My 83 year old Dad was having trouble with #1 over side of the boat (balance, and stream). My brother purchased a long automotive funnel, and added a length of plastic hose to the end. Pretty much solved the problem. I have had a few emergency #2's while on the water...thankfully I keep a stash of Mendards plastic bags in the boat, along with some wet-wipes. (Note: menards bags are considerable larger and more durable vs. a standard wal-mart bag...trust me on this one).

Good topic @Tackleholic I'm wearing my PFD when the big motor is running. Your choice of PDF or not is up to you...but know I am not risking my life to save yours. Same with eye protection, sun protection...I'm wearing it...you do you A closed tackle box is a happy tackle box If you want to fish a different spot, or fish faster (or slower), just speak up. Let's work together to catch more fish. When I say, "ooohh, get the net..." put your stuff down, and get the net (I'll do the same for you!!) Please be mindful of my rods, equipment, and boat...treat them as if your own Trash gets packed out, period.