kend

Bterrill: "Jerking and pausing" results in more slack line at the reel spool vs at the business end (where the lure is connected). The line stays "taut" from lure and several feet up the line, while the line is in contact with the water.

Booyah Pond Magic 3/16oz spinnerbait. A top choice for the stream smallie angler, available in various color choices. http://www.lurenet.com/productdetail.aspx?id=bypm36656 Available at GAT's in Dundee. (another top choice of light-line anglers for river and stream smallies)

Anyone who has ever fished with a two fly rig has experienced the frustration of seeing it come back in a tangled mess. Gamakatsu’s new Dropper Beads will help alleviate that problem. The Dropper Bead is a clear plastic oval bead with a hole running length wise through the center that the leader goes through and a second hole underneath it running perpendicular to the other one to attach a dropper line to. The easiest way to rig it is to put it on the leader before tying the tippet. The tippet knot will keep it from sliding forward. Once in place, the dropper line can be easily attached. Since the Dropper Bead can slide and spin on the line, the dropper fly is less likely to tangle with the fly on the tippet. The Dropper Bead is also neutrally buoyant and won’t interfere with the cast or prevent the leader from turning over. They’re useful for other purposes like attaching a strike indicator or attaching a weight. The Dropper Beads are available in 3 sizes, Large, Medium and Small to accommodate different line sizes and applications. http://www.gamakatsu.com/new_products/new_dropperbead.htm Now======== Other uses: +Drop-Shotting, (use a dropper bead and a 3-4" leader vs attaching the hook to the main line using a palomar knot. +live-bait rigging +Drift/float fishing +Verticle fishing for crappie and perch +rig 2 jigs under a float +Ice-Fishing angling---add a fly about a jig or lure A "stop-knot" firmly affixed to the main line, will keep the dropper bead in place. NOTE: The best thing about this design is that ""it does not tangle", like other connectors. Available NOW at GAT's in Dundee.

Another great River Smallies SpinnerBait--- "Booyah's Moon Talker" Only for the serious angler, seeking HUGE smallies. http://www.lurenet.com/productdetail.aspx?id=bymt12602 Deadly for Night-Time Bassin'---better around full-moon clear night periods. (Replace the #5 blade with a larger blade. #6 blade from the 1/2oz models, and #7 blade from the 3/4oz models. (I use a snap/swivel, so as to make blade changing easier and faster). The large blades will make your arms pulsate when reeling. (MH-Hvy action rods perform better for the larger size presentation). ============ HINT ---any musky guys out there? Trailer: Gamakatsu 5/0 Trailer hook Dressing: Yamamoto Super Grub (18-20-021)

Hodgman(by Stearns) offers some decent reasonable priced stocking foot breathables for $150. And wade shoes for about $60. Hodgman Guide Pants are about $120---well worth it.

For the Fox River and other smaller and shallower streams, I get more use out of my 3 wt Med action 8.5ft, loaded with 4 WF line, over my 6, 7 & 8wt models. I can make longer and easier casts, when using Sz 6 or 4 streamers, or the like. My 3wt rod handles medium size smallies with no problem. I think most beginners are equipped with too large a set-up. The larger sizes are heavier, and get the angler more tired out, and quit after a couple hours, or even less. Many anglers are sold an outfit that the sales person likes---and most of those salesmen really don't fish enough to really know, or be most helpful. Most beginner or novice anglers try to make too long of casts, vs perfecting short and accurate casts. The distance will come with lots of practice.

Jim K, Much warmer in Kankakee right now---- it's already 5 above zero

I prefer a single-section rod--- but, they don't make fly rods in lengths over 7ft, Therefore, I have to go with a 2 pc. The 4 piece rods were developed for the traveler and back-packer. Also a choice for the angler who travels in a compact vehicle. (The choice of many anglers in Europe). Performance is not compromised in a quality 4 pc rod. There are some decent reasonably priced 4 pc fly and spinning rods on the market for '08, by St Croix and Cortland.

Mark, Glad you like them. Yes, they're awesome. They're the best wade shoes I've even owned. I have a pair of the sandels too---I use them over my boot foot waders and hippers. Great for walking on ice too.

Mark, Are those Korker wade shoes you're wearing?

hmmmm... nobody ice fishing this spot

Chris B: Johnson Beatle Spins®, spin-jig bodies, or the like, are available in sizes 1/32 to 1/4oz. Try any plastic grub, worm, craw, or the like--- as a trailer, they'll all catch smallies. Use small sizes when targeting small fish, such as bluegill or crappie, and larger sizes for LMB and SMB. (You'll catch more fish on the smaller sizes). The wire frame with blade, is available, in blade sizes from #0 thru #3 blade. Select a plain jig head, add a trailer---plastic or live bait (minnow, worm, crawfish). Select a jig size with blade and jig head weight, that you desire. Obtain a supply of various spin-jig sizes. Start with 1/16 & 1/8oz sizes for smallies. You can also obtain separate "blades" and change them out. Gold is a good color choice, as well as hammer copper. I've used 3" size c'tail grubs, as well as 3 - 5" Lunker City Hellgies, spinnerbait trailers, button-tail shad plastics, dressed on 1/16, 1/8 & 1/4oz, and have done very well. Spin-jigs work for me. ps---GAT's in Dundee, has a huge selection of these spin-jigs and components to make your own versions.

Jim, I use EWG and/or G-Lock style hooks on flukes, or equiv baits, and don't get line twist, when the lure is not retrieved too fast. The EWG and G-Lock (EWG) style hooks, act as a "keel", which results in the bait running upright. Some baits will rotate/revolve, when they're reeled in too fast. When this occurs, slowing down the retrieve speed will solve the rotating problem. Baits will rotate/spin if they are not rigged symetrical/evenly, or when a worm, or the like, is not rigged straight. A slight offset, not centered, too much weight to one side, not straight, or the like, can result in rotation, when retrieved at a certain speed. Spinnerbaits, buzzbait, crankbaits, and the like, will revolve/rotate when reeled in to fast. This is due to increased pressures/forces on specific parts of a lure. There is only one spinnerbait on todays market, that I'm aware of, that does not rotate, when speeds are increased--- it is the Yamamoto 1oz double bladed spinner bait. The blade size and shapes along with the lead-head weight and design counters the rotation effects. This spinnerbait can be retrieved as fast and you can turn the reel handle, and it does not rotate. It's designed for "burning a bait" (cranking fast), and not rotate. =============== ps---some spinning reels cause more line-twist over other models/brands. Some line twist is caused by the operator (angler)---retrieve should be steady, with the line taught--- some anglers have a tendency to put excess slack in the line, as they're retrieving a lure--- like in the "jerk-N-pause" retrieve. As the spool revolves, the line in twisted as its placed back onto the spool. Some anglers experience line-twist with the "snap-jigging" presentation, like with many walleye anglers. The NEW '08 Shimano series Stella, Sustain, Stradic and Seros spinning reels innovative design reduces/eliminates line twist, as experienced with some brands/models. Some brands/models are worse over others.

Mike, This hook is an effective tool. I stock all sizes in my hook box. I've used them and got successful results. All of the fish I've caught, were hooked in "muscle tissue", vs bone. I've never had a fish "spit the hook out" ---NEVER!

Frog Baits It's even more exciting when it's happening to you. Fish can be caught on all frog baits, on todays market. The action is better on some models. In the early part of the season, the smaller sizes are better, like the Brewer Slider Frog. Frog baits are more productive, when fished slower. When fished with a steady retrieve, they're like a quiet running buzzbait. Models with legs that hang down in the water, are more natural looking when at rest in the water. Yamamoto's twin tail grub is more universal--- they can be fished on top with a steady retrieve, subsurface and crawled along on the bottom.

http://www.gamakatsu.com/new_products/new_skipgap.htm

Rich, I've used the 90 degree hooks, with a slight mod. Bend the hook (eye end) out 30 degrees. Use "round nose" pliers--- place the "plier jaw tip" into the 90 degree bend, close jaws firmly, and slowly bend "outward" to 60 degrees. (The bend must not be to sharp, so as to fracture the wire. Some hook material is softer than other hooks. Aberdeen wire is okay---hard wire hooks with fracture). Round nose (wire forming) pliers are a must. A candle flame may be used to temper (500 degrees) the hook wire at the 90 bend. I've "milled out" a small section in my mold, to accomodate the modified bend hook. Once the lead is poured around the hook/bend, the joint is firm. Works for me. ps---when you stop by the store, I'll give you a demonstration.

A baby "smelt" immitator (streamer) 1.5 - 2" lg, is another good choice.

I've targeted water discharge areas, with success. Warmer sunny days were best. I'd try a "white" bead head rabbit fir strip, or light colored streamers--- lures that more closely resembles a bait fish--- shiner or perch pattern, in the 1.5 to 2" size. Another effective setup is a "gold" rocker spoon (ice jig lure), dressed with a thin trailer of 1/8 x 1-2"long strip, such as a strip of Chena Bait, pork strip or the like. I've made the presentations, mostly using spinning gear, a long rod, with and without a float. A 3wt 8 - 8.5ft fly rod is very effective. I use floating fly line WF3F--- a 6ft leader and a 12-18" 4-6lb tippet--- drift the bait/lure "slowly" and work the seams, using the rod tip to "check" and move the lure, in and out, and slowly moving and pausing (long pauses) upstream. Often times a fly reel is better than a spinning reel--- you don't have the coiling line, like you get with spinning---it's worse in cold and freezy weather. Coat the fly line with "Reel Magic", (just spray it on), prevents the water from freezing on your line. Adding a 1/64 to 1/32oz bull-shot will help keep the lure/bait on or near the bottom. You need to keep a watchful eye on the fly line end, for any tell-tail signs of sideways movement. The fish generally move in and out of the seam. Sometimes, the fish will just grab and hold the lure, they stay in place and don't swim off--- I keep the line taught, so as to feel any pressure, when the fish takes the bait. (A strike indicator on the line is beneficial). I've applied steelhead fishing presentations and techniques to smallies, and its very effective. (Catching winter steelhead is tougher). I've used fly reels, spooled with mono line and long rods drift/float fishing for steelhead--- An effective set-up. (Martin makes a 3:1 multipler fly reel, that is nice). NOTE: use Cortland Musky Master Black 27lb, as a backing/filler, add mono over it. NOTE: A fly reel with a LARGE dia/size drag knob is a BIG PLUS! You'll need it when fishing with gloves on. (Large dia drag knobs make for easier drag adjustment). (Check out the Cortland Endurance Cassette fly reel---great for this purpose). Works for me. ps---while fishing for panfish, some larger critters, like LMB and SMB, have been taken on those little flys, (dressed with a "waxworm"). A waxworm on a "white" bead head nymph is effective. pss---I target the smaller fish, like panfish, to get the feel and action, then go after the bigger fish. Catching the smaller fish is more difficult, but it gives for good practice, you get a feel for what its like to experience those soft subtle bites, like you get from most larger fish. Hope this helps.

How about the one with the "HulaGrub"?

Bterrill: Thanks. Some days, the fish just perfer a minnow over a crawfish. (Not everyone goes to McD's for burgers.) One Lucky Craft minnow bait I like best, is the light grey back, white underside with a chartreuse stripe along the sides. (Can't remember the name right now ). Best "emerald shiner" immitator I've found, to date. TIP: Take a "white" Senko---with a permanent maker pen, draw a ""yellow"" line along each side, from head to tail. OR, use "Chartreuse" plastic worm dip dye---apply the "line" along the sides, using a Q-Tip. [Nice emerald shiner immitator]. Works for me. Yo-Zuri's Pins minnows are another of my top choices. The Pins runs a tad shallower than the Lucky Craft. Outperforms a Lucky Craft when working it "VERY SLOWLY" over weeds. Those fish just swim up and suck it in. My top choice is the 1/16 and 1/8oz sizes, when fish are feeding on smaller size baitfish. The scale patterns on both lures are very much life-like to a natural shiner minnow. In my experiences, they both out-perform all other minnow immitators on todays market. They cost more, ---but---oh well, still cheaper than a round of golf. When fishing with crawfish immitators, and not catching fish, I downsize! I go to a BitsyBug and with a YUM BabyBug, or the like. That gets 'em everytime. Sometimes they just don't want to tackle a larger craw. Yamamoto BabyCraw are AWESOME! I see very few anglers using them---oh well, it's their loss. Shorten the body about 1/2-3/4"---making the overall length about 2-2.5" is the most productive--- especially in May and June, when the crawfish are in the 2-2.5" size. Just prior to that, I use 1 to 1.5" crawbugs. Fish eat 'em up, like my dog gobbling-up on buttered popcorn. Various species of baitfish, have different levels of protein---some more than others. Shad may be at the top of the list, but most upper region lakes do not contain shad. However, they do appear in some river systems, in Mich. The great lakes were stocked with alewife---hence the results of the huge salmon. Walleye and smallmouth bass are in the great lakes. Some areas in the northern lakes, contain some HUGE smallies. I've seen some in the 6-7+ lb range. Smelt, shiners, ciscos, and the like, are the available baitfish, in the northern regions. The shad would die off in the cold water lakes. Crawfish have less protein than shad, shiners, smelt, ciscos, (so I was told by those in the know). Hope this helps. =========== Gotta go, my dog wants his Friday night fish dinner.

Light colored stick-baits, (baitfish immitators), are very productive in bodies of water, where fish primarily feed on bait fish. Minnow immitators, such as Lucky Craft, YoZuri, or the like, light or whitish in color, that resemble emerald shiner, smelt, or equiv are most productive in clear bodies of water in the northern regions, such as Wisc, Mich, Minn, Canada, New York, Ohio, etc. The larger size Lucky Craft, like the Pointer 100, in Pearl Ayu or the like, has accounted for some HUGE Smallies. A very popular lure smallie hunters use in Lake Geneva, Green Bay, Washington Island areas and Michigan, as well as other northern region lakes. Rapala has introduced "glass-like" minnow type baits, in recent years. 1/2 - 1oz size double willow spinner-baits, are another good choice, for fishing deeper waters. Yamamotos 1oz double-willow spinnerbaits are designed to run deep and can be run fast without the "rolling" motion that results with most other large spinnerbaits. The Senko, light colored #301 (watermelon over creamy white) is an awesome lure, fished shallow or deep. When deeper water fishing, rig the Senko on a dart-head jig, and get some amazing results. When falling, the dart head jig swims erratic, side to side or waving motion, vs falling straight down like when using a ball-head jig. Cast it out, allow it to fall to the bottom, pause, and reel in the fish. Its pretty much that simple. Allow it to fall on slack line, or allow it to fall on a taught line (cast it out and close the bail---with the bail closed, the Senko will swim on a slanted direction, akin to a baitfish swimming in a downward direction, vs a nose dive). Bait fish contain higher protein over crawfish, hence the fish will grow larger in bodies of water, where fish feed primarily on bait fish. In lakes where there is an abundance of crawfish, such as in rocky areas, fish feed on crawfish--- hence a crawfish immitator can be is more productive. In bodies of water, where there is a low population of crawfish, then the baitfish immitator seems to be more productive. In clear bodies of water, I scout the shallow water areas, looking for crawfish burrows in the mud or sand bottom areas that contain weed, wood or any visible structure. If their are burrows (holes) present, then I use crawfish immitators, if none are present, then I use baitfish immitators. In rocky areas, I prefer to crawl a jig/craw along the tops. Works for me. PS---The above are just some food for thought--- info you don't get at the big box stores, or read about on other websites

I plan to get out fishing only 4-5 days a week, sometimes only once a day.

Norm, The past couple years, I've found the chatter-type bait more productive over a crankbait. [Less snagging and hang-ups] One exception---the very shallow runners---the models that run less than a foot deep---like a Mann's Minus-One or equiv (Lucky Craft, Bandit, Bomber, or the like). The short puggy wide bodies models displace more water---they're very productive. Square-lipped models are better over pointed lip models---they glance or bounce off rocks, and turn on their side, wiggle a bit before returning to their normal attitude--- this is when I find that the fish takes the lure. Running these lures over grass and weeds, with that SLOW side-to-side wobble, is very productive. PS---water levels will be receeding soon---no rain or thaw in the forecast for over a week. Bring-on the ice!!!

You got that right. When I see an angler get into the water, before fishing close to shore, I head downstream and catch the fish he's chased away.