A-Jay

Ok then. I got nothing. A-Jay

Finished off the month with Workout Day 4. Seems a couple of shots of Old Number 7 in my pre-workout drink, is very relaxing. You should try it. #borninfiftynine A-Jay

I've had this happen. The fix for me with a weightless hook was to Slow Down the retrieve. A weighted hook would help if I felt like I needed to move the bait with a little more zest. A-Jay

I've dropped a few fish over the years. Some more memorable than others. Can't say with any certainty that one of them might have been a personal best. The ones that haunt me the most are the ones that pull like a freight train, but I dump before I ever see them. A few years back on what turned out to be one of the last casts of a week long trip on Lake Baccarac in Mexico, I hooked a LMB on a swimbait that just about ripped the rod out of my hand on the strike. She then proceeded to totally school me by running hard over a deep rock ledge completely shedding 25 lb FC in what seemed like an a 8 second ride on the back of Bodacious. Never saw her, she was gone before I knew it, and managed to scare the ba-Jesus right out of me. Haven't had a bass pull like that ever ! On the local fishing front, and one I got a very good visual on in this clear water, there's this beast of brown bass that slurped a jerkbait close to the boat. Looking back at it, probably Not my best hookset. But I get to relive it in 1080P and hopefully learn something. A-Jay

When I'm on The Right Ones, whatever the bait or technique may be, it's working for a reason. Personally, I do not have to know what the reason may be, just that it is working, is good enough for me. So I will usually let it play out. For a while. However there have been MANY deals where a slight variation to the successful deal has paid of. A different profile (larger or smaller) a different sound signature (rattle vs silent) a more subtle or even a super bright colored pattern or a different depth (deeper running vs regulars or shallow running bait, has allowed me to pick off a few more or even one bigger bite I might not have realized without a slight bait jog one way or the other. The important part of that for me was learning to and having the confidence to pick and choose my spots. As I do not believe it's totally necessary to change things up Every Time. My final tweak, is to go home and come back when they are feeding. YMMV A-Jay

My confidence baits are always seasonal pattern and current conditions dependent. This was last season's confidence baits. https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/263885-productive-baits-2024-edition/ I can really only ever have confidence in a bait or technique when it 'matches' the above. There are many times over the course of an open water season where I feel like I'm about to make it happen. (insert confident) Sometimes it does and just as many if not more, when it does not. I might be a hack but I've never found ONE bait that gets the bites I'm looking for all season long. My confidence is born out of fairly repeated net, scale & camera use. My lowest level of confidence is a common theme when I'm trying or learning a new deal. However if & when I figure it out, that changes pretty quick. Usually end up building a nice cart at TW. 😎 A-Jay

Fishing is totally on the back burner for at least the next 4-5 weeks. I'm living ground hog day. Wake up, do yard work, Sleep and repeat. Try to sneak a workout in when I can. But honestly moving dirt is all I need for now. Long way to go and this is a least a two year evolution. Can only do so much at once or in a day. And Lynn has been simply Amazing ! 😎 A-Jay

Bambi has been spending the past few days balled up under some scrub brush in our side yard. Mom picks her up each afternoon. Photo compliments of Lynn and her trusty Rebel T7 ~ A-Jay

Sorry to hear that. Hope it's resolved soon. A-Jay

Being at the Right place, at the right time and doing the right thing can help. Sometimes the suns out, sometimes it's not. A-Jay

Accu Cull Digital Scale 55lb - Replaced the hook hanger with a small Rapala Fish Grip. It gets some use. https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/211811-brown-bass-tools-~-questions-answers/page/5/#findComment-2701982 A-Jay

Great Bass ! Lake Menderchuch strikes again Congrats A-Jay

Workout Day 3 ~ I was ready, willing & able. All good things in this particular case. I'm betting my bone density is pretty decent at this point. #borninfiftynine A-Jay

Currently I have 6 GoPro's I think. Two are the current version which operate OK and several from past versions that are in various levels of operation. While not perfect they are IMO reasonably dependable. My biggest grip is video operation in HOT conditions. They overheat and it's been an on going deal since - well inception I suppose. That said, I have been fortunate enough to capture some life time memories in both video & pictures from that video. So I can not totally hate on them. A-Jay

The stock 0W-20 is like water. I dumped it yesterday and used the 0W-40. Still pretty thin but better. I am choosing not to take my rig back to the dealer until the day I trade it in. If it makes it that far. I don't want them testing it and then keeping it leaving me hanging with some stink Azz cloth seated tank that I will curse every time I get in it. Fingers crossed. 🤞 A-Jay

Perhaps monitor they way the braid lays on the spool between cast and especially after you've reeled a bait all the way in. Seems something is damaging the line within the length of the cast. If the line is wound on loose on the spool or even has loops, they may be contacting the reel spool frame on the cast. This repeated high speed action often weakens the line which will eventually fail and somehow it's always at the most inoportune time. This can be a big problem with FC. Add in picking out a few wicked backlashes and air born lure loss becomes a regular occurrence until this is addressed and corrected. Good Luck 👍 A-Jay

That's a full day of bass catching for sure. Congrats. A-Jay

Thanks. Seems you ask as bit more of your rigs than I do of mine so IMO, I think you made a wise choice. In the big picture, this is mostly an inconvenience, still a PIA. I am willing to go the long way to help eliminate risk, not just manage it. But this deal is out of my control and that makes my left eye twitch. 😉 A-Jay

Old Info and mostly useless click bait. A-Jay

Experienced anglers sharing information, never goes out of style. A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

Think about how long a big pikes head is, and then at least half that length again to account for it's throat should it swallow a bait. I use something close to 20-24 inches and I'm NOT Targeting pike. This is for bass fishing. Casting can be a little different because I do not want the wire connection knot zipping through the guides on the cast. So you may need to find some balance there - length vs effective casting. But I will say, that if there are actually 40 plus inch pike in the waters you are fishing, 6, 8, and 12 inch leaders are not what I would chose. Mostly for the reasons mentioned above. The two biggest musky I've ever landed ate baits that had NO Leader. One on 10 FC the other was 15 lb. FC. Total luck IMO. I've lost hundreds of $$$ in baits to much smaller fish because I didn't pre-rig with wire first.\ Someday I'll learn. I know many anglers who have success using Heavy FC. And if I was targeting pike I might try that. But I'm bass fishing, so the thin wire still gets me bass bites and when a pike eats the bait, I get them too. YMMV A-Jay

And now there's this ~ RECALL on the engine ! As it stands, my rig run great. However it seems like it could be a ticking time bomb. Not what I'm paying for. Did way too much 'research" on this recall and it doesn't seem like GM wants to publish the VIN's of the effected rigs. So it's a hit or miss deal. GM "SAYS" it only effects 3% of the engines produced during that time. If they know that, tell us which ones ! Current plan is to drive it like I stole it. If it blows up, the dealer told me I can drive 'something else' until they can replace mine with a new motor. As of now, there ARE NO NEW MOTORS laying around. Not wanting to even go there. If I could dump it today I would. In case anyone's wondering currently, I love this truck quite a bit less. A-Jay like I need this on my plate Product Safety Recall L87 Engine Loss of Propulsion Released: 2025-04-24 GM Program # N252494000 Status Incomplete. Remedy not available NHTSA 25V274 Date Issued: 2025-04-24 Description General Motors has decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety may exist in certain 2021 – 2024 model year Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban, and Tahoe, and GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles equipped with the 6.2L V8 gas engine (RPO L87). The connecting rod and/or crankshaft engine components in these vehicles may have manufacturing defects that can lead to engine damage and engine failure. Safety Risk Description If the engine fails during vehicle operation, the vehicle will lose propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. Repair Description Dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace the engine. Vehicles that pass inspection will be provided a higher viscosity oil, which will also require a new oil fill cap, an oil filter replacement, and an owner’s manual insert.

You might make it but will your luggage ? We ALWAYS stay over night in Dallas and fly out the next morning. This way our bags can catch up with us. We do that both ways. Adds a day, some $$$ for a hotel and we leave home a day earlier. But at least we get to fish with our own tackle and wear our own under pants while in Mexico. There's no Walmart in the Mexican mountains Good Luck A-Jay

https://www.darkmatterfishing.com/ A-Jay