kickingfrog

Another point to consider is that back in the day, good casting reels just didn't exist the way they do now, so you either still fished or dragged line.

I'd rather catch fish casting, but I know that when it's done right trolling of often more effective. Your lure is at the proper depth the whole time versus a cast where part of the retrieve is getting the lure down to the correct depth and then part is the lure coming up again and then you cast it again. But again, for me, I'm out to enjoy myself and I don't solely measure that in fish caught. We do troll, but often it's to move to another casting spot, take a break or eat.

I have a bps auto inflate. Zero issues and I wear if all the time I'm on the water... almost. It is comfortable and most times I forget I have it on until I sit in the truck to back up the trailer at the end of the day. That is also why when I take it off to add or remove layers I sometimes forget to put it back on right a way. I always have an extra life jacket on board so that I'm legal if I do forget.

I hope to get out this week as well, but not Monday. My feeling is that rain impacts anglers far more than it does lake walleye and pike.

I've used files in the past and still have it on the boat to be used as needed. Now I've got this and like it. http://www.basspro.com/Offshore-Angler-Diamond-Edge-Hook-Sharpening-Handle/product/10206824/ I have various stones for knife blades but never liked them as much for hooks.

Pulled the boat out and went over it bow to stern and the trailer, tires needed a bit of air. Hooked up the lights and everything lit up just like it should. Fired up the motor and it started just like it has every time since I bought it from Rizzo about this time 4 years ago. Getting it wet next week hopefully, maybe even slimed.

Saw this and was wondering what others had experienced. Digger anchor bail-r-matic. http://www.basspro.com/Digger-Anchor-BailRMatic-Automatic-Boat-Drain-Plug/product/2300255/

I have a 50hp 4 stroke and have never used more than one tank in a day and could likely get 2 days easy for most of my fishing and that's with a lot of trolling and running. I have a second tank that I bring if I'm going a little more remote and don't want to spend a few hours driving to a gas station or want to have lots of fuel for a long run. I like to only use the top half of the tank whenever possible and haven't had an issue.

At the risk of opening a can of worms. If you were limited to a single hook. Where would you have it? For most situations and lures I'd remove the back hook and leave the front hook, or one of the forward hooks if the where 3. My theory is that if the fish are only nipping at the bait and catching the rear hook only then maybe I need to reconsider lure speed and/or lure type. Obviously the balance of the lure is critical and some would work better than others.

It was good enough that when rapala bought storm they changed it. It's plastic, not balsa and has a single large ball bearing rattle.

It's labeled Storm on the lip and I'm pretty sure it's a thunderstick or thunderstick jr. but was looking for confirmation. It's different from the model available now but I seem to remember that they changed it at some point. It's about 4.5 inches long.

The secret to not getting hooked by a thrashing fish is dull hooks.

To hide secret lures? Or lessen the possibility of hook in a body part?

Found some photos from that fly-in trip: Gliding rap Like I said, I tried everything to see what the eyes wouldn't eat up there. Saltwater x-rap: Third cast and second fish of the trip. Topwater walleye:

The smaller gliding rap (top left) was the one I mentioned earlier. After having so much success with it I picked up the larger size. Even the smallmouth like the big gliding rap.

Never heard of saltwater hooks being illegal. Only regs would be 4 hooks or hook points in Ontario, or single/single barbless in some bodies of water.

Not sure this is a really a big secret, and Drifters post got me thinking so I figured some might find this helpful. Sometimes you have a lure that you like but maybe it just doesn't cut it for bigger fish. It might be that the weight just isn't heavy enough to cast well on the rod/reel that you use for bigger pike, muskie and/or lakers or the heavier line dampens the action too much. Maybe the hardware just isn't up to the task, or you simply want to offer something bigger. If that's the case some of us will go for a little salt. Saltwater lures often have that little extra that works great for those bigger fish. Finding them can sometimes be difficult but it seems that more and more brick and mortar stores are carrying saltwater lures even if they are thousands of kilometres from the ocean. If not, you can easily find them online. To cut down on shipping I wait until a place like bps has a free shipping deal on. I just picked up a saltwater popper type lure and a lipless crankbait that I'm ready to try as soon as the conditions are right. The lipless crank is one of my favourites for pike (if I'm not fishing on top) but I wanted something bigger and finally have it. The popper type is another that is just too light on even my pike set ups, but I found this one and it's going to get wet early. The popper is the first saltwater lure I've come across that had hooks that I felt were not suitable so they'll be swopped out. The saltwater x-raps have been used a lot the 8-10 years and have also boated the odd big walleye. The top lures (gliding raps and flatfishes) are for another post and are not saltwater.

Well that stinks, but I guess if it's been that long I'll somehow manage. Now I might be hesitant to use the ones I have for fear of loosing them.

The stuff does go on sale sometimes and you can save a few hundred dollars when is does. Some work stores sell heavy duty rain gear. Some might not be as breathable but when its cold and your sittin' and fishin' it does the job and can be much cheaper.

Ice covered yesterday. Today:

I'd be disappointed if the gliding rap is discontinued.

The super shad rap acts like a floating crank bait. The gilding rap's action is imparted by the angler and its a slow sink/neutrally buoyant lure. The amount of slack and the twitch rate control the lures erratic action. Thinking about that fly-in, the main reason I settled on the gliding rap was that while trolling it was the lure that put the least amount of stress on my arm/wrist. I was on the tiller and couldn't switch arms.

Haven't seen the jointed clackin rap. The sub walk will be tested this year. The gliding rap is great for pike. The gliding rap also caught loads of walleye on a fly-in, but I didn't find a lure that I couldn't catch them on. The gliding rap is very different from the super shad rap.

It's all about how bad you want/need it versus how bad they want/need to sell it. Most of us see haggling over price as distasteful where many parts of the world it is expected and some feel insulted if you don't haggle. If someone wants to be sensitive over an offer that's on them not you.