Are you guys getting ready!?

Dang near the middle of February!!!

Seems like we’ve been in FL for the winter with the temps we’ve been having!

You guys starting to get the itch? Got the FEVA?

I’ve had my shot of Penicillin with re-spooling reels and setting up rods for the last few weeks.

If you have a chance to check out the Team Catfish Tug O War braid. No yellow dust while spooling up the Nuclear Yellow line and although I just have one year on four of my reels, it hasn’t turned white or frayed like other brands I’ve tried. Just don’t let the Bass Guys check out this ultra strong line…they’ll want to change the name to Tug-O-Bass.

’bout 60 short days to the Sturgeon Excursion. How many people will catch the largest fish they’ve ever caught!?

Big Fish and Great Friends!

It’s going to be a Great Summer of 2012! ARE YOU READY?!

ditto, ditto, ditto

New line, now there’s an idea. Tell some more BK, esp for us spectra guys. Does that there yeller glow in the dark? Also, tell some about no roll molds, where to get and how to do? I have a big chunk of lead looking to be melted.

Other than that, bring it on!

Definitely got bad case of cabin fever… tweaked the slideshow scrolling on my webpage, been looking at a few maps already, watched some catfish videos, and was looking at some marine grade 2 cycle oil today while shopping for home improvement stuff…

Reels are on the way to get cleaned ect. List for things needed is getting longer. I too am running out of books ect. Spring can not come soon enough.

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marine grade 2 cycle oil today

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I know what you mean! Give a person the warm fuzzy feeling for just a moment or two.

Nope. Too early. I have a feeling ice might be at Mill Ruins until April.

Three things left to do on the boat/trailer.

New tires
Replace the felt in the trailer guides.
Replace the HDS-8

Then it’s down to P-4…it’s flowing water is beckoning me!

‘course I’m hoping to get out with the camera at least once yet this winter.

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Three things left to do on the boat/trailer.

New tires
Replace the felt in the trailer guides.
Replace the HDS-8

Then it’s down to P-4…it’s flowing water is beckoning me!

‘course I’m hoping to get out with the camera at least once yet this winter.

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Thanks for getting our boat ready.

Watching eBay listings for reels, getting ready for a tackle order, gonna replace a hub on my trailer, planning to rewire the boat and replace a rotten panel. These are what we call ‘good chores’.

Least I could do since it’s your birthday.

I put my stuff away ready for next season. I have dusted them off a couple times. My boat is snug as a bug in a rug in my mom’s heated garage. Batteries ready to go. I need to replace the rope on one anchor. Then Steve should start fishing soon because he doesn’t want to fall behind.

That isn’t a bad price for that line but I like 20lb. They should get some of that..

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I put my stuff away ready for next season. I have dusted them off a couple times. My boat is snug as a bug in a rug in my mom’s heated garage.

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I wish I was this organized. My gear got a little scattered at the end of last season, and my boat…became a staging area in the fall for the $800 worth of christmas wreaths and such we sold to fundraise for scouts.

But, it won’t take too long to be ready once things warm up. Just hoping I can get the old outboard humming for just a couple more trips! And, a vehicle to tow the boat with due to the passing of the old green monster…

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New line, now there’s an idea. Tell some more BK, esp for us spectra guys. Does that there yeller glow in the dark? Also, tell some about no roll molds, where to get and how to do? I have a big chunk of lead looking to be melted.

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Missed your post Bob.

Do-it Molds makes a 2-3-4 or a 3-4-5 oz no roll mold. Seriously, unless you like to make your own and don’t count your labor, it’s less expensive to by the average persons sinkers. The molds are $35. In 2005 with the cost of lead at .35 a pound, buying the Lee melter and a mold, I figured I had to make 200 4ozers to break even. Not counting labor of course. Then there’s always the fumes to be concerned about. Always well ventilate!

I do like pouring as it find it relaxing.

No, the Tug O War line doesn’t glow in the dark, but it does stay high vis. Jeff Williams, the owner of Team Catfish listened to my concerns about braided line. Then he said “Just try it BK”.

I did and now all my reels are charged with Nuclear Yellow. 80 pound Nuclear Yellow because I fish the river and never know what I’m fishing around. If I would only fish the dam area or a lake, 80 is over kill.

Try one reel full. Then you can judge it from your own experiences.

We’ll probably be pouring some sinkers this spring too. Getting together as a group to do this is nice, as you share the costs.

As far as lines like tug o war and power pro, I was hesitant to switch over too. Liked the thicker mono around rocks. But, that was when I first tried 50# power pro. The 80# is the same diameter and is quite abrasion resistant (well, comparable to 20# mono which is the same thickness).

I still run mono on a few reels, but really like the power pro. Well worth the additional cost, imo. (and I’m about as cheap as they come)

I was just thinking about pouring some sinkers. I did it last year with a group, this year I am getting a production pot and one mold and im going to go to town making ingots then pouring flat bank sinkers.

Should be set for a few years when I am done! I had an 80 lb lead block given to me!

425 3ozers!

That should take you a couple years to go through!

If anyone is looking for a pyramid sinker mold, Gander Mountain in Maple Grove had several for 70% off because of the store closing. I don’t know how much longer they’ll be open, but it can’t be too long.

I share the wealth. When a friend comes out fishing I usually give them a hand full. Specially when they have a bunch of egg sinkers in their box! haha.

Haven’t really started yet, but always thinking about it. For the most part I hold out until the flatheads start going good. Usually sometime in April so I have a little time left.

Pour some sinkers, lube up reels, pretie some leaders, etc. All should be starting up pretty soon.

Moose, I though you would be the guy out practicing on channels until the flats kicked in?

You should really consider coming up to the Sturgeon Excursion in April, or at least the St Croix in the fall. I don’t know any flathead guy that doesn’t like hooking into a 48+ inch sturgi!

I would love to give the sturgeon a shot some time, and I know inevitably it will happen but with three little kids at home leaving can be difficult. One of these years it will happen though!

As for the channels, I’m not anti channel, although I can come across that way when they are killing my live baits, but again I fish almost exclusively at night. An entire season of little sleep takes a toll on my towards the end of the season and starting earlier could be problamatic in the long run. Again when the kids are older…

You river guys are purists. I used to hate channel cats too but I’ve converted. I used to fish the river almost exclusively for flatties. I’ve stuck a few big ones in my day. I spent many an hour without even a bite too. If you know what you are doing and use channel specific gear, I’d argue they are better fighters, and more predictable biters. The flatheads I’ve been fortunate enough to catch have been strong hitters and good battles but big channels see the boat and run like hell.

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You river guys are purists.

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Oh Stop It!

If I had your lake in my back yard I wouldn’t be thinking of traveling four hours for flats either. (too often)

I enjoy taking the FW and other relatics out early and pick on the channels in daylight. It can be almost like sunfish action although they seldom get to your average size Kev.

I would have to agree a flat the same size as a channel is kinda wimpy in the fight end.

I agree as well. A 10 + pound channel is a wily old girl who will fight and fight. That’s where a flathead is just taking his training wheels off!

Yup I am ready, I can hardly wait!!!

I don’t know if I completely agree about the fight. It maybe because I fish a smaller river with low current but I find that channels come to the surface and roll, where as the flatheads stay down in the current on account of the broad head.

Where the fight does get interesting is boat side with no net. As long as their mouths are open I can boat em pretty quick those channels though, I don’t like sticking my hands in there!

Size matters, go flats!

A nice channel puts up a good fight! Flat heads are just pure power and test your gear with its massive head shakes and runs. Sturgeon will always trump for the fight! I love the kitties but getting a nice sturgeon right next to the boat and having them peel line all the way back to the bottom is the best!

Channel cats, like flatheads, to me are synonymous with a tug of war. Both can stand their ground better than any other fish. When they are big enough they can pull out line, not with darting lightning speed, but pure brute force.

Flat heads are just pure power >>and weight<< and test your gear with its massive head shakes and runs.

People ask frequently if I had a choice between flats and sturgeon, what would it be?

Way to complicated question. They are so much the same but yet so different. So I never choose one over the other and do both!

Although I have yet to see the tail of a 50+ inch flathead even with my eyes as it comes out of the water. Not that this gives a person a fight, but it sure adds to the “HOLY SHlT” factor! LOL!