bigbill

I just came from a doctor's visit, I'm at 325# now and still losing slowing now. I kind of level off, drop weight, level off. I'm thinking of hitting the gym after the holidays. I need to lose another 70lbs. Slowly a little at a time now. I want to be in better shape by bass fishing season. I took too much weight off too soon in the beginning. I messed up my medication dosage. After getting off some meds and adjusting some others I'm ok now. My one frozen waffle for breakfast and my half sandwich for lunch and court by down my supper to 1/3 or 1/2 my normal supper did the trick. I still eat less for supper so I'm losing it slower. I'm around 1200 calories per day rather than being at 2,000 calories like the doctors say. Then the weight seems to just fall off. I do have my free days sometimes too. Christmas will be two free days, Christmas eve and Christmas dinner. But I still will be careful and eat a little bit of everything. Now I'm rid of the cancer and I'm sure we can beat anything now. One day at a time. I have a cpap machine for the past few years and they just found out it wasn't set high enough. My heart doctor told me it wasn't set right. I had a test done again and the doctor was right. I was going to bed tired and waking up tired. Now I'm feeling much better with the higher setting. I feel more awake now. So much for health problems. I can't wait for this year to end. God bless, bigbill Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays.....

Stitch that's awesome I'm glad for you and your family. You kicked it's butt like I told you, I knew you would. God bless, bigbill Merry Christmas it's going to be a special merry Christmas for you and your support group. All the support with prayers did work here. The guys and gals here are awesome. Remember to get a prostate exam and a blood test guys its starting to be more common. You gals know what you need to have checked too. My misses had breast cancer twice after a double mastectomy. But the second time was the cure. In any case early detection is the key to curing it. Please see your doctor for normal check ups. I like my family on this forum too. I have a wicked pain in my lower left hand side of my back. I seen a sports medicine guy and he said I have arthritis in my left hip really bad. Well I guess I grow older with it. I don't care if I have to get a hoveround with a shelf for my tackle boxes with a rod holder nothing is going to keep me from bass fishing.

I fished lake zoar when a micro burst snuck up on us. We had 3' to 4' rollers in no time. All I thought about was losing my stuffed tackle boxes. We chose to head for the boat ramp but we should of beached the 16' boat first. I thinking a deep vee row boat. We been seeing weird weather lately. You have access to zoar, candlewood, Bantum and Lilly from where you are plus ball pond too. It's not fun when the boat is too small. You can fish both twin lakes. We can rent boats at Lakeville too if you have an outboard under 10hp. We have 5hp b&s outboard. We have some of the best bass fishing close by us. Bill

I do buy the reels that have the knobs I like. So far my okuma, Finor and quantum spinning reels are all I've used now. I just purchased five shimano spinning reels for christmas gifts and they felt pretty good. I may go back and get me one after Christmas. Bill

I just purchased five shimano spinning reels for christmas presents. I never had a shimano in my hand before they feel decent. The bail closes smoothly too. I got the kids and there spouses bass rods too. There not high end because I want to see if they fish more first. Maybe I can motivate them more. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays. Remember Jesus tis the reason for the season. It's a time to reflect on the family members we lost over the many years there gone but not forgotten. But we welcome the new family members too. My new grandson is 3yo now. He loves my tractors, dirtbikes and quads. I got him a new spincast fishing setup, four R/C construction equipment to play with. He loves digging in the dirt already. He sits on my tractor with his dad raising and lowering the plow blade already. I can't wait till he gets on the loader. God bless, hug your kids everyday and tell them you love them. Bigbill

If I'm seeing and caught one bigger bass here in ct there has to be bigger bass in every state. Stealth is the key. My game plan is to use my hottest fish lures. On a tough day that can change. An Oscar winning presentation is another part of the puzzle for success. We need to stay going too as often as we can. Bill

I didn't hunt for bigger bass till my PB went from 6# straight to a 10#er. Seeing this hog in the low light at 5am scared the snots out of me at first. I never seen bass this big. I only seen fish this big in saltwater. She was two feet from shore and I casted parallel to shore at a manmade road that made a drop off at the shore line. I casted my rebel bigclaw crawfish crankbait parallel to the shoreline 2' away from shore. As the crank came towards the channel she came from the drop off and hit it. Before this I had no clue we had bigger bass in ct. 1. Be very stealthy when walking up to your spot on the shoreline. Do not step on rocks or roots near the shore. This send vibrations into the water. 2. Handle your tackle very quietly and put your stuff down softly. I keep everything sorted out in all three tackle boxes. This way I can find everything really easily without making any noise. No noise were like not being there. Again stealth is the key. I use a one cell flash lite in the dark. 3. I get up at 3:30am when the season opens up. I fish the prespawn every morning up to three months or till I get burned out. I find the bigger shy bass are near the shoreline ambushing the baitfish. But if you shine a light at the waters edge in the dark I see fresh water eels at the shoreline. There right at the waters edge.They make an easy meal for old bucket mouth. This could be why a black plastic worm is so successful. Don't forget to wear your polarized glasses and watch behind your lure for flashes and scan the water for bass that may swim by. I've seen bigger bass than 10# swim past me. There's a fly fishing Bill Dance show that shows the flashes behind the fly. Different camera angle picked it up. They never mentioned it on the show. When we do it all right we have the knowledge and skills to hook one of these bigger gals. Practice your presentations often. When we hone our skills our success will pick up. It's stealth when we move, being very quiet when we handle our tackle. I even close the bail on my spinning reel very softly too. Any little noise spooks these bigger gals that are near the shoreline. When they break topwater I cast as far past them as I can. I cast along side the break not on it. Then I work my lure softly near them. Don't spook them. I can't put the fish on your hook. I'm no pro but I figured out what's works so far.I don't have all the answers. But my tips will get you closer to your goals. Bigbill

Remember the box look is long gone. The American manufacturers are competing with the sloping lines of the Japanese and European cars now. Plus most Americans prefer this look. While us muscle car guys prefer the old look. I like the newer look for the Times were in its 2015. I really don't like the chevies. I was a Chevy guy since 14yo with my 55 Chevy. But the cost reduction in cast iron in 88 made my block crack in my new 88 suburban. I junked better running used suburbans than my new 25k one. It's sad. Now I own jeep wrangler and Subaru' s. I'm looking for a muscle car someday but may build one it's way cheaper.

I would suggest yes. The oils and grease are water proof for fishing reels. I use a moly lube for fishing equipment too. From, www.ts-moly.com it's the only lube I use in reels and guns besides oils.

I received awesome news today. Since I was on so many meds at 390# now I'm under 330# I almost passed out at the cancer center after radiation. I found out I could get off four meds I was on. Now I was told I had a weak heart. I been cutting firewood between jobs full time and part time when I was working full time. I never forget the time I was taking back five cent returns to get a loaf of bread so we could eat as a kid. I was cutting between 50 to 100 cords of firewood per year. How could I have a weak heart? I was a gorilla in the woods with a 100cc Chainsaw for many decades. Weak heart your kidding me? My blood pressure standing up was 90/60. When I was light headed for a while. Yesterday at the doctor I got the report from taking four heart tests my heart is fine and normal. All my blood vessels are clear. My standing up blood pressure is now 110/60. I was told it takes a while for the blood pressure meds to wear off. My blood pressure meds were lowered. I'm taking a very low dosage now. I'm starting to make a comeback. My goal is to be 250# to 275# by fishing season. My problem is my wife is Italian and I am too. She's a Marca/John that's the part of Italy known for great cooks. My people are from Naples. I love good food not junk food. Well I have a challenge in front of me. How are you doing Stitch?

Stay on the path. Never give up. Never give in.

I been purchasing the smaller sunfish, bluegill, crappies and pumpkin seeds there about 1 1/2" long. There clear plastic tail funnels out to make them weedless. The only hook is in the tail. I been wondering with no exposed hook this swim bait should be able to go though any cover. I also have a mid size sunfish too. Bill

Stitch were going to make it though this brother the goal is within our reach. We're almost there. We need to stay motivated now. I can't wait for it to be over so things can get back to normal again. All I think about is bass fishing is 4 1/2 months away now. As my side effects from the radiation are almost gone. This is going to be an awesome year fishing. This is going to be a busy year. I have so many unfinished things to get caught up with. I pray that everything goes well for the both of us. God bless, bigbill

I have a kitchen aid mixer and been thinking of getting an ice cream making attachment. Since I have a farmall cub with the PTO I've seen ice cream made using that to drive the churn too. It's awesome watching the tractor making it I seen the video. Collecting IH tractors is my other hobby. If you search for,farmall making ice cream on you tube it will come up.

I been picking up some of the better finishes on the hard body swimbaits from eBay. They look really good. The do state some may need to be tuned. That means a day off with a pair of pliers. I've had all of my bomber cranks catch fish so far with no returning. My Mann's cranks, some catch fish and some don't. So the swimbaits need some tuning. There no different than some of the other cranks. I do have an assortment of the more expensive swimbaits too. I like to throw the affordable lures in the harder to fish areas incase I lose one.

Enjoy what you have today. God bless, bigbill You know what I worried about when I was in high school? What was going to happen as I got older. How would I get a job once I got out of school? I think this really bothers kids today. They need our support and for us to tell them it will be ok and it will all come together as they get older. I ended up quiting trade school in my second year. My parents separated and I had to take $.05 soda bottles/cans and return then to get a loaf of bread so me and mom could eat. I got tired of doing that so I quit school and went to work full tone at 16yo. I worked as a automechanic at a few dealerships. The I was a machine operator at 20yo. They were a big machine tool manufacturing company. I learned I had to work for 8hrs no matter where I worked so I might as well make the most per hour I could. My next step was to get my GED. Then with my mechanics background I was upgraded into the machine tool erecting dept. Then the first recession in '83 hit. The company I worked for 8 years went out of business. After losing my job I bounced around from job to job. I even built 155mm howitzers for the US ARMY. Then'86 when I went to work for Otis Elevator engineering world headquarters. That lasted for 20years. Time flew by. I found that I could work anywhere, do any job if I applied myself. I could built anything with all my experience. My point is for you younger guys to get all the schooling and education you can. If the company offers schooling were you work now take it. The education will pay off. You will have a better job and a better life. Just some words of wisdom. Bigbill

I think where on the next page of our lives. We're not ready for the final chapter, were just past the halfway point in the book. I realize our date with Destiny has been extended. It's about time we realized what we missed in the beginning of our lives because we were too busy working supporting our families. I was mad at my dad for never spending time with us four kids but I understood when I became a dad what it took to support a family. There's no instruction book about life and how life works. We kind of learn while we go its on the job training as we go. It's not easy having the responsibility of a family that relys on us for support. But some how we put it all together. Once we get into the groove of working and supporting a family father time seems to kick in and fly by. I have no clue were my late 20's to 50's actually went. That's thirty years that's just gone. Then I hit 52yo and the many years of hard work took its toll on my battered beaten up body. After two operations on both knees. The new buzz word was disability came up in '94 but I didn't want to hear it, I refused it. I stayed working till I had to crawl out of bed each day and soak my body with hot water to get it moving everyday. I was in so much pain on my ride home from work I would cry. In 2002 I took disability. Again the page was turned on my life. My body just really slowed down. Then in 2013 the next chapter of my life began when my doctor told me I had cancer my life kind of hit a road block. I can't wait for this year to end. Stitch probably you too right? Now I'm recovering slowly. My knees are hurting so I tried a knee brace on one knee. I'm starting to feel like a combination of the six million dollar man and to robo cop.I wear a support for my back and now knee brace. Again there is no book about life that warns us about the future of our lives. It's looking into the abyss but a little warning would of helped.(chuckle) The coach of NC basket ball Jimmy V. Put it into perspective. He said we have to laugh once a day, cry once a day and love once a day. That's a full day he said. He also said that cancer can destroy his body but it can't get his soul. Jimmy V was so right. I stayed upbeat though it all. What kept me going was my life was in the hands of our creator. Of course were about to turn the page again. We can't change the past but we are in control of the future. We look at life different now. We have a second chance at it. New Years Resolution,(2014 & beyond) 1. Tell the misses I love her(more often) 2. Tell everyone in the family "I" love them. 3. See if anyone in the family needs any help. 4. Start doing things that I put off. 5. Don't sweat the little things that are out of your control. 6. Accept the things you can change. 7. Fish more.(I just want to see if your reading this) 8. Thank our creator everyday for another day on this side of the green. 9. Enjoy everyday. 10. Yup fish more too. 11. We only pass this way once. Life is short. Enjoy everyday. 12. Help others that need help. 13. Being rich isn't having plenty of money. To me being rich is having our family and the quality of the friends we surround ourselves with. That's what makes us rich. You are rich and don't even know it? Remember Jesus is the reason for the season. Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, how ever you celebrate the season have a safe holiday, God bless.

Discontinued lures, Bass Pro Shops Topnocker it's the hottest top water lure I have ever used. There are so many different presentations with a topnocker too. It's unique sound is unmatched. I can draw any fish out of the pads into the open water with it. If you give your rod tip a short twitch it will pop up and go down almost in the exact same spot. If you hold your rod tip down and reel it will dive and walk the dog under the water. The success was the same on top or under the water. Was it discontinued or outlawed because of its success? Just kidding. Bomber FAT A crankbaits size 05 these in any color worked great. This is or was my hottest go to lure. The fish don't know if we're using the latest color designs or not. I been buying up the similair model A in the same colors. One a tough day I throw one of these on and it always bails me out. Excalibur Glass Shad I think it was called. It came in two different lengths. Of course another bass killer. Mepps Timber Doodle size "00" I use the silver blade with the white Mr Twister split double tail grub it comes with and let it fall into the open pockets in the weeds. These are discontinued on clearance at MT/Mepps websites. I like to shop for discounted lures. And when I find one that's hotter I buy more filling a small box. My problem is I find out there discontinued. I really think what's missing on the manufacturers websites is customer reviews on each lure with the info on how they presentation and when they used it. It's skill in catching fish not luck. One lure that's not discontinued but hard to find sometimes is the Norman thin N.

I like to test lures and sooner or later we will figure out what presentation works. With T-rigs, C-rigs, Split Shot-rigs it's a very very slow presentation and sometimes boring. I'm a cranker and like moving lures. But I do switch to the rigs too. It's a matter where we use them too. From shore I look for drop offs, channels with slow moving water, the flats, the pads, submerged weeds etc. I like to use the rigs with plastics near the edge of the moving water near the channels. Sometimes the slower moving waters won't slow the backwashes. Because the water is slow and deeper that river backslashes. Sometimes there are weedlines beside the slower moving water too. I find fishing along side this edge parallel to the slow moving water and the weedline can be very productive with the rigs. Remember we never know the size of the bass we will pull out of this area too. They seem to be well fed because they waiting to grab anything that comes by looking for an easy meal. The two words that go together is, "plastics / slow" in most cases depending on the fishes mood and it's additude. Some bass are more aggressive than others. Some of the slower to strike bass will take more teasing. This is when the bite is slow with cranks is when I switch to my C-rig with a senko or brushog and fish rather slow. I know the fish are there it's figuring out making them strike. Don't hesitate to throw a inline spinner too and reel it just fast enough so the spinner spins. It will also run deeper the slower we reel it. If we move it too slow we get snags. I do not use inline spinners in weeds. The mepps timber doodle is for the weeds. I have no clue why it works but it's one of my best weedless lures. Using lures, it's where and when to use them plus the presentation we choose to use too. We do find ourselves fishing then way too fast thinking there like spinnerbaits. I say slow down till you find the correct speed were the action is. Pick the correct lure color for the water conditions. Try different presentations. Pick a good area to fish from. Look for drop offs, Rocky points, channels, submerged weeds, weedlines etc. The more you practice everything I say your catch will increase even shore fishing I'm sure of that. It's skill not luck in fishing, luck if for the casino. It's takes skill to catch fish. Remember on days you couldn't buy a bite it's skill that catches fish. I change lures and colors till the action happens. That's the challenge to me to make them strike. Good Skill to Ya, bigbill Btw, I have one area in one of my hot spots that produces no fish everyone I cast it. After getting my hummingbird wristwatch fish finder I casted it to this area and never found any fish there. It's the only time I used the portable fish finder for fish. I figured out there is a swampy wet land area feeding this spot so the PH levels could be way off. These tools are available for shore fisherman too. Those little casted out pods work awesome when we use them. I have one rod setup with braided line just for casting the pod for the hummingbird wristwatch fish finder. I've mainly used it in the past to learn how the bottom is structured. How deep it is, where the holes and flats are at. Remember it's skill, do not beat yourself up for being shunked. Ask yourself what could I have done different while on the way home. Remember to keep a log book. Record where, when and how you caught fish. And when you didn't. Write down the time of year too pre and post spawn etc. Record everything. You can graph it out and fish it the exact same way next season. Trust me us shore fisherman can be very successful too. Walk up slowly to your spot and don't step on any rocks. Even in the earth rocks sticking out of the ground sends vibrations into the water warning the fish that your there. Be very stealthy with your tackle. Be very quiet like your not there. Cast past where you want your lure to go. And bring your lure slowly near that spot. Be very quiet I don't talk too. I'm in my zone, my own zip code when I'm fishing. As I fish I scan the water while I watch behind my lures for flashes from short strikes. The more you look you will see fish. Once you learn to do this you automatically wear your polarized glasses and practice watching the water. This works. If you go out thinking you will be skunked your beating yourself before you go out. Stay home when you think like that. Be POSITIVE!!!!!!!THINK POSITIVE!!!!!!+++++the world will be a better place for you when your upbeat and positive.

Stitch, Thanksgiving was special this year. I wish I could capture the smells of all the cooking going on. It's days of preparation and smelling up the house for days. Then we sit down for a wonderful meal that takes a few hours. We put up with the awesome smells of fresh pies cooking, then it's the pasta sauce being prepped then the turkey goes in at 5am. I wake up to all these smells and find a blueberry braid for breakfast. Thanksgiving has to be the best holiday of the year. Stitch I'm happy we're here to enjoy it. God bless, bigbill Btw. We through a big bash on Christmas eve we have everything you could think of. From stuffed mushrooms, scallops wrapped with bacon, king crab legs, mussels, stuffed clams, stuffed cod, stuffed shrimp etc. It's a five hour celebration. Then in the morning two big prime rib roasts go in the oven to feed the family. Remember Jesus is the reason for the season. Too bad it has become so commercial.

I try to save when I can but I shop online and at my mom n pop local bait shop. My local bait shop has discounts on older new lures. I give these to the kids. Since my disability(bad knees) is becoming worse I rely on online shopping more and more. I really miss walking into the bigger chain stores browsing. As long as I can fish a few feet from the car at my local hot spots I'm good to go.

Crankbait color basics, Crawdad Brown Crawdad Green Crawdad Red Silver Shad Firetiger Citrus

Take it easy and slow stitch. I hope your thanksgiving was awesome. Each holiday will be extra special from now on. I kind of went over board on Christmas presents already. Christmas is going to be awesome too for the both of us. I'm not sure about how you feel about this past year stitch my life as I knew it stopped when my doctor told me I had prostate cancer. I was in a stalled state for many months. Now I'm starting to feel we have a new lease on life, a second chance after beating this thing. We have the second chapter of our lives in front of us. To me on January 1st, 2014 we will turn the page and put this past year behind us, as far behind us as we can put it and forget about it. I'm going to enjoy everyday, every week, every month every year that's ahead of us in the future decades too. We had to play the hand our creator has dealt us and we won. We still need to go slow in the slow lane of life for now. I'm going to stay going slow and take in all that life has to offer us. I'm in no rush. I'm going to focus on the family and friends and don't sweat the little things. It's our time to sit back and take it easy and watch life go by. Brother when spring comes I'm actually going to enjoy fishing more than in the past. We stayed focused and never gave up. We did it just like I told you, we would beat this thing. I feel like we're born again. God bless you and your family, bill Snow??? Please keep it there. Kidding but my old tired '55 jeep tractor started right up after sitting all summer. I have a running frame with a four way plow with a seat. I put on my warm insulated hunting clothes and sit in the weather and plow. Sitting in the cold weather while plowing just gets my juices flowing and makes me feel more alive. The cold temps and the crisp air does it.

After shaving my head all summer I'm letting my beard grow till it's like Santa and the duck dynasty guys and my hair till I have a pony tail. Then it's time for a new motorcycle. Bill Plus its going to be a cold winter and facial hair does keep us warmer.

Great to hear your doing much better now. That's awesome. We have this thing on the run now. I knew you could do it. Now it's time to enjoy the holidays with the family and close friends. Just stay focused. I finally was up and about today. It snowed here the other night just flurries but it was coming down at times. I'd like to run out and throw some swimbaits but it's been cold with that bone chillin wind has me hugging the Woodstove. I need to push myself to move around more. I'm like you stitch I'm doing better. Today was a good day. God bless, bigbill