Stump bumper

I really think that is because there has not been a shad die off the past two winters along with the off colored water there is just no reason to hunt together in packs. The increase in food supply is making some really big fish though, so there is always a trade off.

The lower end might not be as bad as you think. Did you pull the prop off? On small motors like that there are Splines on the prop and most of the time when you hit something they strip out. That is an easy not very expensive fix on a small motor. On larger motors there is a rubber adapter inside the prop so you don't ruin a $300 prop, that I have managed to ruin about every two years. Lower units are easy to get off, if it is your problem, hang in there.

I think Rogers Outdoors is out of business, are they keeping a service department there?

Anybody out there pulling Luhr Jensen deep sixes for deep stripers? That has been around since the 60s but have read a lot lately about those little rigs making a come back due to braided line and being so much cheaper and easier to run than down riggers. Last fall I saw a lot of big fish hanging in the 50 foot range and just wondering if an electric trolling motor running 1.5-2mph would get one down that deep? Also what are some good lures to run?

Just to let you know I got a $500 estimate from BV marine to rebuild my carbs on a 115 hp Merc. When I picked it up the bill was $750 and I could not even get the motor to pull the boat off the trailer. Maybe I should have just gone back but I get upset and don't return when things like that happen. Fishinwrench guided me through trouble shooting and resetting my choke and idle and I got the boat running ok but still not what I expected for laying out $750.

Barometric Pressure will bottom out Friday afternoon and the cold front will come in Saturday morning. I am betting the fish will turn on more with the approach of the storm late Friday and Friday night then after the storm Saturday morning. Then again I am usually wrong, but I am going to fish both just to see.

Have you posted on the lakes you are fishing? Might get a few more boats that way.

That is my old stomping grounds! I was running the Army recruiting station in Rutland, VT from 96-99. The further south you run on that Lake the more large mouth you will find. I fished that lake more through the ice than from a boat though.... Just be ready for are the toothy critters and don't lip the pike.lol Man I do miss all that grass......But not the winter.

I have seen guys loose all that over fishing also....saw a guy take a third mortgage out on his house for a new Ranger when the 2nd was for the old one. As long as you have the money it is not a problem, but when you are making payments on your entertainment and both halves do not agree it is the same thing. It is an endless loop like any other addiction, I work so I can fish but can't fish because I work but have to work to fish. HI; my name is John and I am a fish aholic.

Drinking is cheaper.......

Welcome out of the shadows!!! I love the pic of the spoon bill, I have yet to land one of those, I think I have snagged a few but never got one up to prove it. I look forward to more photos and stories

That is a lot darker than point 9, I was watching blue gill on the bottom at 15 feet Sunday. The wind was blowing good but I was really surprised how clear the water was behind the wind breaks. IMO bass are easier to catch in stained water.

Running two is hard enough if you are alone in the boat, but two people on a day when the bite is slow 4 would be nice. 2 Stripers at once is hard enough for me though, the most I have had on is three and I only landed two. Making tight turns by yourself isn't fun if you are running lines near the boat also.

They are twice as much, what makes them worth it?

I am wanting to get ready for stripers and am looking at the New Yellow bird side planners. I got one of the mini yellow birds and it was junk, it could not pull a crappie jig without sinking, snagged a tree, the line broke and it sank to the bottom. The new Yellow Birds look flat and I don't know if they would float with a six inch gizzard shad they won't be of use to me. Walmart.com is selling the New Yellow Birds of $18 a piece so that makes them had to pass up, but I don't want to throw away $40 to a pair if they don't work. Has anybody bought the new ones or know someone that has.

For your sake I hope Storm never revives the old wart, I'm sure there would still be some collector interest and colors that would not be reissued.

Lance; Just looked at this again and realized what color you are using...all of them.

I was out around sunset just looking for some top water action and finally spotted some 4 to six inch shade jumping out of 85 feet of water. I drooped the trolling a motor a couple of hundred yards out and headed toward them, I could see monster Vs being cut on top and swirls as big fish were in a feeding spree all over the school they had just run to the top. Just as soon as I was in casting distance a pontoon boat with four older men ran right up to me almost washing me off the front of my boat then raced right through the surfacing fish. Didn't see any other activity at all so I went back to PC and went home. Can't wait for cold weather, when do those fair weather fishermen put up their boats?

I think the nightly jackpots are the real fish wasters and Friday night was the worst but has been cleaning up. I don't know if that was because of education or the fish just harder to catch. I have no problem with people taking five fish home every time they go, not everyone is catch and release and I respect that, I eat fish at restaurants that came from someone's fishing hole. It is the waste that bothers me, fish are going to die weather pulled up from the deep to fast or deep hooked or sometimes just fought to long. It is important to have a plan B and if you don't eat the fish at least clean them right and give them to someone who will appreciate the gift. It is the waste not the death of a fish, any fish not only bass that bothers me. I have not seen any dead bass floating in weeks, so good job to those who got that cleaned up. Also I am not too worried about the bass population, there are plenty of shad to keep those stripers well feed.

I am betting his wife made the video and will use it for years to come, mine would.

Following those OLD GPS tracks will cause that, I was in a boat a few years back that the driver did that and it is not fun. That is the reason I clear my old tracks every time I go out and I am really looking at the 7inch hummingbird GPS just because you can set different depths to be different colors, makes staying in the channel so much easier.

Any idea how big of boats they are looking for? My little 17 foot 115hp won't hold but 2 other small people and not much trash. But if they are looking to take one other person somewhere and pick up two or three bags of litter, than I may be of use.

Good to see you posting pics again

Looks like we are right on track with 2014 and if we don't get some tropical action out of the Gulf the lake should drop to the winter level of 1.115 feet this year. Anyone want to try their long range forecasting skills and venture a prediction where the lake will bottom out for 2016? I sure could do without a big Christmas rain this year!!

Yea August is differently the worst month of the year. I would rather fish with gloves on than fish this bath water. Seems to be the time of year all the bait fish reproduce and stock up the lake for the fall feeding that will be coming in Sept. This is the time of year I will change plugs, clean out the tackle and dream about the leaves changing color. Hats off to the guys who hit them on the nose and made them bite, I will never be able to figure out night fishing.