Sportsman's Direct.com.. On-line Service with a Smile

I recently placed my first ever order with www.sportsmensdirect.com. I was looking for a specific product (Kens Hooks) that I could not find anywhere else and I was pointed in their direction.

When I got to the website for the first time I noticed that they were out of stock on two of the jigs I wanted to order, and not wanting to pay shipping for a small or partial order I emailed them to inquire when they may be back in stock. I got a pretty quick response asking what "out of stock" items I needed and the qty I required.

When I responded with what i was looking for, i got another quick response this telling me that they could take care of me, just place my order on line and choose the current items in stock but in the notes/comment section of my order advise them of what i really wanted (they are all the same price). So I did this and sure enough my order was filled. (and filled correct!)

I got an email letting me know when it shipped and a follow-up email the next week to ensure i got my order. They ship using USPS/Canada Post and cant track packages once they cross over into Canada, so they wanted to make sure I recieved it.. I did.

the last touch was a personal note thanking me for the order (written on my invoice) and a free pack of little atom plastics that had been tossed in with my order.. yes, I know that a pack of plastics is not a huge deal, but the thought behind it was.

I had a great experience ordering from SportsmanDirect, they are a Mom & Pop shop doing what they do best.. taking care of hunters and fisherman, you cant really ask for much more.. Thank you Beth and the SD team

100th Post, 9,000 Views.. Thank You

Wow, another season flew by too fast. In my part of the world there are only days remaining in the 2011 Bass season and then we put the big sticks away and pray for ice. Over the course of this season I have been able to share with you  00 posts.. well 99 if you don't count this one. I have had the opportunity to share my successes, my failures and some personal moments along the way. I thank you all for checking in to see how I'm doing, as this blog thing would get pretty boring quick if I didn't know there were guys out there reading them.

100 posts in, i think most of you can see where I'm coming from and where I'm going. You can expect to see a lot more of the same over the next 100 posts and the 100 after that. I will continue to test out new products as I buy them and share stories of my time on the water. (not to mention the occasional rant).

In the near future I will be posting my top baits list from the 2011 season, then it will be full fledged ice fishing talks. Once the Spring hits, Crappies will be on the brain again, and of course next summer Bass Season will be the hot topic. I hope you keep checking in over the winter months, as although things will slow down a bit on the bass front, there is a lot of fishing to be done.

thanx

GoPro or go Home!

This has been my dream purchase for awhile now, and with the release of the GoPro2, what better time to take the plunge then now! 

GoPro has been making cameras for extreme sports for awhile now (the GoPro2 is a third Generation Camera) and  I often  wonder if they realize now how this extreme camera has changed the way fishing videos & TV is shot and viewed. This tiny little camera can turn the average weekend warrior into a HD Fisherman with only 2 buttons.

Although designed for the extreme sport world the Hero2 is actually perfectly build for a fisherman's needs. the casing is waterproof, and shock proof, and the camera is designed to work in extreme heat and cold. so wether you are on the ice or the water this camera will get the job done. The array of mounts available allow you to place the hero anywhere and still get your shot. Hat/head/helmet mounts are very popular and can been seen on a variety of TV shows. The chest strap gives a great few of the battle and there are many mounts that will secure to your boat to ensure all the action is caught. I have even seen some of these cameras strapped to fishing nets, cook idea, and one i will have to try.

My favourite shots taken from a GoPro are those that watch the strike, the battle, and then dip into the water to catch the last few seconds of the fight from the fishes vantage point. no other camera can boast capabilities like this. (on the ice I love to see shots of the augers cutting threw from underwater, looks awesome)

One of the last perks i will mention is how great this camera is for the solo angler. I spent a lot of time on the water alone, and being able to take shots, of me fishing, and of my catch is pretty important to me, and the Hero is up to the task. setting up the stop motion camera allows it to takes pis every few seconds, a pose for a couple, and toss the fish back, no waiting on timers, no worries about being cut out of the shot. this seems to good to be true.. all i can say is now that i have on.. i want a second one

Stanley Ribbit, a triple threat in size and tactics

Here it is, the last frog review for the 2011 season. In my area the bass fishing has slowed to a crawl and although I try to get out as much as possible weather and work seem to get in the way. But I did manage to get one last test in on a frog that i think is pretty popular in the market place. When i asked around about frogs to try , the Stanley Ribbit came up on a regular basis.. so here goes.

The Stanley Ribbit comes in 3 sizes, the standard size is 3.5" and the bully comes in at 4.5". then the hot foot and floating models fall in between at 4". (For me the bully and the floaters caught my attention so thats what I purchased on my initial order). The Ribbet is priced right, at under $4 a pack for 5 baits you cant go wrong. They are tuff, durable and fish really well.

Bully Ribbit

Pro's:

I mentioned a few of the "pro's" to this bait in the above paragraph. It has a lot of perks I look for in a frog bait. It is durable, the rubber/plastic this frog is made from is very tuff, it holds up well for multiple fish and has a nice weight so it casts really well and gives you a nice splash and sit-down when in the water.

I like baits that can be fished a few different ways. Many frogs on the market rely on fishing them a certain way to be successful. Not the Ribbit.  The deign allows you to slow roll this bait along the edge of cover, to high speed burn/buzz it or to drag across the pads/slop

The size options are nice, and with three sizes it is hard to complain that you cant find the perfect one. I find the 3.5 a bit small for my liking and prefer the 4 and 4.5 inch models.

The color options available are also pretty unique, especially when you get into the floating models. There are a ton of options many of which come with a white belly, something i have a hard time not buying when i see it. 

Floating Ribbit

Cons':

Not allot to talk about when it comes to cons with the Stanley Ribbit. They are a bit bulky when you get into the larger sizes, but since you have some options there is no need to complain about the larger size ones.

Im not a fan of the material used for the floating model, it is a weird soft almost foamy material. It is much lighter then the standard ribbit and something just feels off about it (love the colors though)

I guess me biggest complaint to these frogs is that they are not readily available in my area.. i have to order on-line. 

Size comparison: Bully (4.5") vs Floating (4")

Weapons of Choice:

As usual the weapon or rod of choice is a Dobyns rod. For me due to the heavier weight of the ribbit i would lean towards using a 735c or the 736c. 

Gary Dobyns.. A legend on the water, in the rod shop and at home

I have yet to met Gary in person, but we have spoken on the phone and we have corresponded over that wonderful invention "the internet" on more then a few occasions, and one thing that come through loud and clear is his passion for the sport of Bass fishing, for making a quality rod and for his family. So I know he would be very proud of the recent issue of BassWest USA magazine and the cover touting him as a :"Legend of the Sport"

http://www.dobynsrods.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Gary-Dobyns.pdf

I dont think many can argue with the "Legend" title.. over the years Gary has won 26 Angler of the Year titles (professional) 40 Prize Boats, not to mention over $2 Million is cash earnings. If that does not put him in elite company I dont know what will.

And if you didnt know already.. he makes the best damn rods in the industry. I think Dobyns will have to add another line of rod to the Savy, Champion & Champion Extreme rods.. Dobyns Legend Series!
(oh I think that may already be taken)

Richard Dobyns Weighs in on WIRED2FISH

Earlier this this year Richard Dobyns celebrated an Angler of the Year title on the FLW Everstart series, and now he sits down with Terry Brown from Wired2Fish team and talks about his win, fishing and Dobyns Rods in general

If you've got 12 minutes..listen to this... Wired2Fish: Richard Dobyns

Novembers here and I can feel a change in the air.. Ice is coming

Well November is here, and although Bass season has not quite come to an end, I can feel the shift in me and my fellow anglers.. ice is on the brain. As mentioned in an earlier post I do have a very Dr Jeckel and Mr Hyde approach to fishing. My love of bass fishing is followed by my intense love of ice fishing. A sport that many still have yet to pick up for one reason or another.

Me, my love of icefishing is nearly 8 years old now, as i came to it much later then my love of soft water fishing. It started with fishing with my wifes uncle in a borrowed permanant hut fishing  for pech and splake. 1 short season later I had a portable hut of my own and a hobby has quickly grown into a passion.

I spend the winter months chatting and posting on the best ice fishing website i have yet to find.. http://www.iceshanty.com/ , carrying on my current persona I made some slight changes and this bassjunky has been know as icejunky for over 6 years now.

I was trying to avoid talking about ice until the bass season came to a close, but Consider yourself warned.. this bass heavy blog will not be going into winter hybernation, it will change into an all new beast, IceJunky will appear and I hope im able to keep you interested in the cold months to come.