Bucktails

[AQUAASSASSIN]

Not a buck tail as it’s all marabou but I figured I’d start close to one of my open water favorites.

I would Hammerrrrr Trout and Salmon on this through the ice Jigging those  in appropriate sizes! Well done. I’d fish that any day.

I live in Maine so save the Salmon comments you fruity fellas who were about to. You know who you are when you just read and thought it, now go ahead and feel sad you earned it.

[Digs]

Thanks digs. I think next time I’ll forgo trying to dub before the jig head and just tie in some red marabou.
I’ve been getting my tungsten sat widow maker lures (because they have my favorite crappie baits cheap) but I like the jigs you have more for the 1/0 plus sizes. Where’d you find those?

I get them from leadfreebassjigs.com

[DrummerManDrew]

I took a pretty hard hit to the tackle when I moved here. There was never anything in CO about lead free mandates and so I sent my buddy back home a great care package to help him out and slowly, building back up the jigs and what not... I’m sure there’s a lot of people out there that don’t play by the rules but I believe in the preservations for the next fathers to teach their sons to fish.

How does fish and game check the lakes frequently to force these rules? DOW in CO was really inconsistent and would issue fines for really odd ball stuff, like once I saw another boater get issues a 50$ ticket for not having a life jacket on his boat for a dog in a wake free lake! I also got a 50$ ticket for my son putting his life jacket in the stowaway on the boat when we were tied up to the dock packing up for the day. But because he was technically under 13 and “on the vessel” the dickhead gave me a ticket. I was pissed but then asked my boy... you have fun? He said “yes sir”... I said about $50.52 worth you think? He said, so was that how much the ticket was dad?.. ah... memories

[AQUAASSASSIN]

I believe in the preservations for the next fathers to teach their sons to fish.

It’s not preserving a damn thing besides keeping holes in everyone’s wallets so the Loon touchers quit crying. It’s all a sham. That use the BS Loon excuse as a vessel and the granolas buying the lake homes hop on the train.

[Roccus]

It’s not preserving a damn thing besides keeping holes in everyone’s wallets so the Loon touchers quit crying. It’s all a sham. That use the BS Loon excuse as a vessel and the granolas buying the lake homes hop on the train.

He's baaaaaack!

[DrummerManDrew]

It’s not preserving a damn thing besides keeping holes in everyone’s wallets so the Loon touchers quit crying. It’s all a sham. That use the BS Loon excuse as a vessel and the granolas buying the lake homes hop on the train.

Well I don’t have a lake house, that would be sweet though but don’t run that deep financially. Today I took the boy sledding and broke  out my ice suit.... lol.   

[Hottuna5150]

I would Hammerrrrr Trout and Salmon on this through the ice Jigging those  in appropriate sizes! Well done. I’d fish that any day.

Thanks AA. Open water on a streamer hook it tends to produce, especially late summer.

I took a pretty hard hit to the tackle when I moved here. There was never anything in CO about lead free mandates and so I sent my buddy back home a great care package to help him out and slowly, building back up the jigs and what not... I’m sure there’s a lot of people out there that don’t play by the rules but I believe in the preservations for the next fathers to teach their sons to fish.

How does fish and game check the lakes frequently to force these rules? DOW in CO was really inconsistent and would issue fines for really odd ball stuff, like once I saw another boater get issues a 50$ ticket for not having a life jacket on his boat for a dog in a wake free lake! I also got a 50$ ticket for my son putting his life jacket in the stowaway on the boat when we were tied up to the dock packing up for the day. But because he was technically under 13 and “on the vessel” the dickhead gave me a ticket. I was pissed but then asked my boy... you have fun? He said “yes sir”... I said about $50.52 worth you think? He said, so was that how much the ticket was dad?.. ah... memories

If it makes you feel any better... I think we all took that hit a year + ago with the lead. In my experience though the f&g officers n NH are not as nit picky and generally I’ve had very pleasant exchanges.

[Hottuna5150]

I get them from leadfreebassjigs.com

I see you mentioned that once already, I’ll learn to read someday... maybe. Thanks digs.

[AQUAASSASSIN]

Well I don’t have a lake house, that would be sweet though but don’t run that deep financially. Today I took the boy sledding and broke  out my ice suit.... lol.

Same

[800stealth]

It’s not preserving a damn thing besides keeping holes in everyone’s wallets so the Loon touchers quit crying. It’s all a sham. That use the BS Loon excuse as a vessel and the granolas buying the lake homes hop on the train.

Luckily I feel like most F&G officers share a similar mindset... It's rare for me to get checked out but I've never had an officer want to see my jig box or even what's on my line.

[Gunflint]

It’s not preserving a damn thing besides keeping holes in everyone’s wallets so the Loon touchers quit crying. It’s all a sham. That use the BS Loon excuse as a vessel and the granolas buying the lake homes hop on the train.

I disagree. That same argument was used when they considered banning lead shot for waterfowl, but the ban had proven very effective and made a significant impact on populations.

NH has under 300 nesting pairs of loons. Minnesota has nearly 6,000 - the most in all the lower 48 states. Lead poisoning is the chief cause of preventable death of loons. That is not fiction invented by a tree-hugger. What is certain is that once a mating pair is gone from a lake in a declining population, the lake is often abandoned forever. Massachusetts is now spending big money in an attempt to reintroduce loons and it has not yet proven to be a success. I love the call of the loon and would be very sad if it became a rare or uncommon thing to hear in Minnesota.

The approach we are pursuing in Minnesota is to attempt to ban lead split-shot, and not target jigs.

Split-shot is cheap and often viewed as disposable. It is also easily ingested by loons. Just making split-shot "lead free" would dramatically change things. There are already affordable alternatives to lead split-shot. If one added smaller slip-sinkers, that would cover nearly all the rest of the main risks. Jigs are different than sinkers. They tend not to be disposable.  Jigs also tend to be painted and that does 2 things: 1) makes them less toxic, and 2) makes it hard to discern between lead and tungsten or other metal.

We will see what happens.

[AQUAASSASSIN]

NH has under 300 nesting pairs of loons. Minnesota has nearly 6,000 - the most in all the lower 48 states.

I would think so, Minnesota has over 7300 square miles of water for them with N.H. having under 400 it’s just obvious. In N.H. where I grew up and in Maine where I am now they have zero issue coming to new bodies of water and flourishing. Specifically right next to my home. Not sure why Mass Is having such a hard time?

[Coffin Dodger]

He's baaaaaack!

I was thinking the exact same thing Joe, when I read this V comment. 

I live in Maine so save the Salmon comments you fruity fellas who were about to. You know who you are when you just read and thought it, now go ahead and feel sad you earned it.

You're typically a little late to the party (for good a reason) Frank, but you haven't missed a step! 
Glad to hear you filled your freezer. Honestly, I wasn't a bit surprised.

[jethro]

It’s not preserving a damn thing besides keeping holes in everyone’s wallets so the Loon touchers quit crying. It’s all a sham. That use the BS Loon excuse as a vessel and the granolas buying the lake homes hop on the train.

[AQUAASSASSIN]

Can’t see a pic Jethro? Whatcha got?

[jethro]

Can’t see a pic Jethro? Whatcha got?

Oh sorry, all it says is "THIS GUY GETS IT" because I couldn't agree with you more!

And I am not one bit ashamed to say it... I FRIGGIN HATE LOONS

[Gunflint]

Oh sorry, all it says is "THIS GUY GETS IT" because I couldn't agree with you more!

And I am not one bit ashamed to say it... I FRIGGIN HATE LOONS

\


At least we know where you stand on the issue!!

Many people simply are not consistent. I love people who are consistent.

[AQUAASSASSIN]

Oh sorry, all it says is "THIS GUY GETS IT" because I couldn't agree with you more!

And I am not one bit ashamed to say it... I FRIGGIN HATE LOONS

Agreed!

[AQUAASSASSIN]

\


At least we know where you stand on the issue!!

Many people simply are not consistent. I love people who are consistent.

Also Agreed!

[Dickbakers]

Frank , Jethro??  Stop trying to be Mainers on a NH site. 
I was born in Maine.  I like to listen to loons in the evenings.
I hate it when they wait for the stocking truck.  Few things are the way I want them. 
Dick

[AQUAASSASSIN]

Well, I guess I can agree again, I hate anything chasing a stocking truck too 

[jethro]

Hey, I could have called them sh!tpokes but I was respectful!

[Steve H.]

Loons can be a pain in the ass for sure.  I get the appeal and they're great for tourism marketing, but I fish places where they are habituated to fishermen and tend to get quite close to my float tube waiting for handouts.

Edited to add:  I'm fine with going to non-lead splitshot (to protect loons) and even birdshot/buckshot (to protect raptors) from lead poisoning, since I've seen what happens to scavengers after eating contaminated gut piles.  Pretty awful way to die with considerable and extended suffering.  I just don't know how much bass/laker jigs play into the equation.  Doesn't make sense to me.

[Mr.Harry]

Nice jigs for sure. On a black head I have a black and chartreuse that has produced consistently in low light conditions.
Yeah, loons blow.

[AQUAASSASSIN]

Nice jigs for sure. On a black head I have a black and chartreuse that has produced consistently in low light conditions.
Yeah, loons blow.

Let them eat a one ounce jig head, they won’t.

Didn’t you say “ God makes more” Mr. Harry?

[Mr.Harry]

Let them eat a one ounce jig head, they won’t.

Didn’t you say “ God makes more” Mr. Harry?

Why Frank! I’m so glad you asked and indeed HE DOES! The Maker’s hand is in allll thingsss.... BUT.... not in MA. Because God hates MA, unfortunately.

[Mr.Harry]

Roccus, of course, is absolved of all MA sin.

[AQUAASSASSIN]

Roccus could do Charlie Baker’s job blindfolded. Joe may be the most valuable export I see come out of the commonwealth. I am jealous of there Saltwater fishery.

[george_l]

I've been more of a reader, and not a contributor, going to try and change that this year.

The loon talk pushes one of my buttons though.  When this first came out I wrote letters to all my representatives.  Stated that I was not a Loon expert, but by looking at the charts and data presented on the Loon webpages that we were actually in a population boon.  The graphs showed that we went from roughly 100 pairs (or loons I can't remember) to over 500, in some period of time.  I think I also used some other data points as arguments.

Well that web page was removed from the Loon site.  Gone.  It's like the page never existed, one of the legislators must have brought it up.

This year I went to look for some statistics and on this page, https://loon.org/loons-and-lead/. I see this.
 "Loons may also swallow lead tackle from the lake bottom along with the pebbles they ingest to help grind up and digest food; however, LPC’s data suggests that this is less common. "

Wasn't it the lead from split shot that we were told was the main killer and that's why split shot needed to go?  I am all for not killing loons, but I want decisions made on facts, not emotion.

Now I also researched how much an average Loon eats in a day.  2 lb of fish.  So that's 60 pounds a month, 5-6 months (jun-oct) 300-360 pounds per Loon per season.  On Conway Lake we have 6+ Loons.  Thats just about a ton of fish consumed per season.  How many tons are regenerated every year?
   

[DrummerManDrew]

Not having researched this Loon issue enough myself , you make a very strong argument towards the sustainability of a region. I would lean more towards factual presentation alike you than emotional response. Unfortunately I do feel we live in a very censored atmosphere of all degrees, yet more so in the media aspect. Good response!

Think for yourself and question authority, in order to think for yourself you must question authority