Conference wahoo::fishing

    Ed
    
    Lets not forget the new sticky worms; rubber worms with velcro built
    in.  The theory is that the velcro catchs on the bass's little teeth to
    give you that nth second more to set your hook.   
    
    My all time favorite this year is the bubblegum worms and lizards.  
    Seems the pink goo is supposed to be good on bass too. 
    
    I think that once again if someone will buy it someone will make it.
    
    Although the velcro thing just might work so I bought some of them,
    hmmmm come to think of it maybe the bass might like bubblegum I
    wonder.....
    
    The Bassassin (always willing to blow dough on a sure thing)

    Yeah, I forgot about the sticky worms, but I didn't want to overload
    the topic right off anyway. I read an article about the sticky worm in
    Petersen's Fishing magazine, and the inventor of the worm was hauling
    bass around by the sticky worm alone, without even setting the hook.
    When he was wanted to let the fish go, he just gave it some slack. 
    Sounds like it might work, but I haven't bought any yet. I'll wait to
    hear from people in this file before that.
    
    Bubblegum color. I wonder if it's flavored too. I thought it looked
    stupid, but my wife thinks it would work. I better get a couple, eh?
    I could always stick them under the seat of the Crawdad. Ha ha!
    
    Ed

    
    Bubble gum,Hmmmmmmm. Just a word of caution and a buck saved. At the
    local tackle store i go to, thiers this 8 lb bass thats mounted and it 
    has a bubble gum worm hanging from its mouth. I asked the guy" that
    worm didn't really catch that bass did it?" he just laughed and said
    " the only thing that catches is fishermen, want to buy some " 
    
    the sticky worm  sounds real good. the best part is they are
    CULPRITS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    
    MARK

    Hi,
    I am not a normal writer in this notes file but just had to say
    something about Bubble gum worms. Last year I fished at a campground
    that had a fishing tournement and I won it with a 4.5lb bass and you
    guessed it, I caught it on a Bubble gum worm. In fact the week I was there
    I caught all my bass on Bubble gum worms (two types, Bubble gum colored
    and Bubble gum with Blue flakes) So don't laugh at the color of the
    worm, IMHO it works.
    
    Thanks
    
    Dick Greenaway
    

    re: .4 Now you did it. Why did you tell them?  :^)   :^)
    Dick -- now they all know. 
    Two years ago -- bye the way -- I offered the Bandit these for a buck
    apiece before we started to fish. He was making really foul remarks
    about them. As I was releasing my second fish in about 30 yards down
    the shoreline, I spun around in my seat to say somthing, he was right
    behind me with a dollar bill in his hand. Told him 'too late, they are
    $2 now'. AND in the 'pallet' I just got from BP was a package of the
    Floaters.  (OH -- thats the Sloal Bandit, who used to read/add remarks
    to this Notes file, but got a real job and thinks he is too busy for us
    here..)

    A: Bubble Gum worms!!??  HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! HEEE HEEE HEE!! Oh Brother!!
    
    B: Last year I won a tournement with a 4.5lb bass and I caught it on a 
       Bubble Gum worm...
    
    A: Huh!?!... Oh yeah? ....where do you get em?
    

     The "Lavender Limper" is right! Those goddamn bubblegum worms like to
    drive me crazy, but that's a 10 cent cab ride...
     Let's see, red colors aggravate bass, especially in shallow water.
    Hmmm, when do big bass pend lots of time in shallow water??? When am I
    gonna use my pink bubblegum worms? While bass are makin' skin flicks!
    
    --The Skoal Bandit

    Anybody try the Dri Rind last year. I am thinking of replacing the 
    pork with these fairly new "weapons". 
    
    Ed

    	How 'bout the NEW SLUG-GOs.  Anyone fished them yet???  Personally,
    being an OLD dry fly fisherman, topwater turns my crank.  ANYTHING new
    for topwater, and I jump on it.  So, they're on order.

    re: .8 
    
    Hey Ed, what is this dry rind ?? Got any more info?
    
    Jim.

>    	How 'bout the NEW SLUG-GOs.  Anyone fished them yet???  Personally,
>    being an OLD dry fly fisherman, topwater turns my crank.  ANYTHING new
>    for topwater, and I jump on it.  So, they're on order.
    
    I've only read about them in the In-Fisherman mag, but they sound good.
    (don't all the new lure sound good?) The only place I know of to get
    them is the place mentioned in the article. $9.95 for a sample pack
    (they didn't say how many, but probably plenty to play with for that
    money! Is that where you're getting them, Wayne?
    
    They seem to be a cross between regular plastic worms and the "finesse"
    type. Shorter than usual, but fatter with a tapering tail - looks like
    a stretched out slug I guess. The unpredictable gliding action, with
    the "slim bait" profile, is apparently very effective. Colors tend to
    be natural type vs things like bubble-gum, chartreuse etc.
    
    I will probably get some - even though I spent the latter part of an
    evening loading up my new mini worm-box and don't have room for new
    stuff. Never stopped me before...
    
    Ed

How 'bout those new "fly-away" lures?  These gizzit' type lures with flat metal
jig heads will slip down and away from where your lure hits the surface.
This will be ideal for throwing in front of docks and have the lure slip under-
neath it.

I bought some at the Centrum show -- looks like a good thing.

Mike_L

    
    
    re. .9 & .11
    
      I just picked up a pack of slug-o's at a local shop here in Iowa.
    The owner said he's selling a few to curiosity seekers who seem them.
    He's only had them on the shelf about a week.  I plan on getting at
    least one more pack before our trip to the boundary waters, and will
    test them before hand in local lakes and the Mississippi.  I'll
    let you all know what I find.
    
    Bear 

    I have read about it in several rags. Got to thinking about it cause the
    pork dries out and I still have a heck of a time getting it off the jigs.
    This is like leather or some similar material. When it dries out you just
    give it a dunk and fish. I just wonder if it as effective as pork.
    
    Slug-go's can be purchased at Tackle Annex in Hudson and at Northern Bass
    Supply. Think I will give them a try this year. They were also mentioned
     in several articles by Rich Zeliski(sp) in past In-Fisherman's. 
    
    Ed 

re .12
<How 'bout those new "fly-away" lures?  These gizzit' type lures with flat metal
<jig heads will slip down and away from where your lure hits the surface.
<This will be ideal for throwing in front of docks and have the lure slip under-
<neath it.

I bought a package of three last year about Labor Day.  They seem to work as
advertised SOMETIMES.  It depends on how the lure enters the water.  The lure
always travels away from the line end of the lure.  I'm not good enough with
it to make it land that way each time.  They give the impression that you can
make the lure WALK AWAY from you.  If you are vertically over the lure you
might get this action, but if you toss it any distance from where you are
standing about the best you can do is lengthen the time it takes to retrive
the lure (pulling 3 feet toward you and having the lure retreat 1 foot away).

It appears to me that it will take alot of practice to get good with it...

Al

    Bear,
    
    How many slug-o's in a pack? I can get (I think) 4 packs thru the mail
    for $10. I'm wondering if it is a deal...
        
    Ed (waiting til they come out with slug-zits..! or gitz-o's! in bubble gum 
        color!)
    

    
    
    re. .16
    
       The Slug-O's come 4 to a pack and include a 4/0 hook.  This sells
    locally (Iowa) for $2.49 +tax.  So, it doesn't sound like $10 for 4
    packs is a "deal", especially if shipping and tax are added.  I just
    called the place where I bought mine, and they said they only had a
    couple of packs left, so they are going quickly.  Don't know as of yet 
    how effective they are, but the press they're getting is sure selling
    alot of them.
    
    Bear

    The dry rind from what I under stand is a good replacement for the 
    standard pork frog. But during the spring, post-spawn and spawn the pork 
    rind frog tends to work better due to the softness of the pork they
    are more inclined to hold onto it longer. During the warmer times the 
    strike from bass are more by hunger and reaction, the dri-rind seem to
    produce well as a trailer for spinner baits and on some jigs and
    spoons.
                     

    *Four* to a pack? for $2.49? Sheesh! That's over sixty cents apiece!
    Well, at least with that mail-in deal they include shipping. They
    should considering that sluggos are just a fancy plastic worm...
    
    Ed
    

    
    
    Ed,
    
       Like I said before, once the press says a few good words about
    something the cost seems to be less of a factor.  I bought some
    origanally for bass this spring, but will be getting a few more packs
    to take up to the boundary waters in May.  If they catch fish like
    all the hype claims I won't bitch about the cost.  Although one good
    hit from a northern or walleye and the bait will be useless.  Oh well!!
    Later,
    
    
    Bear

    Bear, 
    
    Yeah, often new products (especially good ones) get priced on the high
    side to skim the top end of the market first, get some interest
    generated, and get the cash flow going - then, if successful, they can
    get into economies of scale and gear up for a much larger market. I
    suspect that the company that makes slug-go's is small. If Bass Pro or
    Mr. Twister or Mann's put them out they'd be cheaper from the start.
    
    If Slug-go's are good, watch for imitators. In the meantime, I'll
    probably get them just on the recommendation of the In Fisherman
    article.
    
    Oh, I forgot, they said that the method you use to rig the sluggo is
    absolutely crucial to preserve the proper action of the lure. Gotta see
    the article though...
    
    Ed
    

    
    
    Ed,
      
       If you can't get your hands on the article let me know, I have a
    photocopy of it sitting right here in front of me and would be happy 
    to fax it to you.  Just let me know.
    
    Bear
    
    

    This year I just bought a new BPO Pro Series Pitching Stick 6'6"
    med/heavy for $44.90 which is $10 off the regular price.  I just tried
    it Sunday and let me tell you something, this is one sensitive rod.  It
    is an IM6 graphite Blank with the power grip handle and aluminum oxide
    guides.  I could really feel every single rotation of the spinner bait
    blade.  Normally on my Shimano rods I can feel the vibration of the
    blades but on this rod I could feel each distinct loop the blade made!
    
    I can't wait to try this rod with some worms and other baits and know
    that I will feel those soft hits alot better this year.
    
    One odd note though, I laid this rod against my Shimano Speedmaster
    Spinning rod and noticed a major difference in the guides.  On my
    Shimano the first guide has to be raised 3 " from the rod with a
    diameter of an 1.5".  The BPO is maybe and 1.5" raised and a normal
    sized diameter.  What difference these make was not easy to calculate
    because I use the shimano with a spinning reel and the BPO with a
    baitcaster.  The bait caster seemed to cast 10 feet farther.
    
    the Bassassin.

    	After seeing a package of SLUG-GOs in K-Mart over the weekend, I
    think I will just use my own hooks and DO-NOTHING 6" worms.  Other than
    the colors, the ONLY noticeable difference is the cuts in the side of
    the SLUG-GO to let the tail swing free.  I think I'll experiment till
    the price comes down.  Besides, top water wormin' is FUN, too. 
    (modified hooks for weedless action)
    
    re .23
    
    	As for the difference in guides, it is due to the different way the
    line comes off the reel.  With a spinning outfit, the line tends to
    come off in a spiral.  The centrifugal force causes the line to tend to
    move OUT away from the reel.  This causes it to slap against the rod if
    the guide is set close to the rod.  The guide also has to be BIG so
    that these loops don't create too much friction as they pass through
    the guide.  The baitcaster tends to come off FLAT since the spool is
    revolving DIRECTLY toward the guide.  Therefore, you want the guide
    smaller and set closer to the rod so that the line is held as straight
    as possible along the rod to reduce friction and slap.  Hope this
    helps.
    

    Bear,
    
    Thanks for the offer - I have the article (from In Fisherman, right?),
    I just couldn't see how I could explain their rigging method in words
    alone.
    
    Wayne,
    
    Slug-go's at K Mart! Gotta check this out..! If Rick Zaleski likes
    them as much as he says, I want to try these things...
    
    Ed

    re -.1
    Ed,
    	Remember ONE THING.  The K-Mart I'm talking about is in CXO.
    
    :-)

    Well, err, yes I did realize that your K-Mart is a little far from
    here, but since we're talking about a national chain, maybe there's 
    a chance they'll turn up down the street..
    
    Ed
    

    Strike King has a new more weedless Spinner Bait called the pro model. 
    It has a barrel that fits over the blade swivel that will help it
    through heavy weeds with less snagging.  But its a big bait I think it
    only comes in 3/4 oz?  Anyone know because the new catalog doesn't give
    weight, but I thought I heard it on TV as a 3/4 oz lure.
    
    

Has anybody used Berkley Powerbaits yet? They came out last year, and I've 
heard that they really do the job - even heard that in some places fly 
fishermen have tried to have the bait banned!

I'm thinking getting some and giving it a try this Saturday morning on 
some trout. I haven't caught a trout since I was five years old ...and I 
think my Dad helped a little then! And I'm almost certain it was on one 
of those little Zebco spincast combos...
    

    
    Ed,
    
           
        The berkly power bait is pretty good stuff you just make a little
    ball out of it and put it on your hook the trout love it the pink
    seems to work the best for me.
     
       I heard rumors that 4 states have already outlawed thid stuff,
    I have not seen any write ups on it yet though but could be.
    
                                                   Lee

    Thanks Lee. I just bought some - the orange color. 
    
    Yeah, it stinks alright. That means it must be good! What really
    matters is how it smells to the fish! My cat goes nuts over cat
    treats that smell like garbage to me, so it's results that count...
    
    Ed
    

    POWER BAIT stands for POWER BAIT. i hit the fishing annex and this
    guy came in a grabbed 10, not 1 but 10 bottles of this stuff, i
    thought, GEEZ!!! maybe i should try it. i picked up 1 bottle
    hit lake quinsig on my way home, picked up 2 nice rainbow's, of
    course having that friday off, my dought and myself went out
    again, at another point in the lake bango 2 more, that was the
    last time i fished for trout, but recomend POWER BAIT. IT STANDS
    UP TO ITS NAME,   ps must have fish dope in it.
    the guys that picked up 10 bottles of the stuff was headed out to
    wachusset res, where he's been picking up lakers, no wonder he needed
    10 bottles.
    
    				Ronni
    

 Ronni-

 Did you use treble hooks with the power bait or regular hooks?

 The Doctah

    	Regarding the guys that went to Wachusett... I was under the
    impression, from my phone call to the MDC on Saturday, that Wachusett
    didn't open until Apr. 1st. 
    
    Barry
     

    	I forgot to mention something in .34. On Saturday I was out fishing
    Whalom with my two daughters when this guy drove up and asked how the
    fishing was. I told him that it was slow and he says "What you need is
    an SOB." Well I coulda had about 1/2 dozen funny comments to respond to
    that with but I left it alone. He gets out of the car and reaches into
    a large box behind the driver's seat and takes out this little gadget.
    It is battery powered and has a little propeller on it along with a
    little rudder. He brings it over and explains that what you do is put
    it on your line and let however much line you want dangle underneath.
    You then turn on the power, put it in the water and it trolls your line
    around the lake from shore. I looked it over and said something to the
    effect of "Oh yeah, that's neat" but I really wasn't very impressed.
    I guess I didn't hide that fact too well because he didn't quote me any
    price or anything he just took his SOB and went back to his car and
    left. I don't even remember what kind of a car he drives, only that
    it's brown and his registration plate is a Mass. plate that says SOB
    on it. Have any of you guys ever run into this guy or heard of the SOB?
    It looked like more of a gimmick than anything to me.
    
    Barry
    

  I've heard of a similar guy at the Wachusett.  As the story goes he had a
RC (radio controlled) destroyer and attached his line with shiner onto the
Depthcharge mechanism. He carried the thing in a back pack (it was about 3'
long), sent the boat out a 150yds, set of the depthcharge do-dad, the shiner
went to the bottom, or whatever he had for terminal tackle and the destroyer
returned to the guy on shore...   Pretty slick, but I have heard since that the
guy got bagged, the destroyer was considered by the MDC to be a "boat" and no
boats are allowed. They confiscated his toy and otherwise harrassed him. 
Haven't heard of anyone doing it lately though (this incident was 7 or 8 years
ago). 

Al

 On the great lakes, they have a system that would work on the Wachusett and
not be subject to the whims of the fuzz. For a bobber, you use a contraption
that basically has a sail on it. You go upwind of where you wish to have your
bait, cast the rig out, and let the wind do the work for you. Once your bait
is located where you want it to be, you engage the reaal and fish it like any
other bobber rig. It's not a boat, it's a float (like a bobber only more
ingenious). Sounds like just the ticket to sonfound the jerks AND put more
fish at your feet.

 The Doctah

    I have a few inputs on new products that were tested by a group that
    considers themselves the CONSUMER REPORT OF FISHING EQUIPMENT. The
    name of the magazine is Tackle Test and cost $30.00 a year a little
    steep when its not much bigger than a DEC newsletter. Than on the 
    other hand if you purchase everthing that's hot they seem to add some
    value. 
    
    Some of this month's tested products: Berkley power worms, 2 Speed
    Baitcasters, Ninja props.
    
    Power worms: No noticeable catch difference in using these baits
    against standard plastic worms. The theory that the fish will hold it
    longer is that only a theory.
    
    2 Speed baitcasters: best bet's Shimano,Abu Garcia. Not totally sure 
    that there is any benefit to two speeds that shifts when a fish is
    caught. There was some advantage to the fact of being able to lock
    in a speed for various lures and techniques. They were not totally 
    convinced that the extra $30-$40 bucks was worth it.
    
    Ninja prop: The test revealed that the only time you get more power
    out of the prop is when you are cutting through weeds. The tester went
    out with a motor-guide rep and he carried both props and said he
    changed them depending on conditions. The Ninja was not very good on
    clear water with wind, boat control was jeapordized. It did do
    everything it was designed to do in thick vegatation, and cavitation 
    was minimal in shallow water, much better than standard props. There
    suggestion was to use both.

    The wachusetts officially opens april 1.  Don't get caught out there
    early the fines are really siginificant
    
    Brian

    re: to .37 
    
    where can you get one of these sail on the bobber.
    
    ED

 I haven't seen any around here; you may have to make them up yourself.

    can you give us a plan on how to maybe make one of these bobbers
    
    or better yet where did you see these bobbers
    
    ED

    	I'd bet an inflated party baloon would make a pretty good sailing
    bobber. Can't get much simpler than that.

 I've seen the bobbers which look like an oval with a stick through the center
(similar to some of the more sensitive european types). I'd bet that a light-
weight sail of thin plastic would be acceptable (try your local hobby shop.)
It would probably need a counter balance as well.

   +-----------II----------+
   |           II          |
   |           II          |
   |           II          |
   |           II          |
   |           II          |
   |           II          |
   +-----------II----------+
              X  X
             X    X
            X      X
            X      X
            X      X
            X      X
             X    X
              X  X
               II
               II
               II
               II
               II
               II
               II
               II
              XXXX
              XXXX
              XXXX


 The Doctah

    Has anbody seen the new Timex Fishing watch? It has a temperature probe
    for water temp, and you can set it to predict high and low tides. Looks
    pretty good too...
    
    Ed 
    

re: .45  

Hey Ed... is that a motorized probe?  Or is that optional?

    	NOW, if you take the sail-bobber to the limit, put your bobber in
    an RC sailboat, launch, sail boat to fishing place, close bail on reel,
    pull bobber off sail boat, set rod in holder, sail boat till you get a
    bite, NOW YOU'VE GOT A PROBLEM, "FISH OR SAIL, FISH OR SAIL???"  :-) 
    :-)

    re .46
    
    Huh? motorized probe? I guess you just stick your arm in the water for
    a few minutes...
    
    

Hey anybody out there had any experience with the new reel that BassPro
is promoting, its called the Pro Series Megacast, its on sale for
$29.99 in the latest catalogs????  It looks like the Daiwa SS Tourney
series but at $84.99, maybe the BP special would be worth a look.

Thanks in Advance

Bigbird 

    

    
    
     Bruce,
    
     I guy in my club tried one this year. He was not impressed.
    I didn't get a chance to try it so I'm not sure what he didn't like
    about it.

     The BPRO has slower retrieve, no "fastcast," just a routine reel. I
    tried the top of the line Shimano Aerocast (around $ 80) and liked the
    drag a lot. HOWEVER, I recently purchased a Daiwa "Procaster" with
    extra spool included for around $ 59. This may be the best spinning
    reel I've ever seen or used. Super drag, smooth, compact, fast and with
    lots of capacity. It WILL (!!) go steelheadin' this winter. I
    unequivocally recommend this reel.
    
    ==The Bandit

re: .49

I bought the rod and reel package in the spring.  I have had a couple of
problems with the reel.  

- the bail sticks at half open during initial retrieve
- the handle butt occasionally hits the bail during retrieve

The first problem is extremely aggravating.  I will be returning the reel for 
a replacement this fall.  Hopefully it is just my reel.

If not for these problems, I would be very happy with the reel although I don't
think there is anything special about it.

Phil