GAMBLER

Complicated? I think it is getting less complicated with all the technology.

JR, Nice pike. You might be a little short on your weight estimates. There was a 40" pike caught a couple weekends ago and it was about the same girth as yours and it went 17.5 on my buddies Rapala scale.

Can't win first when you break the big ones off Steve.

Happy Birthday.

Close the locks and build a ship yard. Ships on the Michigan side can deliver to the ship yard and the goods can be transfered to the ships on the Mississippi side. This way, no more issues with the carp and they can still ship things . This will also create more jobs in the area. You will need guys to work the ship yard and run more ships / barges.

I run my leaders on some of my flies a little longer than most (some as long as 36"). I have found behind Spin Doctors set on the more action side, the hit rate does not seem to be affected.

Some one posted a link on another site that said there is a conference on this topic tomorrow in DC. I will try to find it when I get a minute.

That rod would work. No special guides needed. You will need 300 yds of 50lb power pro backing and a 400 is a very productive copper set up. MAke sure you have a reel big enough to handle all the backing and copper. I run a Penn 345 and the backing and copper fits with room to spare. Lots of guys buy a 600' copper and run it down the chute and let out enough copper for the depth they are fishing. If you buy one from A-tom-mik, you can get them marked every 50' (or 100, I can't remeber).

Happy Birthday Chromeslayer.

Very nice crappie Phil. They are in there but hard to pin point. Saw some of those slob crappies on the camera but could not get them to hit.

Anyone else fishing it? I will be on the North end with the crew.

Happy Birthday Tom.

JR, I think we should get commision off of the sale of the tents, heaters and cameras these guys are going to purchase.

You are right, carp are great fighters. A lot of people look at me funny when I tell them I'm going carp fishing. The mirror carp are very cool looking. I had not caught one until 3 years ago. I ended up getting 2 in one day. How do you rig your hair rigs? What hooks and line do you use? ever try the rubber corn they sell in Cabelas?

Didn't the State of the lake meeting say that the population of alewives was up and the health of the alewives was getting better over the past couple of seasons?

Chris, Corn is our favorite on the canal. My father used to use doughballs but they do not stay on long enough for me. The fly rod with a bread fly and chumming bread on the surface is my favorite.

Carp fishing is a blast. I started back when I was very young in the Erie canal. Still fish there for them to this day. It is even more fun on the fly rod. Very nice pictures. Do you guys use corn and chum the area?

I dip the filets in egg/condensed mile mixture, dip in progresso italian style breads crumbs / parmesan cheese mixture and fry in a fryer. The can also be cooked in a frying pan with butter.

No problem Nitro. This really bothered me. I figured if more people new about crap like this, more people would keep and eye out and call the DEC Tip line and report guys like this.

Nice pics Ray. They look like they belong on a calendar.

Otters all the way. Only downfall I have found with them is visibility. Other boats have trouble seeing them because of the low profile. A flag attached to them can fix that problem.

Sorry for your loss Tom. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. If you need someone to talk to or get you out fishing, give me a call.

My prayers go out to you and your family.

It was a good day on the ice. Tom left out how much fun he had cutting tangles out of his line all day . Thanks Tom for the tasty sandwiches for lunch. When I fileted this pike last night, it had a 11 inch largemouth in it's stomach. Muskybob, trying the reciepe you gave me for fish patties tonight. I will let you know what I think tomorrow.

Copper does not get any fleas (on the copper itself). I use power pro backing and put a 6' section of 50lb. mono between the copper and the backing. You would not get much copper at all on a Diawa 57. Look into the Penns (340 or 345). Look for a used one that has never been used in salt.