Jim J

Tipsy goes away after a few hours in the boat. Secondary stability is there and great. People at first don't realize the boat will stop strongly at a point. They just feel it will start going over. Check some pics of guys siting and casting sideways from their kayaks. If they were tipsy the weight of sitting on the side would just flip it. Here's Chad Hoover. All his weight is on the edge of the kayak. It just sits there.

Maryland Sets Positive Precedent for Improving Fishing Access Bill to improve recreational access along bridges and roads signed into law Lack of access to fishable waters is commonly cited as one of the top concerns among anglers. In an effort to help turn the tide and provide better public access to Maryland’s thousands of miles of rivers, streams and shorelines, Governor O’Malley recently signed into law a bill (HB 797) to promote safe recreational fishing, canoe and kayak access along the state’s bridges and roads. This is a tremendous victory for anglers and can be used as a model for other states to incorporate. KeepAmericaFishing™ wishes to thank the legislators, fishing and conservation organizations, and interested citizens who helped support this bill’s passage. KeepAmericaFishing members supported this legislation and we thank you for helping make passage possible. Maryland’s 10,000 miles of rivers and streams, as well as its 4,000 miles of tidal shoreline, can be difficult to access because adjacent roads and bridges can lack safe shoulders, pull-off areas or parking. These areas often were constructed without regards to access and angler safety. Oftentimes access can be provided at minimal or no cost, but is not incorporated in project planning. HB 797 addresses this problem and will enhance waterway access by requiring state and local transportation departments to consider providing, where reasonable and cost-effective, waterway access in roadway construction or reconstruction projects. Before being signed into law by the Governor, this non-controversial, bipartisan and cost-effective legislation passed the House of Delegates by an overwhelming 130-3 margin and the Senate by 47-0 margin. The bill was supported by KeepAmericaFishing, the Maryland Legislative Sportsmen’s Foundation, the Chesapeake Conservancy, Maryland Bass Angler’s Sportsmen’s Society, and many other fishing and conservation organizations, as well as the Maryland Department of Transportation and Department of Natural Resources. HB 797 would help promote outdoor recreational opportunities for families; greatly improve safety for recreational users and motorists alike; help stimulate the economies and livability of local communities; and enhance the health and quality of life of our citizens. KeepAmericaFishing looks forward to working with other state legislatures and transportation agencies to incorporate this beneficial and non-controversial legislation throughout the country.

John, Thanks and llways thought you should. C and C should involve all forms of fishing equiptment and be inclusive.

Kevin, I took up casting equipment about three years ago due to continually upping the size of baits I was throwing. Spinning stuff just isn't the right thing for large thumpers and 4 inch swimjigs. I matched my casting rods exactly with my spinning rods. All st croix. I like 6' med light fast action. I think you're somewhere around naperville so we live close. If you want to swing by you can try my setup any time. I am on a lake so youcan just go out and throw some different baits. Sucks to buy a rod without trying and then find out you don't like it

Nice looking page. Thanks

I liked the new Plano stuff and especially the chest pak thing

YES YES YES! Great event and a BIG THANK YOU to all that supported us with donations, time and effort. Hey, Mike, can you get a pic up of Craig and the award here? I know a bunch are on our Facebook site but I want everyone to see Craig's smiling mug.

Oh man, did I fail to mention it's all organic and that we are having it catered from Whole Foods? Not a hormone in sight, MSG doesn't even exist, fat content of .0000000009 We would never feed our healthy fishermen and fisherwomen anything other than the best we can afford. Even the Vodka is potato. Ice for drinks from Artic glaciers.

MENU IS SET!!! Fried Chicken Italian Beef Italian Sausage Potato Salad Corn Mashed Poataoes and Gravy Baked Beans I can taste it now!!!!! Last chance for tickets! Get em NOW!

Kevin, Thanks for this update for everyone. Jim

I am writing from business in Sam Diego and wished I could have have made it but.... It's going to be 65 and sunny today.. Great that there was such a good turnout and thank you to Tom and Ed

I will be on promoting the ISA and the Blowout etc. with Bob Macuillius 6:05 WJOL 1340 AM

Ron This is more unique show than the big ones It is in a huge HS that is packed from wall to wall with vendors. In fact there's a waiting list to get in. Vendors in the two big gyms and they also line every hallway. No dead spots or times there. Tinley Park Fishing Show www.tinleyparkfishingshow.com/ Address is in the top post that Scott did. Scroll up.

Lots of great prizes again this year with the same old fantastic home style food we all love. Jeff Tallis (our prize wonder boy) has an even bigger and better prize in store than ever before. Lots of great guided trips, an update on all the DNR smallmouth activities going on around the state from Steve Pescitelli, DNR Region 2 Stream specialist. Another Jackson Coosa on the silent auction table graciously donated by Tom Loo! Fatantastic stream smallmout angler Jeff Little and a great all round time to hang out and talk smallie fishing with friends. Be there and get your tickets now!

When I was young, once a year our family took a vacation to Shawano Lake in WI. All my dad and grandpa new were how to catch panfish. My grandfather used to spit snuff on the bait. We used minnows and crawlers and red worms and line up with the bright pink house. My younger (by 4 years) brother somehow found a jitterbug and would go out early in the morning and walk to a little weedy channel to fish. He started coming back with big (we thought at the time) largemouth. None of us had ever caught a fish on an artificial before then and it was really amazing that this piece of wood could catch bigger fish than we had ever seen. He used that Jitterbug for years. Yes, sorry for your loss and wonderful that you could develop such a nice relationship like that over those years.

He told me if he knew it was that hard to do he wouldn't have done it himself. Came as a kit. He'll probably like it though when he's flying across the lake.

A friend of mine customized his Coosa with a trolling motor. WOW you could make a serious wake with this. Here are pictures of how he did it. http://imgur.com/a/jtPsz#13

Hi everyone, I am working on the Paddle and Trail Give Back Program. They donate a portion of money to the ISA for large purchases there. Canoes, Kayaks, Trailers etc. Just so we don't miss anyone, I would like to know if you've purchased there. What you bought, your name and a generic date would be great. If you want to post here that's fine but if you'd like to do it privately, please email me at: james6031@aol.com Thanks for shopping there and don't let this donation pass up the ISA buy not letting me know. JIm

THANK YOU! Jim

Congratulations. New computers are always fun and work fast. Nice.

LAPTOP!!!!! Do they still make desktops?

Good idea!

If you fall out a kayak while seated more than once you're a dope. Lot's of "opinion" here.

Sorry for posting this late. ISA Show Booth Outline Please read Hi everyone and thanks for helping, we really appreciate it. I bolded the really important statements Setting up the booth. When setting up the booth, make sure everything that is there. Table: If your show has the big backdrop, the small table should remain on the side not in front of the booth. It should clear of clutter (no photo albums). Items on table should be newsletters and bait handouts. If your show has the hanging backdrop, the big table goes in front with the blue tablecloth over it. Again no clutter on the table. Be sure to try and leave show passes where each member of the booth staff has access to them. Leave them at the sign in desk at the end of the day so the next days workers can get in. Each person working the booth should sign in each day they work. An overview of what we’d like to accomplish. Main Objectives: Sign up new members and inform people about the ISA. Handouts: When I work the booth I like to stand on the edge of the aisle and give passer bys a brochure. when I go to shoes there are lots of times I may not stop but when I get home I open my bag and go through stuff I got at the show. That's when some people may look over our material. They may not have time to talk but this gives us at least a chance for a sign up later or may they may check out the website. If they absolute get nothing we have no chance. So do your best to be along the aisle and giving people brochures, continually. This means not the first ten people then get bored and start talking with your fellow booth workers. Each show has about 100 newsletters. Please give interested people who stop and talk a newsltter. The newsletter looks so good and has the best chance of hooking (pardon the pun) a guy to join. Please tuck a Blowout flyer and brochure inside the newsletter. So you only have to give them one thing. I also think a smallmouth magazine will be more well received than a brochure. We also have the ISA conservation cards to give out. So they can get all of that stuff. When handing it out say.... "Ever fish for smallmouth?" Please read over the entire brochure. Use it when telling people about the Alliance You might open with the question: Do you ever fish for smallmouth bass in Illinois? We have some fantastic fishing here in Illinois. Let them know that the ISA does a great deal of conservation in the state regarding smallmouth. Read the brochure! It describes all we’ve done in the last few years. You should use the brochure to list what the ISA is all about. Everything you need to tell them is right there. Go to sale: Tell them it’s only $30 per year and their money goes towards all the great things we do. Tell them if they join now they’ll get a new (as oppsed to used) watr bottle right on the spot and two newsletters with 20 pages of great smallie information. They also get 6 great newsletters a year and we have outings and meetings throughout the state. ASK THEM TO SIGN UP!!! This is a basic function for anyone wanting to sell something. It is well known that if you don's ask them... THEY WON'T!! ASK THEM TO SIGN UP!!! I always ask and the worse thing they say is they'll think it over and maybe sign up online. Tell them the water bottle deal is only at the show and then thank them for listening and good luck fishing this year. Try not to let someone who appears interested leave without signing up. That is our best chance to get them. Once they leave the booth, odds are slim that they will sign up later. Don’t make false (inflated) promises about spots or locations or any other exaggeration. If you don’t know the answer to something, ask another member in the booth. This is not a place to BS about fishing for 20 minutes with someone. I know it’s inevitable that there will be fish talk but try and steer the conversation to joining the ISA. If the person gives you the indication early on they have no intention of signing up, you can ease your way out of it and look for other people walking by. Too many times you spend a half hour with someone who doesn’t join while loads of other prospective people walk by. Don't BS with people (or other ISA members who come by) too much. If you're talking just keep an eye as people walk by and hand them stuff. You can sort of get a feel for people who are eying the booth and slowing down and for those who walk as fast as they can. If they sign up, they get the water bottle and a membership package which should have two newsletters in it and some other assorted stuff. Members who renew at the show can get a water bottle also. Filling out the paperwork Write down EVERY transaction! PLEASE PRINT Filling out the forms legibly is extremely important! Please do not allow the new member to fill in the form, do it yourself so that it can be read. We have to be able to read the forms so the information can be copied accurately. Fill in the entire form. Don’t skip any of the spaces. Credit Cards If the person is paying with a credit card, there are credit card slips in the pouch in this binder. Us the credit card imprinter and fill in the spaces showing what he has purchased and the amount. If your show does not have the imprinter, copy the card information on the slip, including the expiration date have him sign the slip and provide a phone number. Give him the customer copy. Place completed slip in the large pocket in the pouch provided in the binder. Make sure the credit card slip is readable All of the number should be legible. Checks Be sure the checks have the correct date, amount and have been signed. Also make sure to write down the dollar amount of the cash or check on the space provided on the form. Place check in the large pocket in the pouch provided in the binder. Cash Place the cash in the large pocket in the pouch provided in the binder. At the end of the day, make sure the amount of cash matches the total amount written on the new member forms and Blowout ticket form. Leave all cash / checks / credit card slips in the pouch in the show binder. Keep all the paperwork and money together don’t return them separately. Blowout ticket forms Write the name and hometown of each person attending is required. Please be diligent in making sure everything is correct. The end of the show. All paperwork, Blowout sign up sheet, cash and all checks should stay in the binder with the booth and be brought back together. Try and make sure that the number of sign ups equals the amount of money on hand. When packing up, be sure that nothing is left behind. If you have any questions or problems call Scott Ferguson at 630-209-9452 (cell) or me at 630-723-1883 Thanks again for your help and lets have a successful show Jim Jozwiak

steve, we need help on friday after gordon has to leave. if you can do, please post on that thread. thanks