BSmaster

Congratulations - It is great that you had the kids out - especially in December. Pleasantly surprised - Its great.

Must be what the helicopter was looking for...

People who disagree with my agenda are unAmerican. I am ready for office.

This is pretty cool. I like the slow mo... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pF9i1GP2Rsc

I walleye fish in cold - frigid rivers and have fallen in twice. Once was cold and once was frigid. Both times I had my life jacket on and I know that it saved me. If you don't thinks so... Tie a rope to something on land (and hold on to it) and walk out into the water above your waders. Try to get out. After you give up - use the rope. Try it in summer so you don't get cold. Unless you are100% sure no one will mourn you... Dead is Dead - Free or Enslaved. Wear the life jacket.

The State of the Lake issues are starting to remind me of the political scene. Everybody wants the same end game, However, we are starting to put faith in arguments which have foundation but may only have corellation to and not cause and effect or may work in complementary arguments - Possibly even antagnostic. All the ideas posted are fine ideas and deserve merrit. Believe what you want, but, I recommend that our discourse with everyone be less polarized. Save your angst for the State. The sharing of ideas is what makes us better as people. I have read everyone's post on the issue and I think there is some very good input and some not so much; It doesn't get me worked up either way. Don't go so far into the woods that you can't see the forest thru the trees.

to each their own,,,

Took me a minute - that is funny. I would think that the texture is wrong but I could be wrong as well. If you are thinking about the cats out of the river - that is one greasy fish. I filleted them out for a guy at work - he loves them. he chunks them up rolls them in corn meal and plops into the deep fryer. My hands smell terrible for a week. disgusting.

I have always like to play with my bait - It started when I was a kid. Warm water and even in some cases ice cold water is detrimental. I have used several set -ups and am currently building a new one out of an old bath tub. What I suggest... PPG knowledge or population per gallon. Many times I have had a banner bait gathering day only to lose them because there were too many in the bait pal. Colder days you can have a higher number and summer days, the opposite. quit while you are ahead - don't be greedy. Styrofoam works well and if the PPG is low enough requires no bubbling since the gases permeates the wall structure. I use these for one type of bait exclusively that I will no longer place in the plastic cooler. Line the bottom of your storage container with clean gravel - this will act as a trap for all the waste. in most cases you will only need to clean this a few times a year depending on how much you play with your bait. If you use plastic coolers (I do) use cheap aquarium aerorators with the stone bar. the more splits you make the efficient it is. Check your bait often! They will tell you how the situation is. If you are losing a lot fast - then you have a problem that needs to be addressed quickly. I find that when I lose more than a couple in a 12 hr stretch that it is a water problem. I do not run the filtration system. I just change the water. I remove the bulk of it usually agitating my gravel to get the waste suspended and refill with fresh water. remove your dead bait immediately... Feeding is typically not needed but I like to use shrimp fish food at Walmart. A couple relative large flat stones leaned against the side or off the bottom gives the bait a sense of security. Plastic bottles filled with water. In the summer I freeze water and in the winter I fill them with hot tap water. Do not put ice or hot water directly into the tub! The plastic container is an excellent buffer. It equilibrates at better rate fr the fish's health. It helps to have light control. I like to make sure they do not see much light and also I think they get jumpy and this is bad for their health. I like to keep my bait storage solution separate from my bait transport and fish solution. Yes you have to scoop. I scoop mine and place into trolling buckets and place them in an aeriarated cooler the night before so all I have to do is grab them place them in a bucket of water with a lid (a small hole in the lid) and go. If you have a natural set-up available I suggest you make it coon/heron proof and utilize it. Know the bait collection and usage rules. I buy certified bait often now because of the rules put in place just makes it more easy to abide by. There is a certain pride that comes from getting your own and I agree with that. Good fishing and happy master baiting. Joe