mixermarkb

How many boats, what did it take to win?

Got a late start out of STL on Friday morning, and dropped in at Buck Creek in a steady rain about 2pm. I went looking for a largemouth bite I'd thought I'd found last week. Caught a few, but none of the quality we were looking for, and really found it pretty tough going, even after the rain quit. My buddy Dan stumbled upon a crappie swimming a grub, and we made another pass and kept catching them. We ended up keeping 12 each, with three about 14" and average around 11 to 12". Kept one spotted bass, and it and nearly all of the crappie had eggs when I cleaned them. Saturday we got started around 7:30, and spent a good time trying to force a topwater bite that just still isn't happening, even with cloud cover and perfect conditions. Buckled down on the smallmouth, and caught somewhere between a lot and a metric ton. Same stuff I've been doing for weeks. May be slowing down a tIny bit on the really big fish, we only had two 19" on the day, but still lots of keepers. Smallies look post spawn and a little beat up now. Waiting on that topwater deal to go, it can't be long now. Hopefully we don't just jump into 100 degree days and it sticks around long enough to enjoy it. Water temps 63-65 most everywhere I was, with enough floaters out there to keep running a boat interesting for sure. Also saw my first wake boat towing folks of the season, it was out in the main lake around Oakland. We quit when we heard lots of thunder about 2:30, and had to wait in line at the Spring Creek ramp for several bass boats launching, right into the teeth of a big black cloud that hit pretty hard right when we got back to the room at TMR to grab our gear and crappie filets around 3pm. Rain followed us most of the way home. Hope everyone was safe out there.

Elevator is on the top floors now, headed up to the penthouse I'm afraid.

I had a lot of luck throwing the Jika rig when I lived on a small private lake. Haven't tried it on the big lakes lately, should prolly give it a try.

Not at all being a smart mouth, but a couple things that have made my life easier backing trailers that may seem obvious, but took me longer to figure out than I'd like to admit. First, really take your time to get your mirrors dialed in. A spouse or kid really helps here. Have them walk from the back of the boat to the drivers and passengers doors, and adjust your mirrors until you don't lose them, and can see the trailer tires. It took me a good minute to get the two part mirrors on my new truck dialed in, but it's worth the time. Use those things when you are backing. Don't depend only on turning around to look. If all else fails, G.O.A.L. Get Out And Look. A hit to your pride is better than a hit to a trailer or truck, or dropping a rig in right on top of a big old log that washed in the night before. Prep your rig to go in, before getting in the line to launch. Put the plug in, pull the straps, load anything you need to load, etc. Get your lines ready to tie up to the courtesy dock. Once you launch, pull the boat to the side of the courtesy dock opposite the ramp lane if possible, so your boat doesn't block things while you park and walk back. If there isn't a dock, and you are solo, a long rope on the bow eye and tied to the trailer works for me. Dump the boat in, let it float off and pull rope. Pull your truck up, then pull the boat in with the rope by hand, beach it and park. Make you a routine, maybe even a written checklist, and do it the same every time. Once you are ready to launch and in line, go as slow as you need, don't get in a hurry and make a mistake because someone is in a hurry to launch or retrieve their tub. Back as slow as you need to go to keep control of your trailer and truck. Their insurance isn't gonna take the hit if you make a mistake because they were watching and giving you the eye. Don't get get in a hurry. Finally, when you are pulling out, dunk the bunks in all the way to get them wet, then pull forward and leave plenty of bunk in to guide your boat onto the trailer. On my rig, that is halfway on the diamond plate on the fenders, you will find the sweet spot on yours. The single most common mistake I see people make at ramps is trying to load a boat on a trailer that is in too deep. Crosswinds and wakes then push the boat around in the trailer and it gets sideways or just won't sit on the bunks the way it's supposed to. Practice a few times, and it will become second nature. Congrats on the new rig, sounds super nice!

I don't doubt it, and with straight Flourocarbon a finesse baitcaster might really work well. I just know I don't have the thumb for it. Hell, I can still backlash a spook lol

"Honey, the truck made a funny sound when I parked it." "That's ok babe, I'm sure it's nothing serious, I'll make sure and check it out when we get back from fishing this afternoon" "ok honey, I hope we catch a bunch"

The nice thing about Ned specific gear, is it doesn't have to be that expensive. The rod it takes to feel a bite on a jig in 30 feet of water, or to feel a fish pick up a Crig, or for that matter to wind the deep mag crankbaits on ledges in 20+ feet of water and not have to have rotator cuff surgery at the end of a day are all way more expensive than what we are talking about for Ned specific gear. Yes, a guy could catch bass year round with one medium action spinning rig, and two 7' medium heavy casting sticks. Just like a golfer could probably get through 18 holes with a driver and a putter. For those of us who can afford to though, having the proper tools in the shed makes it easier to overcome our shortcomings in skill. Does it get out of hand? Yep. Does it also make a difference in fish caught, absolutely.

I've not tried the e6x series. Old school GLX and IMX SJR rods did not work for me, as well as NRX SYR. I love them for grubs and tubes, but they pull the bait away from the fish too easy with Ned for me, and that is with straight FC

The hook keepers are the only thing I hate about the lews finesse spin rods I've been loving for Ned. I wouldn't mind a little extra length, but I like the way the 6'9" balance tip up with a 3000 size reel

What Loomis did you order? I tried a few for Ned and just thought they were all too fast, crisp, and too sensitive.

Dang Vernon!

Buck Creek has been good to me for launching this spring. One ramp with a courtesy dock, and another road that is just at the right angle for a ramp. Camping is closed, so there has been plenty of parking around the campground. I have no idea why anyone would be fighting the crowds at the bridge. I hope we don’t go all the way to the top, but honestly as high as it already is, a few more feet doesn’t really change much.

Be a little careful with those TH handles too. I had the little handle stop thing come off of one of them. Those little allen head screws are just awful small to have any real holding power. I like the product overall, but I'm a bit gunshy given that I've installed two and had one fail. Ended up going to the hardware store and buying a cable stop made for dog tie ups. It doesn't fit in the molded plastic handle, but it has two larger screws and more surface area to hold onto the wire. It's not coming off with any load I can put on it.

On the pond to the east, I've caught a few fish on a Sammy, one on a Fin, and a couple on the bigger size Lucky Craft Gunfish, which is very shower blows like. I'm a topwater addict, so I've been force feeding them a bit, but of all of them, the Sammy seems to be best. Could also be that im throwing the Sammy the most

On the pond to the east, I've caught a few fish on a Sammy, one on a Fin, and a couple on the bigger size Lucky Craft Gunfish, which is very shower blows like. I'm a topwater addict, so I've been force feeding them a bit, but of all of them, the Sammy seems to be best. Could also be that im throwing the Sammy the most

May want to give the magslowL a try for that, it runs deeper and slower than the magdraft, without having to add weight or otherwise mod it

I don't have the guts to go for the 10", but I am gonna give the 8" a try. I do sometimes wind them slow as Bill says, but as often as I run them slow, I run them as fast as I can get it to go without rolling, which truthfully is not all that fast. Windy banks, same places I used to throw a spinnerbait or even a wart, I'll chuck the big guy. Caught 7 keeper largemouth on Bull this morning with it, and I still feel like that bite is really off with the lake flooded as compared to what it was last year at more normal level. Now if I could only get the S-waver to get me any bites...I do think the magdraft is a gateway drug into the big swimbait world. Must stop watching tactical bassin...

I throw the Magdraft on a Cara super duty that I bought from Mr. Babler. It only hurts a little less than throwing an Arig... Sometimes I just have to pick up the Ned to give my shoulder a break. It is addicting, and expensive, because the dang things get all tore up and out of whack easy. Now, everyone shush up about it. Mod, please delete this thread. It's all political and potty mouthed and whatever else will send a thread to an early grave...

y'all hunker down over there. I'm sitting here in Theodosia watching a storm cell on Radarscope that looks like it's got some for real golfball or bigger hail in it drifting my way, looks to be just a bit south of Shell Knob in the next few minutes. I'm hoping it loses steam by the time it gets to me, but you TR guys are fixing to get pounded....

I've found my holy grail Ned rods. Lews Mach Speed Stick, 6'9" finesse spin. My hookup rate this year is much better with these rods, than the Loomis NRX and GLX I've been using. Something about the slightly less sensitive rod, with a little softer tip than the Loomis Shakeyhead and Spin Jig rods. I've lost count of the 18" to 20" smallies I've boated on these this year. I may try having someone relate the first two guides with Fuji, because they have a kinda silly microwave guide deal that I think shortens casting distance a hair. Otherwise, it's the best Ned stick I've used. I still like my Loomis stuff for swimming grubs and dragging tubes, but these relatively cheap Lews sticks are dead on for the Ned. Plus I've been using the XS-30 spinning reels out of the refurb bin at the lews shop in Springfield. Drag has performed as good as my Shimano stuff. I hadn't had great luck with Lews spinning reels in the past, and I still have a couple minor quibbles with these, but the dang cheap stuff has caught loads of bass.

Easy there Skeeter- I don't hate all pontoons, and most pontoons with trolling motors know better than to cut between me and the bank while I'm out there fishing a main lake point.

The only knock I can come up with on Lews, is that they have so many models and keep coming out with new ones, that it's hard to keep up. I'm not sure what model has these features in the current line, but what I recommend is a Lews reel with a metal frame and their multi cast control (meaning both magnetic and centrifugal brakes). The cost goes up as the reels get more bearings, and get lighter. Personally, I'm not that worried about extra bearings, they come in places that don't really effect the casting ability, and I like the brass gears vs aluminum, even though brass is heavier. Not to say that the reels with graphite frames are bad, I've got a couple of them and have had no issues, but I just prefer the perceived stiffness of a metal frame. Every time I've been there, they have had $200 class reels much much cheaper, either on blowout, or the in the refurbished in bins up front.

Forgive me for my bad attitude, but since the Water Patrol was absorbed into the Highway Patrol, the average trooper on the lake knows not a whole lot more about boat driving than the average pontoon boater...

There is nothing quite and unpredictable as your average pontoon boat. You never know if they are gonna obey the rules of the road or cut right across you and over a point in inches of water! God forbid there be more than one of them headed in your general direction!! I can't tell you how many times I've just had to drop off plane in confusion...