A-Jay

Very glad to hear you're on the mend and, perhaps just as important, back on the water. Best of luck moving forward. A-Jay

With a very fisherman-friendly forecasts on tap for tomorrow, preparations are being made for a day on the water. We're switching it up a bit, though. My beloved companion will be accompanying me in the boat once again after a considerable period. We anticipate plenty of sunshine and an abundance of fun as we chase a few fun-sized green bass around Lake Minichuck in the Old Town Canoe. I hope I get to be net man all day. A-Jay

I say @Kayak Koz 's response above is exactly right. This is a well-known characteristic of smaller, particularly manually propelled vessels. When I first started fishing from a 16-foot canoe, I lost more bass than I'd like to acknowledge because my rig moved toward the fish on the hookset. Anchoring is the easy and completely successful solution. Anchoring definitely increased my landing rate, even though my rig might still move a little when I'm battling a fish. Good luck. A-Jay

I'm back at it. Felt pretty good. A-Jay

Yes ~ A-Jay

After a couple of marathon days on the water, I'm about to step back into the home gym for the first time in 4 days. That hasn't been the norm but a man's got to fish when he can. I am taking this opportunity to switch back to the 4-day split routine, where each workout serves as its own total body flush. There is some acclimation expected (insert soreness). I used to training with a mutant of a man whose favorite line was, "Muscle soreness is just weakness leaving your body." Occasionally I laughed—most times I just grunted. If I don't pass out, I'll post some video. A-Jay

Nailed It ! A-Jay

Lost in my happy place, where worries fade away. A-Jay

Best two this trip came early & then late. A-Jay

Haven't done an all-day deal in a while. But the weather was right and there's no way to know when it 'll be this decent again, so I emptied the tank. Had a slow pick through the day of mostly trophies in training. A wiggle wagon, a jerkbait, a spinnerbait, and a swimbait on a jighead all tempted a fish or two each. The best two bites came very early and then last minute late. A SK Sexy Dawg Hard Knock accounted for a decent bass at sunrise. And at sunset, the old reliable Rage Bug on a swinghead, helped me finish this long day in style. A-Jay

I have dumped a couple of very respectable smallies on my last two trips. They both threw the hook with some amazing big air acrobatics. I don't have to like it, even though I know it happens. And I don't. Well, those were sunset deals, and I'm sneaking up on them at first light this morning. Hoping I might be able to implement some sort of repayment. If I do Both will be held captive for some time. Primarily to demonstrate what they were missing This morning, there is a lot of fog. I'll be on the lookout for Swamp Thing. The air is thick with moisture, and visibility is low, but I can make out the silhouettes of the trees lining the path ahead. As I move cautiously through the mist, I can't shake the feeling that I'm being watched, that the Swamp Thing is lurking just beyond my sight, waiting for the perfect moment to reveal itself. Here We go . . . 🤓 A-,Jay

During tomorrow's adventure, the Avid line will be making a strong showing. #fullcorkforthewin A-Jay

Right back at you brother !!! A-Jay

Fishing day for me tomorrow. Hitting local Lake Menderchuck for a first light trip. Expecting reduced visibility. Love fishing in the early morning fog. Just always feels like any cast could be something special. Wouldn't hate a topwater bite either. Rigging up now. A-Jay

This topic shall continue eternally without any resolution in sight. There are too many personal preferences and different definitions for the same issues. This makes it extremely challenging to identify a definitive solution. That said, my version is below and I apply it to every technique I fish. I use fast action sticks for baits that require angler input to impart fish-attracting motion. Jerk baits and topwater are two solid examples. I use some version of a moderate action blank for almost everything else. It's all about 'The Bend' for me. I prefer a rod that I can LOAD and keep LOADED ! On the cast and on the hook set and especially when working to put a hooked bass in the net. The "power" of the blanks is dictated by a few things but in the case of a spinner bait & a wiggle wagon, it's the hook itself that drives my decision. The beefier the hook is, the heavier the power wand I'll reach for. As for "sensitivity"—that's always on me not the rod. In the end, and during the heat of the battle, I never want my rod to 'unload', until the bass is in the net. On a good day, it looks a lot like this. There's a trophy brown bass on the other end, with a spinnerbait in its face. A-Jay

I love it when I hook a new PB in Coldwater. She can hardly jump at all, mostly does the slow motion wallow just under the surface. And eventually, like a puppy dog on a leash, swims herself directly into my waiting net. Hey, a man can dream can't he ? A-Jay

Owner Ultrahead Football Jig Head ~ Owner Ultrahead Round Jig Head Gamakatsu Round Jig Head ~ Dirty Jigs Tactical Bassin' Finesse Swimbait Jig Head Fish Hard A-Jay

circa 2018 Got Tucker & Fenway at 8 weeks; they were littermates. Born & Bred in the mountains of Montana. They were full-grown dogs. Sure miss them. A-Jay

Pull 2 workout today. I might take 2 days off after this one. We'll see how my recovery goes. #borninfiftynine A-Jay

Good Luck 😎 A-Jay

If you're fishing from anything that floats, and not from shore, consider investing in at least one type of lure retriever. Most units are fairly effective when deployed correctly, especially with shallow-running baits. Getting one back that's 6 ft down is a whole lot easier than one hung up at 26 ft or deeper. PSA ~ NEVER slide your rod down the line to 'poke' one free. Blank or guide damage is inevitable. Have fun https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/catpage-PTLR.html A-Jay

Not really. While I do have 'favorite rigs', my tackle is a tool. If I made a great cut with a handsaw, doesn't mean I'd start driving nails with it. YMMV A-Jay

Push 2 workout today. It seems there are no shortcuts to getting and staying physically fit. Just one long, steep, and challenging road. #borninfiftynine A-Jay