rps

I like it. Good report!

Good. That needed a good home.

What they said ^^^^.

In response to all of the above: No, buy the Lew's! No, I will never wear a BP jersey! I have a custom micro cranking rod built by hoglaw on this forum, why would I need another? I hope everyone enjoys the event. I always have.

this was the order: BSV3XG-20 1 Pacific Bay Black Spin/Cast Guide BSV3XG 20MM 1.63 1.63 Yes BSV3XG-10 1 Pacific Bay Black Spin/Cast Guide BSV3XG 10MM 0.88 0.88 Yes BSV3XG-6 1 Pacific Bay Black Spin/Cast Guide BSV3XG 06MM 0.73 0.73 Yes BSV3XG-4 5 Pacific Bay Black Micro Guide BSV3XG 04MM 0.70 3.50 Yes BFM3XT-4-5 1 Pacific Bay Black Micro Top BFM3XT #4(5) 1.69 1.69 Yes TXT12-980-R 1 Texalium Tubing 12" - .980 ID/Red 21.98 21.98 Yes GH-950 BC 1 EVA Butt Cap for 0.980 Texalium Tubes 2.95 2.95 Yes GH-980 TR 1 Trim/Winding Check for 0.980 Texalium Tubes 1.25 1.25 Yes CS722-MHX 1 MHX Cast/Spin 6'0" 1pc. 6-12lb B0.452 T5 Slate 44.00 44.00 Yes AJ454-B 1 PAC BAY SINGLE FOOT FLAT WIRE HOOK KEEPER BLACK 0.60 0.60 Yes TMO-4

I know what you want to have in your hand. I finally gave up and made one for myself. Before that I had a Falcon light action low rider that was 6 foot long and advertised a 1/16 to 1/8 weight.

The above ^^^ was an attempt to write how to instructions. Almost as difficult as a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

I was shown a way to fillet many years ago. It is not as fast I see chefs and fishing boat pros, but the results are the best in two categories, meat quality and knife edge retention. With the knife edge pointing at the tail, insert the tip of the knife 1/2 inch deep and parallel to and as close to the junction of the skull cap and the spine as possible. Use your wrist to aim the tip toward the tail and cut the skin upwards toward the tail as close to the spine bones and fin as you can. Proceed to the point where you are even with the anal vent. Change the hand position and work the tip into the fish as close to the spine as you can and come out at the vent. Put pressure on the blade to flex it and work the blade to the tail with easy sawing motions. Cut the tail flap free from within the fish. Reverse the knife and with the cutting edge facing the spine and ribs and aimed at the head, place the blade along the spine. Use hand pressure to slightly flex the blade and work the belly of the cutting edge toward the insertion point as close to the bones as possible. Repeat as necessary to separate the fillet from the spine and ribs past the point where the ribs curve back in toward the bottom side. Using the knife tip, insert the at the initial point and cut fro below the skin upwards to cut fro the initial point along the gill cover to the belly cavity. Turn the tip and cut the thin flesh and skin of the belly back to the vent where you have previously separated the fillet from the tail section. Use the belly of the knife edge to separate the finally flesh attachments to the ribs and remove the fillet with skin from the carcass. This method avoids cutting bone and scales, separates flesh closely from all elase, and avoids piercing organs. At some point I will post pictures for the visual learners.

All of you keep putting great information out there. First, in answer to the question of bleeding the fish - while I understand the reasoning, I don't do it because it is awfully darn messy in the boat and I am not coordinated enough to hold a flopping and bleeding fish over the water without dropping it. I fillet at the marina and then rinse the fish at home for quick use or pack them for freezing. Re vacuum packing: I use a poor man's variation. After I clean and rinse the fish with a quick pat mostly dry, I stack them carefully in two person portions and wrap them tightly in cling film with the sausage twist that removes air. Those packs go in a dated gallon baggie from which I remove as much air as possible before sealing. They go directly to the deep freeze in the garage which is much colder than my refrigerator freezer. The fish I thawed to go in tonight's walleye chowder were dated early July of 2014 and showed no sign of freezer burn.

The story on fish is only a little better than raised meat animals. While you would think fresh meant never frozen, that is not the case. Freezing is allowed provided the temp does not go below a set point (0 Ithink.) I fully appreciate F&F's opinions, and respect them, but disagree based upon food quality grounds. With fish, if you clean the fish before the gills turn pink instead of red (I throw my keeper fish in a well iced box to accomplish this as my live well sucks in water over 70 degrees) then the meat will be fresh and taste fresh for three to four days if you keep it well chilled at all times. I find no difference in consistency/texture of the meat when cooking regardless of whether the fish became stiff. This is partly due to the fact that cooking causes the same muscle contraction you see in rigor mortis. Think about the fillets and how they curl. Freezing will change the consistency/texture of any meat due to ice crystallization, which means if you freeze it to 25 degrees it is not fresh. Thus my definition of fresh is more lax than F&F's but different from the FDA.

jtram Unless the lake is way up, running an ordinary boat above the bridge is difficult to impossible. Specialty boats like a river boat with a jet can make it farther up the river.

Fear mongering politics pay big dividends.

I have replaced two cartridges. Both times were unintended inflates. Once when the boat was parked uncovered in a downpour, and once while I was wearing it and the trigger substance gave out. (Talk about making you jump!) I learned this: As you unfold to replace, note the angles and fold lines carefully. Otherwise the refolded vest will not lie as smooth.

I catch one or two per year below Beaver town. The largest was 4 or 5 pounds and came out of the channel in front of Eagle Rock.

I remember coming into the marina at Broken Bow in the early 70's. The weigh in for a club style tournament was in progress. Everyone was having fun. What was old is new again.

How sad. Another good man lost to the dark side of fiberglass.

May I suggest buy sell trade?

I am far too cynical about politics to post something that takes sides on party lines. However, that same cynacism compels me to laugh at the irony here. A representative from a political party that advocates smaller government and privatization of many current government functions has proposd a bill that prohibits a government agancy from worrking with private entities to accomplish government duties. Bet a nickel the rep wants or wanted something and some MDC joint venture is in or got in his way. Maybe a high density hog farm? A theme park beside a stream or lake?

Awesome. Totally awesome. I positively enjoy people who are proud of product.

I admit, I love a mature spot. They are NOT large mouth or small mouth. In the early 70's, when the wife still went out with me, she hooked and landed a spot very close to 5 pounds. She did a great job, but that fish was all anyone could handle.

No reason to feel dumb. It is a system for fishing weighted plastics that hangs less and gives the plastic more freedom to float. Look here:

Mag warts hit 35 feet on 10/2 braid when trolling for walleye. Like their smaller brethren, they catch fish. When the bite is deeper than 7 feet, the mag wart catches the 7 to 11 crowd on the throw, but eliminates some of the smaller fish.

Thank you for teaching so well!

Have a good one Bill Babbler!

I am not surprised. You have been given excellent and accurate advice. I cannot add anything for bass fishing.other than Carolina rigged fish doctors. I fish a couple of things not mentioned in these posts, but I am eccentric - I love twin spins like the old Shannons and I fish a Top Dollar top water quite a bit. However, you have the best advice anyone could seek.