You see I believe in giving people and companies a chance to make things right.  Call me a sappy fool but let’s face it, this world needs more forgiveness.

A few weeks back another blogger and I attempted to purchase two Emotion Mojo Angler Kayaks from Cabela’s.  There was an amazing deal ($150 off) and we were both in the market for a sit on top kayak.

To make a long story short we waited 3 weeks, had to chase after our boats via phone, and generally had our poor little fishermen hearts broken by one of our favorite retailers.

Kirk and I wrote blog posts…  They were not pretty.

Here’s Cabela’s side:

•  Customers bought kayaks
• Manufacturer (lifetime products) had a manufacturing issue
• Vendor – Manufacturer communication went to hell
• Customers wait 3 weeks with no boat
• angry bloggers revolt

Enter:  Sue Stokley

While I’m not 100% sure of her title, I’m pretty sure “customer service goddess” may suffice.   Ya see, Sue is part of a lost breed of customer service managers/folks who understand how to treat each customer like a VIP.

After receiving word on the posts that Kirk and I wrote about our kayak buying experience, Sue was charged with reeling in two very grumpy fishing bloggers.

Listening to her voicemail I was greeted by frantic concern.  Sue urged, “Don’t give up on us yet”.  

This wasn’t a, “we’re really sorry, here’s a cup holder” kinda customer service call.  This was someone who was generally concerned with keeping me as a customer.

While I hate being put in situations like this I gotta say, I could feel the love.

Before I was willing to talk about anything else I asked Sue,  ”How do I know that what happened to me won’t happen to one of my other outdoor friends in the future?”.

It was apparent that this was a mixture of part honest mistake and part flawed internal processes.  Sue took the time to explain the breakdown in communication between Cabela’s and the manufacturer.  She understood the frustration that not having my boat on time caused and she fought to make it right.

Sue proceeded to tell me that the manufacturer of the Kayaks (Lifetime Products) has taken a step to make sure this never happens to Cabela’s customers again.  From now on they have one dedicated person to ensure that Cabela’s orders are on time.  If there is a delay that will affect drop ship delivery they will alert Cabela’s so that  customers can be notified in a timely manner.

After an hour or so on the phone I was convinced that Kirk and I had made our impression on Cabela’s.  More importantly, they had listened to their customers and worked to fix their problem.

Did I end up buying the kayak?  No.  I needed a boat sooner rather than later and another blogger buddy of mine has a used Nucanoe that should be a perfect fit.

I won’t go into the details but since Cabela’s couldn’t help me out with a boat they decided to “talk me into” buying a new rod…  But more about that later.

I’m extremely satisfied.  Cabela’s ended up making things right and they will be getting more of my business in the future.  Hopefully Sue Stokley gets a raise (or sainthood) for her hard work.

We are in the process of cranking out some awesome gear reviews for top notch companies like Sage, St. Croix, Glacier glove, Abu Garcia, Humminbird, Nissan, and yes even Zazzy Pop.

75 years of winning

We’re a little detail oriented with gear reviews.  We like to give the full story.  Sometimes gear gets abused, broken, or loved so much that we sleep with it at night.  That being said, each and every gear review on The Functioning Fishaholics is a  handcrafted work of art.

Elk Ridge

As we prepare to unleash more epic  fishing gear reviews, please take a moment to review some of the other great reviews that have been Published on The Functioning Fishaholics:

Elk Ridge 5″ fixed blade knife
http://funcfish.com/2012/03/a-new-fishing-knife/

Bill ShullJr. from Tight Lines Fly Fishing
http://funcfish.com/2012/02/a-deal-a-happy-customer-and-the-somerset-fly-fishing-show/

Berkley Trilene TransOptic monofilament
http://funcfish.com/2012/01/berkley-trilene-transoptic-review/

Sufix 832 Advanced Superline
http://funcfish.com/2011/05/sufix-832-advanced-superline-review/

Rapala Original Floater
http://funcfish.com/2011/03/playing-outdoor-favorites/

Ardent Reel Kleen Kit
http://funcfish.com/2011/02/ardent-reel-kleen-kit-review/

Frabill Bro Ice Fishing Combo Rod
http://funcfish.com/2011/02/frabill-bro-review/

Book:  Facts of Fishing 135 Secrets Fish Don’t Want You to know by Dave Mercer with Terry Battisti
http://funcfish.com/2010/12/book-review-facts-of-fishing-135-secrets-fish-don%E2%80%99t-want-you-to-know-dave-mercer-with-terry-battisti/

Flambeau Soft Sided Tackle Bag
http://funcfish.com/2010/08/new-tackle-boxbag/

Are you a manufacturer of outdoor gear?  Are you looking to have your gear abused fairly reviewed?  Readers, are you interested in seeing The Functioning Fishaholics review a specific piece of gear before you buy it?  Let us know in the comments below!

Articulated Perch

This fly is made of two hooks and probably leans more towards the Muskie/Pike world but I decided to put together a perch pattern with a whole lot going on.  Maribou, Flashabou, Bunny strips, hackle feathers, Deer Tail, lead eye, mono-weed guards,  this fly has it all.  The only thing it is missing is a nicely tied head…

I haven’t had the sore arm pleasure of throwing this one yet but I can’t wait to see what it looks like in the water.  Depending on the action (and wet weight) I might thin this one out a little bit next time.  Also I think the recipe can be cut back a little for simplicity.

Quick and Dirty Foam Frog

Speaking of Simplicity, this next pattern is what I like to call my quick and dirty foam frog.  While it’s a far cry from some of the high quality fly fishing poppers out there it is a quick, dirty (and need I say cheap), alternative to conventional foam poppers.

Yes I know I tied something like this before but this one is a little easier.

Quick and Dirty Foam Frog fly pattern

1. Stack and glue craft foam squares to desired body length.
2. Shape foam block with razor blade (these are quick and dirty foam frogs so no need to be perfect)
3. Tie mono weed guard to hook bend
4. Tie in some olive maribou for a tail
5. Tie in a few hackle feathers for legs/tail
6. Palmer in a nice bright hackle
7. Build a little thread on the rest of the hook for body to glue to
8. Tie off
9. Make a hole in the foam body, glue hook and slide on.  I prefer this to slitting the body because I like to do things the hard way
10. Tie off mono weed guard at the eye of the hook (requires starting thread again and hook eye) you may also have to slit the body a bit for the weed guard to bend around
11. glue on plastic eyes
12. Style with paint or permanent marker
13. Coat body with epoxy (If you feel like it)

While it is a far cry from “pretty” popper bodies, this fly’s rough body gives it an almost organic appeal.  If you are convinced that fish aren’t that picky, give this guy a shot.  Experiment, do what seems fun.  Most Largemouth Bass are aggressive enough to bite almost anything.

Do you have a favorite fly for Largemouth Bass or Smallmouth Bass?  Muskie?  Pike?  Let us know in the comments below!

Organize Your Fishing Equipment in Three Easy Steps

The relationship between a person and his or her fishing equipment is a beautiful thing. Some might even call it sacred. However, like all relationships, this one requires a great deal of time and effort to work out problems and maintain harmony both in the boat and outside of it. One of the main problems that can interfere with this relationship is a lack of organization, which can result in tangles, damages, loss and other problems that get in the way of a relaxing day out doing what you love most. To ensure a more peaceful and successful fishing trip the next time you venture off, keep the following helpful tips in mind.

Tool Boxes are Your Best Friend

Although nothing can come in between the relationship between you and your fishing equipment, tool boxes can often act as a mediator for keeping everything organized and conveniently portable. Similar to a tackle box, a tool box features several compartmentalized areas that can be used to store hooks, lures, sinkers, swivels, bobbers, and other fishing equipment in a safe and easily accessible place. Not to mention, most tool boxes are built stronger than the average tackle box, so you can count on ideal protection for your belongings.

Store Fishing Poles with Cup Hooks

Don’t have a lot of extra space in the garage or extra money to invest in a fishing rod storage rack? Try looking up to find a convenient and safe place to store your fishing rods. By installing cup hooks on the ceiling of a more private room in your home, such as the laundry room, you can keep your fishing rods organized and out of reach of small hands. Experts recommend choosing large cup hooks and installing them at least four feet away from one another to prevent lines from becoming tangled. As an extra safety precaution, make sure there is limited tension on the line and place a Styrofoam shipping peanut over the hook to prevent injuries when retrieving your poles.

Image Source: http://capl.washjeff.edu/2/l/4794.jpg

 Designate a Separate Container for Equipment Maintenance Items

Someone who takes the time to carefully organize fishing equipment likely also has a great deal of equipment maintenance items for getting the best use out of all of fishing trip necessities. Keeping these items safe is almost as important as keeping the equipment itself safe, since both practices aid in extending the quality and overall life of your fishing tools. Plastic containers are usually a good choice for storing items such as reel grease, extra rod tips, eyes, and other items every fisher needs to maintain and repair his or her rod.

Image Source: http://capl.washjeff.edu/2/l/4793.jpg

 There’s nothing worse than preparing for a relaxing day of fishing only to spend hours untangling lines, searching for lost hooks and discovering damaged lures before you set off. The worst part about these inconveniences is that they all could have been avoided with just a few minutes devoted to organization between each trip.

Jessica is interested in traveling and being outdoors. In her free time, she enjoys fishing and blogging on behalf of Sears and other brands she trusts.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Well if you absolutely LOVE turtles here’s a little art just for you!

Not much more to say about turtles…  Did you know they are making a new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie?  Me either…  Sometimes you just have to throw in a pop culture reference to keep things interesting…

Do you like turtles?  Do you like art?  Did you own all of the TMNT action figures when you were a kid?  Let us know in the comments below!

We are starting a savings account for a new Bass boat.  Not just your run of the mill Ranger or Tracker style bass boat mind you.  This is a fishing boat worthy of dedicated fishing aficionados like ourselves.

Ladies and gentlemen may I present the Ego (or as I like to call it the super duper, stealth, Bass recon, ninja, mobile, platform).

Eat your heart out KVD...

How amazingly sick is this boat?  You’d have to give up the shallow water game BUT being able to motor up, spot some Largemouth Bass and then cast from the huge deck above = EPIC.

What the deck??!!??

A little rain?  No problem!  Just batten down the hatch and head downstairs…  NOW YOU’RE UNDER WATER!

For those of you who aren’t completely sold on a Bass boat/submarine, may I present you with a Youtube video!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Have you ever driven a submarine?  Have you ever fished from one?  Let us know in the comments below!

Click here to read!

Also if you are looking for camping gear please check out their store:  http://www.camping-gear-outlet.com/

One Largemouth Bass the Muskies didn't eat.

The day started off cool and slow as we worked our way around the the lake.  Water temperatures were hovering around 58* and Jeff was a little worried that the cool rain earlier in the week would make the day’s fishing difficult.

The day's first Largemouth

The healthy bruiser above was the first catch of the day.  I landed this fish on a 3″ Senko.

Marsh Creek Lake has a healthy population of Largemouth Bass.  Contrary to popular belief, the stocked Muskie aren’t eating all of them.

In fact, most of the fishermen I saw on this trip were out looking for Muskie.  Known as the “fish of 1000 casts”, Muskie usually require a lot of effort (and lures that look like dog toys).

My theory is this:

More Muskie fishermen: Less pressure on Bass.
Hungry Muskie: Less small Bluegill and other panfish: Less little guys to eat Largemouth eggs.

Jeff's first Largemouth of the day

As captain of our vessel, Jeff found his fair share of bass on this trip.  Jeff called two things perfectly on this trip.  His first prediction, “The bass won’t turn on until the water temperature hits 60*” was spot on.  As soon as we hit some warmer water the Largemouth Bass started getting very active

Like shooting fish in a barrel

Jeff’s second prediction (or pattern) for the day was pinpoint casting into shadows along the bank.  This one was easy to buy into, it was really sunny, Largemouth Bass don’t have eyelids…   Seems logical…  We fired finesse baits into the shadows like stealthy ninja snipers…

For a couple of amateurs we were throwing baits up and under heavy cover with very few hangups.  Most of the time if we hit our mark there would be a fish waiting in the shadows.

Jeff uses this pose for 90% of his hero shots...

After trying out a specific (and possibly over hyped) bait I think I came down with some kind of curse.  You can read all about it in our next post but let’s just say I lost 3 really nice fish.

Another healthy Marsh Creek bucketmouth

As usual, Marsh Creek Lake was a wind tunnel.  No lie, there was even some sort of sailing event in the middle of the lake.  As we puttered around with the trolling motor there were times when the wind blew so hard the boat would come to a standstill even at full power.  I think I’ll bring a sail next time…

Largemouth Bass of the day

Not sure when this one came to the boat but out of all of the fish that actually made it to the boat, this was hands down the lunker of the day.

Have you been fishing lately in PA?  Are you thinking of adding a sail to your bass boat?  Let us know in the comments below!

Jeff:  Well I saw your report…so I figured I would give you mine. Was on the water from 8 until about 330…caught a bunch of short fish from the launch, Willie’s, and Musky cove. Spent the whole day down at the dam end. Ran into a school of perch in the back of Musky cove and it was a blitz…caught the biggest one I have ever caught.

Jeff's Perch

Pulling out of there (The wonderful and talented wife I left you at home for) picked up the lunker for the day…

Jeff's wife could easily out-fish me...

only female felt like she weighed a pound and a half. Over all great day on the water…with these batteries I can easily run for 8 hours Included are two fish shots and a glamour shot…so you dont forget what I look like haha

Man I miss this guy...

Thanks Jeff for passing along the fishing report and glamour shot.  Although wifey thinks it’s kinda weird, I had Cafe Press make a poster for my wall.  Hopefully the rain holds off next weekend!

Have you been out fishing in PA with your wife?  Catching anything?  Is she outfishing  you?  Let us know in the comments below!

I almost went fly fishing with one of my blogger buddies but he was having a rough morning.  My mom and dad were already on the water at Green Lane Reservoir so I decided to grab my spinning rod and join in their fun.

When I arrived at Green Lane Reservoir mom and dad weren’t having any luck. The water was still a little cold so we decided we’d move to a stretch of warmer water below the reservoir known as Deep Creek Dam.

I decided to take mom and dad to one of my favorite places on Deep Creek to see if we could catch a few Smallmouth Bass.

Deep Creek Smallmouth

I have to keep reminding myself that it is only April and I’m Bass fishing.  Even though Deep Creek is smaller and warmer than the main reservoir, fishing was  still fairly slow.  The Smallmouth Bass above was one of the many smaller fish that we pulled out yesterday.

Another Smallmouth Bass from Deep Creek

Mom and dad were fishing with worms as usual and were catching some average sized Smallmouth Bass and hand sized Bluegill.

One of dad's Bluegills

Mom found herself a quality sized “Striper”.  I keep reminding her that they are called Yellow Perch but hey, if she wants to tell people she caught Stripers at Deep Creek…

Mom's "striper" ehm... Yellow Perch

I had one nice sized Smallmouth Bass for the day.  A little smaller than I’m used to for my spot but still a nice fish.

My largest Smallmouth of the day

I also hooked into a pretty nice Largemouth Bass.  This fish was as strong as an ox for its size.  Most of the fish we caught from Deep Creek yesterday were very healthy and strong.  This is always good to see in an area that is heavily over fished and constantly cleaned out by people who keep every fish they catch.

Deep Creek Bucketmouth

Here’s a shot of its face…

Ooh look a Bass face...

If you’ve read this far I’ve saved the best for last.  Usually my dad is the fisherman “along for the ride.”  While mom and I are the family fishing addicts, dad sits quietly next to us enjoying nature and catching a few Bluegills here and there.

Yesterday dad stole the show.

Dad's Carp

Dad caught his first ever Carp.  With a little guidance he was even holding it like a pro!  This was easily the best fish of the day.

My favorite part of fishing with mom and dad is watching them catch big fish.  Although they only use live bait, they usually pull out a few nice fish on every trip and seeing their eyes light up is awesome. (even if the biggest fish isn’t mine)

What a face...

While I didn’t end up fly fishing I had a great time on the water.  And who knows, seeing the nice fish mom and dad pulled out I might just have to go back to using live bait…

Did you get out fishing yesterday?  Catch anything?  Let us know in the comments below!