Stasher1

Thanks for the input guys. I'll leave this up for a little while longer to see if anyone else is willing to chime in, but it looks like I'll be adding a Hohner Special 20 to my next Amazon order...

Yes and yes.

I've always loved the sound of a harmonica, but have never really played one. I'm interested in learning, but need advice on a decent starter harmonica. The Hohner Special 20 in the key of C seems to be a popular choice, as does the Lee Oskar Major. Opinions? I see that Hohner also has a new-ish one out called the Blues Bender that is supposedly a lower-priced version of the Special 20, and it seems to be gaining popularity as well. The main complaint seems to be its country of origin (china), rather than its sound or durability... ETA: Les Stroud (Survivorman) plays a Hohner Special 20, and he's a badass. ;D

X2 If you're really fond of the action, sell the Mojo and buy a Premier crankbait rod. Same blank with a full cork grip.

x2 I'll occasionally go for a few weeks at a time without posting, but I rarely go a day without logging in and reading the new posts or searching thru the old ones for topics of interest.

I'm not a huge fan of BPS' lower-end rods, but that 6'8" ML Extreme dropshot rod is definitely an exception. It has the best tip for floating worms and weightless Trickworms of any rod I have ever used, and I regret selling mine. Nice soft tip with solid backbone, and fully capable of yanking decent fish out of the weeds/pads (see avatar).

I use braid on all of my spinning rigs except the UL setup I use for bream, and fluoro on my lipless crank/spinnerbait rod.

I probably would've left Penn Spinning off the list and replaced it with Pflueger Spinning, but that's just me. 85-90% of the time I'm going to be using spinning gear, and all of my spinning reels except one lonely little Daiwa have the Pflueger name on 'em.

I have both of my Supremes (8035MG) spooled with 30# braid with just enough 8# or 10# mono backing to cover the spool. I've been using 8# fluoro leaders lately, so I just spool as much braid as I can fit and tie on a 4'-6' leader. FWIW, the 8035MG will hold almost an entire 150yd spool of 30# Powerpro.

I disagree. I've looked at the President many times over the past few years but that wooden knob kept me from buying one. While the XT may not offer any real improvements over the standard model, it does come with the same "soft touch" knob as the Supreme and Arbor, which feels MUCH better in my hand than the wooden one. That alone is worth the extra $10 to me, but the upgraded carbon fiber drag of the XT adds to the price increase as well. Also, and feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the XT has an Alu/graphite frame while the standard model is strictly graphite. I could be wrong about that, though.

I have two Supremes (8035MG) and a President XT (6735XT) and there is very little difference in functionality between the two different models. If you really need/want the lighter reel, go with the Supreme. If the weight isn't a concern and you'd like to save a few bucks, the President XT is a d**n fine reel.

Rather convenient timing, don't you think? : With the .gov proposing cutbacks all over the place and Obama talking about canceling Federal employees' raises for the next two years, it sounds to me like an attempt to ensure funding for a program that has (so far) provided very little ROI.

This. I had Direct TV for a few years when I live in AL, but it went out just about every time it rained. Completely useless in a weather emergency. I've got a cable, phone, internet package thru Comcast right now and have no real complaints.

I'm sure the rising costs of materials influenced their decision to increase their prices, but I also believe the increased popularity of their Jelly Worm was a bigger influence. Let's face it, these things had fallen out of favor MANY years ago and have just become popular again in the past couple years. I think they (Mann's) are looking at the prices the competitors are charging and increasing theirs to match. If you like their products and they produce for you when others don't, keep buying them. However, if you can get the same performance out of a cheaper product, buy the cheap ones. They're free to set their own prices, and you can make the final decision whether to absorb the cost or spend your money elsewhere. I'd vote for elsewhere. ETA: From the looks of their website, they're just plucking their prices from their butts. 8" Jelly Worms (20) = $4.89 9" Jelly Worms (20) = $4.99 $.10 difference per 20 8" Jelly Worms (100) = $20.25 9" Jelly Worms (100) = $24.49 Logically, there should be a $.50 difference between the two packages, not $4.24 :-? It's also cheaper to buy five 20 ct bags of the 6" Jelly Worms @ $3.19 a bag ($3.19 x 5 = $15.95) than to spend $16.47 for the 100 pack. :

My only complaint with Dick's rod warranty is the 30 day limit on refunds. If you have a problem after that, you're stuck swapping it out for an identical item.

The problem with Albright products is the warranty, or lack thereof. They supposedly have a lifetime warranty, but that doesn't apply to discontinued items...regardless when they were purchased. If your 2010 model breaks in 2011, for example, they won't replace it with a 2011 model. Instead, they'll offer you a discount on a 2011 model. They're probably great products, but their warranty will keep me from owning any. The replacement prices are listed on their site... http://www.albrightflyfish.com/warranty-information

So that's three of us so far. Worst time of year, by far.

That's exactly why I mentioned the Redington Predator. It has been compared favorably to the Sage BASS rods (same parent company), at roughly half the cost. It's also cheaper than the Avid the OP was looking at.

A quick scan of my ammo cans shows... 2700 .22LR 250 .38 special 900 9mm 1500-2000 .223/5.56 (I'm not gonna count them all) 100 12ga. Plus... 1 pack each 1/4 oz and 3/8 oz slingshot ammo and ~8000 .177 BB's I've been steadily trimming down the "collection" and consolidating calibers for the past several years so the ammo cans aren't as full as they used to be since I unloaded the .40 and .45 ammo. Right now I'm stocking up on ammo and eyeballing a new varmint gun...so I may wind up adding another caliber to the mix. The .17HMR does nasty things to little furry creatures. ;D

IMO, you need to consider the size of bass you typically catch on your local waters, and the size of fly you plan on using. I made the mistake of following the advice of some fly fishermen on another forum and bought a 9' 8wt rod for bass. It turned out to be overkill for the 1.5 - 3 lb bass I typically catch in my local puddle. True, it worked...but it was like bream fishing with a flipping rod. I now have three rods: 7'6" 3wt Redington CT for panfish/trout 8'6" 5wt Redington CT for trout/small bass 7'10" 6wt Redington Predator for bass The 5wt is a good all-around rod, and is probably the rod I would grab if I could only pack one, but the Predator is definitely the one I'd grab for a day of bass fishing. The 6wt rating is a little misleading, as it's just as comfortable with an 8wt line as it is with a 6wt.

At least he had the good sense to wear his best hat for the interview. ;D

The job you have today might not be around at this time next year. Get an education while you can.

I can deal with any of them, as long as they're cork.

I would pass on the Magnesium. They're decent rods, but I don't think they're worth the money when compared to other rods in that price range. I have an Energy PT spinning rod (6'6" MF) and it's a surprisingly nice rod for the money. Light and sensitive, with a nice feel in the hand. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another if I had the need.

Around here, $5500 would put you into a late 90's Yukon/Tahoe/Suburban. The gas mileage isn't all that great (15-17 mpg), but they're pretty reliable, can easily carry 7'+ rods, and reasonably priced parts are available everywhere. I paid $4000 cash for my '95 Suburban with 110K about 5 years ago, and it hasn't cost me anything except tires, brakes, and a battery. FWIW, I test drove a brand new 4 cyl, manual trans. Ranger back in '07. I pulled out of the dealer's lot, drove to the first traffic light, made a u-turn and brought it back to the dealer. I don't think I put more than mile on it. It was the most gutless vehicle I have ever driven.