Micro

They fit better than the original double-diamond grips that came on it. These are Hogue Ivory matrix grips that were a bit oversized. These panels actually come to the front contour line on the frame. The originals were set back from it so there was a gap between the contour line and the front edge of the grip panel. The Hogues also are higher. The original left the slide-stop pin spring housing fully exposed. The Hogues extend up over it. I had to fit that section since the Hogues interfered with the slide stop operation. It has a full range of motion now that it is properly fitted. I agree, they look different. But its because they have more area and cover more than the originals..

My current hanguns: Sig Sauer P220R .45 ACP Sig Sauer P220R Carry .45 ACP Colt Commander .45 ACP Colt XSE (Gov't) .45 ACP Ruger GP100 4" stainless .357 Mag Ruger SP101 2.25" .357 Mag CZ75 Compact 9mm CZ83 .380 ACP Ruger Mark II .22 For concealed carry, I usually carry my CZ75 Compact, or CZ83. I'll carry the others when I feel like it. My GP100 and Sig Sauer P220R are reserved for home duty. I have a Streamlight TLR-1 tactical light on my Sig that will friggin' blind someone. Sometimes I open carry my GP100 when I go fishing. My Colt Commander is a barbeque gun. That one has ivory grips, Nighthawk custom trigger and other cool things on it.

I agree, for an all around cranking reel, a 6.#:1 is fine. A lower gear is okay if all you are doing is deep cranking. Either way, I'd recommend a Daiwa Zillion in either 6.3:1 or 4.9:1. Another great choice would be the Team Daiwa Advantage HSTA.

I've had a 1548 Tracker Grizzly since 2004. I've treated it rough. I've banged into everything imaginable: rocks, duck blinds, cypress trees. I've had it hung up on top of those cypress srouts so badly I've had to actually get out and push the boat off. I've even drug/pushed it over a log that I couldn't run it over. The paint has worn off it so badly that I've since repainted it completely with Krylon flat olive green paint ($6 per can versus Trackers $14 forest green paint). Not a single problem. Welds are still solid. One tough boat. I'd buy another (ony bigger) in a heart beat. Look hard enough and you will find problems with any brand. I looked at G3 and thought there were too many complaints about transom problems. Now I realize that people that think their boats are okay don't post. People with complaints do, so that's what you hear.

I live in southeast Virginia and haven't seen any topwater action in weeks. We've probably got warmer water than anywhere else in the state. The only activity on the surface I am seeing are balls of baitfish with a few jumping, but the bass action is underneath them. I haven't heard or seen a blowup on the surface at all recently. The bugs, especially dragonflies, that seem to draw topwater hits are all gone. The frog noises are pretty much all gone. And the fish I am seeing on my finder are usually 6+ feet down. I'm done with topwater for the year.

I've got a bunch of Gamakatsu 3/0 Finesse Wide Gaps but the shanks seem very short for drop shotting, shorter even that drop shot hook shanks. The Gammy 3/0 Wide Gap Finesse (WGF) hook is almost exactly the same width as the EWG but, obviosly, with a shorter shank. So, 3/0 WGF or 1/0 EWG? Here they are compared to the fluke I'll be using...

Hookups is my concern. Secondary concern is weedlessness. I will be fishing near, cover, but don't anticipate dropping it in real heavy stuff. I'll try the nose-hook option first. If I start hanging up, I'll rig it texposed style. If I nose rig it, should I use something other than a EWG hook?

I plan on trying them texposed rigged, like I would if I was fishing them weightless.

Anyone have any luck drop shotting 5" flukes on 3/0 EWG hooks? I've never drop shotted anything that big.

More about show than fishing. I'd be afraid to get that wet. So what's the point?

Yeah, crazy. Tracers were normally loaded into a belt every 5th round. So, for every 1 tracer projectile you see, there are 4 non tracer projectiles you don't.

Net Bait Frogs are awesome, too.

Aliens do visit us. BassClary has proof.

+1 on the point "rolling" on Trokars. I bought some 4/0 twist lock Trokars to fish my Space Monkeys after reading all the hype. After a few fish, I could feel the point and there was a definite dulling of the point. I could run my finger up to the point an feel a snag. Never had that happen with Owners, or Gamakastu for that matter. It was the first and only time I've used Trokars. The rest are just sitting in my box. I've caught dozens of fish on the same 4/0 Owner and the point is still sharp.

If the Veritas has an exposed reel seet, it doesn't appear to me that its the blank that is showing. It looks much thicker than the what the blank should be at that point, and thicker than the blank at the butt. It's almost like that have a slip cover over the blank that the reel seat is attached to.

Sabiki rigs are legal in Virginia. People use them to catch blueback herring and alewife, mainly for striper bait.

Owners are at least as good, maybe better, than Gamakatsus. Most of my experience is with the offset worm hooks and weighted and unweighted twist lock hooks. I use 4/0 1/8oz weighted Twsit Lock Hooks with Rage Tail Space Monkeys. I always end up loosing them before they dull. I used every size unweighted twist locks on everything from Horny Toads to NetBait frogs. And I've used offset hooks for worming. My favorites are small hooks used with Roboworms on split-shot rigs. Not much to say about them except that they are very high quality hooks.

Fenwick HMX.

The requirement is also, in part, aged based with respect to the required completion time... 1.PWC operators between the ages of 16 and 20 years of age or younger shall meet the requirements by July 1, 2009, operators ages 14 or 15 may operate a PWC if they have successfully completed an approved boating education safety course; 2.PWC operators 35 years of age or younger shall meet the requirements by July 1, 2010; 3.PWC operators 50 years of age or younger and motorboat operators 20 years of age or younger shall meet the requirements by July 1, 2011; 4.All PWC operators, regardless of age, and motorboat operators 30 years of age or younger shall meet the requirements by July 1, 2012; 5.Motorboat operators 40 years of age or younger shall meet the requirements by July 1, 2013; 6.Motorboat operators 45 years of age or younger shall meet the requirements by July 1, 2014; 7.Motorboat operators 50 years of age or younger shall meet the requirements by July 1, 2015; 8.All motorboat operators,regardless of age,shall meet the requirements by July 1, 2016.

The whole idea was stooooopid to begin with. Legalize pot, they said, then you can regulate and tax it and fix California's fiscal nightmare. Nevermind that even if California legalized it, it was still illegal under federal law. So then you would have dealers and buyers, and the state government involved in a still illegal trade, fully identified to Eric Holder who said his Dept. of Justice was still going to prosecute those involved in the trade to the fullest extent. And apparently those that supported it were too stoned to vote that day.

+1 on the pipe-cutting tool. I cut 8 inches off my Power Drive shaft using the tool and never touched the wires. Once done I drilled a new holed for the head screw and reassembled. It was much easer than I thought it would be. If you cut the shaft, make sure you cut it on the head end, not the motor end.

Per Bantam (the Shimano rep that used to post here), the difference between the 300DSV and the updated 300E are: We added one bearing, new Titanium line guide insert and changed the pinion support bearing to a S-ARB bearing now. Other than this they are the same.

There is a long running thread in the Southeast section on Briery Creek. Wayne P is the best source of information. His experience was recently profiled in a Virginia Wildlife magazine article on Briery Creek.

LCR will be open Fridays through Sundays all winter. This is the first year that I can remember that they have had an extended schedule through the winter.

I don't think they would work well for jigs. They are made for treble hooked baits.