</quote>
Your right, and that’s where the jt spring bobber rod come in to play.
[/quote]

Now that looks like the ticket. The sickness is upon me!

So here is my deal: I mainly panfish during the ice season. Panfish bite very light from say January – February. Therefore, I swear by spring-bobbers. The best, I have found, is the St. Croix black series with the light spring-bobber and a 3mm tungsten jig. Money set-up. It detects the most wee, tiny bites. Sometimes, I might even be imagining that the little spring just dipped slightly. Boom, set the hook. Game on.

I haven’t gotten the sickness for custom rods yet, but I feel it tugging me. What stops me from going the custom rod/expensive rod route is the spring-bobber thing. I just can’t imagine the so-called “noodle” rods doing what a properly tuned spring-bobber can do.

Convince me otherwise.

I am embarrassed to admit it (a little), but I am running a Masterforce lithium drill, 7 amp hour battery, with a Light Flite, 6 inch auger. The drill was like $90.00. Battery was another $40.00. The auger was $120.00 or something? I sort of pieced it together over time. It makes sense to get the best drill you can.

I am going on two years with zero problems. In a pinch, I have also used a standard Mora auger. Worked fine. I don’t drill a lot of holes, but I would guess that 7 amp hour battery with that drill could get me 40-50 holes on 1 charge. I usually drill no more than 20 holes.

I really like the setup. My only two cents is, yeah, buying a more expensive drill with metal frame, nicer button, and a better overall build is probably the way to go. Stuff breaks. However, as of today, I am getting away with my cheap setup just fine. I treat it ok and don’t let water get all over it. I use the drill all the time at home. Love it.

Like most people, I don’t like to be a contrarian. Like most midwesterners, I don’t like to tell people my opinion or make waves.

However, I wanted to speak out and let anybody who cares know that I am for masks and vaccine mandates. There are so many people who say how tired of this they all are. So am I but it doesn’t make it go away. I don’t hear enough people saying their opinion about why rules matter and we need public officials to protect us from ourselves. I had an uncle die of COVID. My wife is directly effected by it everyday, as a practicing physician. She has watched people die from it. It takes up needed hospital beds. My kids had it just two weeks ago and it interrupted my life and their lives. Why? Mainly because the school took away a mask mandate because people complained and half the school promptly got sick. Guess what, mask mandate back in effect. COVID is real and it is dangerous.

I am also frustrated by all the mandates and rule changes and annoying effect on my life. All the above being said, is it really that hard to wear a mask? Is it really that hard to try and keep others safe? Do we have to make jokes and poke fun at public officials who are just trying to do what they are being advised by the medical community is best? What is wrong with getting a vaccine shot if it helps everybody? What is wrong with wearing a mask? I do it. It’s not perfect but we as a society can swallow our pride, take one for the team, and go about our business. End of story.

I previously used the Diawa Accudepth reels and they fell apart.

My favorite, by far, are now the Penn 209, Line Counter reels. They are tanks. They just do the job and the leadcore weight doesn’t wear them out. Plus they are priced right. Highly recommend.

Is it in decent shape? If so, I will take all of it. What is the final price? Send me a PM if you like.

Huntindave wrote:

But if the DNR observed you actually leaving gamefish on the ice multiple times and having an eagle or any bird for that matter, fly off with your fish, I suspect it would be grounds for “wanton waste”.

Ok. I give up. Call the DNR office on me for leaving fish on the ice for five minutes while I went ten feet away inside my hut to get warm. Obviously, wanton waste. I apologize for telling what I considered to be a funny story. The internet police win again.

Very cool. This happened to me ice fishing last year. I caught some nice perch and left them out on the ice by my hole. Probably five or six of them. I got cold so I quick went in my hub to warm up and fish a bit. Shortly thereafter, I hear some really weird scratching noises outside the hut. I think nothing of it. I wait a little while and, sure enough, more scratching noises outside. This is when I realize something is stealing my fish! I pop open my hub shelter window, look out, and yep, two bald eagles are out there taking my last perch. I was kind of mad! Those were nice perch! I quickly left my hut and let the eagles know what I thought. They just flew away, sat in their trees, and looked at me. Sad times . . .

Thank you very much for this video. This is right up my alley. I obsess about stuff like this all the time.

I really like what the video is doing. I made some pretty good strike indicators out of guitar string, but I think you have much better indicators. I struggle with sensitivity for smaller jigs. This method should do the trick!

PM sent.

For leadcore, no doubt, my favorite rods are:

1. Limit Creek shorty rods
2. Cabelas shorty rod

I like the Limit Creek rods better, they have a little more sensitivity. Both are good rods.

I believe the shorty rods give the leadcore better action. Also, they detect bites extremely well.

I have caught walleye and sauger from .5 pounds to 8 pounds. I have caught lake trout up to 12 pounds. Great trolling rods and more fun than their big bothers to fight fish on.

I appreciate you posting these tips. It makes me remember to be careful. I have had a couple close calls in the boat where crap happened real quickly and nobody expected it. Stuff happens.

Thank you. That is kind of what I thought. I would be walking anyway. I may try it on Saturday morning.

Ok, since somebody started this thread, I am going let my own rant go: it seems like EVERY TIME I am on fish, somebody, invariably, shows up, drills darn close to me or motors their boat close to me. Sometimes, I have worked all day to FINALLY get on some fish (or I may not even be on fish) yet people still sidle up on me. Why are people so lazy? Go find your own pattern. Please don’t crowd me, but, if you insist, please ask nicely. I will probably say hello and tell you what I am using.

I take my fishing seriously and I am creative about finding fish and thinking HARD about it. Inevitably, somebody comes over, stares at me, and starts fishing next to me. I feel like a damn magnet or something. I never do that to people. Figure your own spots out for crying out loud!

Ok, done. Rant over. Thanks for letting me vent.

Ok, since somebody started this thread, I am going let my own rant go: it seems like EVERY TIME I am on fish, somebody, invariably, shows up, drills darn close to me or motors their boat close to me. Sometimes, I have worked all day to FINALLY get on some fish (or I may not even be on fish) yet people still sidle up on me. Why are people so lazy? Go find your own pattern. Please don’t crowd me, but, if you insist, please ask nicely. I will probably say hello and tell you what I am using.

I take my fishing seriously and I am creative about finding fish and thinking HARD about it. Inevitably, somebody comes over, stares at me, and starts fishing next to me. I feel like a damn magnet or something. I never do that to people. Figure your own spots out for crying out loud!

Ok, done. Rant over. Thanks for letting me vent.

I have this belief that people who don’t “like” to eat fish have never had good fish. A lot of people eat poorly cleaned fish with bones in it that is past its prime.

This fish is certainly not past its prime. I would eat that in a hurry. Nice work!

Tom:

What a treatise. I saved this one to my fishing files. I don’t do that often but I would say that your knowledge and willingness to share it in this forum is priceless. Thanks so much!

(P.S. I use black all the time because it works. Purple too. I only go bright during the day for the most part. However, because of Tom’s post, I will try some different stuff).

I am going fishing with my Dad on Friday. He drives up from Iowa and I try to show him a good time. He taught me how to fish. We have caught just about everything that swims together.

I can’t decide whether to take him ice fishing or try Pool 4. Tough decisions but somebody has got to make them.

I don’t post a lot on here but I felt like I needed to in this case.

We all need to pay more attention and be more careful for our little buddies out there. I have children his age and I cried this morning when I read about this in the newspaper. So sorry for him and his family. Let’s all make this death mean something and pass on the message to those we can that safety comes first, especially with kids, and drinking and driving ANYTHING is totally unacceptable on all levels.

Evan Pheneger wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>flanders51 wrote:</div>
I plan on retiring at 50. That is my career change. I may work at a fishing store part-time or something to keep busy. Or not. Fingers crossed.

flanders…I too think about this pipe dream of a retirement at 50….you can plan and plan so much…which I have and I am sure you have too but you never know what life might throw ya in the next 15 or so years!

Hopefully it keeps throwing 401k gains of +20%+

Though that is highly unlikely ha

Yeah, maybe. I only have about 12 more years. I keep crossing my fingers for unprecedented market growth until I reach about 51. At which time I will have safely transferred all my money to totally risk-free bond funds or something of that nature. It’s just gonna work out fine, I know it.

I plan on retiring at 50. That is my career change. I may work at a fishing store part-time or something to keep busy. Or not. Fingers crossed.

I have a 2013 Honda Pilot. It tows my 17ft Alumacraft Trophy and trailer, with lots of gear, just fine. Never had a problem. I go up to Sioux Narrows every year in August with the boat. No problem.

It gets 14-15 miles a gallon with the boat on the back. It gets about 20 miles a gallon by itself for how I use it.

I like this car a lot. Nothing but good things to say.

I have two 5 ft, “The Runt”, trolling rods from Limit Creek: http://www.limitcreek.com/TrollingRods.html

I use them mainly for leadcore. I troll for walleye and sauger on Lake Pepin, mostly. However, I have used them in Canada trolling for lake trout and I have caught trout up to 12 pounds on them.

They work great. Nice action. They make the fight more fun. I am probably going to buy two more. Can’t go wrong.

Thanks for the information. Much appreciated.

Nice report. Thanks.

I am thinking about making an October trip with my dad. However, I am confused. I thought the Lake Trout season in Minnesota ended on September 30? Am I missing something?

Anybody know how the levels are looking this week? I am thinking about hitting Pool 3 at the end of the week.

Thanks.

Thought I would bring this one back. I have really enjoyed learning to be a better jig pitcher this year. Every fish in the river will bite a pitched jig and plastic. I went to sleep the other night thinking about the feeling of pitching out my line to the shore on a light jig and waiting, waiting, waiting until that little jig hits bottom before lifting it up again and hoping for a bite. Sometimes it is a really nice fish on that pick-up . . .

Anyway, the pitching bite has been pretty decent the last couple times out. Fun stuff.

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!

Isn’t it possible that, as human beings, we all need to do a better job of taking care of the resources that nature has given us?

Thanks for the report. I agree that people need to be careful. I got up into the Bay City Flats area and could not get out easily. I end up having to turn around and go all the way back to the head of the lake. Very shallow and annoying. Scratched up my skeg too. If you have a little john boat, probably ok; otherwise, steer clear of that opening for now.