Garry2Rs

Raf...Twenty-seven years of shift work in steel-making at Dofasco...grin. Brian...You have mail!

Blood is salty so that taste is often given as a reason for using salt in the plastic. Salt also reduces the buoyancy of the plastic and makes the bait heavier. The original Senko has a very high salt content and was designed to weigh 3/8 of an ounce. That weight is important because it allows the "good-old boys" down south, who don't use spinning gear, to cast them with their bait-casters, without using a sinker. The loose salt in the bags of some brands is only window dressing in my opinion. The Senko's are known to tear easily. I believe that this is because of the high salt content. They were designed to be just slightly heavier than water, that slow fall is what makes them so deadly. Garry2R's

Brian...Glad you like the picture, I you want a larger version let me know. You can stop nagging about my ratty front seat, I have a new butt-seat on back-order at Cabela's Jim...That's the wrong formula. A water temperature of 55F = 12.778C. The daytime high of 80F = 26.667, but it's a dry heat so you can round it down to 26C...wink!

Hello Frozen Folks; I hope all is well in the land of Ice and Snow. If you are drilling holes in the hard water, I hope your luck is good. Our water is quite soft, and about 55 degrees so the Bass should start thinking about spawning in another few weeks. We are well and enjoying the weather. Buck continues to swim whenever he gets the chance. While I prefer to stay in the boat My daughter was here for a month and we did the tourist thing...like visiting Mexico and trying on big hats. And some non-serious fishing... We had lots of fun on the water even if we didn't fish very hard... One day while taking trying a few cast during a boat ride, I caught a broken line which had a Rattle-trap on the end... "This" I quickly said, "calls for a picture!" Not to be out-done she struck a pose with this box of candy. Buck and I went fishing at Martinez Lake yesterday. That's a flooded backwater of the Colorado River, just north of town. It was very windy and no one I spoke with had any luck. We have clear skies a real "Blue Bird Day" so it wasn't surprising that the fish had lock-jaw. It was however a fine "T" shirt fishing day and on the 17th of January you have to like that... Notice that I said "T" shirt because I don't want to mention that it's around 80F. this week. I won't say anything else about the weather because I know that some folks are having non-Dairy Queen blizzards...GRIN. We are expecting a mid-week cold snap...down to 73 or 74...Brrrr! On the way home we saw a nice White Tail buck walking beside the road. I whistled to get him to stop and look my way... We will be home about the time that Crappie season opens...if the snow in my driveway ever melts...HAHAHA. Garry2R's

You don't seem to have any Senko 4 or 6 inch worms. The curly-tail ones you have are okay, but the straight "Bic Pen" style Yum-Dinger or Senko worms are my personal favourite. You can fish them wacky or weightless Texas rig them. For basic colours, I like Carolina Pumpkin with a Chartreuse tail, Watermelon with Red or Black fleck, Motor Oil, and Root Beer a translucent reddish brown colour that is called Camouflage by the no-name generic worm maker in my area. To start the day, I try to match the colour of the worm to the bottom...green over weeds, browns over sand or rock.

I don't know what your budget is, or what the sale price is, but the Shimano Cardiff CDF 300 and 400 are normally about the same price as the Pete Maina reel. If the BPS reel breaks down you might be able to get it fixed...Or you might not. The longer it lasts the poorer the chance that there will be parts available. The Shimano reel can be repaired at any time in Peterborough. I would get the Shimano. The Abu "C" series are a very old design. They sit high in the reel seat and aren't as stiff as the more modern one piece frame designs. On the other hand they are cheap and if you keep them oiled they will last a long time. They can also be repaired easily when they need it.

On spinning reels I use tape on small spools like ultra light's and mono backing on larger reels. My casting reels, all have the arbors drilled to lighten the rotating mass, so I pass the line through two holes and tie a knot.

Nice stuff! I have soft water and the Bass season is open...If you would like to send them to me, I would be happy to water test them for you...GRIN.

Winds from the north at 11 MPH, sunny and 59F in Yuma Arizona. The forecast is for highs of 72F all next week. The nights are cool...around 40F, but it warms up fast once the sun comes up. The Bass fishing has been slow, but I have my daughter here for a few weeks, so I don't get out much. By the time she heads home the pre-spawn bite should be on...at least I hope it will be.

I use a6.5 ft. StCroix rod like yours for unweighted Senko's year round, for stocked trout in ponds, and for Crappie in the Spring. Last summer I used it for drop-shotting, but recently I bought a slightly longer rod for that technique.

Buck and I will be looking forward to seeing you-guys in the Spring. We will be back around the first week of April. Maybe we can do something for the Pike opener again!?!? Garry2rs

I have had good luck with the BPS Extreme series of rods...I own three. The US price is $99.00, but all BPS rods regularly go on sale for 1/3 off! Therefore, in my opinion, you should only be buying BPS rods when they are on sale! The Extreme's are rated at 60 Million Modulus, which should make them about IM8...About the same as a Shimano Compre. In fact I find them a little heavier in the hand than the Compre's of equal size...but they do cost a little less when on sale!!! On the other hand, BPS rods only have a one year warranty, so if you break it after that, it's your tough luck. My best advice would be... Since Shimano Compre's run about the same price and carry a lifetime warranty, I would look at them first. Garry2rs.

While my Musky reel was at the doctor, I once put a 6 to 1 Chronarch on a musky rod and tried to use it to crank Bucktails. The drag from those big baits made it very hard to reel them in. I thought I was going to sprain my wrist. Take it from me, your 5 to 1's will be your favourite reel whenever you are using big baits and deep divers. Garry2R's

It's okay to laugh, but please don't disrespect Bill Dance. This man was B.A.S.S. Angler of the Year in - 1970, 1974 & 1977. Fishing in B.A.S.S tournaments he won 7 of the first 17 events he entered He is credited with popularizing the famous "Carolina Rig". He has written seven fishing books and has been on TV since 1968! That's forty years my friends... Here is a short list of the awards he has received... -1978 Congressional National Water Safety Award [Past Recipients: Lloyd Bridges and Jacques Cousteau]; -US Army Corps of Engineers Commander's Achievement Award for Water Safety, 1999. -Inductee: National Freshwater Hall of Fame, 1986. -Professional Bass Fishing Hall of Fame, 2001, and inducted into the International Game Fish Association Hall of Fame, 2006. -National Water Safety Spokesman for the US Coast Guard, 2005. -Male Professional Athlete of the Year, Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, 2006. -President's Award, National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA). This man is a fishing icon and a living legend.

Congratulations on a nice catch!

The conventional wisdom is that you should match your bait's colour to the bottom where you are fishing. Natural camouflage will turn the bait fish, crayfish etc. to the same colour as the bottom.

I found OFC, on one of the search engines in late 2000 or early 2001. Over the next few months I checked the board periodically, but it wasn't until that summer that I got hooked and became an inmate. The key was a guy named AndyK. He was a newbie who was fishing every weekend and posting reports of his adventures, and misadventures...He made all the rookie errors and was the sort of unfortunate type that things just seemed to happen to... The best part was that he always told the stories with a straight face, without trying to cover-up or explain-away his errors. Although his English is perfect today, in those days it wasn't the best. Sometimes as his stories unfolded I laughed so hard that there were tears in my eyes. I made OFC my home page just so I could follow his adventures. The core group of the board was pretty small in those days, Muskystudd, GaryV and his buddy Alan, Kronic and his buddies, Capt. Hook, Cory, Spiel, Marty, AndyK, Roy and a few more I remember very well like...Mikeo and Canadave...Mikeo liked to tease Muskystudd, but he also started a lot of good threads. The classic was a thread about fishing line...that became a rope...hahaha. When it finally ended I won a hat and tee-shirt for squeezing in the last post. Of coarse I remember Canadave and his famous 2AM rants about politics and life in general...HAHAHA. Here's the motley crew of June 2002...

Store Info | My Account | Catalogs | Site Map | Gift Cards | Email Newsletter | Clearance Product Search Article Search Freshwater Fishing Fly Fishing Saltwater Fishing Hunting & Archery Camping & Auto Marine & Electronics Men's & Ladies' Clothing Men's & Ladies' Footwear Gifts, Home & Golf Home Gear Wish List View Cart O-Wacky Tool Ideal for rigging Sink-O style worms wacky style. Prevents the hook from easily tearing out. Just insert the lure into the tool, slide the o-ring over the tool onto the lure, and insert the hook just under the O-ring. Includes 10 black O-Rings. Replacement O-Rings sold separately and can be found through item search at item number 38-425-800-01 or 38-425-800-00 Place Order Below Overall Rating 4.6 out of 5 Rating Snapshot Rating Snapshot (8 reviews) 5 stars 6 4 stars 1 3 stars 1 2 stars 0 1 star 0 Read all Reviews Have you used this product? Write a Review Share this Product: Product Reviews Outdoor Answers Get help about this item from fellow customers. Ask your questions. Share your answers. Be the first to Order Qty Item Number Description Size Your Cost 38-425-802-00 O-WACKY TOOL 1/2" x 5" $5.49 __USERID__ http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/s..._-1_10001_95042 Product Reviews Review This Product Choose a sort order Featured Reviews First Expert Reviews First Staff Reviews First Top Contributors First Date - Newest First Date - Oldest First Rating - High to Low Rating - Low to High Helpfulness - High to Low Helpfulness - Low to High Length - Long to Short Length - Short to Long Top 500 Contributor Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 Simple but effective, July 20, 2008 By BassBusta from New York (read all my reviews) "This tool has saved me plenty of senkos and more importantly it does not hinder the falling action of the bait or the hookset in any way. If you fish senkos often you should seriously consider using this tool." What is your favorite type of fishing?: Freshwater How many times a month do you fish on average?: 5+ Do you own a boat?: No Would you recommend this product as a gift?: Yes Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report Inappropriate Review) Share this Review: Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Great tool, June 24, 2008 By basstrack from Cedar Park, Tx (read all my reviews) "I really like this tool. It allows you to install an 0 ring without damaging your worm/senko. It allows you to use multiple colors or worm types without damaging the worm and re-use them. I have found I loose less worms and have probably paid for this device through saving of worms." What is your favorite type of fishing?: Freshwater How many times a month do you fish on average?: 5+ Do you own a boat?: Yes Would you recommend this product as a gift?: Yes Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report Inappropriate Review) Share this Review: Top 50 Contributor Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 Clever idea, May 28, 2008 By Greatoutfit from Branson, MO (read all my reviews) "It was a good idea but I don't think it saves you any time rigging lures wacky style. I also don't care for the price when its not really much more than a metal tube." What is your favorite type of fishing?: Freshwater How many times a month do you fish on average?: 4 Do you own a boat?: No Would you recommend this product as a gift?: Yes Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report Inappropriate Review) Share this Review: Top 100 Contributor Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 Excellent product, April 25, 2008 By BASSFISHINGMASTERMIKEY from sterling heights Michigan (read all my reviews) "I recently bought this o-wacky tool at a local fishing show, and I'm very glad that I did. This wacky tool is simply amazing, it makes it so much easier to rig a wacky-rig. This tool is also very lightweight and small so you never have to worry about loosing it, and if you did lose it, you can easily buy another one because these things are priced great. This tool is something that every fishermen needs in his tackle box. Overall this is an excellent tool, I would recommend it to everyone." What is your favorite type of fishing?: Freshwater How many times a month do you fish on average?: 2 Do you own a boat?: Yes Would you recommend this product as a gift?: Yes Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report Inappropriate Review) Share this Review: 1-4 of 8 Next Page 0 Questions | 0 AnswersOutdoor Answers Get help about this item from fellow customers. Ask your questions. Share your answers. Q&A HOME BROWSE Q&A SEARCH Q&A Be the First to Ask a Question! Policies & Guidelines __USERID__ http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/s..._-1_10001_95042 = Bass Pro Shops® Branded Items O-Wacky Tool Replacement O-Rings $1.19 - $1.59 Gamakatsu® Weedless Finesse Wide Gap Hook $4.49 Gary Yamamoto Senko - 7'' $5.99 Bass Pro Resources Customer Service Frequently Asked Questions Contact Us My Account International Orders Site Map Sizing Information Recall Information Rebate Information Embroidery Services Company Info About Bass Pro Shops Career Center Company News Newsroom Corporate Incentives Affiliate Program Outdoor World TV Privacy Policy Outdoor Reward Program Vendor Relations Outdoor Library Video Library Featured Articles Product Reviews Outdoor Basics Buying Guides Talk Forums Braggin’ Board Fishing Knot Library Online Lake Maps Fishing Calculator more... Destinations Our Stores Our Restaurants Tracker Boats Big Cedar Lodge Wonders of Wildlife Gaylord Hotels Vacation Ownership at Big Cedar Useful Links Hunting/Fishing Licenses Dealer Program Government Program 1-800-227-7776 Freshwater Fishing Fly Fishing Saltwater Fishing Hunting & Archery Camping & Auto Marine & Electronics Men's & Ladies' Clothing Men's & Ladies' Footwear Gift, Home & Golf Prices shown are in U.S. funds All pages © 2006 - 2008 Bass Pro Shops Outdoors Online LLC. All rights reserved.

The point is now mute. The reel I was looking at has been sold. The facts seem to be that the BPS catalog was wrong! There is a half ounce difference in weight. The catalog may have gone to press before the reels were actually released. The frames seem to be the same. The spool does have a smaller arbor to give you added line capacity. There may also be some other small mechanical differences. Thanks for all of your in-put guys. 2R's

I'm looking in the BPS catalog and the two reels weigh the same. The only difference I can see is line capacity... Is there really any physical size difference, or does the 3000 just have a spool with a smaller arbor?

My set-up is 10 or 20 pound Power Pro braid, a 3/0 EWG worm hook and a spinning rod with a no-name Senko type worm. Push the hook point through the centre of the worm so that both ends are about the same length and can wiggle as the bait sinks. I prefer to fish the rig weightless. The weight of the hook will cause the worm to sink slowly. In deeper water some folks use weighted hooks, to get the bait down faster. Toss the bait next to docks, boats, rocks and weeds. The open hook point will snag in heavy weeds or if you throw it into fallen trees etc. If you have some heavy cover areas to fish you might want to switch to a Texaposed rigging for those spots, or use a hook with a wire weed guard. Try to throw some slack into your line after the bait hits the water. Watch this slack line as the bait sinks...the slack acts as your strike indicator or "bobber." If the line picks up speed, or starts to straighten out, or moves sideways, tighten the line and set the hook! Smaller Smallmouth Bass in a school will sometimes grab one of the loose ends of the worm and run. If they drop the worm when you set the hook, open the bail, toss slack back into the line and wait a second...they might pick it up again, or a rival might grab the falling bait. If the bait reaches the bottom, do nothing for a few more seconds...The bait appears to be dead or drowning, so unless there is some competition, larger fish aren't always in a rush to get to the bait. If nothing happens, take up the slack and feel for weight. Sometimes a fish will suck the bait up and not move off with it. If there is no weight, lift the rod tip to jump the worm a couple of feet off the bottom and let it sink again... If nothing happens again, reel-up and cast again. You can retrieve the worm using short tugs and pauses. This works very well for my 9 year old neighbour, who lacks the patience to let the worm sink and rest for very long...grin. She will tell you that the hardest thing about this technique is just doing nothing and letting the worm work for you! Good Luck Garry2R's

I was very sorry to receive this news. I met Gary at the first Lakeair trip in 2002 and we have stayed in touch ever since. My condolences to all. Garry2Rs

Fresh Water Drum AKA Sheephead are a food fish that is harvested on the Mississippi River accord to an article that I read. The problem when cooking them is there is little or no oil in the flesh, so they are very easy to over cook. When over cooked, they are as dry as cardboard. I have eaten them and found the meat to be pure white, without any particular flavour.

Your right about AndyK. having a hand in creating the website. In "Think and Grow Rich" Napoleon Hill suggested that it isn't necessary for a person to know how to do everything he needs to do, if he surrounds himself with smart friends...grin.

August was another terrific month for fishing in my area. To save gas, all the lakes I fished were within a 10 miles radius of my house in the North Kawarthas. It rained a lot for the first three weeks of the month...thank goodness that's over...for now...hahaha. Here are a few of the pictures we took in August. Not all these fish are big ones, but they were all significant to the angler in some way... Like their first fish on a certain type of bait etc. Today was September first, so let me tell you how this month started... I went prospecting and launched into a small lake were everyone knows there are tons of little SMBass but no "Big Ones" I just knew that those little ones had to have Mommies and Daddies somewhere...GRIN. The red head from next door caught a 2 pound 3 ounce SMBass on a 4 " Carolina pumpkin Yum Dinger with a chartreuse tail. The fish was in deep water between two shoals. I caught a 19+ inch 3 pound 3 ounce SMBass on a 5" Watermelon no-name Senko with a chartreuse tail. This fish was off the end of an island where the water dropped to 20+ feet. It required a little patience to wait for the weightless worm to sink that deep, but the pay-off was..."Sweet!" Garry2R's PS... I have a new website for my guide service. It's not quite 100% finished but you can check it out at http://www.muskystriker.com/let'sgofishing Let us know what you think... Thanks. 2R's