A-Jay

Bummer when a old friend rod takes a digger. I hate that. I'll offer an idea that us bassheads don't often think about for this one. But as an ex-surf caster - I'll tell you it will work perfectly. We would purchase or even make up 9-12 ft surfcasting rods with NO reel seat. I'm sure some still do. The reason being the handles are really long, and reel placement is everything and super specific to each caster. So rather than a reel seat, we simply used quality black electrical tape to secure the reel into the exact position we wanted. When getting a new stick, it allowed for some trial & error until we found the sweet spot that allowed for an effortless long-distance orbital launch into the night air. So if I were you, I'd slowly and carefully (with a hacksaw blade) cut the entire front reel screw assembly off. (Leave the threads, of course). And then tape the front reel seat to the rod; personally I'd cover up all the threads. Boom. Done. After fishing with it for an hour, you'll forget it's even there. Good Luck A-Jay

I'm surrounded by a fair number of options. On the road, times average out to be about 2.5 hrs for round trips to bigger water. And half that for smaller stuff. Could also be an hour round trip on the water as well. The caveat to all of this is bigger water often means bigger brown bass. So the distance I am willing to travel each way is often driven by how intense my big fish itch is at the time. #lakemenderchuck 😎 A-Jay

So I thought for the longest time for me it was something like $250 on rods and then perhaps $350 on reels. But a couple of weeks ago, something happened. Threw my monetary calibration meter all out of whack ! 🤓 A-Jay

Nope. Redundancy—that's just dumb. BTW - I laughed right out loud right there. Thanks. 😄 A-Jay

The Megabass Ito Vision 110 in GP Pro Perch. It was only like $25, but it's the one that triggered the obsession. To this day, I still curse the bait while removing it from every bulbous brown bass I catch with it. 😎 A-Jay

And so it begins . . . . A-Jay

Dear @Hartwood71 IME, The information that a basshead needs to help make marginally more informed decisions when sifting through the ‘shopping’ process for Megabass Jerkbaits can not be and will never be found on a color chart or any spreadsheet. That stuff looks cool and seems like it should 'help,' but without time on the water, it's virtually useless, IMO. First and foremost, know going into this that you WILL buy baits that work well. and you will buy baits that you will expect to work really well, and they will not. It's just how this deal goes. And I speak from a vast and costly load of experience. But I like it. Perhaps think about the bait the bass eat in the lakes you fish. Think about what depth that happens in. Think about the size, shape, and profile of that bait. If you can't answer these things, it will make selecting any bait harder. After you've gotten a grasp on that, choosing a color or pattern might be easier. Lord knows there's plenty to choose from. So I say select a few that cover the shape, size, running depth, and then finally color or pattern you could have confidence in. And then go fishing. You don't need 50 baits; something less will do fine. (I couldn't hear myself type that actually.) Good Luck A-Jay Do Not look at the picture below - it's gross . . . .

Not going to say much about 'the weather,' as it is still early March in the North Woods, so . . . . . Either way, we have recently lost at least half the snow on the ground, my roof is bare, and we can see small random patches of what looks like it could be grass. Sort of encouraging. Maybe 37 days and a wake-up is possible ??? We'll have to wait and see. But it's Tanker Tuesday. This one is from last June and is brought to us most proudly by my wife. A-Jay

If you're like me and it's close to new trailer tire time. Walmart, of all places, is currently running a decent deal on the Provider model by Taskmaster. https://www.walmart.com/ip/TASKMASTER-TR20515D-St205-75R15-8-Ply-Provider/2680534375?fulfillmentIntent=Shipping&filters=%5B%7B%22intent%22%3A%22fulfillmentIntent%22%2C%22values%22%3A%5B%22Shipping%22%5D%7D%5D&classType=REGULAR&athbdg=L1100 A-Jay

Following . . . . A-Jay

That ain't no steamed green peas! A-Jay

Workout Day 4 ~ This grind can often feel like punishment. But it's really just preparation powered by grit. #borninfiftynine A-Jay

Let's get him some extra press. Curtis Lee Daniels, 45, of Willow Park, was released Monday from the Wood County Jail on a $20,000 bond on a charge of violating a fishing tournament law. Charged with a third-degree felony, Daniels could face up to 10 years in prison and $10,000 in fines. His friends and family must be so proud. Good for you, Curtis. A-Jay

How to win friends and influence people. Don’t Criticize, Don’t Condemn, and Don’t Complain. Perfect. A-Jay

Please eat. It does a body good. Just chew with your mouth closed. 😁 A-Jay

No, nothing. I get out on the water specifically to escape from everything. While I emerse my mind, body & spirit totally into whatever that day brings. If you're going to listen to ANYTHING ELSE please wear ear buds. Not doing so is IMO, blatantly selfish. Sound carries a looooooong way over open water. A-Jay

I've been a huge proponent of this approach for a long time myself. You might have seen the results here a few times. In my own fishing there's a lot to it, and it is very spot- or area-dependent. Either way, it's something I rarely waver from. A-Jay

Yes we are fine. Just wet and cold but fine. All of the worst weather carnage happened quite a bit south of us. Hoping the best for those folks. Thank you very much for checking on us. A-Jay

Not a fan. A-Jay

A @roadwarrior disciple, I see. 😎 A-Jay

Workout Day 3 ~ Completed 3 working sets of the 5 scheduled movements. I'm sure it was just me, but there certainly seemed like there was quite a bit more gravity today. #borninfiftynine A-Jay

As we welcome in the 2nd week of March, we are instantly reminded of just how much this deal fluctuates. A-Jay

Hello @Ryan_Z and Welcome to Bass Resource. It's pretty clear you're new here. A-Jay

Congrats ! New Boat Day is Awesome A-Jay

The melt is on up here ~ And for as much snow & ice as we have or should I say had, this sure is one heck of a wet mess. No mud yet, but it's coming. You know . . . it's coming. A-Jay