Will Ketchum

Nothing ever but mono. I'm old and resist change. I still have Brand "X" 1,000 yard bulk spools from decades ago.

Loretta and Johnny together again.

I use one of these.

This time of year the crappie school near a spot near the shore where I bank fish for them with a 1.5 inch panfish assassin pictured below on a light jig. A steady retrieve doesn't work but a sink-lift-sink retrieve does. Of course PA isn't Alabama.

If you catch one at a certain spot it was there for a reason. It could structure, current or even water temperature. If all that was favorable to one bass, it should be favorable to others, but that doesn't mean you will catch them. Catching one won't spook the others having caught others at the same spot without moving.

I got away from spinner baits because they seemed like too much work, but clearly it's something I have to get back to.

Once I had a few bass on a stringer while fishing from shore and since the water was clear I could see a snapper approaching, so I pulled the bass out of the water. I tried to chase the snapper away but he came back hissing at me. It happened more than once. He was persistent. I can't say one way or another whether turtles affect bass fishing, but I like seeing any critter in the outdoors.

I tried progressive lenses and couldn't get used to them. That may be part of your problem. I don't think line color makes a whole lot of difference. I tied black braid directly to the lure once and it didn't seem to hurt. I've used fluorescent yellow line for trout in a clear stream for visibility because the clear was hard to track the location of the lure in the current and I caught fish. I have the same problem with arthritis and a few times I resorted to just a simple overhand knot done 3 times. It's not fancy but it works,

I once found a rod and reel in a trash can at a state park. They were Walmart specials. The rod was broken but I took the reel thinking it might have some use. It looked like some part was missing concerning the drag by the way it didn't work. I found another rod and reel laying in the brush. The the two pieces of the rod were taped together with old masking tape and it all looked like it was just purposely tossed.

People forget things including what they brought fishing with them. It could be left on the shoreline or next to where the car was parked. What to do when you find something?. If it’s obvious who it belongs to you give it back. Otherwise, finders keepers?

To tie this topic in with fishing, fishing alone along the river gets you away from the highway and populated areas, and in the past it never bothered me, but in this day and age, I sometimes wonder if I should be packing just in case.

Not trying to avoid the question, but I only cast to places that look "fishy".

Many years ago, my GF and I took the boat and went fishing on a relatively shallow lake on a calm; clear bluebird sky day. I did not expect to do well because of conditions and after some casting around, I took a break and stretched out on the seat. My GF continued on, not having the experience to know that it wasn't the kind of day conducive to bassing, when she hooked and landed the only bass of the day and a good sized one too. You never know.

Crayfish in PA. Hellgramites make better bait though.

What to do? last year I hooked a few from the shore and when they apparently knew the jig was up, they went into the weeds along shore and stayed there. I wasn't prepared to wade after them so after several attempts to undo the situation I intentionally broke off. In a boat you have some options but on shore not many. I wonder if playing and tiring them or horsing them in would make a difference. Any suggestions?

It's the same here in PA. The Pocono Mountain lakes became summertime escapes for NY and NJ residents who built summer homes on lakes acquired by developers. One in particular was a back up reservoir for the water company that allowed fishing and where I got my PB LM. It was bought and developed with summer homes standing where I used to fish. We would still go and find try to find a quiet corner but my last was where we got blasted out by loud music when before it was just crickets and croaking frogs. Never went back.

I had some of my most productive fishing for SM in the river when the water started cooling and they know it's time to put the feed bag on. Same with crappie in a nearby lake. Any other time you have to go look for them but come fall they seem to school right there.

It's been my experience too but on the plus side, you get a lot of action and they put up a good fight with the current. There are bigger ones lurking in the holes and behind boulders but they are fewer. Be glad the small ones are there for they indicate successful spawning and action in the future.

Women would call this man speak.

Welcome from PA.

I played a lot in the woods as a kid coming in contact with all kinds of stuff but never had a bad reaction. A few years ago I picked up some poison something and went to the emergency room for some diagnosis and treatment it being a first. While we're talking, I got a tick bite for the first time not that long ago either and had the classic bullseye reaction. Was treated with an antibiotic and it seemed to work.

You could try a 1/32 oz. jig with a 1 in. twister tail and a slip bobber. You could work it slowly once you set the right depth without getting hung up. Then there is the panfish assasin which works for me on a 1/16 th jig. In the end, you would be best off experimenting with everything till you find what works.

Just a plain clinch knot. With arthritis creeping in it gets tougher and tougher.

I'm sure you'll hear from them again. You will be able to fish vicariously through them and hear about any success or failure they had and the techniques that worked and didn't work.

We all have good days and bad. It's just a normal part of life. Weather can affect us for instance hence a term like "gloomy weather". The quality of your sleep makes a difference. As far as tiring of what we once enjoyed, I think that's normal too. I'm getting that way. It's part of aging.