DaubsNU1

I should have a net. Since I don't carry one in my boat, I just grab 'em behind the head, like you see in the picture. Stay clear of the mouth / teeth.

If you can get up in to Minnesota / Wisconsin / Canada, the pike fishing is better. We have a few lakes here in eastern NE that are stocked. They are fun to catch! And really fight hard!

Almost didn't fish today, wind forecast 30 MPH. Decided to get out early and fish before the wind picked up. I was on the lake by 5 AM, well before sun up. No one else in the parking lot. Caught one fish just after daylight and noticed another fisherman motoring slowly my way. He asked if I could help him remove a hook. You betcha!! Set the hook on his crankbait and it flew out of the water...turned and took the lure in the back...lodged in back of his shoulder. He'd spent 15 minutes trying to reach the hook with no luck. I was the only other boat on the water...happy to help! Got some braid and it popped right out. Said it didn't hurt much at all. Really nice guy...we talked for about 15 minutes...and he gave me a square-bill and a homemade chatter bait as a "Thanks" for helping him out. Super nice of him! About an hour later I hooked a nice Pike on spinnerbait. Went 29" | 5-lbs 4-oz.

29" / 5-lb 4-oz. Pike this morning on a white/chartreuse spinnerbait.

My uncle throws spinnerbaits probably 90% of the time here in Nebraska...and he just flat out catches fish! He doesn't have electronics in his boat, just casts to weed-beds and retrieves. Nothing special about his technique. He does vary colors and blade types. I've had good success with SB's this spring, white and chartreuse skirt with gold willow blades. Fish on a bait-caster with 20lb green PowerPro braid. Lake has lots of standing timber... @Captain Phil has great advice...get it close to cover! Hang in there and keep throwing it.

Sideview 1120 kHz Interference = Off TVG = Low Contrast = 73% Brightness = Auto Low

Indy is the wife's Shiba. Max size is around 20 lbs. Ranger is my yellow lab...he's much bigger now...should top out around ~95 lbs.

I've been tying my braid with the Trilene knot since the 1990's...rarely ever a problem. Still use it today with all my my lines. I've found it strong and reliable. Looked it up again...and realized that I add one step to the knot below...After Step #3, I take the tag end and go back through the opening to the right.

Picked up a few KDV 1.5's at Wally world...didn't notice until I got home they were silent square-bills. When do you use a silent square-bill? When one with rattles?

Took my Dad to Lac Seul in the early 2000's...we slammed walleye, caught good pike, and even some smallies. He LOVED it! Took Dad to South Dakota to chase smallies last spring for his 80th birthday. Had a great time! Going back again in June. In the late 90's buddies made the trek to Lake Fork. Great time.

I recently switched to hi-vis yellow braid to flouro leader on all my spinning rods last year. Leader is usually 24-36" long. I really like this set up and it doesn't have any troubles going through my guides with the alberto knot. Note: water visibility in the lakes I fish here in Nebraska is generally less than 2'. All my bait-casters have had braid on them...been running them that way for 25+ years. If fish cranks, t-rigs, spinner baits, etc., doesn't bother me at all.

Hang in there and take care! Wishing you all the best. Brother and I got exposed first weekend of deer camp in 2021. Did fine until Wednesday night...woke up freezing...could not get warm. About three hours later, woke up sweating and hot. Was horrible for about 12 hours and laid in bed all day Thursday. Friday I was on the ATV, riding around the hills...felt good. Knocked down this guy on Saturday. + Got home Sunday, and the wife quarantined me to the basement for rest of the week. Felt sluggish, and slept a lot. Next week I was back at work and feeling good. Did lose sense of smell about a month later...lasted about two months...then returned. No lingering effects.

Recently discovered these...they seem to work good for me.

Years ago we hunted public marshes in South Central Nebraska every opening day. Pretty popular with hunters, state, and even federal game wardens. I organized the trips for my buddies, some coming from out of state. Always made sure to have all our "ducks-in-a-row" so to speak...licenses, federal and state stamps, HIP numbers, plugs in shotguns, steel shot, careful counting on the limits...always! One of my buddies told story of fishing the Kenai River in Alaska...and game warden approached them, sidearm drawn. I was pretty shocked...but he said it's common in Alaska to be approached like that by game wardens.

What's your preferred retrieve method for a swim-jig? And working around what type of cover?

The Rich Line boat was made in 1960...the 20hp Mercury is 1974 vintage...I picked up the boat-motor and trailer in 2000...and trailered it like this for many years.... Until... I hit a bump and the motor slammed down. Considered getting a transom saver, but the Merc is pretty light... So now I just keep the motor down, locked in gear. No clearance issues. I did replace the transom last year...Not sure what chemicals they used on that wood...held up pretty good for 60 years!

Been searching posts, reading here, and also watching youtube videos...and I finally got my Garmin Echomap dialed in better. The GT54 transducer is strapped to my old Minn Kota 40lb cable steer trolling motor I purchased 20 years ago. Wasn't seeing much of anything in the side view...and getting lots of false readings on traditional and ClearVü. Out of the box settings were garbage...and many of the videos weren't giving me much help either. Yesterday I started adjusting and working through the menus. I was able to get good imaging running #3 power on my Minn Kota, averaging just over 1 MPH. Very cool! I've never been able to find beds...until now! Caught ~20 yesterday, and another 20 bass today.

Good on you for two reasons: 1. You didn't lose your poop when he cut you off (he probably cut you off so he could ask you a few questions about bass fishing) 2. You gave him some Senkos! It's one thing to show a guy what you are throwing, it's something much better to give them a few. Granted, I'm not going to give anyone a $10 square-bill...but you get the point...a few Senkos, plastic worms, NED's...no big deal...but I'm sure it was a big deal to him. Nice work!!

Bait caster, and braid.

Yea, I got the urge after fishing with my brother in his new Lund Alaskan. Tons of space, good H-bird fish finder Helix mega, and the Ulterra with spot lock, and all the cool features is amazing! But... I fished my boat yesterday, and it's really set up perfectly for the lakes I fish, the way I want to fish...and the price is right! (i.e., paid for!). No new boat for me. I've been trying to expand my techniques lately and fish out of my comfort zone. It's paying off. After reading here, watching a ton of youtube videos, I have finally dialed in my Garmin UHD 7sv. I'm going to get some breakfast, feed the dogs...and get the old Rich Line in the water here soon.

No electronics included. I hope to see the boat in person today...if preliminary stuff checks out, I will get compression test and have the transom looked at as well.

Confirmed, it is fuel injected. Has original transom. I'm concerned about that...heard some horror stories about older Lund transoms needing replacement.

2002 Lund Explorer 1675 SS came up for sale near me. Thoughts on this year of Lund? Motor, etc. https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/4934783676630125/ Thanks! Daubs

Not likely, as my two main fishing lakes are just 10 minutes from home.

Think about getting a 1/4 or side of beef. Wife has a connection from work (local farmer), who sings to our steer : ) By the time we pay him, and the processor, and drive an hour to pick up...it works out to less than $5 per pound. Granted, I have to have a full size freezer in my basement to store all that meat...but it's tasty and less expensive than store.