A-Jay

Paddles / oars in a full size Bass Boat was a moot point 14 years ago when the OP came up. And it's still a moot point today. A-Jay

It's not crazy if it works ~ A-Jay

Not wanting to hi-jack this one. Sending a PM. A-Jay

I'm part of the @Team9nine club ~ Where I'll "formulate a game plan, rig up for it, then live or die with it, letting it play out to its conclusion." It' does help that my tackle box floats, is quite mobile and has more than enough space. Allows me to routinely show up with plenty of options. I have a bad feeling that this is going to be a Loooooong winter. A-Jay

That's pic is from the breeder / trainer. Looking at maybe two. We're still in the shopping mode. Or perhaps just trying to decide our sanity level. A-Jay

You're Still The Man ! Nicely Done & Congrats A-Jay

I purchased this trailer for my Old Town in 2008. The bare hull weighs 120 lbs and is just under 16 ft long. It's been very good. Replaced the tires, trailer lighting & fenders a few years ago. Unfortunately the price has just about doubled since then but it's still a decent unit http://www.castlecraft.com/canoe_trailer.htm A-Jay

Belgian Malinois pups at 9 wks. A-Jay

Sweet ~ Alice is a cutie and one Super Lucky Pup. Congrats to you & your pack. Let the fun begin. We've been getting the itch ourselves . . . A-Jay

Dual Pro Quad ~ 4 x 15 Amp A-Jay

Most every trip I'm targeting a specific size of smallmouth - 4 lbs is a good starting point for me. Super early Pre-Spawn is really the only time I'm actually anticipating being able to catch 5 of that class of brown bass. The rest of the year, I'm almost always hunting individual fish. Late summer and in the early fall, the numbers of plus size fish can & usually do pick up. But even then, 2 or 3 over 5lbs is a Really good day for me. So while I love to look back at what my biggest bag of the season was and what my 5 biggest bass of the year weighted, my per trip yearly average weight is always going to be weak, and for my style of bassing somewhat misleading. Either way, this is what it looked like in 2023. I was on the water right about 50 times during this campaign. (about 20 or so lower than the past several years) Many trips included some smaller bass, even no fish or 'other species'. Notable catches for the year were: 27 over 4 lbs, 13 over 5 lbs and 1 over 6 lbs. Using some real rough monkey math, that's not much more than a 3 lb 'average' per trip. Hardly worth writing home about. But you know who's not bummed out about that. This Guy. Because in my world, it only takes ONE CAST to make the whole year. Fish Hard A-Jay (btw-this is an old thread).

Total Body Day 1 this morning. Still making it happen but I'll be happy to get back to my regularly scheduled program. #borninfiftynine 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