this year I vow to ...

[Vollmer]

What are you determined to do/learn/etc. in this 2015 season?

For me it's learning/mastering using crank baits. I've gotten too comfy with my lindys and jigging.

 

[WormWiggler]

Catch some fish, sad but true I was shut out last summer...

 

[Vollmer]

Catch some fish, sad but true I was shut out last summer...

It wasn't easy for me last year either ... not like it had been the previous couple of years.

 

[DirtyMike]

I didn't get out much last year either. My softball and baseball teams played in way too many tournaments and other weekends seemed to fill up with weddings and such. This year there is no softball, no baseball, only one wedding, and I've already had the boat in the water six times with fish in the boat on four of those trips. I feel like everything needs a bit of polishing after being away at school for the better part of a decade. Casting jigs or crank baits has never really been in my repertoire. Those will get the most attention this year.

 

[Vollmer]

I didn't get out much last year either. My softball and baseball teams played in way too many tournaments and other weekends seemed to fill up with weddings and such. This year there is no softball, no baseball, only one wedding, and I've already had the boat in the water six times with fish in the boat on four of those trips. I feel like everything needs a bit of polishing after being away at school for the better part of a decade. Casting jigs or crank baits has never really been in my repertoire. Those will get the most attention this year.

I dumped softball as well ... I'd just rather be on the water or camping with the family.

 

[FishReaper]

I bought 2 sets of trolling rods over the off season. 2 leadcore set ups and 2 superline set ups. my goal is to get a decent grip on cranking. mostly tailrace and big lake.
I want to catch some of the "Other" fish, trout, salmon, ling, gar, stuff like that. most of that i plan on doing as i continue to learn the tailrace. gonna find somebody who is willing to join me and drive my boat downstream and show me the way. so far i stay in the chutes and honeyhole

 

[DirtyMike]

Pulling cranks is something I enjoy doing. It might be a little boring but it's about the only time I actually get to fish and not worry about boat control the entire time. With jigs, you're generally in a common area with people and constantly have to worry about where everyone else is. If I tear off, I have to spend the time tying on and watching where the boat is going, doubling your time out of the water. Back to cranks. I think you can make it as simple or complex as you want. Following dive charts, lead core, down rigging, etc. adds some better knowledge and work load. Find a depth, drop the cranks back til they bounce, reel up a bit and troll away. Play with the speed to see what they like. I generally keep it in the .8-1.5 mph range. I've been going as fast as 2.5 mph some times. Watch the rod tops to see if they have a nice vibration and keep an eye on the graph.

 

[Vollmer]

I bought 2 sets of trolling rods over the off season. 2 leadcore set ups and 2 superline set ups. my goal is to get a decent grip on cranking. mostly tailrace and big lake.
I want to catch some of the "Other" fish, trout, salmon, ling, gar, stuff like that. most of that i plan on doing as i continue to learn the tailrace. gonna find somebody who is willing to join me and drive my boat downstream and show me the way. so far i stay in the chutes and honeyhole

I also, would like to go after those 'other' fish, but I don't think that will be on the agenda this year ... we'll see tho.

 

[Vollmer]

Pulling cranks is something I enjoy doing. It might be a little boring but it's about the only time I actually get to fish and not worry about boat control the entire time. With jigs, you're generally in a common area with people and constantly have to worry about where everyone else is. If I tear off, I have to spend the time tying on and watching where the boat is going, doubling your time out of the water. Back to cranks. I think you can make it as simple or complex as you want. Following dive charts, lead core, down rigging, etc. adds some better knowledge and work load. Find a depth, drop the cranks back til they bounce, reel up a bit and troll away. Play with the speed to see what they like. I generally keep it in the .8-1.5 mph range. I've been going as fast as 2.5 mph some times. Watch the rod tops to see if they have a nice vibration and keep an eye on the graph.

You need to give this cat some lessons, haha. You sound like you having cranking mastered. I do not.

 

[martinslanding]

leadcore…I would really like to add it to my fishing arsenal…I don’t pull cranks much usually shallow 8-12 FOW along the weedlines when they come in…salmos are the lure of choice and the fish really seem to like them where I fish…problem is later in the year the fish go deep long the channel edges in 20-25 FOW, think by using leadcore I can run salmos down to that depth and hopefully put more fish in the boat.

 

[FishReaper]

I also, would like to go after those 'other' fish, but I don't think that will be on the agenda this year ... we'll see tho.

Tail race is my favorite place to fish. Last year I got a good boat and took it down there several times. i stayed in the chutes and honeyhole. This year i plan on venturing downstream. Tailrace has all of these fish so id love to learn how to target them and be a more well rounded Fish Reaper lol. other than that I fish Van hook and new town

 

[DirtyMike]

ha. far from mastered. It's an evil way of fishing, I'll tell you that. The amount of money a guy can spend. I keep it pretty clean though. #7 flicker shads, scheels line counter combos, 10# fireline. I will run some #13 original floaters up at the tailrace. Why #7 flicker shads? Because thats the one free depth chart from precision trolling data.

 

[FishReaper]

Have you cranked the tailrace? will a bait dive deeper than dive chart due to current as you head upstream? Is there a good way to account for current?

 

[DirtyMike]

I'm sure it pushes it a little deeper. Which is why I don't run deep runners up there. Biggest thing to worry about is downed trees. One day, when the river is very low, I'm going to go collect the thousands I have invested in underwater tree ornaments.

 

[sig357]

I dumped softball as well ... I'd just rather be on the water or camping with the family.

Best thing I ever did for freeing up time was giving up softball. Don't get me wrong I loved playing it but found I got more enjoyment in a different field or some water time. Now I laugh at all my buds that complain about the call the umps and other team's being sandbaggers.

 

[Vollmer]

I only miss the McQuade's tournament tbh

 

[Skoalongcut]

This summer I vow to fish more and fish more often. I have a handful of spots I want to try where I have never gone before.

 

[shorthairsrus]

Fish more bass.