nomolites

I’m not worried on those terms either and I live in a diverse area; I’m more concerned about availability in the future. I stay stocked so I don’t get caught short. Same with TP(pre-COVID).....both rate about the same in my book....lol. Gotta have priorities. Mike

That VISUAL hurts... Mike

You did well. I dislike Pradco a lot for that reason. I’ve spent a good deal of time doing the same(searching, but for different lures or components), especially since COVID. I’ve had a habit for a number of years of staying well stocked or I’d really be mad with current availability .... Mike

I have some of them all...for bass and walleye I probably fish more Megabass 110+1s than the others, the original Lucky Craft Pointers in wind, and have had really good luck on the lowly 4” RC Sticks for trout but the bills break and I’ve only got a few left. Mike

Was in CO elk hunting up on BLM ground and had a cow as well as a bull tag. Final evening of the hunt a herd of cows comes over a bench toward me and I wait and let them all pass hoping for a bull following, no dice. Settled my crosshairs on the last cow and dropped “her” from about 75 yds. Get up to the elk and find it has little bitty spikes I did not identify as they are shorter than it’s ears. I quarter the animal out and pack it out, including the head, and notified the DOW when I got down the mountain. I was staying a couple extra days in a cabin on the Frying Pan to fish and my wife was meeting me there that evening and I gave them the location. A bit later an agent shows up, writes me a ticket, and confiscates the elk. I wasn’t happy, but I screwed up and told her as much. Politely. Later that night(about 10pm) there is a knock on the cabin door and I answer it...it is the agent. She asks if I still want an elk and I said yes and she said follow me.... I follow her out to the truck and she has a bull in back that someone road hunted...If I want to quarter him out he is mine. I got to work skinning, and she explained that she has rules she has to follow and was required to confiscate my spike but because I self-disclosed mistake and didn’t waste the animal she wanted me to head home with meat from this illegally killed bull. Have run into her into her a couple times since and I still appreciate her. Mike

That’s a cool looking fella. Mike

1) I have one 2) It is VERY light, packs a punch, and is accurate.

Turkeys were reintroduced by trapping into areas where they were not present, And did quite well. I tend to agree with BH as I spend many hours in a stand bowhunting and predators are more prevalent in my area now than they have ever been. I am carrying a PMR30 while hunting this year to do my part to correct that. Mike

Inside turns like this one can be found on most lakes and all it takes is two drivers trying to cut the corner from opposite directions and a tiny bit of inattention and things can go bad...I try to stay wide or slow way down and peek before proceeding...and that’s because I was luckier than these folks as I earlier in life had a near miss rather than a collision. Very sad. Mike

Penzy’s Ranch base is delish as well if you like that(my wife does). Lots of goodies they carry. (Disclaimer: the emails from the owner can be slightly politically slanted) Mike

I have the spray in liner and a mat as I am a bit rough on a truck bed. I have found if I cut wood, etc. that I need to sweep or hose it out well as debris does easily clog the drain holes like oneshot’s does and the bed will hold water after a good rain. Keep it clean, no worries. Mike

On the topic of spoons, add to that the Cicada and a more recent excellent vertical jigging bait the Sebile Vibrato - they are just killer if you are top of them. Unfortunately, they are getting hard to find. Mike

Agree as the water cools through winter docks get the nod. I have great luck trolling from pre(mid-April)through post(mid-June) spawn when I move on to other species exclusively(walleye and stripers) during the summer. LOZ is a great crappie fishery! Mike

Crappie like a slower troll if you can, 1.5 - 1.7 seems to be the best. Over 2 mph really slows the bite. Mike

I catch hundreds every year on LOZ bouncing spoons. Expand your horizons. Mike

You are correct, you are not a striper expert. Nor am I, hence the precursor “WAG”....I base my comment on my observations...I will leave the why to you. Mike

My two-bit WAG: Norfork’s(the lake) DO can get funny when things warm....most stripers head to the dam area to stay deep but I could see some choosing the good water coming in from the NFoW for the same reason. And they DO like trout... Mike

Made me look. Mike

48.8

Nothing wrong with sauger! I haven’t caught one in quite a while cuz I’ve been strictly on the lakes. Mike

That looks like a sauger to me...but I could be wrong. Mike

When I drink whiskey I drink whiskey, and when I drink water I drink water..due to the pandemic.

I bailed after the knuckleheads arrived Thursday...every asshat in a performance craft was running WFO. I don’t worry as much about the professionals out trialing, it’s the dipsticks out drinking. Mike

I was down this week fishing mostly just eves and ended up with white and hybrid poop all over the deck, windshields, and me at times. My observation is they herd the shad and push them to the surface and that is when the feeding frenzy starts. I always see lots of baitfish jumping and fleeing in addition to fish boils when that is going down. That said, caught all mine on jigging spoons - only kept ten fatties and a couple decent hybrids along with the lone keeper size(22”)walleye. It sure makes for a fun filled evening fo sho. Mike

Stinging nettle? Always called it itch weed growing up. Mike