A-Jay

And how is it that this thread made it to 7 pages ? That's pretty zany all by it's self. A-Jay

For me old & slow means wary and careful which equates to much less duress in the long run. As a younger & dumber "angler" I do recall one incident where I ended up "pinned" to a 12 pound bluefish at midnight which promptly pulled me off a rock jetty and took me for a swim into the 10 knot inlet. None of this was fun. Some how a couple of very basic survival instincts kicked in and I managed to escape that rather grave ordeal with only a minor puncture wound and a bruised ego. But I did need a change of shorts. I will admit to immediately purchasing a rather long GAFF ! A-Jay

Some Wicked Good Waldos right there Sir . . . . A-Jay

Very nice fish ~ You really should be wearing a PFD while in the Kayak. It's just not enough to have one "in the boat" A-Jay http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/126933-my-pfd-testimonial/?p=1396450 http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/145432-my-lifejacket-saved-me-today/?p=1621056 http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/129795-let-my-stupidity-be-your-lesson/?p=1434226

Life is about Balance. Mind, Body & Spirit. Find it and your fishing will improve as well. A-Jay

Like this ~ or like this A-Jay

Ether way ~ Cool Pics. A-Jay

Nice Bass Congrats A-Jay

Beautifully done and without a single capitol letter. A-Jay

Good Stuff so far - I'll add this - when choosing where to start in the morning, knowing the prevailing wind direction / speed from the night before can come in handy. Even if the wind has let up that morning, there may be some residual effects that dictate where the bite could be right off. Certainly could change later but it's usually worth a look. A-Jay

The part where you ask a whole bunch of tackle junkies if it's OK to buy more gear . . . . A-Jay

You might consider omitting all the terminal tackle except for the hook. Simply cast out & free line the bait. Keeping in contact with the line with a finger will assist you in the initial bite detection department. If those fish are a little spooky, lightening up your leader a little might help too. A-Jay

How Cool Is THAT ~ ! Congrats. A-Jay

Is this a trick question ? A-Jay

Both hooks work, you'll need to gain confidence in one and stick with it. Bite detection with a drop shot style rig and live bait is usually not very tricky. Most of the time once a fish commits to live bait they rarely reject it. This allows the angler ample time to "detect" the take which is usually plenty of time to set the hook. Another live bait rig that works well is essentially a Carolina rig. On this, you can leave your bail open or reel in free spool ( clicker comes in handy here) and when the line starts to move off - come tight and set the hook - or reel set in the case of the circle style hooks. A-Jay

My Dad. And I will never ever be able to thank him enough. A-Jay

Circle hooks excel at reducing deeply hooked fish. A hook set is not needed nor is it desirable - just come tight & reel set the hook. Additionally, I'm not sure a circle hook is needed when bowfin is the target species. A-Jay

Congrats ~ Enjoy the ride . . . . . you just never know. Signed A Red Sox Fan A-Jay

My first rod & reel combo was a vintage 1960's Sears Roebuck and Co. Ted Williams II job. Included a 6 1/2 ft Two Piece Cork Handle Rod (it was like a noodle) and the model 240 spincast reel which as I remember, was a kind of putrid brown color. Gave it to my little brother when I "up graded" - wished I had kept it. My first bass taken on a "Lure" ~ was on the classic Jointed Rebel Minnow A-Jay

After rereading my initial response, I am going to admit that it's insensitive and I'll apologize for that. Though it was a poor attempt, my point was that this virus appears to be more of a threat in some areas and less in others. Definitely not a matter I should be joking about. A-Jay

Nice Work Guys ~ Sweet Brown bass Jeff. Congrats Brian on your new PB Smallie. PBs are Always a Blast. A-Jay

Ebola: Hype Or Legitimate Threat ? Legitimate Hype. Very similar to the latest version of reporting the weather. However in this country, the weather will probably kill more people. A-Jay

Hello Jeremy and Welcome to BR ~ A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to BR ~ A-Jay

X2 Jerktraps & Rattlebugs ~ both solid producers. A-Jay