This study is what we are talking about above. I used to have a copy but can’t find it anymore.

The study is still true imho. The walleyes, by and large, go up the Minnesota to spawn.

james hogan wrote:

I got an incredible deal at Sheels. Check out their “discount” rack for rain gear. I got a Stryker bib and a Rapala top both about 50% off since they were singles and they are both the same color and you’d think it was a matching set. Very happy with them and with the money I saved, I spent it on more tackle, gas, bait… you know.

REI also has rain gear on the clearance racks all the time. I got a marmot jacket for like 80% off.

I stopped listening to regular radio about 5 years or so ago. I liked 93X but I can only hear the same stories like 5 times before I get bored with it.

The music they play is terrible and the commercial breaks are almost 10 minutes. I’ll never give up Sirius XM now that I have it.

We lived on Rice Creek in the north metro as a kid. We spent all day, everyday in that mud hole. When I was about 12 we built a small boat and put a 5hp Johnson on it and cruised all over. Those were some great days.

When I moved to CO as a teenager I got into fishing from a belly boat. That was a ton of fun but you don’t see it much anymore.

I still like to wade fish the lake my parents are on. It’s also fun to wade and cast the tail waters up by the Ford dam. I’ve been taking my daughter up there to show her how to fish the last few summers.

The last scene from Top Gun:Maverick with Kilmer was so apropos. Rumor is that his disease was terminal at the time they filmed. He did both his character and the battle that is cancer justice. RIP.

Hopefully Memphis falls apart after the coach being fired. Wolves are playing great but getting into the 6th spot is a challenge.

If you want good but inexpensive then Columbia has some good options. You can get a good suit for about $100.

Grundens is also really good. More geared towards commercial applications but they have lines for regular fisherman.

The Simms suit I have is the best of the 3 but all of them work and have worked in heavy rain.

those critters are starting to be a problem in metro areas for sure. i know of people who have been chased by them when walking or on bikes.
[/quote]

My wife had one knock her off her bike and then continue to chase over by lake Nokomis last fall. Couple guys at the 5-8 club had to chase it off. Since she wasn’t hurt it’s funny as heck..wish I had video.

One will also backup traffic every so often on the Diamond Lake exit. My do gooder neighbors will try and shoo it away until it turns on them. They are mean SOB’s.

JoeMX1825 wrote:

I’m not looking to start a war here, I just have a question and would like some perspective.

How is FFS much different from super powerful binoculars or rifle scopes or practically invisible blinds for hunting? Its technology used to improve outcomes, but it doesn’t guarantee anything… I 100% agree that this technology COULD be abused by folks who have no intentions of following the laws (fish possession in this case) but that can be said about mankind for pretty much everything…

I don’t think that’s the applicable comparison. It would like if you could use thermal imaging for hunting.

EPG (corona in one hand, cigar in mouth, calling shots off the FFS):

“I’m the captain now!”

[/quote]

Solidified my point.
There is a distinct difference between fishing and catching.
[/quote]

Will you take me “catching?” You can drive and stare at the livescope with a corona in hand and I can hammer the fish?

Eelpoutguy wrote:

Totally disagree.
You, the Captain are looking at the screen while others are watching the view.
What’s the difference between you looking for fish on a screen or you look at your mapping or landmarks?
With adding FFS you may have a better chance at putting the people in the boat on fish.

I’ve had it for 5 years and I find myself using it less and less. If being on the boat is just about catching fish then you’re probably right. But, I catch plenty of fish without it and enjoy my time much more.

I have a couple buddies who are religious about SI…will drive over spots for 20 minutes and not drop a line. That drives me nuts. I’d rather be fishing.

To each their own though.

lindyrig79 wrote:

FFS has a different meaning in my book. How about you actually go fishing and not stare at a screen all day. FFS.

This is where I’m at with FFS. I never use my Garmin on open water. It’s great on ice but the last thing I wanna do on the boat is stare at a screen. I probably only brought it on half my ice trips this year.

I see so many guys motoring around just staring at a screen…takes the joy out of being outside and enjoying the time on the water.

I don’t use it on the boat with our daughter. When I’m with the fam I want them to enjoy the time, not have me stare at a screen.

In the pop up ice fishing its different. It was fun to teach my daughter to read the screen and gave us something to do when it was slow.

If it’s slow on the boat we’re swimming or tubing.

It works great in shallow water, especially the scenario you are asking about. If I’m sitting in 15’ and casting up a break I can see exactly where and how the fish are relating to the break.

I think the biggest advantage of FFS is:

1) Finding fish in basins or big expansive flats.
2) Seeing and understanding how fish relate to structure.

The guys that are really good use it to dial in baits and presentation but I haven’t taken it that far. Frankly, I prefer to fish than stare at a screen so I mainly use mine ice fishing.

I’m glad you had a good experience. I don’t know the guy at all…like I mentioned, I don’t have a good reason for not liking him. Something about his demeanor that irks me for some reason. It’s a “get off my lawn” kinda thing I guess.

He’s obviously built a good business…there are a whole lotta YouTube guys vying for views and he’s getting them. I’ll give him credit for that.

The argument the central was good last is the same as saying the NFC north was the best in football football.

If all your teams get trounced in the playoffs it doesn’t matter.

We’re on spring break and I was chatting with a guy wearing a White Sox hat. I was gonna give him a hard time but I had to bite my tongue.

Yeah, Duke looks pretty good. It didn’t seem like they were working very hard to beat bama.

I’m rooting for a Duke-MSU title game.

Last summer I took my brother and his buddy on the river. They were about a 12 pack deep each and tried to KVD a few pound walleye and busted one of my JT’s…he’s like “I’ll pay for it…it’s probably like a hundred bucks, right?”

I told him “yeah, something like that. Just keep your money.”

Good rods have gotten very expensive.

bigstorm wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Matt Moen wrote:</div>
JTX ML is my go to for plastics as well.

I have 2 of them, great rods for sure. That said, I jave never heard anything bad about Elliot tods wither, just havent hand my hands on one yet

Lotta good rods in this category. Comes down the personal preference imho.

JTX ML is my go to for plastics as well.

lindyrig79 wrote:

Wow, what a crazy end to the Florida and Texas Tech game. Florida was all but dead and buried… big win for the Gators!!

Gotta make free throws down the stretch. Missing the front end of those 1 and 1’s killed TT.

Other than Boley using them I’ve heard good things. I don’t know why but I can’t stand that guy.

I don’t think that’s right…my buddy was down Thursday and the temps they found were 39-42. Every female they caught still had eggs and none of the males were milting. I’ve never heard of a spawn this early.

Prodigyboatsguy wrote:

Matt, book says down stream from the mendota bridge. Gives a guy a little room to play with at least. If they stack up not far in it’s open and legal.

Yeah, just a short stretch there. It’s worth a shot. They’ll find baits in the dirty water. My guess is this year it’s a little cleaner with the lack of a runoff.

What a meek effort from the Twins.

Buxton is just terrible but Correa might be worse.

Prodigyboatsguy wrote:

Matt, I’ve seen the old survey about that. With that said why not fish the legal areas in the Minnesota? Or because the water is so muddy you think they can’t even find the baits? I’d think if they run up it you’d be able to ambush a few as they are running up it? But then again they may have already moved up it a while ago.

I believe the Minnesota is all inland waters so you can’t fish it until opener.

You will ambush some fish on the way up but they don’t stack up and spawn in the Mississippi like they do up the Minnesota. I would guess they are moving now and in a couple weeks when the water warms and we get enough sunlight the spawn will start.

Another good batch of games last night. I’m really looking forward to Bama and Duke tonight.

Sad to see only one B10 team left. I didn’t realize the last time the B10 won the national championship was 2002 with MSU.

My guess is we are 2 weeks from the spawn. Seems to usually fall around the 10th of April. The males have moved up and are anticipating the females to be coming through.

You also have to remember a lot of the spawn happens up the Minnesota. So, while there will be some big females on the Mississippi side, many are not. You don’t get a big run to the dam on P2 like you do on pool 4.