VolFan

My condolences on losing your father. I lost mine 7 years ago, and still think of him every day - my mom is in poor health now, so it’s only a matter of time . It’s normal to take stock of our own mortality when someone close to us passes. You can only learn from their path - whether or not that same path is yours (outside of genetics) depends on what you learned from their life and passing, and then, and more importantly, what you do with what you learned.

I was actually expecting this to be TNRiver46’s thread. I cut the red meat out no matter what I’m doing with them. I like them as much as any freshwater fish!

@TnRiver46 wait for it… Others- Rescue a terrier. You might have to fix some small holes but they’ll bring you the bodies.

I always just tell them what I’m doing well on and try to chitchat. A lot of times they just don’t know or their head is elsewhere. Basser on basser tomfoolery is always possible but I have enough confidence and spots that I can just move on if it’s silly. Fishing is relaxation for me and I like to keep it that way.

Smooth is fast, and on the edge of out of control. If you’ve casted a fly rod correctly, you’ll understand that there’s a stroke and timing involved with the weight and action of the rod and the type of line you’re using. It’s similar with a baitcaster. Start smooth and close and work out from there

It’s also where minnows and young insect phases are. Food can be found in everything from the river bottom up through overhanging trees- it’s up to you to interpret what is the food source at that time, at that location that bass may be feeding on. You don’t always have to ‘match the hatch’ but you won’t catch 100% of the fish that aren’t there,

I’m talking about crawdads - they are everywhere. I realize I switched what I was talking about midstream. Smallies are usually found near cleaner bottoms in stream because, generally, those areas have current and current brings food and keeps eggs clean

Ha! I would agree with him^ There’s not a ton of great bank access to Wylie but there is some. Look for the parks on the lake like Copperhead Island and Windjammer. Lots of good catfish. Plenty of spotted bass and largemouth. Quite a few lakes in that Catawba chain though - I’d only pick Wylie if I really liked people.

Not necessarily- they’ll be there as they forage under and around rocks but they are in all parts of the river. And almost every river, lake, and stream across the US. They’re about as well-distributed as cockroaches. Clean Rocky parts of most rivers are clean rocks because there’s current there to sweep away mud and silt, but that usually results in a good feeding area as the current brings by good. They also need clean areas to spawn, with rock, clean sand or gravel, so there’s that.

What he said ^^^ but I would take the RT Menace. I feel like if I can hit water with it, I’m in the game.

This is true - I like the deep dish but my wife introduced me to the Chicago thin crust a I am hooked. That stuff is addictive

I don’t think you like it then. ?

A lot of people use a pull rope or stand up bar or a combination for getting up and standing. I can stand pretty easily out of the seat on my Nuke, but bony if using the bench seat. I don’t think I’ve been able to pull that off with no hands since my early 20s

Just be careful if you pick them up - some of them (especially millipedes) can give you a nasty bite

My wife has and wears the Crocs LiteRide sneakers for almost everything in the summer. They are great and I would have them too if I didn’t want to match my wife. Judge all you want. they’re basically soft plastic sneakers - if they start to smell, did your feet in the water. You can wash them, and/or letting them dry in open air really helps with odors.

If you find yourself missing fish, downsize. I always liked a buzzbait with trailer. All that said about leaders, DO NOT put your finger in their mouths. Their teeth are like little razors and they will bite down on you. I had a small one take a chunk out of my thumb like a little piranha

I never used a leader - they have small mouths and very very rarely engulf the whole lure if you’re fishing normal bass lures.

I think you overreacted to an issue of poor parking.

Oh baby! A big rapala waked or slow retrieve 1-2 ft down is one of my favorite summer baits. I take off the mid treble and upsize the other two hooks slightly.

Fwiw - it’s much more likely to be a local issue with your email account, phone, laptop, or how you access the internet. Use complex passwords. Don’t use those passwords on public WiFi. Don’t use the same password for multiple accounts. Don’t leave accounts/computers/routers set to the default password. Don’t click on links in emails. If you follow the above you will cure 99.99% of the problems we might see.

I don’t think the range has ever been a quiet spot - I say that within reason., no air horns. Our range sells buckets of beer and has party packages. I think it’s Top Golf that’s pushed ranges. Now they’re a destination, not a place to work on your game.

I would line the top with a thicker gasket material or something like weatherstripping… is the flexible rope elastic?

I’m a hybrid of the above - I have an old Dick’s baseball bucket (3 gallon maybe?) that I keep my water bottle in - trash and cans go in int and I just pop the lid on. It also has a rock in it.

Pft…72% humidity is child’s play. 80-90+ is standard for Memphis summers. It can be high 80s or 90s and still just be absolutely stifling. And flying in that thick air makes the mosquitoes stronger…

Two reasons: 1. Because it is there. 2. Because you can. But, you can’t buy happiness. You can only find it.