Susky River Rat

@Catt I do not believe a G2 has waypoints. The G3 does. Which a helix 5g3 and a striker cv5 are pretty much at the same price point. They both have gps. If you can’t get back to where you caught the fish it’s pointless. My memory isn’t as good as GPS. Maybe yours is. I am not a pro in hummingbird technology maybe you can educate me if I am correct or not on this?

@Catt I am not going to keep high jacking this gentlemen’s thread to argue about spending $250 more. Which I never said that was the only model to by. It was a push in the right direct I would go. So if you would like to continue PM.

@Cattunder $1000 is in your price range. I think striker 7” might run around $500? Most people aren’t going to spend $800 every weekend to fish. If someone can’t afford that extra $200 on a one time purchase maybe they need to change priorities.

I don’t specifically target “big bass” I do not care to break my PB. Yes, I enjoy catching big bass but, I just enjoy catching. I’ll go to a different species if I truly want to target something big. I have noticed bass hang around other bass the same size. So I’d you are in an area and catching smaller ones likely is you need to move till you start getting closer to the size you want. Again there can always be a big momma there but, that’s fishing you don’t know what you don’t know. You are 100% hurting yourself without decent electronics. Get yourself a garmin striker or something comparable in a different brand for under $1000. Something with side view, 2D, down scan way points. You have to fish the waters that have a targetable population of the size fish you want to go after. Then spend a majority of your time there. I also think the big bass hunters are almost like musky guys in the respect you never see the time put in. You only see the result after. Those big bass guys may have very well put in 40 hours that week to get the trophies you see. This time on the water allows them to pattern where they are or potentially can be. Big fish are the smallest population of the target species. As much as I hate the use of FFS these guys are putting lots of time on the water to find these fish. The FFS just allows them to cast at them more proficiently. the take away from this? Big fish of any species = lots of time on the water.

My guess is being that it’s a river they will be all throughout it.

Sounds like a great day. I am itching to get in my boat. May very well have been an Esox. Your line could have also been compromised from coming in contact with rocks and had a week spot when the next fish ate. It almost sounds like you are fishing the desilting basin. That shallow flat infront of the ramp could very well be from people powering their boats on. Most ramps in the susky and juni have it. Hopefully you get the big bronze backs you are hoping for!

When I had my canoe with a TM I used the same battery. I never had any issues.

I’ll take a Stanley cup please.

When I really want something decent I will set my phone up and put it on video mode then screen shot a few.0

Now if you can time it when they become active again it will be like a light switch! I have noticed right after the front I mean a few hours can be great. Seems like the next 30 or so hours are tougher.

@Ohioguy25 I do not think it’s a main source of diet but, they can and will eat them.

@gimruis grace university published a study that smallmouth do eat them. I also believe jon bondy talked about this.

Blanking does bother me. The reason is I know someone else was killing it that day and I couldn’t put the puzzle pieces together. the first last and all of them in between are a great feeling. The first is 100% a great sigh of relief. Getting home safely and everything in one piece is even better.

I love the fall. Always planned any kind of fishing trip around it. Comfort and catch wise are generally good.

@Ohioguy25yes @TnRiver46 LSC is an incredible fishery for musky and smallies. I think the average depth is around 15ft. It’s a bucket list fishery for me to get to. It’s nothing to get double digit days of musky there. I smallie fish because of the susky but, my heart will always be for the toothies. The bass have learned to eat the zebra muscles. Which is an endless food supply for them there.

I have a question what are you looking to spend in a kayak? If you are looking at dumping a whole bunch of money to make a kayak a boat then don’t do it. You could easily wrap up $6000 or more into it. I think the nucanoe someone stated above is $2700. What that that comes with I don’t know. I believe that’s just the hull itself. I see serious fishing kayakers on the river all the time. They have more wrapped up in one sonar unit then I do in two on my boat. Anytime you put things into a competition people spend stupid amounts of money to be competitive.

I use the double uni. 6-8 wraps. I almost never wet before I clinch down. I rarely have issues with that knot failing. If it does it’s me trying to get a snag out.

The two happiest days of owning a kayak the day you buy it and the day you sell it.

Anyone who gives up a boat for a yak is crazy in my opinion

My next sick day will be when I go to get my new boat. I’ll be sick with joy to go break her in.

This lakes here are small. 1200 acres and less. Mainly 500 down to 50 acre With little to no structure and they kill weeds. You’ll have 10-15 guys any giving time musky fishing plus another 20 fishing other species. I have literally watch a few dudes with live scope completely make a joke of musky fishing around here. Most people are 100% putting live scope on their river boats here too. These aren’t $1200 Jon boats. They are 40-80k jet boats. it wasn’t uncommon to boat 3 lose 1 as a boat in a weekend on some of those bodies of water. Have a dozen follows. Obviously we knew what was going on where they were. Pressure and the addition to live scope ruined it here. My catch rate outside of PA in lakes I do not know is much better.

Yes I have and yes I do.

@A-JayI used to work with a guy who was retired and wanted something to do. He was retired coast guard. He enjoyed it very much. He did mention how when Mother Nature is ticked off no video or picture can do her justice. He says training and trust in your shipmates is all you guys have out there.

@Further North the problem here is live scope and pressure. I used to get 10 follows a day and hook up at least once. I’d say that was about 70% of the time. I boated 7 in a weekend. I used to keep all kinds of numbers and info on it. After covid it got worse and worse. I don’t have unlimited musky bodies of water here. People don’t travel to musky fish this areas they leave here. I do however have one of the best small mouth fisheries in the states 40 minutes from me. That’s why I made the switch.

Sounds like some awesome trips. I wish the musky fishing was still like that around here.