jnapodano

What a great idea, I can't wait to use them for some plastic bait presentations on lake michigan.

Anyone go to this? If so how'd it go.

Yak/canoe isn't a terrible option. You have to pick and choose your days according to weather but there are days when it's like glass that you could take a canoe across to the michigan side lol. The only places along shore that you can access the water safely are the beaches a.k.a barren desolate underwater deserts lol. I have tried it by hollywood blvd and then by the north ave boathouse many years ago and caught a few gobies near that mini lighthouse/breakwall but never any bass. Problem is that there isn't any structure, rock piles or drop offs near the beaches. I think unless you are very good at swimming and don't care if your gear takes a plunge or sinks to the bottom when you must abandon it to stay afloat I wouldn't consider wading into the lake anywhere. The drop offs are too steep, there is often times a current and even when it is clear water the depth perception is off looking into water

Something that provides amusement or enjoyment huh? That means fun is a perspective or a mental outlook and defining it is an individual exercise. You cannot make someone have fun if they don't have the right mental state nor can you ruin someone else's fun unless they allow you to do so(maybe short of telling em a family member died). Personally I always get enjoyment from fishing as I get to be down by the water playing in it. I don't know why but when I'm down by the water the fact I have a fishing pole in my hand is just a bonus. I can go down there and flip over rocks and check out the 15 different lil critters and maybe pick one up and put it on a hook, look at birds and try to mimic their whistles hoping they're in the mood to converse, tear a leaf off a low hanging branch of a tree throw it in the water and watch it sail away until you can't see it anymore. That's is fun. If I never caught another fish in my life I've still caught plenty It's more about the setting and the simplistic interactions with nature for me.

Any chance of getting some of these along the lakefront downtown? Everytime I see someone poaching I tell them the reg's and threaten to call them in(I have a few times with no results btw). If there was as sign in the area I could point to and say "see I'm not just some crazy PETA guy tellin you that you can't eat fish it's just you can only eat certain species of a certain size blah blah". When I see someone with a smallie in a bucket I immediately acquire a not so nice persona, I can imagine the angry face doesn't do me any favors in trying to convey the message whereas just being able to raise an eyebrow and point to a sign would be more beneficial to all. Let me know I could definitely help maintain them.

Good stuff!

Those are pretty sweet. Nothing beats catching fish on something you've made yourself!

In PaulT's original story ethnicity wasn't even mentioned. Racist people should keep their mouths shut they only ruin and weaken the arguments for non-ignorant people. There is nothing wrong with asking someone if they have a fishing license as long the person doing so doesn't identify themselves as an authority. I remember the union instituted a policy like that a few years back(operators I think). You could walk up to anyone else on that job site and ask to see their union card, if they didn't have it you could call a BA immediately and have them removed and their employed fined. Haha more fun to talk about beating up poachers than to take on real issue's like habitat mgmt. You're fighting a losing battle against the capitalist's. It happening all over the country. People with more money get to make the rules, say what you will and I'm sure some folks can point out a few marginal victories but generally speaking that's the way it works. Oh and it generally doesn't favor the conservationists' standpoint.

Haha sounds like something I would do. Everyone has their own comfort zone and most wouldn't take the same approach. I've never been one to shy from confrontation though, things is you have to be ready for whatever response you're going to get as it may come quickly. I see a problem I'm probably the first to gripe and the loudest the longest. Things get taken care of quicker that way. Good for that guy putting the poachers in their place, world needs more men like him!

I still believe in magic lures

I'm an emotional guy for sure, didn't mean to name call or direct that towards anyone at all just an observation I see that has a simple fix. I guess I just can't stand the frustration to lose fish over 4lbs and don't see how the laws of physics would allow such a catch to be hoisted minimum 6ft in the area's I fish. Even if you did get it up I bet you'd destroy whatever part of the mouth/gullet you hooked him in. A solution less than $20(henry's has one that will work for 19) is too easy not to do. A lot of these fish I feel fortunate to get in the net. Actually saw a guy in a boat today doing exactly what I woulda been doing and he was catching fish too

haha fools hitting the breakwalls fishing 20-25 fow when the fish are in a different place. I see it a lot and tell them they look like they're having fun and doing a good job and what a nice boat they have to stroke their ego's when they roll by in the 40k bass boats catching dinks. Break walls are nice summertime spots. If I had a boat I probably wouldn't make it past northerly island right now, what with all those rocky points and shallow 5 fow corner flats and old roadbeds I have a hard time moving locations when I know there are fish where I am at. Those shoals/reefs a bit to the south should be turning on right about now as well, more the outside drop off edge when the wind is blowing the right direction. I can't even imagine what is going on down south in the cal harbor area. Yeah I get pissed at anyone fishing the lakefront for bass without a net. I feel like pushing them in the water. Only thing you're going to do fishing for bass along the lakefront without a net is screw up a nice big fish or drown yourself trying to get it out of the water without one. No such thing as hoisting anything over 3lbs up those walls. Here is doug's other hawg Again sorry for the blue backgrounds. Some of the areas traffic has increased to the point I haven't been able to hit spots I've wanted to the past few years. It has been my experience when you're the only one doing something it tends to attract unwanted attention as others try to duplicate that experience.

I was disappointed I was in texas during this outing. Got out today and slayed them. Water temps were 46-48 in area we fished. Me and a buddy had 19 fish between us in 3-4 hours of fishing. 3 fish over 4lbs and the biggest one was a hog a shade under 5lbs. One of the best days I have ever had from shore. The bite has definitely switched to green pumpkin & charteuese, the silver/red/black got no action today. All baits had glass rattles inserted in the plastics as well. Presented on 1/4 oz hand-poured/hand-tied heads. Only retrieve that produced was an "Erie drag". Fished some wind blown rock piles I know of from previous outings with clearer water. Found a nice school of fish and brought the bait up from the deep side to top of the rock pile and got banged almost every cast when the bait got to 5-7 fow for about 45 minutes. Everyone else I saw fishing was catching fish as well, smaller ones

I'd love to make it but will be in Texas that weekend.

Maybe ten years ago, having only seen river and "small water" smallmouth, I might've had my doubts as well having caught a few 21's in the 4lb range. Lake Mich smallies are almost like a different species, there is no comparison in girths with river fish, none. Something else you can call me a liar and fool and "oh the kid doesn't know what he's talking about", I bet the only way someone holds the new state record for more than a few years is if the fish is 8-9lbs or larger or they change the laws so you can't fish Lake Mich anymore, how long do you think that fish will measure. My guess is no longer than 23-24 inches.

I'm not a betting man but if I was I'd take out a 2nd mortgage that record is broken very soon. Dale Bowman only mentions old-timers in his articles