A-Jay

I've posted this a few times - Just a reminder for those interested. Stay Safe A-Jay

Shrink wrap for outdoor storage has its pros & cons. One serious con is that ventilation can be a big problem. Trapped moisture causes mildew and mold, and polyethylene doesn't allow airflow. Vents must be installed so they don't leak and there is sufficient airflow to prevent mildew. There have been quite a few threads here over the years where boat owners are looking for answers on how to deal with mold in their rigs. It's rarely an easy fix and often keeps coming back. Also if the cover should somehow 'fail' in the middle of the winter, you're left having to solve that on your own. Since most shrink wrap applications are completed in moderate weather conditions in a boatyard using a propane fired heat gun and flammable materials. For most boat owners effective repairs are not something they tackle themselves. Garage storage with or with out a regular boat cover may not be the perfect answer either depending on your deal. But it's out of the weather and at least some of the 'extremes' can be avoided. btw - my rig is a garage queen. Good Luck A-Jay

Well Done my friend ~ Congrats btw - you fish jigs ? j/k A-Jay

How to Handle it ? There's nothing to handle. The man's a co-worker, not a new puppy. Just do your job. A man's personal life is his (at least it used to be) and what he choses to share or not, has nothing to do with his performance at work. Just because you "think you know something" is irrelevant. What matters is his performance at work, NOW. I say, conduct yourself in a manner that you will be proud of 20 years from now. The rest of this will take care of itself. One way or the other. That's my advice. A-Jay

Total Body Day 4 this morning. Replacement part for the PowerTec isn't due (FedEx) until next week. So I needed to adapt & over come. Completed 3 working sets. Showing the last one of each here. #borninfiftynine A-Jay

I am regularly targeting smallmouth. So while I might be over & around hard/soft cover, rarely am I "In It". The Ripper is built around a killer 4/0 hook, which is where it all starts for me. Not thin wire but definitely not a true Heavy Cover gauge either. I'm usually throwing it on 15 lb FC and a MH Graphite stick ( St Croix Victory Rod) The head design and that somewhat smaller hook size is what makes this one a fan favorite on my rig. A-Jay

@Siebert Outdoors offers a couple of very nice styles swim jigs and wired tied is an option. One I have been fishing a bit more recently is the Evergreen Grass Ripper Swim Jigs. Really nice. I call it the Jack Hammer of swimjigs. If you ever fish one, I think you'll see why. A-Jay

While I haven’t tried them all, am currently using and feel good about recommending, Mustad KVD 1X strong 2x short triple grip, Gamakatsu Short Shank Magic Eye and Owner Short Shank ST-35’s; all EWG of course. The 2.5's come stock with #1 size Trebles. I go UP one on the front and use the stock size on the back. Do the same size ratio on the 1.5's, Flat-sided & top waters baits as well. Here's some light reading as to why I roll this way. https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/241684-treble-hook-replacement-~-one-man’s-theory-application/ Good Luck A-Jay

Nice, But what happened to "If it's brown, it's down" ? j/k A-Jay

2023 Season is over for me. Did not catch the biggest brown bass of the year on the Mini Max as I had predicted. If I run this one again next spring, very good chance I'll be selecting a different bait. See ya next year. A-Jay

With the final curtain drawn on 2023, and looking back, it's easy for me to admit that getting out there and chasing brown bass this year was especially challenging. Consistently staying with the bait & the fish through each seasonal pattern is a big part of most any and all success I may have. But it requires time on the water. Not just any time, but The Right time. For a couple of different reasons, that couldn't happen. So I fished hard when I could and let the chips fall where they may. While I did sprinkle in a few 'new deals', I depended heavily on many of the 'most productive baits' and 'brown bass tool' from seasons past to get me through. Just about all of that is noted at least once somewhere in this thread. All said & done, worked out ok. I'll talk about these baits again later in another thread but for now, this is what it looked like . . . A-Jay

Total Body Day 3 this morning. Body weight's right @165 lbs now and it feels pretty good. Added a set of PlateMate 1 1/4 lb. Magnetic Hex Weights (2.5 lb. Set) to home gym last week. Doubles my DB collection as I'm able to train with in-between weights. I like it. #borninfiftynine A-Jay

And there it is ~ The magic sauce . . . A-Jay

We start (slowly) gaining daylight in just 50 days on December 22nd! #optimism A-Jay

@gimruis @MN Fisher @Way north bass guy While we may not be willing to admit it openly in a public forum, secretly you know we love that crazy stuff ~ #badgeofcourage A-Jay

The Custom cover for the Pro-V Bass uses a 'clip' system. Could not possibly be any easier to install/remove. Superior Quality & Fits like a glove. Looks like this. A-Jay

How many states have you fished in and what is your opinion of them? I have fished in many states including but perhaps not limited to A state of shock A state of confusion A state of amazement A state of flux and finally in a state of grace. My opinion of them is that they each remind me why I do this. A-Jay

Total Body Day 2 this morning. Completed 3 working sets of the 5 movements scheduled. Showing the last two sets of each here. I'm at the very beginning of at least 5 months of not much to do except eat, sleep & train. Feel like right now I'm in a good place fitness wise but still very interested to find out where this journey takes me. Either way, I'm going to keep grinding. #borninfiftynine A-Jay

Congrats ~ Best of Luck A-Jay

Get a Custom Cover that's made specifically for YOUR Rig. Then you can do whatever you want with it and have little to worry about. As for the price difference - a quality cover is an investment designed to protect your rig. Whatever that's worth to you, then there it is. A-Jay

He's pretty Stoked as you could expect. btw- that man is 6'4" and @220 I always feel like a little kid standing next to him. Really Good Guy though. Very happy for him. Good Luck. A-Jay

My BIL poked a healthy specimen yesterday ~ Central Michigan Deer A-Jay

IME, Resistol and JW Brooks both put out quality products. Lesser know but still real nice units come from Grumbleton and Stermin Boats A-Jay

GMC knows what's up ! A-Jay

Two years later and the Vision 110 +1 Jr. is still doing some heavy lifting. https://youtu.be/k3Z48BqFWuw?feature=shared&t=586 https://youtu.be/k3Z48BqFWuw?feature=shared&t=1647 A-Jay