Good God It's December!

[hooksetter5]

Wife's been decorating and shopping and we have been redecorating and renovating and then we look up and it is almost 2018. For me, it's at least 4 months before I hook up the boat again.

Bears are pathetic. Hawks are old an struggling. Bulls, who cares? Cubs are regrouping ... Sox, good luck. Hope all had a great Thanksgiving and we wish you a beautiful Christmas. After the holidays, I will bring in the rods and reels and tune 'em up, reorganize the baits, and make some dates. It may be a bit of a grind ...

[ToyotaKev]

...a grind it is hooksetter! These next 3-4 months present a huge challenge to me! Being on the water is a much needed escape from the b.s. and yahoos in my workplace...It will take all I have, lol!!...and your absolutely right that our sports teams aren't providing us squat in relief!!

[sgt93]

I'm anxious to get out on the water again, especially since I will begin fishing Newton frequently (the reason for my current boat setup). I'm reorganizing baits, buying more rods and reels and getting excited for Spring. I assistant coach my son's travel baseball team so that keeps me pretty busy from the first week of Jan through June, but there will be plenty of fishing time.

[purduephigam]

4mo?! I'll barely make to March. I have a room booked in Feb for a possible winter league tourney in Newton. And I'm planning on hitting it twice more in March. I'll get after Braidwood as early as I can, and crank the crap out of the club near me until the grass comes in by late April. I don't have a whole lot to keep me occupied this off season other than reel maintenance, organization, and detailing the boat. Can't wait for 2018.

[local16]

My boat never gets "put up" ..I switch from bass to crappie this time of year and will fish 3-5 days a week or more till the lake freezes. If we get hard water, I'll switch to Sangchris. Also with the wife also being retired now, we'll stretch our trip to Sanibel Island out to 3 weeks in January. Having time to drive now I'll be able to take some tackle and drive north an hour and a half from Sanibel where one of my buddies winters on a great bass lake. Have I said how much I'm liking this retirement thing?

[stratosjoe]

Unless Newton freezes over due to power generation I never winterize ..

[Skunked again]

i just spent two days at coffeen, and got skunked, was having a pity party for myself. Till i read this!

[stratosjoe]

Sunday, 5 keepers over 15 total all on jerkbaits water temp 40 degrees

[slonezp]

This is what I did today

[local16]

Nice work on the rod holders there slonezp

[stratosjoe]

nice , I would have to do that on the walls though, I'm too short and too old to use a ladder

[icebound]

Bet those rods are directly under his boat when it’s in the garage. I have a similar set up. When your in the boat they are in easy reach.

[Philly]

I was born in Chicago and lived there until I was 38 years old. I can vividly remember how miserably long it seemed from Thanksgiving until Braidwood opened up in early Spring. Now that I live in the central part of the state, i really don't fish a bunch during the Winter (compared to the rest of the year), but a few Winter tournaments at Newton and a couple days at Clinton and maybe a couple days at Lake Of Egypt really goes a long way towards making the off season go by faster. I'd never want to go back to the days of "putting things up for Winter" and waiting until March to fish again.

[572 Fitter]

I was born in Chicago and lived there until I was 38 years old. I can vividly remember how miserably long it seemed from Thanksgiving until Braidwood opened up in early Spring. Now that I live in the central part of the state, i really don't fish a bunch during the Winter (compared to the rest of the year), but a few Winter tournaments at Newton and a couple days at Clinton and maybe a couple days at Lake Of Egypt really goes a long way towards making the off season go by faster. I'd never want to go back to the days of "putting things up for Winter" and waiting until March to fish again.

The SM have been eating the last two weekends,along with a few eyes here and there.

[stratosjoe]

gonna hit Lake (mud) Vermilion saturday probably a bust but need a fix till have time to hit Newton.

[Junk Fisherman]

gonna hit Lake (mud) Vermilion saturday probably a bust but need a fix till have time to hit Newton.

Gonna spend another day on Lake Michigan looking for trout. 45 degree and 5-10 S/SW winds Even if I don't catch anything it will be nice to get out.

[slonezp]

Gonna spend another day on Lake Michigan looking for trout. 45 degree and 5-10 S/SW winds Even if I don't catch anything it will be nice to get out.

Gillespie was killing lakers and browns in Milwaukee harbor on last Saturday's show. Good luck

[Junk Fisherman]

Gillespie was killing lakers and browns in Milwaukee harbor on last Saturday's show. Good luck

Thanks. Caught 3 lakers a couple weeks ago. Those fight a little more than a 14" bass.

[purduephigam]

This is what I did today

I think I might take on something like this this winter. Looks pretty straightforward and great utilization of unused space. Plus, my rods seem to be reproducing and I'm out of room with my traditional vertical storage....

[slonezp]

I think I might take on something like this this winter. Looks pretty straightforward and great utilization of unused space. Plus, my rods seem to be reproducing and I'm out of room with my traditional vertical storage....

Wasn't too bad as far as time. Took maybe 2-1/2 hours or so, once I figured out what I was going to do. There's another set on the other side of the garage door opener. (1) 10ft length of 1-1/4 pvc and (2) 1x3x8 furring strips was just enough for 16 rod holders.