Susky River Rat

I have one bait caster for jerk baits, walk the dog top waters and spinners. I prefer spinning reels for everything else. I feel more confident and like you feel like I can have better placement. I thing this comes from trout fishing small creeks with my dad growing up. Having to duck through trees get under things and place it right where it needs to be. With a bait caster I’m like a drunk blind folded guy playing darts. On the other hand though I only use bait casters for musky no spinning. I am stupid accurate with that stuff. Why? No clue I guess because it’s heavy stuff it’s much easier to control.

I was thinking about using them in my rocky river crawling them in mid to high 30s at this point. I guess I will just stick with my other tactics. Glad I saw this. Obviously I know it could work but, does not seem like it would be the most effective.

I have probably 12k worth of musky stuff. Some I haven’t even used in fear of losing because I can’t get it again. Most of that stuff is hand paint/hand made. Some baits are worth $300. $500 reels it goes on and on. I can say though 95% of that stuff has been used and abused. Always looking for that bait for the right situation. Which I have learned never really works out. Oh I know how it goes. I can’t honestly say for bass that it will be that way for me. I got spoiled not having to retie to change stuff. So that’s why I want a bunch of rod and reel combos. I have never really been big on color. I have my stuff I always want to have on deck ready to rock and roll. Then a few in the tackle box to switch if I see I may need something different. When I am not fishing I’m trying to think of different areas or a place I’d like to explore on the water.

I eat like a toddler. (She will say I act like one too) My wife makes homemade Mac and cheese and breads her own tenders. Ohh and she makes Buffalo chicken fries. It’s grilled chicken I make on the grill she slices it up with French fries shredded cheese and cheese whiz. Adds hot sauce to it mixes it all together and boom.

To be honest. I am willing to bet I have the least amount of bass rods/reels and just bass gear in general than anyone on this forum. I can take everything I own on my boat and it’s by no means full or cluttered.

Power poles for the win

That’s how I feel.

Oh it gets plenty skinny. I just want a little bigger and a center console. A tunnel is a bonus.I only had the jet since 21 so I do want to get some more use out of it before I get a new boat. @GaryH jets are very finicky weight and weight distribution wise. I’m not saying they won’t get on plane but, the faster you can get on plane the safer it is. I like to cruise 24-25 and when I see it getting shallow go wide open. When in doubt throttle out.

I am hoping in the next year or two to get a new boat. I am going to more than likely be getting a 17ft G3 tunnel center consolewith a 90HP jet. I am still debating on a 80 or 112 thrust terrova. I would like the 112 but, do not want to carry around the weight of a third battery. If any of you have a jet you know how keeping them as light as possible is key. As far as electronics I will go with a 9” screen bow and console. What are you guys looking at getting for your next purchase?

River and his family wishes you and everyone else here a Merry Christmas.

I need to step my game up lol

To be honest unless the air temp is below freezing I just try to suck it up. I generally only wear gloves while moving. I use clam ice armor gloves though if I do have gloves on.

I’m looking at getting one. I got my 43 when they first came out

Winter can be high water times too. if your river is 4-5ft above normal flow check creek mouths. Any kind of water release from a dam or power station can still hold fish as well. They may not been in a foot or two of water but, don’t over think that they went too far either.

I fished out of a canoe with a trolling motor for 3 years. I personally would never go back to another other than a boat. I fish shallow rivers and electric only lakes. There isn’t one place I could get my canoe that I can’t get my boat. There is a lot of places I couldn’t get my canoe that I can get my boat though. Other lakes have 20Hp with restrictions and I just don’t go to them. Being able to get up and move around is a big thing for me. As well as being able to motor when I am in places that I can. To be honest I don’t really fish the electric only lakes anymore either.

Usually I end up with catfish rigs and sometimes they have catfish hooked and alive to them. I have caught musky with walleye jigs stuck in them yet. Nothing truly note worthy have I found though.

That is where musky fishing spoiled me. All the leaders have snaps so it’s easy to change out. I refuse to use snaps for bass.

How many rods do you generally have ready to rock and roll when you go out fishing? I used to think it was over kill but I seem to keep adding rod and reel combos. Mainly because I don’t want to retie all the time. I will be up to five rods after Christmas.

The plant I work at is shutting down till the Tuesday after the new year. I also would like to do some fishing but as far as it looks now only one day will be good enough to head out.

I don’t know if it’s true or not. I did read somewhere that a lot of famous people had houses there at one time I believe it’s only about a half hour drive from NYC as well.

Yup a GPS is the only real answers to this. If you are going. To troll for any length of time I’d run the gas motor. I’ve only ever trolled for musky but have caught LMB at 4.8

I haven’t had one fly out of my hands mid cast. I have just dropped one while fishing. No clue how or why but I did .

I have use Berkeley cutters and shadow raps. As stated above working. I am not really a big guy on color personally. Eddie’s with them is best. If you want to work them in current you almost have to cast down stream and work up stream. This does produce fish even though fish face into current. It will attract fish you are already ahead of. When you pause it in the current it will still have a rock to it.

I do not know. you can’t really put a date on it. Sometimes it will never freeze other times by Jan it’s frozen. Moving water freezes last. I don’t think anything as frozen over yet though. I mainly fish the susky just have dabbled in some NJ fishing.

Man that’s a bummer. I know their shipping is slow. If I need something ASAP I will make the 35 minute drive to BP or cabelas. I never order anything back ordered from anywhere.