A-Jay

Strong work. Looks nice. That is no joke. At some point I am paying a professional and going fishing. A-Jay

In Arizona - The 49th driest state in the country Come on man. A-Jay

Congrats on your possible new to you rig. Your just fine expectations can come with some concerns to consider. A decent cover will offer some relief from the elements. Semi extreme temperature changes can trap humidity / moisture if proper ventilation is not accounted for. Mold can even be a concern. Covering the tires can protect them from some sunlight degradation. However, depending on your local, outside storage also comes with the possible animal / rodent exposure. Most concerning, is sometimes boat/trailer wiring in hard to reach for humans locations, can be comprised #chewed. Doesn't happen all the time, but it happens. Food for thought. A-Jay

I got 1000 yd spools of Tatsu on Amazon for $115 American a while back. Made the investment and got everything I use. 8, 10 12 and 15 lb test. That was a while ago and I haven't needed line since. Use it as Leader and even respooled main line on way too many casting reels. I enjoy playing the long game, especially when I can come out ahead. A-Jay

Workout Day 2 ~ For whatever reason, this particular combination of movements inspires me to make it happen. Especially the core work at the end. #borninfiftynine A-Jay

As hard as this may be to believe, Amazon, the multi-billion dollar world wide on line retail outlet, always forgets to give me a personal heads up on those Tatsu sales. I don't get it ? But if we watch closely, whenever TW has a sale, somehow Amazon is as well. And it's always a better deal. 🤓 A-Jay

Yes, Thank you. A-Jay

I don't think my wife would let me. As for chow, we've seen him with squirrels, moles, mice, & flying squirrels, if you can believe that one. But never a rabbit. We've seen the remains of successful kills but can't confirm who got it. My guess is an Owl because the carnage is always discovered at first light and there are never any "tracks" in the snow where it was carried out - so an airlift is suspected. There are some rumors around that the local rabbit population is sort of allergic to a .177 Gamo 10 gram Whisper Pellet traveling @ 1200 FPS. A-Jay

Tatsu ~ We do prefer buying bulk spools during deep deep sales. (btw - yes I do have a mouse in my pocket). And day in & day out, Amazon will have the absolute best price on 1000 yd spools. And when I watch it, I can get them for just really just stupid cheap . Like $50 American cheaper than TW on a sale day. Don't sleep on the Zon. Good Luck A-Jay

Agreed ~ And for the first time in almost 20 years of living here, I hope we get HAMMERED with snow. Like 9 feet ! All except for the roof of the house. Which, through some type of miracle of a weather phenomenon, collects ZERO snow or perhaps even melts amazingly away. Hey, a man can dream . . . . . A-Jay

Generally speaking, foxes lead mostly secluded lives here at the 45th parallel. Little does he know that every other day or so, Slash's image is being splashed all over the interwebz. btw- we've learned that there are 2 more somewhat younger foxes who have started to visit us. Just a little less frequently than Slash. btw- we do not have a rodent problem. 🦊 A-Jay

Big Bass are the Coolest ! Congrats on the New PB. Looking forward to the 'report'. btw- Nice mat . . . . . A-Jay

You folks are real life super heros who walk amongst the mortals. Here's to hoping the scars you carry settle down with time. Thank you. A-Jay

After my two off days, I was back in the home gym for Workout Day 1. Leg Press: I strive for form that is controlled and safe by maintaining deliberate rep pacing and tension. This helps me maintain my lower body strength while protecting my lower back and knees. Standing Cable Curls: I finished this training day off using my favorite fat rope attachment. Eliminating momentum on this biceps movement requires intense focus and forces the arm muscles to isolate through the entire movement. #borninfiftynine A-Jay

Got to practice my hook-setting form several times yesterday. Humming "Smoke on the Water" seems appropriate. A-Jay

We sure do—and IMO, you, sir, are one of them. Thank you. A-Jay

Don't overlook sound. One Knock, Rattles And even Silent walking baits can all have their time & place on the effective scale. Also - not every bass is the same—each may have a different trigger. So when the topwater bite is looking favorable, I try them all. FYI - The Evergreen JT115 silent bait seems to have massive potential. Especially in skinny, clear water. Fish Hard A-Jay

I think we walking bait addicts each have our favorites. And there's a reason for that. These are some of mine. A-Jay

Before the social media boom when anglers offered versions of their fishing experiences solely in print, I enjoyed reading and learned a lot from Al Linder, Doug Stange, Larry Dahlberg and Mark Zona.. Since then, and on this forum, the same can be said for a number of members. Turning the clock back a bit, I was always a fan of @everythingthatswims and @Fish Chris Topics. Can not over look the contributions by @WRB-2.0 and @Team9nine . For in depth and entertaining derby reports @Bluebasser86 are must reads for me. And under the category of 'against all odds' @pdxfisher has inspired me in many ways. Thank you all A-Jay

Happy Birthday Tom @WRB-2.0 I'm thinking of you today, my friend. Thank you for the 18 years of memories we shared here. Wishing you the happiest of birthdays up above. A-Jay (still a little sad)

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource A-Jay

Look up Wisconsin-style swim jig. It will point you in the right direction. This is not a mainstream popular style of bait because most swim jigs are hauled through and around thick cover. These baits are not that. They are more of what it sounds like you're looking for. Thinner wire hook, streamlined (less bulky) skirt choice, and some come without weed guards. My favorite. Also, Tom Monsoor knows a little about swim jigs as well. Good luck. A-Jay

I use short-shank EWG's on most all treble hook applications. I have also had to come to terms with the idea that I can 'outcast' my hook-setting ability. Had to come up with a solution to 3 separate challenges as far as the treble hook selection. 1- Wire size, which can actually be two separate deals. First, if it's too thick, I can't sink it. Too Light—it can flex on the hookset, and that's no good either. 2- Hook point, barb size, and positioning. A sharp hook is obvious. But having an unnecessarily large barb, especially one that is way far away from the point, can be a problem. Took me a while to figure this one out. 3- Treble hook size & length. Short shanks reduce hook tangles, and a larger size offers a better bite. So in the perfect world of A-Jay treble hook production, I prefer a short-shank, thin but strong treble with a sharp point that has a beneficially sized barb, positioned pretty close to the hook point. These, I can work with. In the end, after making a few concessions, the Gamakatsu EWG Treble Short Shank Magic Eye is my choice, but I ALWAYS pump up the hook size one more than stock—at least on the front but often all of them. A-Jay

I was way wrong. Slash is getting bolder by the day. Made an early morning visit and dug up a mole. That makes us both happy. Camera placement is everything. 🦊 A-Jay

In the middle of last month I had some wrist issues. Intially I was calling it a sprain but later realized that I was more likely dealing with tendonitis. Experience mild pain and slight swelling, with minimal impact on my wrist's range of motion. Resistance training has its benefits but doesn't make a person immune from injury. If anything, it might increase the percentages as I'm active daily. Have had this injury a couple of times in the past, never really know how I end up doing it. Sort of just comes on. My go-to has been the R.I.C.E. route. Rest, ice, compression, and elevation. Wearing a wrist brace 24/7, especially sleeping. Huge benefits as we heal while we sleep So keeping the area immobilized then seems to promote faster healing—if there is even such a thing. Following this type of recovery protocol has worked. The older I get, the longer it takes. Just have to ride it out. #hateit Happy to say that I've healed sufficiently to where I'm able to be off the wrist brace and have even been back to training for a couple of weeks. Doing some soul searching, while I do not paddle a kayak, many hours of working a jerkbait a day, for several days in a row, might be the cause. Especially after a long winter layoff. Here's to healing and staying healthy. A-Jay