Popeye

Another consideration would be All Pro Fisher: http://estore.websitepros.com/1736384/StoreFront.bok I bought most of my new gear from them (best prices I could find and free shipping) and off Ebay. BTW: the fine folks at All Pro Fisher can get you almost anything you want even if it's not listed on their website/store. Just contact Carrie at: carrie@allprofisher.com and ask her about availability and price:o)

I wish my wife liked/loved to fish as much as I do, but alas, she doesn't so I generally go with one or more of my brother's or Mom (she does love fishing). Having FUN is way more important to me than out-catching someone else regardless of who I'm with and there have been countless times when I fish alone and am perfectly content with that. IF I were given the choice of selecting a fishing partner, it would be my wife if she could just learn to love it as much as I do!

GREAT thread/topic!! Makes me Thank the Lord (again) for my Dad and Grandfather taking me fishing so many, many years ago and getting me hooked on the sport (no pun intended:o) Topics like this one show you how GREAT and helpful ALL the fine folks on this Fantastic Forum are!!

Ah, "MUSKY: all other fish are just bait!") BIG fish with nasty attitudes means using heavy duty gear. Here is a link to a website devoted to those who hunt Musky. The folks on the site are great people like those on the BR site and will help with all your questions about gear: http://www.muskyhunter.com/ Click on "Message Board" at the top:o)

I agree: stay with the spinning reel for all around use. BUT, you might also want to consider an inexpensive fly rod and reel setup dedicated for river usage (trout) even though it could certainly be used to catch any species of fish you want. IMO:o)

Surfer: now THAT is really CLEVER & low budget to boot!! Makes the higher end pontoon boats & catarafts that I've been researching look like Cadillacs.

You might also consider the Pflueger President, Supreme, and Trion. Okuma makes some nice reels within your price range as well. The older Okuma Metalloid reels can be bought on Ebay for a reasonable price and seem to be well built. IMO:o)

As much as I'd like to spend more than I have on my rods, my reels have cost way more. Still, the rods I did buy are the best I could afford after paying for the reels and are way better than the cane pole I used as a kid eons ago:o) I totally agree with the sensitivity/rod cost comments. Quality/sensitivity does cost more, but since I fish mainly for fun, if I miss a strike because my $100 - $150.00 rod didn't detect it, oh well.

Thanks guys!!

1. Feed the Bait Monkey 2. Read as much as I can to learn new stuff (on forums like this one) 3. Watch my fishing videos 4. Watch Bass Pros and Lindner's Angling Edge as often as possible 5. Drool over all the new gear I've bought

Since I do all the "Hop Sing" chores around our place, i.e. pay the bills, do the grocery shopping, laundry, cooking (most of the time), my wife of 38 years supports almost any sport that I want to undertake when I have the time. In fact she'd PREFER that I be doing something like fishing to sitting on the couch getting plastered:o) Seeing as how she HATES fishing (she accompanied me a few times when we lived in Illinois after I retired from the Navy), she doesn't quite understand my passion for it, BUT she still supports it.... so much so that she allowed me to buy a little 2 1/2 acre mini-farm in northern Indiana to live on when I'm back there with my Mom, brothers, and sister visiting and FISHING my rear off after I retire this June. As the old expression goes "I wouldn't trade her for anything!" Still, I do at least TELL her when and where I'm gong to be doing this or that so she'll know where I am in case of an emergency or something like that:o) After all, I am NOT the only "breadwinner" in the house. My wife contributes to the household budget by working at her job which is WAY harder than mine!

I am considering getting an inflatable catamaran to use since I will be fishing mainly smaller lakes/ponds and by myself most of the time. After reading a lot of posts, the Sea Eagle 9 seems to get some rave reviews/recommendations but I really like the Fold Cat. Does anyone on this forum have/use one of the Fold Cats and, if so, how do you like it? Is it easily rowed/handled by one person?? Can a guy easily put and remove it from the top of a truck like an Explorer fully inflated and ready to use? I am kinda concerned about the constant inflating and deflating and the adverse affects of doing that to any inflatable's valves and fabric. Should that be any worry with a high end/quality inflatable like the Sea Eagles or ODC?? Thanks for the info!!!

Ditto to what tin2win wrote! Actually, I'd like to buy ANY nice bass boat:o)

I have 2 Okuma MD-30 Metaloid reels that I bought on Ebay and I think for the price they are hard to beat! IMO:o)

I'd recommend the Pflueger Supreme. The President is also a nice reel, but the Supreme is much nicer for only around $20 more. IMO:o)

I opted to buy Pflueger when I bought all my new gear. I researched and read as many reviews and recommendations as I could find/get on the net and the Pfluegers just appealed to me more than the Shimanos. I have a Supreme, President, and Trion. They are all very nice, BUT the Supreme is awesome. I can't wait to use them all!!

WOW is an understatement! Those are some of the most realistic flys that I've ever seen! That guy sure has talent and a real knack for tying flys of all types. The turtle and grasshopper are fantastic, IMO.

Triple DITTO to what Black Bass said in his post!!! I never visit this Fantastic Forum and fail to learn something valuable and new with regards to our fishing passion. The guys and gals who contribute their venerable expertise and knowledge are top notch and sincerely appreciated! I hope each and every member lands a personal best in the upcoming year! I know I am sure looking forward to retirement and trying to do just that:o)

My daughter got me two packets of snelled hooks and a nice 22 pocket Pflueger deluxe fly vest and floppy fishing hat. My wife doesn't know it yet but she bought me a nice Dyna-King Barracuda Deluxe fly vise that hasn't arrived yet and some Levi pants to fish in. What a great gal she is!!

I think your -30 Okuma reels will be just fine with 10# - 12# line. If you're going to be throwing light weight lures/plastics, then you may want a smaller series reel and lighter line, say 6# - 8#. IMO.

Fly fishing with top water flys/poppers and swimbaits/crankbaits with my new gear after I retire

Congratulations and Merry Christmas to you. Stay safe and come home soon. My son spent 16 months over there as an MP HumVee turret gunner providing convoy protection and I was a nervous wreck the whole time he was gone. Much worse on me than than the 3 tours in 'Nam I did way back when:o( ALL of you brave young men are in my/our prayers!

Merry Christmas to ALL the great guys and gals on this Fantastic Forum and may your New Year be glorious as well!! George: great poem and it sounds to me that you have a wonderful family and DO HAVE A LIFE:o)

Check out the Pflueger President and Supreme reels as well! They are awesome and priced within your range. The Trion is also a great reel, IMO:o)

Absolutely you can fly fish for bass and any other species of fish that you care to, including the toothy critters that EAT bass! There are many folks that do just that and I'm gonna be one of them as soon as I retire!! I have spent a small fortune to supplement my new BC and spinning gear with 2 fly rods and reels and am now going to learn how to tie bass flys/poppers for myself. There are numerous bass bugs/flys that you can buy already made and ready for use. I'd recommend that you go with at least a 6 wt fly rod and a 7 or 8 wt would probably be better (I bought a 6 wt and a 7 wt after discussing the issue with a friend at work who fly fishes saltwater here in San Diego, and believe me, if you can fly fish for saltwater fish which I have found to be MUCH larger than the normal bass or pike, you can fly fish for anything! - he recommended the 6/7 wt rods and has fly fished for many years, both saltwater and freshwater - salmon get pretty darn big as well:o) You also need the heavier weight rods to cast the heavier weight fly line and BIG flys/bugs/poppers that bass are likely to eat/strike. I find it exhilerating when I catch any kind of fish on a topwater bait, so fly fishing is a natural. A LM or SM exploding upwards on a topwater is a thrill that is hard to duplicate! Just know that it will be moderately expensive to get into fly fishing. The rods and reels can be expensive but need not be if you search around (Ebay:o). The one thing that I have learned is to place more importance on the fly LINE than any other aspect of the gear! There are many great DVDs that are available for anyone wanting to start fly fishing for bass. I found several on Ebay as well.