Deephaven

Exactly the reason for the thread. When the kids go to bed I am going to fish and if I can leave the boat at the dock it is killer. Part of the reason I paid extra for lake front. Definitely. Thanks!

You got lucky big ole whitecaps didn't roll in or a fleet of wakesurf boats didn't drive by.

Natural forage or the same colors you would choose for spinnerbait blades would be my recommendation. Personally if you are bank fishing with a jerkbait I would buy a floating one, not suspending. Divers, trebles, and from shore is really limiting with the capability to have it release by floating up. Even from a boat I catch more with floaters outside of the typical must throw jerkbait times.

Found a 75lb mushroom anchor for $80. Are you saying the chain needs to be 1.5x the depth? I've always used a 10' section of chain and then rope that is 5x the depth or so....but that was for temporarily anchoring. Boat is a 20' Ranger tiller. ~3000lbs or so as loaded. There is a near 5 mile stretch of water that is open pointing at the boat. Being I am in ice over country the docks aren't wood and don't have pilings. Roller docks loaded with metal and surfaces that can scratch the crap out of fiberglass. Exactly why I started the thread. Your last post here made me realize for those South of the ice belt my question was nearly funny. I wish it was a permanent dock like that as I wouldn't have even asked. Most of the places will have some derivation of this, but usually without any vertical poles except at the end. They are usually adjust to be below the rub rail as well so any touching is scratching. I also don't find mooring a difficult solution. I have a float buoy so the first day I just drop the anchor and the rest of the week if it is inclement weather at all possible tie up to it. Water will be 75-80 so even swimming out to it is fine. I've just watched moorings fail and don't want to be that guy. And yes, I'd rather have a closer to shore solution.

Popularity is based on availability. That being said for me, I'd rather fish LM on topwater than SM but mostly in slop as I love throwing frogs. Once I get deep I'd rather fish SM. Based on where I live I can fish LM by walking to my boat, SM I have to drive.

Thanks. Sad because they are so easy. For anyone wondering how, crack your eggs into a small bowl, bring a large pot of water with a half cup to cup or so of vinegar to a boil, get the whole pot swirling like a drain and add the eggs. For this consistency they need 3 minutes. Once the eggs are in don't let it boil to aggressively. I use a slotted spoon to then transfer them to a wire rack for a minute to drip before plating.

Biscuits and gravy or Eggs Benedict

Everything I was negative towards I already stated won't work in my original post. As for the temporary mooring I said I would gladly use one whether or not it was ok. A recommendation on what that mooring could be outside of cinder blocks would be stellar. Completely ideal in fact. Paddle board fits in my boat and can be the vessel to get back and forth.

Hey now, that is my plan but I don't want it to have to be. If it looks still for a night she can float. I have a variety but with some docks it is really hard to get them to stay in place and any rubbing in big waves will have a tendency to make it worse. I find tying away from the dock but to it best. Just looking for a way to do that. I am really surprised no one here has had the same concerns and a solution.

Same here. I taught myself to cast with my hand in reels my position. Makes everything smooth and easy.

Perhaps some history on my question. Growing up at our cabin my uncle tied his boat to our dock as shown. Winds came up and it completely scratched up his hull. Bumpers and tying weren't the problem, just not a great shape dock for tying a boat to in waves. 3 years later he tied his up to a mooring and the waves overpowered the anchor (3 cinder blocks) and smashed his new boat on shore. Fast forward 15 years and while on a remote lake with a few buddies of mine I pulled my boat onto the trailer over night and my buddy left his tied to the dock. Wind came up and sunk his boat. It was a small enough aluminum boat that we managed to make it usable again, but it was dented to hell. One thing in common in all three situations. Bigger wind than expected came up. Have had things overnight for 100's of other nights tied up to docks with no concern. Heck my Malibu is moored and just tied to a dock on Minnetonka and it shows no damage ever from being in that situation outside of course of bottom wear from algae/scum growth. Do I over think things? Yes. Do I have a reason to? Yes. I have a pristine boat and plan to keep it that way. It does not stop me from using it, but I want to do what I can to preserve it. The downfall of the anchor approach I have is that I will need to spend some real coin on both a wicked anchor and also one helluva a long rope. I posted a question on here because I figured I wasn't the only one who wanted to keep their boat like new and rented on different lakes. If there was a better way that worked and was cost effective I am sure I am not the only one who would benefit. I appreciate all the responses. Sorry I am long winded, just passionately looking for a solution that doesn't always require the trailer.

My Lowrance's came with 1' contours as well.

I'll trade anyday. Our snow is beat and if it is cold I want LOTS of snow.

That is why I always wear a swimsuit when I fish. Ok, not really. I am super hot blooded and need to refresh regularly.

Obviously bow out and then you have to tie it on shore so that the distance to the anchor is not set, just untie there to bring it back in. If the anchor holds the boat will. I have a 15lb Digger anchor (for up to 40' boats). It held my 30' Sundancer overnight in 35mph winds with no problem....but I wouldn't have posted here if I trusted it. Also afraid I will get on a rocky spot and it won't be the right one. Just thought with all the fishermen on here I wouldn't be the only one to want to tie a glass boat up in front of a random cabin overnight.

I should add that these are VRBO cabins...so we are renting for a week. No way I will ask permission to put up a mooring ball, would just do it. Likelihood of a problem is small in that regard. Not sure it'll be wavy. Figured those weren't robust enough if wind comes up. I've never seen temporary ones and being a short term rental not sure I can, love the idea though. Good link. My wakeboard boat is moored on a dock year round, but in a no wake bay. It's on a 16 boat neighborhood dock...I end up retying everyone elses as most don't get how to keep it from moving in and out. For my trip, my biggest concern is implementing temporary bumpers that will keep the whole boat protected. Mooring it off the dock so it can't rub would be ideal. If I trusted my anchor or anchors I think I would do this: Which maybe means my best approach is to buy a big ass anchor and a super long rope just for the weeks I am out.

We have rented a couple cabins this year and I will be taking my boat. Obviously if the weather looks like it is going to turn south I will pull the boat out of the water, but for days when it may not I would rather keep it in. The properties we rented only have a single sided dock meaning if I tie direct and only to the dock and the wind comes up the boat will be constantly rubbing against the dock. I have some large bumpers and am adept at tying, but wondering if anyone has better mechanisms. My thoughts are: 1) Get some sort of mooring for out in deeper water. This ought to be the safest. The quesiton is what sort of mooring. a. Growing up we used cinder blocks and a buoy. Can't say I want to bring 4 cinder blocks on vacation b. I have the anchor from my SeaRay Sundancer. It is large and could be used...but I don't love that idea c. Could of course anchor and use a closeline anchor setup as well. Just tenuous on the anchor. 2) Get a shore mooring pole. This would allow two lines to the dock and the shore pole pulling the boat off the dock. At $35 I could buy 2 and put one in the water as well for a 4 point tie. Something like this: I am totally open to other ideas. Wondering if you all have dealt with this before. My boat is glass and I am particular so yes pulling it out is best....but I'd like to be prepared to not have to.

That is what I thought as well until I owned both types. What I found for me was that I was never in a situation where I needed that extra motor skill on the cranking side. When fast reels were 5:1 that was a different story, but now that you can buy reels that rip it wasn't the case anymore so I sold off my right handed reels. The real kicker and frustration that put me over the edge was the RH reel on my pitching stick. Lost too many fish during the hand off. I also found that for bottom contacting baits that having my dominant hand greatly increased my capability of feeling bites and responding correctly. For fast moving baits that don't require feel I can see the argument of using RH as that is the one type of presentation where the focus is on the cranking instead of utilizing the rod, but it is rather easy to train either hand to crank. The other motions not so much. Obviously everyone is different, but that is my experience.

I own both. Confused at why comparing brands is even relative. For me it is always the blank. Both make some great rods and both make some duds. Both also make factory rods that are setup for the gaussian distribution of who they think buys them. Due to this I have mine custom made for me for how I will use them. Since Loomis is no longer diy builder friendly it would take some really special blank from them to be in consideration.

I used to have both. Now only left. It is easy to learn to reel with either hand, but not as easy to cast. My rule is simple. I will only use reels where I don't have to change hands. Never understood why those with right handed reels cast and reel with their right hand. The one negative with switching to all LH retrieve is that my retrieve speed for catching up to fish that are charging is slower. Faster at reeling with my RH, but with all the high speed reels today that is no longer a consideration.

I just went for my morning walk...it was slightly abridged.

I've never tried one. Does that count? I don't own one of those either, never have. Pretty sure I'll fix both of those this year. I learned long ago that owning lures I don't catch fish on just distracts me from catching fish. My current tackle selection is half what it once was.. I am not a fan of slow finesse fishing in general. Have the stuff to rig a drop shot, just never felt like it. Considering I have a couple young ones to teach this year I imagine numbers will trump size and I will change that up. And MNFisher, get on that T-rig. Where you fish that should be money.

I have at least 25 types of dried chiles here....which of course is the basis of chili. Can't say if you are looking for a defacto ground beef version that it is my jam though.

Finally have a boat again. Looking to take a few trips with my boys this year. They are 9 and 11. My goal is to put them on fish so they get excited about it. That being said numbers are probably more important than trophy fish. We are open to renting a house on a lake, staying in a resort, camping in a tent, complete outdoor friendly family. Totally fine with zero internet or TV as well...probably even a bonus if my cell phone won't work. I'd love to hear if any of you have recommendations of lakes. Would prefer not to target trophy lakes, ie large bodies of water as my youngest is still somewhat scared of the boat so smaller <5000 acre or at least ones that don't have monster waves in inclement weather would be advantageous. It would also allow some skiing in between the fishing to mix things up. A PM is totally fine and preferred if it is a spot you'd like held more private. Not looking to dig into anyone's secret spots, but would love to do what I can to get my boys addicted to fishing if I can. For the thread, if anyone has other ideas that are related to locations or just vacations I'd love to hear them.

Timing is definitely the biggest trick of all. Any one thing can be easy...but a bunch tough. Made some Maultaschen last night.