A-Jay

Got Me ~ Whole time I'm thinking "That might be one of the few times when wearing a Life Jacket in the truck could be beneficial". A-Jay

Stick Jackets for me. Protects the blanks & guides going in & out of the rod locker. And I use them for vertical storage during the hard water season. A-Jay

A-Jay

Yes - I use a Rapid Hitch WITH LOCKING PINS and pad lock (Masterlock) the coupler to the hitch. Clearly a highly motivated, skilled thief with the right tools and a huge set of cahonies could overcome it. However I am more interested in helping to keep the honest folks honest. And after every boat launch, I also spin off the trailer jack handle & wheel and put them in the truck. Kind of sad but if not, eventually they'd disappear. A-Jay

And I have a very good idea where not to use them ~ A-Jay

I agree with this ~ I can either be dry or comfortable (and comfortable is a relative term) My Guidewear Gortex gear keeps me Totally dry in the wettest of deals and when it's poring, I am very glad I have it. But it's not super comfortable between rain events; ie breathable. So I often end up stripping it off. And my HUK gear is very breathable, a decent wind breaker, and super comfortable (like pajamas) but not nearly as 'DRY' as the gortex. So, I carry both. If I were going to only have one set, I would choose dry or comfy and get that one. YMMV A-Jay

If you haven't done so already, perhaps consider becoming familiar with the seasonal movements of bass. Usually comes in handy when looking at a map if we have some idea of where the bass want to be, why they want to be there and perhaps most importantly; when. Here's a couple to get you going . . . https://www.bassresource.com/fish_biology/seasonal_patterns.html https://www.bassmaster.com/vandams-6-season-bass-guide A-Jay

Mine are flush mounted at the bow & console so . . . . . But it's cool because I'm a day tripper . . . . . #gotagoodreason A-Jay

Technique Overload ? As it relates to younger folks just getting into the sport, I think it can be a real deal. However I'd say it may be more of a sign of the times than anything else. The current information highway enables us all to believe that just about anything we want to learn can be a self-spaced tutorial. To some extend, it is; but there's obviously some limitations. If we compared bass fishing to say, driving a vehicle. When we first start, most of us take it slow, two hands on wheel, bug eyed and a face two inches from the windshield. Rarely are novice drivers expecting to emulate the abilities & performance of a seasoned professional tearing it up at Daytona raceway. But it seems some of that may be happening now with bass fishing. With all the "Live" derbies & You Tube info everywhere, after a few hours of watching the pro's do it and often make it look easy, just about anyone with the desire & means can get 'what they need' and hit the water. Loaded with super high and unfortunately unrealistic expectations, there is a certain amount of initial failure, that's bound to happen regardless of the preparation. We see and read examples of it here all the time. Back some years ago, we either had to have someone show us what was what, (and thankfully there's plenty of that still happening today and I imagine it will continue) or read about it once a month from a fishing magazine; one little nugget at a time. So technique overload, I guess, but it may not be a bad thing. Just as long as there's a foot close to the brake pedal. A-Jay

Hello Larry and Welcome back to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

I use that stick from the old Rage rod line for A-Rigs. 17 to 20 lb FC line on a 200 size reel. Casts well. A-Jay

I would urge you to reconsider. A-Jay

Vibrating Jig Trailer ~ Don't tell anyone . . . #thundergoby A-Jay

Haven't had a chance to fish these yet. But if they produce like their standard versions, it could get silly. A-Jay

Perhaps not really 'lacking' per se. Just felt the need to widen my color pallet a little. Started with mostly green pumpkin which was very good. But you know how it is . . . "Maybe there's something better". Added some whites, some natural "minnow" deals and a little splash of color in a few others. That orange type selection is going to hopefully tempt a Fattie or two when the perch bite is a thing. Finally, I really like making my own skirts (jigs, swim jigs, spinnerbaits) but haven't been able to get myself to hack off the very decent handtied selections these baits come with. A-Jay

NDYakAngler I'm not a kayak angler and I NEVER miss a video this man puts out. I love almost everything about his presentation. Just wish he'd wear a Life Jacket. Safety trumps Everything. A-Jay

I use the 10 lb for my own jerkbait needs as well. A-Jay

I totally agree with this. And perhaps my best example happens south of the border. I've been fishing mono a whole heck of a lot longer than FC (Decades as compared to just a few years) Past several trips I've been using 20 & even 25lb Tatsu. The class of resident bass there demands it. Honestly, it's about as close to mono as anything I've fished. Manages & casts great (with Zero line conditioner, not needed IMO) With the right gear, Sensitivity is sufficient & long range hooksets are effective. ( with Hefty swimbaits & 1 ounce Jigs) Once I spool my reels for the trip, it is SO Nice, and a major confidence booster, knowing my line is good to go and will never be a problem. Has contributed to helping me catch several brutes out of some pretty gnarly bushes & up out of wicked line eating trees. The lighter 10 & 15 lb Tatsu that I use locally, offers all the same attributes. I only use FC on casting gear. Amazon is routinely the best price on 1000 yd spools of 20lb - (Wish Seaguar offered the 25 lb in bulk) YMMV A-Jay

I am on my second set of KO's now KO2's. (Bottom Pic) New on the 2021 AT4. I use them for my winter wheels. First set last through 3 different trucks and over 10 years. Read that again. I really took care of them and they took care of me. Could not recommend them highly enough. A-Jay

Stepped up my Jackhammer game ~ A-Jay

Yes. A-Jay

No doubt the Sammy is a fish catcher, I just never got any. And while I think there is at least one LC Gunfish hiding in there somewhere, The rest of my walking bait box is a mix of Strike King Sexy Dawgs, Duo Realis Pencils, Evergreen Shower Blows, Megabass Dog-X Diamante, Reaction Innovations Vixens, a River2Sea Rover and one 6th Sense Crush Dogma. #topwaterisaddicting My prized walker, and one that accounted for several very respectable Brown Bass, was a Paycheck baits Repoman which was stolen by a Gator Pike a couple of years back. I was very hurt by that too. A-Jay

Nice report ~ Thank you for sharing your trip. A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

A couple of snow machines went sub surface just south of me yesterday. Occupants got out alive. The secret melting sauce seems to come from any rain and overnight air temps over the Mendoza Line. A-Jay