eric1978

I'm with Gavin and Ham on this one. I love my Stradics and wouldn't want to use anything else...until they're wet. Someone said no one believes it until it happens to them. I was one of those people. You have to be really careful in a canoe to keep paddle drips off them, and if it's raining, you can just hang 'em up. Never had a problem with Shimano baitcasters, though, and the Stradics run perfect when dry.

When were you there? Couldn't possibly have meant today???

I'll break my silence to respond to this, since I probably need to admit guilt in making the conversation more political in mentioning his name. Apologies for that. But my point was that the B.A.S.S article and the response to it is very much like the alarmist, anti-government propaganda Glenn Beck is making a fortune touting. I have my problems with government as well, past and present administrations, but I cringe when I hear rhetoric that is triggered by reactionary fear-mongering instead of facts and/or opinions that are grounded in reality. Again I vow to drop out of this issue. Hope I didn't offend any of you. You're all good guys.

Thanks for the tips. I'll check out those shops. Yeah, the kits did look like junk, but since I'm just starting out I figured maybe they'd suffice. I'm usually the type to just buy the best to start with instead of wasting money on garbage just to realize I want something better. But I'm also not gonna spend $500 or more on a vise. Around $50 for a rotary sounds about right to me. Thanks again.

Wow, Chief, we completely agree at last. Anything that alarmist makes me question the motive, and I think you nailed it. I'm dropping out of this issue now. I know it's considered a conservation issue, but it's just too political for me to discuss on this forum. I've thrown in my two cents. See you guys in other threads.

Looking to sell or trade for this lot of plastics. Would prefer to keep them together but will split them up for a decent offer. Here's what I have: Yamamoto Baits: 7 Bags of 5" Senkos, 10 each of the following colors: -Blu Pearl/Blk & Hologrm -Silver Pearl W/Gold -Watermelon/Cream Laminate -Pearl W/Sm Gold, Lg Black Flake -168 W/Black Flake -Smoke Pearl Blue -Natural Shad 3 Bags of 4" Senkos, 10 each of the following colors: -Smoke Pearl Blue -Cinnamon Brown/No Flake -Pearl W/Sm Gold, Lg Black Flake 1 Bag of 4" Slim Senkos, Smoke Pearl Blue (10) 1 Bag of 4" Single Tail Grubs, Smoke Pearl Blue (19) Flukes: 5 Bags of 5" Zoom Superflukes, White Ice (10 in each bag) 1 Bag Catch'em Lures 4" Shinny Shads, Shore Minnow (10) 1 Bag Bass Assassin 3" Baby Shads, Crystal Shad (15) You name the price or I'm willing to trade for LC Pointers, preferably 78 SP, Wiggle Warts in natural colors, Fly-tying vise or tools, jig pouring stuff, (molds, lead melter, powder paint, etc) I was going to put this stuff on Ebay but I thought I'd see if any of you guys are interested in it first. Let me know. Eric EDIT: Items are now on Ebay if you want to bid on them. Here's the link: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...=STRK:MESELX:IT I'll end the auction if someone wants to trade.

Quote from the report: "III. Public Engagement The Task Force initiated a public engagement process throughout the first 90-day period to receive input for consideration as it developed this interim report. This builds on the comprehensive reports of the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy and the Pew Oceans Commission, which were based on significant scientific, public, and stakeholder input. CEQ, on behalf of the Task Force, organized and hosted twenty-four expert roundtables to hear from a broad range of stakeholders and interest groups. The roundtables included representatives from sectors including energy, conservation, fishing, transportation, agriculture, human health, State, tribal, and local governments, ports, recreational boating, business, and national and homeland security. Several Task Force or Working Committee members attended each roundtable." Sorry Wayne, but you should read stuff before you jump to conclusions. The government is not out to take away your liberties, regardless of what Glenn Beck says.

Thom, that would be fantastic! I haven't graduated to fly-fishing yet, I'm still banging away at smallies with the baitcasters. But I know you can apply a lot of the same techniques to bass jigs that you can to flies. I'm gonna be pretty busy the next several days and into next week, but I'd love to get together with you anytime it's convenient for you. I really appreciate the offer. Shoot me a PM sometime if you get bored, or I'll send you a message in a few days. Thanks again! Eric

I read most of it, and it's only about ecological protection. There's nothing wrong with wanting to conserve our environment, and sometimes sacrifices have to be made in order to provide the best care for an ecosystem. Thats why there are creel limits, and seasons, and licenses and tags. If it was just a free-for-all out there, we'd have nothing left to enjoy. If tighter restrictions need to be enforced to save a struggling species in a body of water, so be it. It's not our right to go annihilating whatever animals we want simply because they're there and we can. The planet comes first, then our hobbies. If we humans can't mesh with nature's delicate balance, then it is our moral obligation to take a step back and allow it to return to equilibrium. And like siusaluki said, no one is going to lose their right to fish. There would be riots, and I'd be right there with you. Tighter regulations? Maybe. But you're always going to have a stream to cast your lure into, and as long as someone is looking out for the creatures that inhabit that stream, you might even catch something. I'm personally all for very tight regulations, since it would only make things better for anglers. The only people who get their panties in a twist over new environmental government regulations are those who are exploiting the resources, and I don't really care about those people.

Hey guys, I decided I'm going to start tying my own jigs and spinnerbaits, and I was wondering if any of you fly-tying veterans could head me in the right direction. Will any old vise do or should I spend a little more for a better one? What makes a vise better? Do they make any beginner kits that you would recommend? I know some tools are better than others, but what brands would do the trick without breaking the bank? Any tips would help. Thanks all!

Could you tell what kind of fish it was down his throat? Tough to tell from the pic.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

Joe, glad to hear Dad's doing better. Days like that can really make you think. Wondering if you could tell me where Prarie Lake is? I've been looking for a place to put in my canoe after work some time when I just have a couple hours. I'm really close to Weldon Spring. EDIT: Nevermind...I drove out there and found the lake, but I called MDC and they said you're not allowed to take your canoe on it, so...I don't know...

What tourneys do to streams is an atrocity, it should be outlawed. But at least they're being released in a SMA. They must have been hiding from me on Tuesday, because it was slim pickins.

Good looking fish! It's nice to hear they're biting for someone.

Both rivers have their own personalities and offer different kinds of enjoyment. My gut instinct tells me to prefer the Meramec because it's rockier, cooler, clearer and has more current, in my mind a classic smallmouth stream. But the Bourbeuse has smallies, too. It's of course slower, murkier, and warmer (except during winter) and has a less dramatic landscape. But it's pretty close to St. Louis, and if it weren't for the major spotted bass problem, I would probably go there much more often. The Meramec is really only about a half hour farther drive, and if the fishing is tough, at least you get to float through more scenic water. For me the goal is always to catch fish, and if I knew somehow the fishing was better on the Bourbeuse for some reason, I would choose it happily over the Meramec. But all things being equal, the latter is always my first choice. I understand how a particular stream can just feel like home. I cut my teeth smallmouth fishing on the upper Huzzah, and it remains one of my favorite streams to fish simply because I spent so much time on it. It doesn't hold the most or biggest fish by any means, but I developed a kinship with it over the years and it's always calling me back. No matter where you go, the old saying continues to ring true: A bad day of fishing is better than a good day doing anything else.

Ah, I remember those days before I discovered Power Pro...heartbreaker after heartbreaker

Yep. That guy pretty much sums it up. "Inpeached." What a genius.

Sorry, I don't see any laws in there. I just see a bunch of nonsensical jibberish sent from some lobby to a marketing firm to us for some other reason than what's in that document. I'm no idiot, and I really couldn't figure out what any of that meant. I wouldn't worry about it, the only thing the government has ever done for fishing is make it better by cleaning up the waters and providing more accessibility by buying up prime areas for sportsmen to use. I won't be losing any sleep tonight.

I think I've taken these as far as I want to. It's time to start making what I want myself. You guys know where to get materials for pouring and tying for cheap?

"The Civil War" was a killer documentary. I bought it, watched it four times, then sold it since it was worth like 80 bucks. I didn't know Shelby Foote died. He was great in that.

Does anyone know of any decent little lakes or ponds in St. Charles County I can put my canoe in? Sometimes I need an after work fishing fix and can't drive an hour and a half to a stream. I'd even settle for Busch Wildlife, but you can't put your boat in their lakes, you have to rent their jon boats, and I'm not interested in paying $5 for a couple hours of paddling a barge around in overfished water. Anyone got any ideas?

I fished from Riverview Access to 19 yesterday. Bite was really slow. I'd bring flukes, a Pointer 78 SP, some tubes and some buck-hair jigs. At least that's what I'd have tied on if I went back tomorrow. Can't say what they'll be doing in a couple weeks. Instead of floating a long stretch, I might do a shorter stretch and really work the best looking spots hard. I fished kind of fast yesterday and I think that was part of the problem.

Way way high up may stay fishable, but I doubt it. 2"-4" is a lot of rain, and even if we just get 2", the rivers will be blown out at least for the weekend.

In warmer months I like a dark spinnerbait, maybe with a Colorado blade depending on clarity or a fat, wobbly crankbait, preferably with noise. In colder months a dark, slightly larger-than-you-would-normally-use jig with or without a rattle depending on clarity or a dark, bigger jerkbait, preferably with noise. I might try a buzzbait in summer if you're dying for topwater, but would put it away pretty quick if I didn't get a strike pretty fast.