A-Jay

Been another long week but a good one. Several days ago a second antibiotic cocktail Lynn's been receiving, did the trick. It was basically a Hail Mary as the first 4 day treatment showed zero signs of helping thwart the infections. Lynn was a day or two from being transferred to The U of M several hours south. So happy she's gotten some of her apatite back as well. Still a bit weakened and the balance is not very steady. Lynn's scheduled to be discharged from the hospital today and then directly admitted to an acute care Rehab Center in the same facility. They will work on getting her back on her feet. Had to play tug of war with my primary medical insurance carrier to get it covered, but in the end The VA, yes The VA, stepped up to the plate Big Time and covered the whole deal. I know they get a bad rap at times but not on this one. Not for us . . . #rockstars. Could still be another several days and I've been hoping I could say this, looks like we're out of the woods and en route home base, soon. Thank you for all your kind thoughts & words. It means a lot. A-Jay

This morning's weather was favorable for a first light cruise. I always begin this deal earlier & earlier each August not wanting to miss the very start of the bite. Past several trips haven't produced what I'm looking for. Got to believe it's been early and the big fish will eventually show. Otherwise, doubt starts to leak in. All part of the game and I will remain steadfast on this location as well as my approach. Just looking for 1 bite. I'll do the rest. Well, I got it and words can not explain what this one means to me. Fish Hard A-Jay

Started my morning off right ~ #topwatertank A-Jay

First thing I do is change my pants. A-Jay

It's related to the 2018 championship season. The club introduced its City Connect jerseys in 2021, with Sox players donning the yellow-and-blue kits for the first time on April 17 of that year to commemorate and celebrate Patriots Day in Boston. A-Jay

I'm going with wishful thinking and hoping to capture the magic of days gone by. A-Jay

Sweet ~ Send it to @T-Billy He can make a new hat ! ? A-Jay

Straight up Leg Day for the OG. Nothing fancy, just doing what it takes. #borninfiftynine A-Jay

Toothpaste & H2O will work if they are not too badly tarnished. You're welcome from a Red Sox fan. A-Jay

How much water should you drink each day? It's a simple question with no easy answer. Studies have produced varying recommendations over the years. But your individual water needs depend on many factors, including your health, how active you are and where you live. No single formula fits everyone. But knowing more about your body's need for fluids will help you estimate how much water to drink each day. There is a quick way to check if you are dehydrated or not: If the urine is clear or very light yellow in color and has little odor, you are well-hydrated. The darker and more aromatic the urine, the more dehydrated you are. If you do not feel thirsty, you probably are well-hydrated. I never use 'thirst' as the driver on when or what I drink. Same as 'hunger' doesn't control my meal portion size'. Personally, by drinking something close to my body weight in ounces of fluid a day, I stay topped off all the time. (Usually ends up being more.) I'm not a big 'sweat guy' and certainly don't live in a hot climate. But exercise is demanding on all my systems and hydration goes with that. I do need to release the waste several times a day, but it comes with the territory. Finally I do not drink 'just' water. At least half of my daily hydration comes with a healthy dose of amino acids and electrolytes. My designated drink "Yeti" is 20 oz and I have 8-9 of them a day. During and between 4 meals a day. As well as before during & after a workout. Always have one on the boat & in the truck. Staying hydrated is one of those life deals that we have complete control over and can really helps ourselves out. YMMV A-Jay

I wore 3 layers going across the lake at first light two days ago. It was Not 136. A-Jay

If we're talking soft plastics, I can easily make this far more complicated than it probably actually is. However after listening to Mr Hackney, who seems to sum it all up rather nicely, I go this way now. https://youtu.be/maYOGh4-eP4 A-Jay

Hate extra fast sticks. Hate them. In fact there's probably going to be a few available in the flea market this winter. Combined with super fast reels, might be half the reason for many of the I LOST A BIG Bass threads. I fish my style. Not right, not wrong. Just works for me. A-Jay

Not sure what type of insect or spider might have ventured up there. But I'd be trimming a little length of something foam to temporarily 'pug' it between trips. Goes in when I pull the boat and comes out before I back down the ramp. Think foam ear plug, half way sticking out for you convenience. A-Jay

I do have a preferred appearance preference. However as stated here several times already, performance plays a role in what I use as well. Regardless of looks, I don't fish anything that doesn't do a job for me. So I have some sticks that I really like the looks of and a few that I don't actually love but their 'performance' trumps the appearance. I have an affinity for quality cork handles; fore and full rear ends. Also enjoy the Xtreme-Skin handles St Croix uses on the Extreme line and used to use on the Rage rods line (which is what I have). Not a giant fan of foam or split grips but I fish them. The guide train needs to be decent quality and correctly spaced to allow for a smooth transition down the entire length of the blank. Price point does not make a rod look any better or worse to me. Additionally, I am quite a bit less interested in the 'technology' that companies are putting into (or at least advertising) blanks these days. As long as it's got some freaking bend parabolic action and not a pool cue, I can at least give it a look. "Sensitivity", IME is a user based deal. I prefer to get the job done in the lower/middle price range. IMO, the point at which I reach the law of diminishing returns on rods happens pretty quick. Finally, one of my favorite sticks of all time is a G. Loomis Travel rod. No longer in production. @Dwight Hottle turned me on to that gem. I have two left. Landed quite a few giants for me. A-Jay

No doubt a Trophy in Training. A-Jay

After a couple of off days, which included a nice morning on the water yesterday, I was back in the home gym. Pull 2 and I trained without music for this one. Helps me focus and provides some purpose. #borninfiftynine A-Jay

Took a flyer on a couple of Daiwa Tatula Elite Casting Reels 6.3:1 to use on single hook moving baits. They both showed up mostly "dry". Meaning very little in the way of lube, grease & or bearing oil. Not sure if this is a common Diawa deal as I don't own many. Either way, after cracking them open and giving them some TLC, I am Very Pleased. Right size, smooth on the cast, powerful on the retrieve, good line capacity and I like the handle & knobs. I'd recommend this one. https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Daiwa_Tatula_Elite_Casting_Reel/descpage-DTEC.html A-Jay

Nicely Thumb, I mean Done. Hope your Mother in Law is OK. A-Jay

BTW ~ Don't forget to double up on the Dude Wipes A-Jay

No. But I have an idea that for me quality trumps quanity almost every time. A-Jay

I do not miss meals and try to always stay hydrated. so I always have Bottled water, protein and cliff bars, some type of flat bread sandwiches usually chicken, and if I'm extra good, a bag of lucky cookies. It's all on the pre launch checklist. ? A-Jay

Nicely Done ~ Congrats A-Jay

Strike King's stuff takes up the most space in my rig. Hard, soft & wire baits. A-Jay

Back at it and I was still feeling that last leg day which was interesting. But not near enough of an excuse to skip this training. Might take an extra off day though. Either way, grinders gotta grind. #borninfiftynine A-Jay