Porktown
Other than that, I tend to have more control and more confidence with the tried and true spring hook on foam bobbers...

Yup
 
Funny you mention the popping corks.  On my annual vacation to the Mississippi Gulf Coast, EVERYBODY uses those things if they're using shrimp or soft plastics.  I just stick with my good old orange, weighted cigar bobbers from Walmart.  Most times, I'm wade fishing in solitude, but when we hit the harbors or jetties with other fishermen, I've never been outfished by somebody using a popping cork vs. my cheap bobbers.  
 
I don't do a lot of perch fishing, so dunno if the added noise would work for them.  My perch catches at Arthur and other places are incidental.  But when it comes to panfish, the good old Gulp Minnow under an appropriately sized cigar bobber is always my first choice.  Just jig it back nice and slow with a twitch and pause.  
 
My youngest and I hit Arthur in the rain yesterday.  Thought it might be good with a full moon, cooling water temps and dropping barometer.  Had some steady bites on cut baits between 5:30 and 6 - not as hard as channel cats normally bite, but harder than bullheads normally bite.  Almost made me wonder if we were into some smaller wipers or something that couldn't quite get our bluegill hunks in their mouths.  Other than that, it was the Dead Sea for us.  

I do get the theory behind them for predatory game fish, especially speckled trout and reds.  When they're around though and in feeding mode, they are not hard to catch.  In fact, when we can find them schooled up and feeding, it's some of the easiest fishing there is.  Unfortunately, those days are few and far between for us.  
 
 I would think in freshwater, they might up your odds for pike with a big old shiner or crick chub fished underneath, or maybe even wipers at Arthur when they're on the hunt for alewives.  At Arthur, we have had pike hit our bobbers when pan fishing before.  And of course fishing farm ponds, occasionally a good largemouth will try to take a chomp of a bobber.  
 
I do have a couple I've bought over the years too, maybe I'll give 'em a try sometime with a 3" Gulp underneath.  
 
 
 
 

BeenThereDoneThat.
It is well substantiated, 10% of the fisherman catch 90% of the fish.
[/quote
 
 
And they catch them in 10% of the water.
 
Three Rivers Muskie Club tournament on Arthur this weekend. 8:00AM to 8:00PM Saturday, and 8:00AM to 1:00PM Sunday. $25 entry for members, $35 for non-members. Register before 8:00AM Saturday at the 528 Ramp.
Number 3 son wants to go big time, but number 1 son won't go with him, (it's his boat), preferring to make $50 an hour on overtime on Saturday. I guess I could go with him and take my boat, but I have work to do on the old girls' Jeep and a tranny to put into our Grand Caravan. It may be time to trust my boy with my truck and boat and let him get this tournament out of his system. Even if I put off the automotive work 'til next weekend, I ain't much into trolling for an hour, much less for 16 hours of it. We'll see.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

&*#^*  &*^$*(  (*$&@($ "tournaments."  Complete nonsense.  Looks like Wilhelm is the better choice Sunday.  

True, but they sure do clog up the lots and ramps at certain times.  You don't want to be around at start or weigh in time.  And where I fish is where they want to fish.  I'm lazy, anchored with a bunch of bobbers out, and they are scooting up and down the shorelines whipping huge lures like insane people.  We generally don't mix.  
 
Good luck out there though!

Well, plan was to make Swimbaits, Crankbaits and Jerkbaits Great Again! Burn them back to the boat and cover shoreline. We will see if those guys are where I want be. Coves and Points, so the points might be congested.

Last day of September was Skunktober. Bear Run was pretty empty at 7:30, one boat already out on the lake, one tied to a dock, then my boat, then two more staging behind me. The two behind me were musky guys. Guess they didn't have to launch out of 528 for day 2 of the tournament? Or they could be out pleasure fishing.
 
Water was 10 degrees cooler yesterday, than it was when I fished Arthur on 9/16. We Ran all sorts of lures, from deep cranks to medium cranks, to jerk baits, spinner bait to wacky worms. Nothing. Hit a bunch of spots. Saw few other boats chasing bass, they didn't seem to be doing any better, as they were bouncing spot to spot.
 
Got rained on which I didn't expect. Didn't see a ton of musky trollers, they were some out and about, but there was plenty of lake for all of us
 
Bait balls were deep still. Here is couple from my Lowrance at the wheel. Guessing Alewives, with the wipers underneath? The one pic with the "spaghetti" lines, tell me they were active fish.
 
I assume Alewvies are a lot more prevalent than other baitfish, such as gizzard shad and/or golden shiners? How do you guys net them? Go around docks at first and last light? Never saw any bait busting at the surface. So I think it will be a little while till the baitfish get pushed into the shallows and coves for true fall fishing.
 
Not sure if the weather shut down the green and brown bass, but something was really off. As far as the 422 bridge, I always mark a ton of bait and fish in front of and around the pilings, but never buy a bite. Not sure if its junk fish hanging in and around the bridge? Did see some carp jumping at various spots on the lake
 
Lake had good walleye chop early in the morning, then by lunchtime, the sailboats and some yaks and other fisherman were on the lake.

 
 
Speaking of Sam, I'm  thinkin' we should have heard a report on his expedition over the weekend, by now. 
 
GOOD GRIEF...  do yinz suppose I should run over to Wilhelm and see if Sam got his 'yak' high centered and is stuck on a stump or sumpthin???   
 
Or maybe, he is just too busy cleaning fish.

OH MY, never left the house????  Now you are sounding like somebody else!!!  Sam, sorry to be the one to tell ya butttttttt, I think you're getting old!!

PorktownHave you ever had any issue?

 
Never at Arthur.  I don't know if I'd trust a deep sink somewhere that might have oyster beds, and I learned my lesson in Arthur over the weeds.  But in 12-20 at Arthur you're not going to hang up typically.  

Sea grass.  Various kinds.  And yep, that's where the good stuff is.  Same reason the mahi are always under sargassum, and the <all the fish> are near weeds in our lakes.  That stuff is the cheap chinese buffet of fish food!  The stuff at Arthur is thick with baby bluegills.  Funny I never see baby perch though.  

Fall is coming tomorrow.  Which means the USS Fartknocker #2 will be hitting the inland dead sea soon enough.
 
Perch better watch out!!!  Walleyes and wipers, you are all likely fine.  I'll be searching for you, but always seem to outsmart me...  Dumb fish beware!!!  As soon as the shock wears off from Summer to Winter transition, those fish are going to be jumping into some 350 degree oil!!!

Probably a bad weekend for me.  Got a dumpster coming and need to do some work.  Might sneak out Sunday if I get lucky and the weather cooperates.  Hope you slay them.  

Porktown
...... watching those perch fillets get golden brown in the fryer!  Watching the french fries might be worse, since they take longer...

That will be "enough" of that kinda talk Pork!!!

Hope your happy, no fish frys till Friday so if you'll excuse me, I need to place an order with my local Chinese fast food outlet.

I’m not worried about any MSG being in the food. What concerns me is there any D-O-G?