J Francho

Not a sub $300 unit, but I thoroughly enjoy my HB 383c Combo unit. Only drawbacks I can really see after a year, are that the "quick menu" aren't the most common features for me, so I automatically hit menu twice. The other is that I have to save my track before turning it off. Seems like that should be automatic. No biggies, though.

Nothing. They bite artificials, they fight hard, and females get pretty big. There are some that are either ignorant or uninformed as to what they actually are, and think they should be killed, which is in my opinion, retarded. They are just another predator that live along side bass.

1-12 depending. Shore/wading, I'll bring 1-3; fishing from my yak, 4-8; as a non boater in a tx., usually 4, in a rental or borrowed boat, 6-12.

Get a long, limber rod, and tie good knots. The fish below was caught last week on a Lamiglass 9'6" ML/moderate rod with 8# mono main and 8# FC leader using a small Spro swivel.

The fluorocarbon will sink.

Quantum = Yuck.

I have Char. Shad, Am. Shad, and Aurora Black in both 100 and 115, and the Aurora Black 115 has outproduced them all in green water, tannin stained water, muddy water, and clear water. But that's just my anecdotal experience. There have been times when Am. or Char. Shad got bit, and my "lucky" Sammy did not. As far as not having anough $$$ for the full line, I'd rather have a wide selection of different TW baits in a few colors each.

Nope, just went to school for it 15 years ago. I have a lot of reference materials. I was more involved with import/wholesale of live tropical fish, reptiles, and exotic mammals. I ran a fish hatchery in my parents basement basement for several years, have been out collecting native species for study, and photographed many, many species of fish for identification and description purposes. Currently I am a consultant for an IT company. My son's Godfather went quite a bit further with his education, graduating from Cornell Ag, but his career was short lived. Coincidentally, he is a software engineer now.

Correct, like this: ()

If your going to release the fish, PLEASE DON'T DO THIS!!!!!! Just get a freaking scale. Well you did it, in your picture on the jig thread, your bass is next to your rod in your kayak. What's up with that : http://plan-b.smugmug.com/photos/362185918_byrLD-M.jpg I laid it on wet smooth plastic. How does that equate to laying a fish on the ground? The fact that my rod is in the picture is happenstance. But there is a meaning ful reference in that picture, and it happens to be 21" from the seat snap on the right to where the paddle tether is clipped on the left. I did weigh the fish with my scale - it was a hair over six. Interestingly, you chose THIS forum to use a picture from MY website instead of bringing it up when originally posted. How do you think the slime coat on that fish differed from that of a fish that was laid on the ground? Really. When I was in college studying fisheries management, we used wet, Formica counters to count and inspect fish by sliding them gently across the wet surface. Since the livestock is a fish farmers livelihood, I'd say that was a safe practice. I find there is an element here interested only in semantics, and proving others wrong, rather than to actually educate and inform others of the best practices and current trends in bass fishing. That's too bad, Muddy. Don't you think? Which fish looks like its doing better?

Thanks. Some more brown trout: And a bass from a couple weekends ago: And what the heck, here's a Chinook from last week:

I think you could be right. Either way, decent for the money. Don't expect any comparison to something in the $100+ range. They are a $50 rod, and I think that's all you should pay.

And why is Michael Jackson holding it?

I applaud this piece of human pond scum for not hiding behind "political correctedness" so you, and the anyone that knows him realizes he's a racist ***** that can't catch fish.

Many, many years ago I saw one that was probably around three feet long caught off the pier at the Port Bay outlet. That was a lake sturgeon, though. More info on them.

Insurance companies are a real hoot to deal with when taking the path of expensive treatment. It took a year, but mine finally coughed up 75% of the bill for my insulin pump. What's odd is, that studies have shown that pump users show far less progression of diabetes and lower rates of other illness than traditional injections. That reminds me, I have to change my infusion set tonight -- yuck. Needles still flip me out.

They are basically rebadged Instincts.

Fluids (not beer) and rest.

Probably measured from dorsal to belly, not the full circumference. Not very consistent or accurate, but illustrates the size of the fish. I'm a little dubious of that length though.

Spend the extra coin on a Tierra or a Citica - much better reels, and will last you.

Same as if I caught a northern pike, grab it behind the gills. I don't get the whole "kill them" them thing, unless you're going to eat them. They were here before bass, and will likely outlast them. They are frustrating though - you end up thinking you've got a good bass on, and its a bowfin. Or you see a big one, and want to catch it, but it doesn't take the bait. Get educated here: http://www.bowfinanglers.com/myths.html

The beauty of a Uni to Uni is that it doesn't cut into the other line. Perhaps the issue is line diameter? If the braid is significantly smaller in diameter than the leader, then I use a spider hitch knot to double the braid before tying a U2U connection.

All I use are green, white, and black frogs. Look at the belly, not the back, as that is what the fish sees.

My guess its for something a little more serious than wrinkles.

Thankfully, none of my fish are lunkers.