by JD on September 2, 2010
Well, I admit, I kinda just needed an excuse to post this classic shot of Ava Gardner, the original “Woman in Waders from filmnoirphotos. Seems like the Hollywood hotties back in those days were a little more willing to get a little fish slime under their nails than they are today. But I digress…It’s time for another round of Ask JD. This one comes from Chris L, who’s looking to emerge from the dark ages :)
JD, I’ve had my current BARE neoprene waders for about 10 yeas now and I think its finally time to retire them. I was looking into getting some breathable waders but don’t know what brand to get. I’m sure you have gone through your fair share and wanted to see if there was a brand that you favor over others. I’m also a pretty big guy (6′7″ with a size 15 shoe) and might need to get some custom made so if you have any recommendations I would really appreciate it. Thanks!
Hey Chris…ten years outta one pair, eh? Either you don’t get out much or BARE makes some seriously bad ass waders! [click to continue…]
by JD on September 1, 2010
Sometimes you’d swear coho salmon are related to piranhas..they’ll attack anything you put in their collective paths with reckless abandon. In other instances, however, they can be the most coy, brooding and annoyingly moody critters on planet earth.
Luckily, there’s a little secrete weapon you can hit ‘em with that seems to turn on even the most lockjawed silvers…
Read all about it in my article in the current issue of FISH ALASKA Magazine
The General and a mooched-up slab of yum...
Bill Herzog wants to make you a better salmon moocher, and when General Zog’s in a lecturing mood, you’re gonna want to pull up a chair and take some notes, son!
So, without further adieu, click over to our pals at
Northwest Wild Country for the scoop…
Mark Thiessen / AP
Two great tastes that taste great together…I think Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups were onto something with that slogan, but I’m not totally sure about this one: Alaska Distillery’s Smoked Salmon Flavored Vodka. Before getting it right, it apparently took 48 tries to come up with just the right blend of vodka and fish. “Definitely the first few times we had our heave bucket close by… It was pretty bad, and you know, greasy,” says one of the drink’s creators.
Read all about this new handcrafted and very pink vodka at
The Consumerist
Shorter oars help in these situations...
JD, I have a 16-foot wide-bottom drift boat. I have 9-foot wooden oars and am considering purchasing new ones. What do you think about 10-foot oars on a boat that size…will they give me more power or will they be too long?
Thanks, Lee [click to continue…]
Hi JD-
I just read the article about your experience at Bruin Ranch – sounds awesome. I’m a big fan of bass fishing on such smaller lakes/ponds with no motor boats and the local example I really like is Lake Francis near Oregon House/Dobbins off Hwy 20 between Nevada City and Yuba City.
I’ve long been looking for something similar to Bruin Ranch or Lake Francis where the bass fishing is good and it’s great for a float tube or maybe my Seyvlor inflatable Fish Hunter with a small electric motor – no motorized boats allowed.
Question: Do you know of anything similar to Bruin Ranch or Dobbins’ Lake Francis, within 150 miles of Sacramento?
Thanks and take care! –Jerry
Hey Jerry, have you ever tried Rancho Seco Lake? Some HUGE bass in there and no motors!
A 10-pound yellow on bass gear is like hooking the bumper of a garage truck!
In Baja, some anglers live for jumping stripers, casting iron into boiling yellowfin or stopping on floating debris and catching dorado until their arms get sore. Others get off on the sound of a reel screaming as a wahoo rips for the horizon. And then there’s adrenalin jolt you get when pez gallo charges your bait just beyond the surf.
All that stuff is cool — really cool – and I love it, but my absolute favorite thing to do down there is to mess around inshore with freshwater bass gear.
The shallow rocks, beaches and kelp lines on both sides of the peninsula harbor a mind-boggling array of finned critters of all shapes and sizes. Many of these species are too small or not good enough table fare to be targeted by other anglers, but who cares? They bite, burn line like crazy and pull a lot harder than anything you’ll find in a lake or river back home.
[click to continue…]
Sled are great...when they're running properly!
Forget push-up bras, keg cans, iPods and 52-inch flat screens…for my money, outboard jets have to be one of the best inventions of all time. I mean, anything that allows me to blaze 30 mph through 2-inch shallows is definitely on the short list of cool stuff to own.
But on the other hand, there are days when I want unbolt my outboard and use it as an anchor. Talk about an inefficient way to propel one’s self upriver! Outboard jets are about 30 percent less efficient than their prop-driven cousins…and that’s when the stinking thing is brand spankin’ new. After some good use, the output goes down even more.
Luckily, there are some things you can do to help make your outboard jet run like new again.
[click to continue…]
