VolFan

Beef tongue is one of those things that when you see it raw it’s really shocking. Once it’s cleaned up and prepare it makes the best braised beef you will ever have short of its neighbor, the cheeks. The cheeks look is a lot more approachable.

Yeah that’s my limiting factor…maybe some braided titanium leader material or something like that - hard to get the right flexibility and resilience in the same package.

Could you furl it around something like a thin variety of weed eater twine for that senko shimmy and slow fall? I’m just spitballing but it seems like it might give you that end-to-end wiggle. I was thinking that or something like very thin surgical tubing…

Yay winter!!!

Pft…^^ he’s never put it on his feet…??

Rub it on you feet and wear socks to bed. I have no idea why, but it works pretty darn well.

Tie good knots. I use 15 or 17 lb CXX for the 1-3 oz range. The lighter glides glide much better on a little lighter line.

NorthStar custom baits makes great jigs - their hairy jig is about what you want. If you order bulk sometimes he’ll do some custom runs as well. They are (or used to be?) a site sponsor.

Lo n slo Ive seen in here lately- he’s just north of me in Charlotte. Cyclops is active lately on another forum that is dedicated to tin boats… I miss @SirSnookalot?

I caught a rainbow in 4 Mile Run (a trib of the Potomac) in July. It’s just north of Alexandria, just south of DC. Runs right by Reagan airport. It’s a hot cesspool of an urban stream but it was a gorgeous healthy 16” rainbow.

You can wish in one hand and s#!t in the other and see which one fills up faster. nobody is perfect every time. Learn. Move forward.

If I even think about feeding my dog she is sitting politely at her food bowl, forever greatful. She’d cure cancer if she had to for dinner. I do 99% of the cooking. But I’ll make a great meal and have to drag my wife and son off their phones or away from work to eat and they act like they’re doing me a favor…

Preach!

Some may be able to cast better, but it’s just not true that they last longer or are smoother, or smoother longer. My Curado Ds are much smoother and sturdier than my newest ones. Are they light? Oh good lord no - they double as anchors

How’s your core strength and balance? Are you too heavy? Can you swim? They’re great platforms but you have to accept that you are going to get wet in waves and that big wakes are a huge adventure, depending on angle. They are great for small rivers, canals, flats, and big creeks where the on/off ease can really be exploited for wading. Big lakes and open ocean…not so much. Great tool, it just depends on what you’re asking it to do.

If you’re deep frying I like them whole. Makes it easier to dip them in wing sauce and/or ranch. Gotta be careful with getting wing sauce on the rods though. If you’re making ‘mice and rice’ it doesn’t really matter but it’ll sure keep you warm for winter cattin’. @TnRiver46 knows what I’m saying. Possum ain’t just for breakfast anymore!

40 fish in January is outstanding- and those are some gorgeous fish!

There’s a couple guys on a Swimbait forum that I frequent that have great success in water over 40 degrees fishing big wake baits slowly near shallow rocky banks with deep water nearby. One of them is actually in Maine (or possibly Massachusetts). Rising water temps are key. Mostly they fished the evening/night after warm afternoons. Slow wakes with long pauses - the take is usually a sip more akin to a trout taking a dry fly than a violent strike. Occasionally you’ll get a pig walleye this way too if they’re around. I did this in DC on the Potomac and it worked great there too. My best bait was a Mini Slammer in black but YMMV. This not a numbers or small fish technique.

My wife hooked the biggest rainbow trout I think I’ve ever seen on a Stanley Wedge spinner bait - the spinner bait did not survive the encounter, and she lost the trout due to a poor net guy.

See Darren’s post from earlier- that’s the most likely scenario if there’s no underlying problems with his heart. It’s a one in a millions thing but you see it every once in a great great while with kid baseball pitchers that take a comeback liner in the chest.

Got it - I was thinking topwater swim baits like a Slammer or big walker. If you’re using it for frogs too then by all means use braid, but I would still go heavier. He’s also right about the 150 above. Ymmv

Catfish, Crappie, and white perch. Mostly cats

I think the Tatula is your better choice, but (unsolicited advice), I would use something like 15 lb CX or Yozuri Hybrid instead of the braid. Any catch or backlash with the braid the larger lures are goooooone.

Those are great great knives - From a practical standpoint, I have found that a good quality scissors (I actually have a couple pairs in different sizes) more functional for me on the boat. Everything from cutting bait to cutting and anchor line. I do have a quality and sharp knife on me all the time though.

That Sierra Nevada brewery is a cool place!