31Airborne

Confessions of a [fishing] crack addict.

Softy - I still have much of my old stuff. It still doesn't catch fish. Buying a new gizmo may not help that but it sure makes me feel better . . . well, for a little while. Then it goes in the pile w/ the old stuff that doesn't catch fish. Airborne is a tackle hoarder. That said, what fisherman isn't???

I don't think so, Steve. I think it's all about feel - being able to detect the slightest of changes in weight or movement.

Wes - the trend these days is for lighter rods. I'm gonna guess the action differences you're experiencing are a function of the newer, lighter weight rod blanks. This hasn't been an issue for me because I like a little softer tip. Enhances sensitivity and casting distance. B

I believe the change to new, ethanol-resistant material took place in 2007-2008. Anything before that would be considered 'old'. Would be worth the time and effort to check out your fuel lines, filters.

^^What Andy said. Every Merc tech I've known says blue Sta-bil is the additive of choice if you have to run ethanol fuel. To a person they say run pure gas if you have the option. I go out of my way to get pure gas for my sled.

Ssshhhhhhhhh!!! Before you go to the lake be sure to check performance in a sink, tub, or better yet a fish tank. You want the bait to sink nose first. You may need to play around w/ placement before you get it just right.

Not dumb, Steve. You'll find them in the terminal tackle section of any tackle shop. I get them from TW - just type 'suspend dots' in the search engine.

Jamie - the slow sinking effect can be killer, esp in colder water. Think about it: when the shad die they kinda slowly fall to the bottom. Easy pickings for predator fish. A couple of strategically placed suspend dots is all it takes. And they won't affect the action on the bait when you're working it. Not much to figure out. You're still gonna give the bait those long pauses. Now, instead of just sitting there the bait is slowing falling. Doesn't get any subtler than that. I keep a tray of jerkbaits (all sizes, colors) doctored up to do this.

The MB Ito Vision 110 is my go-to jerkin' bait. The LC Bevy Shad is a very, very close second.

My FoM partner drives an FX21 w/ the 250 SHO. That motor is a beast. Best hole shot ever, quiet, smooth running, and as fuel efficient as advertised. Boat is a superb fishing platform - stable, smart layout for storage. The FX21 performs equally well in calm or chopped water. It's a very smooth ride.

I strongly recommend keeping the 24v system as an option. The dwell time you'll have w/ the 24v set-up is significantly more than w/ a 12v system. If it gets windy or you get into one of those power-fishing days you'll burn thru that single batt in no time. Lots of lighter weight battery options out there.

The short answer is baitfish. It's about tome for that fall feed so the predator fish are keying on bait. Recommend using your electronix to learn where the baitfish are holding. If they're deeper spoons, drop shots, or a heavy swimbait head may be the best way to get something in front of feeding fish. If the fish are suspending you might consider a damiki rig or a-rig. A weightless fluke would be a great way to target fish working the shallows or holding on wood. I was on Cherokee 2 weeks ago and the topwater bite was killer. My next presentation was a squarebill - they wore that out, too. As the sun came up I switched to the jig and c-rig. This set of patterns held up for the entire week I was there. Everything I did, every place I stopped was based on the presence of baitfish. If I didn't see baitfish I didn't fish it. The transition from dead of summer to fall feeding can often be a fickle time for fish. Recent heavy rains can have an effect, good and bad. A little bit of time spent over your electronix can help break the code as to where the fish are holding.

good luck with the move, doug. hope it goes smoothly.