Susky River Rat

Following the rising water is a good rule of thumb. I have had it already where I have jumped the gun on the rising water and the fish weren’t there yet. I like to hit the freshly flooded areas after it starts on the down swing.

Welcome to the forums! I am a PA fisherman myself and have dabbled in some NJ fishing.

@Pat Brown I lost 130lbs. I walk 6-8 mile a day so i try to avoid walking as much when im not working. It also seems like the bodies of water I fish are never not harassed. @Zcoker that’s a great accomplishment! I would never have done it. @Will Ketchumi generally do not cast towards a bank. I think it has to do with the structure and cover of the lake.

Looks like the NFL lost a load of footballs. Great catches!

Just some food for thought. The G3 I will be getting is 18ft I have a 16ft tracker currently. The tracker does not have a removable tongue but the G3 does. It’s only a foot longer over all with the tongue taken out vs the fixed tongue of the 16’ tracker.

@MN Fisher that’s the exact stuff I use. @MickD the rocks of the susky love to rip Ned’s off the wire keeper.

@MickD I put a dab of quick dry model glue on my TRD to the jig head it doesn’t melt them either

@MN Fisher I think my new one will be around mid 30s. That’s the jet boat life for you. 115/80 In all honestly running over 40mph in the river isn’t a good idea

@Darth-Baiter my two main fishing partners are my dog and my dad. My dad doesn’t have a boat. I say it’s my boat but, it’s really my dogs. He is probably the biggest reason I am getting a new one. I also try not to fish where people can get at from the bank. @MN Fisher my boat probably won’t even get to 40mph. I wish they put MPH restrictions on lakes here instead of horsepower ones.

@Koz more water more problems. I learned to fish small in a boat. Just because I have 7 miles of river doesn’t mean I need to try to fish all 7 miles. Same with new bodies of water. Even though I have that mind set bank fishing still seems like a burden I can’t just motor onto the next spot. Again it’s the laziness factor that I’ve been spoiled with a boat.

Neds, tubes, spinners cranks and top water. I do use mainly spinning gear. As @PaulVE64 said catch a 4lb smallie add some current you’ll be ruined

Looks like I’m just going to have to take a walk down the creeks/rivers and cast like I would if I was in a boat. Everyone has their “milk run” of spots in a boat or on the bank. I no longer have a milk run of bank areas I would hit. It’s like relearning the areas. I think it comes down to me being a tad lazy. I walk 6-8 miles every day I work. The last thing I want to do is walk around to fish. It’s temporary and I need that reel therapy. thank you for all the responses guys. I was actually shocked to see some of the responses of the boat being a hassle. For me it’s a tool that makes everything easier. Mostly because that is what I am used to doing. Ironically every October for the last couple years we have been going down to stonewall Jackson as a vacation/ musky trip. My wife and I decided not to go this year. I may have very well dodged a bullet this year because I could be boat less.

I currently find myself in between boats. My new boat was going to be here mid august it’s now pushed back to mid October. My old boat is sold. I thought I had the timing perfect. pre boat I bank fished all the time. I just can’t get bank into the bank fishing mind set anymore. I feel like my freedom has been taken away. It feels like I am stuck when I go bank fishing. My hats off to you bank only guys. What do you bank guys do to keep it fresh?

I will joke around with people in my boat like rookies fish from the bank this or that. I do not guide though. If it’s someone who isn’t really a fisherman I take the lead for them. Tie stuff on so it’s done right etc. I want them to enjoy it not worry about it. I would try to take my own gear on a guided trip if possible.. also, if a guide was treating me like that there would be some issues. It’s their job. If I made smart comments and belittled everyone repeatedly at my job I doubt I would be able to keep it.

@DaubsNU1 that’s a sharp looking boat!

Here I thought you were going to say you bought a new boat. I always put my truck keys and wallet at the console windshield. My phone can be anywhere

@DaubsNU1 there is one thing that paper can’t tell you. It’s also the most important thing. How much fun you are going to have on it!

@DaubsNU1 that’s awesome! It also great your wife was on board with it. That’s 80% of the battle most times! That boat will serve you well. I think that style of boat are the workhorses of the boating/fishing world. They do not do anything exceptional but, do almost everything well. Within reason of course.

Awesome rig you’re getting! Going to be a big upgrade! You are going to enjoy it very much. I am slightly envious though. My new boat was due in around Labor Day. Now it’s pushed back till mid oct. That puts me right into prime fall smallie fishing. I hope you get her out on the water ASAP!

I start with a top water then spinner then crank then ned/tube. So we pretty much fish the same. If the top water is on I will fish that then when I seem to have caught the fish in that area I will give a few casts with a Ned rig to “clean up”. We are pretty much on the same page as far as how we do this.

@WRB just curious because I do not know the answer. Would a 14’ Jon have enough motor to do this if it was swamped?

I can’t say for fishing but, they sure do love to ask for all the welding advice I can give them.

I still have a couple friends who I am in contact with from when I raced motocross. We all got into boats but, I am the only one who fishes. They got into pleasure boats and going out in the Chesapeake. Also s gentlemen who I met fishing. He fishes for catfish and we try to get out with eachother once a year. Even though he moved about two hours away and sold his river boat. We will alternate between cats and bass/musky. He wants to get into trolling for stripers. I told him I will gladly give him all my trolling info I learned while musky fishing. It’s the same tool different species.

@WRB I have no study of this other then my own eyes but, from what I have seen big predator fish put in little effort for small meals and more effort for big ones. So I agree with you. You drive to a restaurant for a meal. You walk out to the cabinet for a snack.

I like the choppo 90 in the black chrome color for smallies on the susky. I haven’t rest used the WP much. The bait monkey will tell you get some of each. I am sure they both have situations they are slightly better in than the other.