A-Jay

Finally got my rig back from the dealer today. By the time I dropped it off, they were already pretty backed up so this year it took just under 3 weeks. Longest yet, I think. Besides the routine annual 4-stroke maintenance, I had them replace the fuel filters, water pump impeller, and serpentine belt. Also asked to have the starter battery checked. Results: time for a new one. Tomorrow's project. Additional service directed by Mercury (at no charge to me) included adding a new shift actuator and an entire new start relay harness. Picked up the Pro-V and it was covered in snow. That took a while to fix but I finally got her all tucked in for the winter. Minus the new house battery, which I'm going to do myself. Let the short days and the long nights begin . . . . A-Jay

For me, confidence comes from preparation & experience. And that starts well in advance of heading to any body of water. Being prepared mentally, physically, spiritually, and emotionally helps me feel confident and allows me to believe in myself. And that's huge. I have to see it in my mind's eye before I can believe it. I'll never be ready for everything that could happen, but I can come pretty close. In my world, hope is not a strategy. Stay Safe and Go fishing. A-Jay

I buy 2500 reels and purchase / install the 3000 T-handles all the time. Big t-handle fan. Prefer a bit more to hold on to. One could do the reverse - put the 2500 handle/knob on a 3000 as well. A-Jay

T-Handle starts at the 3000 size. A-Jay

During my earliest seasons, both my wife & I submitted a few "citation" SMB and 1 LMB. It was nice getting the certificates and super basic patches from the state. I have since stopped doing it mostly because the officials keep telling me that Lake Menderchuck isn't a real lake ? Also rumor has it that @Dwight Hottle has a boatload of state citations and patches for SMB. #impressive A-Jay

Every day I have a choice. I can focus on why I'm discouraged about my limitations. Or I can shift my attention to the countless reasons to feel grateful for what I can do. The power is always in my focus. It's an empowering choice. #borninfiftynine A-Jay

#relate https://www.facebook.com/reel/1521089448970499 🤪 A-Jay

Reasonably mild here this morning, almost 50 degrees. Heading out to put the finishing touches on leaf/yard cleanup before the first real and long-lasting dumping of snow that will inevitably be here any day now. Admittedly, I do like it when the snow melts in the spring and the property is debris-free. A-Jay

Some Lat pull action from Veterans Day ~ A-Jay Hammering out Leg Presses on my Anniversary yesterday ~ A-Jay

Hello @Spartacus and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ Interesting first post here. A-Jay

I do not bring the liquid dip. Too much of a chance of a problem / mess. I do bring and use spike it pens. Much safer and seem just as effective. I will say 'some' of the guides carry the dip in their boats. Finally, the lake levels look promising at this point. Good Luck & Safe Travels. A-Jay

@MN Fisher Thank you very my friend. I really appreciate it. At this point every one of these marks a special moment in time. A-Jay

Lynn & I are celebrating our 26th today. She walked into my life so effortlessly. Like she was meant to be there. I didn’t know it then, but that hello would become one of the most important of my life. The one that made my heart feel alive again. I am indeed a Lucky Man. A-Jay

It matters to me and I like quality Cork. The end. An exposed reel seat sounds cool and probably sells rods. But I do not expect it to make any difference in my ability to determine what my bait is doing at any point. YMMV A-Jay

I would gladly trade you a bad alternator for a wonky crankshaft . . . . #L87 🙄 A-Jay

I hear ya ~ So in order for your motor to have 3,500 hours on it on 21 years of service . . . . If you made 100 trips a year (averaging 8 a month) you would have to run the motor for just over 90 minutes per trip. If you made 50 trips per year, you'd need to run it for just over 3 hours per trip. Might be fewer hours on it than you think . . . A-Jay

While knowing the 'hours' can be helpful, Compression, I believe, will be a better indicator of the health of the motor. And that can most certainly be determined. Good Luck A-Jay

Boy George ~ A-Jay

What a giant! It looks like you picked the right day too. Sunny, with no hat or gloves needed Congrats A-Jay

While I do take care of my gear and treat it in a manner that promotes longevity, the few times I've blown up a guide or fractured an insert, I'm pretty sure it wouldn't have mattered what it was made of. The survival rate was going to be very low. Like I said, that's a rare occurrence. So I say go with whatever guides you prefer and just get to casting. A-Jay

Everything that includes the word "cyber" or the letters EV in the name of it. A-Jay

On this Veterans Day, let us remember the service of our veterans, and let us renew our national promise to fulfill our sacred obligations to them and their families. A-Jay

Cold spring mornings are the norm here but it almost always warms up. The important part is I get bites, sometimes big ones. In fact, a couple of Aprils ago I had a decent morning in the snow. Never really warmed up much that day, but I wasn't complaining. https://youtu.be/k3Z48BqFWuw?si=4C5OUO4FGA9NjsQZ Late season, if the 'high' for the day is below 40 - I'm staying by the wood stove. Air temps above 40 with winds forecast below 10 mph I'll chance it. I've done the frozen line in the guides, the frozen reels and the frozen human deal enough times to know, that I'm not a fan. Stay Safe. 🥶 A-Jay

Just looked it up ~ Just so Classic in a couple of ways. Definitely gets my endorsement for another Bud Light "Real Men of Genius." https://youtu.be/nDxfBX_DVE0?si=10y0OaBgmoLwHE-I #loser A-Jay

I've been fishing the Daiwa TATULA Elite AGS 7'6" Seth Feider - Hair Jig / Neko Rig rod since 2018. I use it for hair jigs and ned rigs. I like it. https://youtu.be/3OXnPQs0bqQ?si=BbfhPzizwOWyzja9&t=26 https://youtu.be/KuPRtdajOLU?si=9Ut0UCNkwfQMQs1N&t=116 A-Jay