Thanks for the replies, guys. I’ll have to look up that thread, Gregg.

Thanks for the input, guys. I should’ve mentioned I’m fishing largemouth.

I definitely thought about just going straight braid. This water is very, very clear, but the fish are not pressured at all, so I suppose I might be able to get away with it. Worth a (drop) shot, I suppose.

Thanks for the tip on the FG knot. I saw a video with Seth Feider explaining it…if it works for him, I should probably learn it. But I’m not usually breaking off at the knot — it’s usually down by the hook. I probably should retie a bit more often, but I usually do every trip or two.

Awesome. I’ll make sure to get the *leader* flouro. Thanks, all!

Thank you for all the advice, guys. I’ve always intended to learn to tie my own titanium leaders; maybe I’ll try that. And heck, I’ll even throw some of them on an old-fashioned steel leader. Worth an experiment or two for sure.

I must be using the wrong kind of flouro. I’m losing between 1 and 3 lures most trips, sometimes more. Even for a $5 swimjig, that gets more expensive than I’d prefer.

Thanks for all the helpful replies. I grew up fishing Mille lacs exclusively, and then when they instituted the permanent night-ban, I sort of branched out to a few other lakes where I was able to replicate what worked. I’m often fishing alone, too, so it’s a bit tough with one line to get things dialed in on new water.

I often look for the deepest water closest to shore and start there. And I’m almost always towards the outside weedline or hoping to pull over the tops of weeds growing 1/3 or 1/2 of the way to the surface. Looks like I have some things to learn.

Fishing in super shallow water (especially with lighted boards — my favorite way to get ’em after dark) sounds fun. I’m guessing the bottom is (mostly) clean sand in these areas?

Thanks for the replies, all. Yeah, I fish a lot of 100 lb. stuff for pike in lakes with BIG fish, and we catch walleyes often using it, so I know the fish can definitely get over some thick rope.

And yes, these are pike-only rigs. Catch rates on these lakes are about 100 pike for every non-pike (walleye or bass), at least for me.

I went out today and caught one donkey (21”) on a dock — the first I fished. Boated around the rest of the lake, fishing every dock….and nothing more. There were only a few left in the lake, so I could fish them all fairly quickly.

Went out to some remaining weeds and threw a spinnerbait and chatterbait. Got some more, including one almost as big as the first (20.5”).

Do you have any advice on what kinds of docks do better? This lake had very shallow water for a long ways from shore. The one dock with a fish was very long — maybe 150 ft– and the others were much shorter. I’m guessing the proximity to deeper water was the difference, but with only one fish, it’s hard to make it a pattern.

I love mono for the stretch, hate it for the hooksets. Same coin, different sides.

I’ve taken to using braid probably 80% of the time, with a mono or flouro leader most often. I still use straight mono for some rigging, some trolling, and some river fishing.

Gotcha. Thanks for the info .

Are non-muzzie scopes capable of handling the recoil? With 150 gr, mine kicks pretty good, and I’ve heard that it can cause problems for some scopes.

tim hurley wrote:

Pike keep the tackle stores in business!

Ha!

I don’t know if others have noticed, but I seem to get many more pike on jigworms compared to T-rigged worms. Maybe because I tend to fish the jigworms a little more aggressive and popping them off weeds? I dunno. But yeah, pike’ll eat anything, even plastic.

I’m currently using #15 flouro leaders and they bite through it with ease. I have some 100 lb. + sitting around for muskies…maybe that will be enough.

Whopper Plopper for me…though a Spro (or similar brand) in the pads might take it on some days.

Does water clarify affect how successful they are? I’ve tried them before with zero success (always fishing a very, very clear lake), so maybe that’s it. I definitely don’t know.

My topwater bite has also been bad — starting last year, on a lake that usually is dynamite for it, especially in the fall. I have no idea what’s changed, but I haven’t figured it out, that’s for sure.

FDC, do you mind if I ask what you mean by ledges? Do you mean you’re fishing the shallow water immediately adjacent to sharp dropoffs?

Thanks for the awesome info, FDC and mahto. Prior to this year, I have fished largemouth for probably 20 years, but (amazingly) only on one lake. I’ve really been trying to venture elsewhere, and it’s been a lot of fun fishing new water after two decades on the same lake….but it’s also been frustrating, as I have a LOT to learn.

Last year, my fall topwater bite was TERRIBLE — worst in years. The years prior, it was insane. I have no idea why I struggled with it last year, but I did. Hopefully they get up shallow again this year, or at least I hope to find a lake or three where it’s working.

Typically, my fall pattern has been a frog up shallow, a senko mid-depth, and a jigworm deep. I’ve never thrown a crankbait at a bass in anger, but that might have to change.

michael keehr wrote:

carmike you going to be at Phil’s for the opener

Mike! Nice to see you again.

Nope, my dad has the boat up at Leech, so I’m sticking around home and fishing for some largies. Maybe I’ll head down to the river for some ‘eyes, we’ll see.

How about you guys?

I cycled through the settings (for the umpteenth time), and everything was set at “normal.” I moved everything one way or the other, then back the other way, then back to normal, with no success.

The boat only has two speakers, both located under the left and right consoles.

I’ll check for a fader next.

So it’s not the volume…it only goes to Level 46, and I keep it in the 30’s while fiddling, which should be high enough to hear.

I’ll look specifically for an A/B switch, and I’ll check the manual when I get home for the model number.

What/Where is a selector?

Glad to hear some of you got them. I’m lucky enough to get out 3-4 times a week, and I’m dumb enough to fish memories (at least for a while), and I just couldn’t get them really going on anything on top last year. I’d find a fish here, one there, another over here, but it was *nothing* like in years past.

Oh well, that means it’s guaranteed to be especially good this year, right?!?

That might be a part of it, but I fished a few lakes without public accesses and/or that required a long hike hauling in a canoe on my shoulders. They, too, had very poor topwater bites, and I those fish definitely aren’t seeing many frogs.

Favorite? Topwater, ideally out a ways from cover so I can use a prop bait, popper, spook, etc. They’ll catch fish in surprisingly deep water (if it’s clear), too.

Depending on budget, either 1) drink out of the lake or 2) get a gravity filter.

I’ve been on 30+ trips, always drinking out of the lake at least some of the time, and most of the time all of the time, and I’ve never had a problem. Just get out away from shore, and don’t draw from near moving water.

If that’s not your thing, then do yourself a huge favor and get a gravity filter. Don’t get the Katadyn; instead, go inline like Sawyer or Platypus. Much, much, much better option.

April 18: A naked Florida man in a Publix parking lot kicked trash cans and jumped on and punched cars while screaming “I only had one beer!”

Thanks, all. I’m actually excited to get working on it (that’s not normal for me, but then again, I can’t actually get it on the water, so monkeying on it is the next best thing).

gim wrote:

Switch to artificial lures. You don’t have to keep them alive constantly.

Very helpful.

Kyhl wrote:

I suggest using the boat for a season before you modify the gunwales. You might find that you like stepping on them, in which case, putting rods or rails on them will reduce all those other uses.

I was only thinking about adding two big velcro straps–one for near the reels, one for near the rod tips–for short-term storage when running between spots; the rods wouldn’t be there except for the run. But yeah, I initially didn’t really like the idea of the wide gunnels, but the more I hear people talking about them, I’m thinking I’ll warm to them.

But I do totally hear you re: not making major mods until I’ve had the boat for a while.

welliou wrote:

I have a Alumacraft Trophy also and while it has ample rod storage, I wanted a place to store rods when fishing. I added a 4 place rod holder between the rear jump seats. Usually it has 2- 3 rods and the landing net in it while running to the fishing spots.

I was thinking about throwing either a cargo net on that space to hold loose tackle boxes, especially during trolling runs, or adding a small LED light near the floor to light it up while out after dark.

Has anyone added velcro straps up on the top gunnel for short-term rod storage. Or maybe that’s a terrible idea. Good way to lose a rod or two.