A-Jay

Waaaaaay ahead of ya Papa ~ But there is a good chunk of that infamous list than I can't even think about getting into until I can at least start seeing some Dirt ! A-Jay

Hello Red Dog and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ I see you mentioned that you had a bass now for three years. That's pretty cool, did you name it ? A-Jay

Yup ~ and just about every thing in the Toad Locator collection is in the Brutal category. Especially in the 107 degree mid day Mexican Heat. btw - just for reference, the top right hand bait is a 10XD A-Jay

This pretty much covers it for me too. A-Jay

Fish Ultra Light A-Jay

The incident noted in the OP’s original post is no doubt tragic. But it was also no doubt 100% human error and totally avoidable. This wasn’t an “Accident” or an Act of God, both vessel operators made terrible decisions that go way beyond poor judgement. Loss of life, worst case scenario. On the highways & by ways of America, there are signs, and lights, directional arrows & painted lines on the road. There’s even a fairly well know set of rules that govern every aspect of who should go where & when. And even still, with all that – people seem to be smashing into each other every minute of every day. With the exception of a few buoys & a few other aids to navigation, mariners have little to guide them as they transit lakes, rivers & oceans. The most Successful & Safest Operators plan for these situations in advance. They Know & Understand the rules of Good Seamanship and what to do in each situation and most importantly are prepared to do it. Counting on “The Other Guy” to know what to do or to “Move Over” is equal to playing Russian Roulette, and in this case it was at a closing speed of 90 mph ! There's NO Time ~ a few seconds of indecision or hesitation to act can be the difference between a good day on the water and something else entirely. Preparation equals performance – you can’t expect to perform if you’re not prepared. It may only happen one time in your entire boating life – but the consequences of a lack of preparation can as in this case, be fatal I’ve seen it. A-Jay

No doubt ~ And to pile on a little - 6th Sense Baits besides making a silent lipless bait that's pretty killer, they also make a version that has something called FRS - Faint Rattle System. Only fished it the last part of this past season but it was getting the kind of results that make it easy to keep throwing. It's a little larger profile at 5/8 oz. It's a very nice slot bait between the standard 1/2 & 3/4 oz offerings - Last fall when the mid to shallower weeds were dying off and the yellow perch started to get more or less exposed, the Gold Reactor color was making happen - fished it low & slow. A-Jay

That's Awesome ! "Hair of the dog" - I love it. What's your dog name ? - I think I'd have to include it some how in the name of this most productive bait. Really have to give credit where credit due - Man's best friend just got even better. Congrats btw - good on you with the PFD on. A-Jay

There ya go ~ Congrats A-Jay

A jaw spreader is a very handy tool used to keep the jaws of death off your knuckles while dislodging a hook or lure. Rapala Big Game kit pictured below includes one. This one has dramatically reduced my personal blood loss considerably. A-Jay

Different strokes for different folks ~ I throw a lipless baits quite a bit. Do OK shallow & deeper. I fish very clear waters much of the time. For me fish eat the Silent RES 2 to 1 over the rattler - but I do fish it more ~ Success breeds confidence. The "#1" producing RES I own - is a "silent" version but the weight inside is a little loose - so it makes a very faint click, click, click on the retrieve. It gets crushed ~ I got it when the silent jobs first came out. First day out 1/2 the finish was gone and I went right back to the tackle shop on the way home to hopefully get a few more of these "clickers" ~ no joy - haven't found another one. Though a little tattered, this one is still introducing itself to both green & brown bass every chance it gets. And I certainly appreciate it. If I hang it up, this is one I'd probably have to go swimming for. A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

Mine Too ~ A-Jay

Congratulations ~ PB's are Always a Blast ! A-Jay

Obviously, I have no information regarding your particular financial position, so there can really be nothing in the way of advice offered. Way2slow noted factors that can & do apply to various purchases where the item is financed, not just a bass boat. Stocks, Bonds & Real Estate are examples of investments, a bass boats is a recreational item (unless you use it to make a living). Whenever I think of something as "Expensive" it usually means I can't afford it. A-Jay

Nice Bass ~ Great Smile . . . . Congrats and glad you recovered you gear too. A-Jay

Basic Navigational Knowledge ~ ~ During any Meeting, Crossing or Passing Situation ~ If the Range (distance between vessels) Decreases and the Bearing (Heading) between the vessels Remains the Same - Collision is Imminent. When Required, Always make course changes in these situations EARLY & OBVIUOS ! ! ! Small adjustment in course & speed are often difficult to detect and only cause confusion - this is Bad. A-Jay

Hello Dave and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

I guess ~ One can pickle a shoe too but that doesn't mean I'll eat it. A-Jay

Very Nice ~ A-Jay

Legal / medium sized Pike Is Very Good and considered by many to be one of the best eating freshwater fish. Removal of the "Y" bone is a must but after that it's very tasty. Pickerel, I'm not a fan. A-Jay

Congrats ~ nice looking stick ~ Let me know your final verdict after you've done some damage with it. A-Jay

Nice One ~ As for gender ~ Can't really tell. Congrats A-Jay

Nice one Jeff ~ If that's a Bad day you could get your arm broke on a good one. Might wanna pad up the butt end of that jig rod handle. Congrats A-Jay

Congratulations on your little bundle of joy. Babies are such a blessing. As you welcome your new baby girl, it is my wish and hope that all of the troubles of the world will disappear every time she smiles at you. Congratulations ~ A-Jay