Fishing gurus, experts, or just hacks like me???

[dpear]

Ryan,
I don't remember ever losing a muskie.Guess its possible,anything is possible.I do practice catch and release though so its possible you didn't see the release part.Who knows?

[fishwizard]

Somewhere there might be a video tape that possibly wasn't taped over that knows. Somewhere...

[dpear]

Stories,stories stories.I throw hats,don't set hooks,drop rods in lakes,nets in lakes,and on and on.Rumors,lies,slander.I can't recall a single instance of any of it.
There may have been a time or two the fish missed my bait and it appeared it got off but I can't recall a single true loss.

[NETim]

Okay, now I'm beginning to understand the 20 minutes of black screen in a certain DVD I bought.

[fishwizard]

Tim,
You have to flip the dvd upside down and play it backwards to see all that good stuff. All the rigged hooksets, the other guys who hand off the rod once they had a fish on, and the scuba divers pulling on the end of his line, etc., etc.

Actually it's been so long since I've been able to watch the dvd, after loaning it to a friend who never gave it back, that I may have just imagined all that stuff. Try the upside and backwards trick anyways and let me know if it works.

Ryan

[dpear]

I am a recent arrival in Frankie land and have already presented him with numerous mechanical challenges.In an effort to allow him to resume certain mundane tasks,such as making a living,I am presently engaged in trying to actually resolve a few challenges myself and decline the opportunity to respond to scandalous attacks.

[NETim]

Mechanical troubles? Tell me about it. Crawled underneath the boat all day today to fix up a fender full of broken rivets when I noticed that a brake line was leaking. Then I noticed a puddle of gear lube underneath the lower unit.

At least no wheel bearing hubs were leaking oil.

Stupid boats.

[dpear]

Tim,
Sorry to hear about your troubles.Your loss is my gain though I guess cause I never knew til now lower units had bearing hubs.Gonna try check mine today since I don't think anyone else has.
One of my problems yesterday kept me busy for hours.Trolling motor wouldn't work but fortunately Frankies new staff mechanic eventually felt sorry for me,looked into it,and got er going by turning on a 'master switch'.(another new feature I was unaware of.)Pretty soon all these new gadgets will be beyond me.
On a brighter note,I did go fishing a couple hours and scored 4 very big smallies,a few pike and by golly I saw a reddish brown thing behind my Rap that I bet was about 50 inches long.No foolin,I wouldn't swim in that spot!!!
Since you shared some boating knowledge with me,here's back at ya-and this tip is valuable.Always check your boat the first trip out to make sure your rain gear is in it.It rained pretty hard here yesterday.

[NETim]

Thanks for the tip Dick! I am now a fully qualified RangerTrail mechanic. Hasn't been much I haven't done to mine. Fortunately the boat doesn't fall apart as fast as the trailer does.

[dpear]

A hunting buddy saw the last post of mine and sent me this saying its Time I Turned The Page.He's volunteered to pay my tuition to a boat mechanics school.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DR1P4F-4KKA

May not be your cup of tea although these guys do talk about 'east of Omaha' so...????

I guess I'm guiding these guys this year.Quite a gig it will be.

[NETim]

Metallica fishes? Metallica fishes muskies?!?!

Get out of here! No way.

East of Omaha is Iowa but you can't get there from here 'cause the Muddy Mo has UNBELIEVABLE amounts of water in it right now. (and will have for months to come.)

Metallica did "Turn The Page" the way it was supposed to be done IMHO. Seger wrote it but Metallica rocks it.

No doubt it will an interesting day in the boat.

[dpear]

I hear ya on the 'Big Mo',it's flooding our State Capital as I type.
Well nothing definite yet on the gig but everything is possible.Not sure Frankies barge can support all the guitfiddles and amplifiers though if they want to bang and twang in the evening.Could be like July 4th around these parts.

[NETim]

Good timing I'm thinking. Isn't that the week the Vets are up there?

Since our originally planned for two week stay recently got torpedoed by Rachel's evil employer, we only do a one weeker again this year, the week after the festivities.

Don't know if I could put up with all those skinny bikini clad groupies hanging around the band and cluttering up the barge anyway.

Umm... I think I'm adding 2+2 and getting 5 here. Anyway, whenever they're up that way, I'm sure it'll be a great time.

[dpear]

Been home a few days Tim dealing with FEMA issues for our township.Getting 'east of Omaha' is gonna be tough all summer I'm afraid.Still raining,melting and flooding in Montana and with all reservoirs south overflowing,this mess is long term all the way to the Gulf I'm afraid.

[dpear]

It's now official.Some parts of the lake suck(Franks dock)and some are hot(a friends dock elsewhere on the lake).Of course,I'm on the 'suck' end.

[NETim]

It's now official.Some parts of the lake suck(Franks dock)and some are hot(a friends dock elsewhere on the lake).Of course,I'm on the 'suck' end.

Your boat is STILL broke down? Bummer!

[dpear]

The article on 'Confidence' is referenced in this thread for a certain person.

[dpear]

Water movement-the key to most mysteries.

[fishwizard]

Taken from the www.esoxresearch.com article Confidence referenced earlier:

"SIDEBAR
Folks years ago I created a ‘Think Card’ that I still carry in my wallet to help when my confidence level sags.Its merely a checklist of many of the things mentioned above(including a long list of possible structures to consider trying)but it sure helps me in tough times.I believe such checklists are great.


Pete Maina and I are in the process of creating a number of ‘checklists’(including a revised ‘Think Card’) that will be laminated and easy to access.These will be available soon,cover key topics in muskie fishing,and I believe helpful to all."

Dick

Dick, did you and Pete ever make these cards, and if so, are they available for hacks like me to purchase? Some guys are lucky and some are just good, and while I'm neither, it doesn't take more than reading a few lines of articles like this (or put some time in the back of his boat) to know which dp is. It's so easy to get bogged down in that which is muskie fishing, and getting yourself unbogged is as important, or likely more so, than any of the baits or gear you use.

Ryan

[dpear]

Ryan,
No,we never did it.If memory serves(not often anymore),Pete's 'people' didn't see it selling.Like a new book,I've toyed with still doing it but....
Off to clinically measure/dissect water movement.

[dpear]

By the way,I'm getting close.

[dpear]

Since I no longer 'talk' or 'write',I rarely give the musky gurus,pundits and assorted experts opportunities to laugh at my weirdness but here's another opp for them.

'Flotsam'.Yes,you're reading it right,'flotsam'.If you're into 'water movement'(if you're not,you should be)as key to location,flotsam is an easy read this time of year with dead/decaying weeds and other debris being carried by that movement.Find it and you're close to the 'X'.
Enough weirdness for one day.Attaching one of my typical lousy pics-one of two big 'flotsam' fish from this morning.Naptime.Good flotting!

[dpear]

Ryan,
Just re-read my comment about Pete and feel I should say I wasn't being critical or snide about his 'people'.He's in the fishing business and his ventures have to make 'sense' and 'cents'.Mine are usually nonsense in both categories.

[fishwizard]

That background looks like too many different possible flotsam locations to know for sure, but I'm guessing that I've fished it. Could be the other side of the lake more likely, but wishful thinking and ignorance says otherwise.

Ryan

[dpear]

You might have fished there.We may have filmed there.Think 'long point' behind the camera and it may help.The flotsam concentration there is pretty simple-lee side of the point.The issue though without the flotsam is which side is the 'lee' side on any given day?Often different than the wind would appear to dictate but flotsam this time of year doesn't lie.:-)
Frankie and I got in a couple neat 'movements' last nite.In one place the movement carried us UPWIND.Upwind against a very strong wind just before the storm hit.In another,his 36 volt system struggled against the 'movement'.Obviously a strong flow-too strong for them to set up in.
By the way,the place in the pic kicked out a fat 47 this morning.Naptime.

[dpear]

Well got the cabin closed;boat stored at D&S at the Angle and arrived home last nite.While the season is just starting for many of you,it's over for me.It's been a great one for many reasons-not the least of which is the help and assistance and friendship of our neighbors Frank and Laura.My season never gets off the ground without them.Thanks much you two!
Thanks also to all of you that engage on this website,its always fun and enjoyable.If you've got the time,I'd consider a quick trip to Franks.Clear water,near zero pressure and I did very well indeed on biggies.
Second goose season opens in the AM and then my Fall is off and running so won't be here much but good fishing all!

[fishwizard]

Well, good luck in the fields and trees this fall. Any numbers to throw out there on the summer totals? I'm still holding out hope for a trip to Frank's in October, but time and $ are a premium with only 9 months here in TN before we plan to move back up to NE. After that, you can expect me to around bothering things and complaining about not catching fish a couple times a year. I sure do miss the Northwoods, and the good friends who call the place home, whether year round or just for a week at a time.

Ryan

[JBlanck]

Nice to see you again this summer dp. Thanks for the reports and photos. You did have one heck of a season and this time had photos to prove it. I guess now we can believe that you do catch some fish now and then. Have a good fall! (season...not physically)

Jeff

[dpear]

Ryan,
No numbers but lots.Have a great Fall.Take care of the bride and get home to Nebraska.
Jeff,
Nice to see you again as well.Well,sort of.Well let me rephrase that-sort of nice to see you again,for a short visit anyway.I think.
As to the fish,it was a great year,not as good as last but great.A blind pig,a few acorns,it all adds up.
You and your group hit a tough time,hopefully better next year.See you then-for a short visit.I hope.

[dpear]

I'm busy hunting but after my visit here now it's obvious few are willing to chat.Here's a thought-do any of you trollers focus on 'water movement'?
For that matter,how about some trolling pics here when you start getting em?I'm bored so post something dammit.
By the way,a friend went to an area I recommended on a river system(water movement)in Canada last week with jigging blade baits and scored some biggies.See,a few things i say may have merit.
He also caught a 52.25 on a Medussa a couple days ago in the same area.Sweet!
WAKE UP out there.

[dougj@wiktel.com]

Yep!

Starting to get some trolling. I key in on areas with no water movement, but that's just me!

Good luck with the cridders, I'll keep the fish occupied till you get back.

DougJ

[JBlanck]

I just got back from the first real fishing trip in the new boat. The club had an outing on Deer Lake. No trolling but got a couple small ones to slime the boat. Planning on trying to troll a little on Green Bay next month. Otherwise, a couple fall weekends on Vermilion to target some pigs. Still some time before ice so hoping to get out as much as possible. Looking forward to the photos of the pigs from LOTW.

Jeff

[dpear]

Well another classic SoDak waterfowling morning.Instead of kids today,my buddy Argo Man and I took an 89 yr oldtimer.We had a limit of geese and ducks in less than an hour.Old boy(as if I'm young)sat on a bucket and shot his geese but struggled a bit hitting ducks.Great time!
Yeh,Doug,get some big ones!Post some pics as well to keep this place rolling-about the only fishing site I visit anymore.
As to water movement,I troll little so better keep my mouth shut but,especially on the Woods,I'm thinking water movement is what makes many spots 'good' even though we often don't recognize it.Points and saddles for instance.Few would be worth much without it IMO.The movement seems to consistently make those spots 'busy'.
Jeff,congrats on the new boat.Us old guys with older boats could use a ride once in awhile,hint,hint-as long as we fish your spots.

[JBlanck]

dp, the guy you took hunting...was his name Herbert? I've seen a guy named Herbert that reminds me of you so I figured maybe you two got together. Check out some video clips of this guy and let me know if it's your friend.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QsFYCVjp0M

Your welcome in the boat anytime. The spots we'd fish are all your old spots, though, so don't hold that against me.

Good luck in your "off season".

Jeff

[fishwizard]

I admit I check this site just about daily, and it is too bad that it can often go a week or more without new postings. Especially disappointing knowing the knowledge base that reads and comments on stuff here when anything is posted. Still a great site, no doubt. I'm still holding out hope for a trip to Frankies this fall and would like to have pics of big fall piggies to post. They certainly wouldn't be caught trolling, but fishing the same shorelines and structure, that would be for sure. To each, his own.

Southeast facing rock shelf points with lots of open windblown water surrounding them. Those are definitely some of my favorite spots in the fall.

Until then, I’ll have to occupy myself with watching my Huskers welcome themselves into the B1G with a win over those “stinking Badgers” this weekend. Go Huskers.

Ryan