aceman387

Have you ever thought about writing a book Tom? It would be good reading.

Thanks for the link to the blog Sir. What an inspiration! your sister sure knows how to live life to the fullest.

What are some good light weight makes and models that you guys would recommend ? It would be used for nature observing, fishing etc.

I would buy a license. I go fishing to relax,i don't think i would have peace of mind knowing i could be stopped and checked at any given moment. On a side note, i was coming home from fishing the other night and i had a guy in front of me with a Illinois conservation plate with a fish on it roll down his window and fling out a soda can or a beer can along the road.I don't get people sometimes.

Nature Rules! I had a pretty cool story about a damsel fly. I was out fishing in my kayak earlier in the summer when I stopped to pee in some shallow water. I didn't notice that a damsel fly larvae had gotten attached to my water shoe until I climbed back into my kayak. I spent the next three hours in my kayak studying this damsel fly as it emerged and opened its wings and stood there in the sun on my shoe waiting for its wings to dry out so it could fly. I told my wife that most men would have stomped it and got back to fishing but since the fish weren't biting I figured what the heck, I have never seen this before. I jokingly told my wife I named the damsel fly Wilson ( the volleyball from the tom hanks movie) because it hung around with me for most of my fishing outing that day...lol. When I told her that story she told me to go lay down for awhile because she thought I was out in the sun too long...lol.

It depends on how much rest i have gotten prior to going out. I have days when i am well rested and relaxed and focused and days when i am fatigued and battle endless wandering mind chatter. Its amazing what a five minute nap can do for your mood and mind set.

The time i went to visit my uncle in Missouri during summer vacation and he took me bass fishing at this private club he belonged to. On the way to the club he told me we had to stop at this small bait shop and pick up these red rubber worms with white dots on them (pre rigged, i think creme made them?) I didn't know much about fishing back in them days so this was going to be a fun learning experience for me. I remember we pulled up to this chain link gate and he got out and unlocked a padlock and we drove down this gravel road till we came upon this skinny looking body of water that looked like a narrow canal. He put his jon boat in the water and we started casting these special red worms along the shore line and it was amazing, we were catching bass after bass on every cast.I had never seen anything like it.I was used to going out with my friends and fishing some of the local forest preserve ponds by me and getting skunked . I thought my uncle had just introduced me to this special magical lure that would catch fish anywhere, any state.I talked him into stopping back at the same bait shop on the way home so i could stockpile up on these special worms that couldn't be found in Illinois.I envisioned myself catching bass after bass back home while my friends looked on in amazement .I was too young at the time to realize that there was nothing special about these red worms we were using, in reality this small private canal was so loaded with bass we could have caught them on any worm or lure.I came back home to Illinois with this big pile of red worms that i couldn't wait to show to my friends and i don't think i ever caught a bass on one around here,i bet if i looked hard enough, i still have some of those lying around in my garage and thats been over forty years ago.

I can't think of much more to tell you because David did a great job answering your question. Have you checked out the pinned section above where it says jig fishing questions?

I feel the same way Bill. My wife who grew up in chicago (city girl) took some women of the outdoors classes and then took up bow hunting a few years ago, she routinely goes out hunting with a couple male friends of mine.I could care less. In the beginning my one friend would always call me and ask my permission before asking her to go along hunting ,he couldn't believe i would let her go solo with some male friends.In my mind i am relieved she is going out with some experienced hunter friends of mine .I used to hunt (pheasant) but gave it up years ago .I am not about to stop my wife from doing anything she wants to try . I encourage her to live life and try new things.

speaking of routine ruts,i have a habit of passing over the women's section and going on to the fishing tackle section. shame on me because I see I have over looked some interesting topics.

Are these "non-believers" other family members? If so is there any chance you can covert them over to believers by taking them out with you fishing. I know a lot of people who are locked in a routine rut not even realizing life is passing them by. I bet if these "non-believers got a chance to get out with other women and see how much fun it is they would fall in love with fishing like the rest of us.

I can't wait to hear your review Bill. I have seen posts pop up the last 2-3 years inquiring about their baitcasters and nobody on here would respond.I guess not many people have bought them.

I wish i had seen that picture a couple years ago, i could have saved myself a bunch of money...lol.

Hi Adam, Welcome from another Illinois guy. You will love this site!

I would go out. Fishing in conditions like these are learning experiences and will help you become a better angler down the road. I would try a white spinnerbait or a white chatterbait for something fast moving and for something slow say a black & blue jig with a trailer or a black berkley power worm.I start out rigging the power worms weightless (wind permitting) for a slow fall rate and then i will try adding some weight so they fall quicker in case the bass are in a chasing mood.

I t's hard to pick just one. I use Aaron's magic, margarita mutilator, and oxblood in the 4.5" size.I use them for drop shot fishing but I had some success this year Texas rigging them weightless during tough fishing conditions.

Banjo minnow...................Bazinga! I would have to say a blue fleck colored berkley power worm. I have had a lot of luck this year texas rigging them weightless.

I will be praying for you.I know you have had a rough go of it lately.

Happy Birthday !!!!

The only way it could have been worse is if Brett Favre wearing a packers jersey was hitting on her...lol. from one bear fan to another.

This is really a great topic. It should be required reading for all the young people who are just getting into this sport. I wish i had read this a few years ago when i got back into bass fishing,i would have a lot more money put away and i would be able to fit my truck in my garage...lol. (lets face it buying tackle is fun) I remember reading a quote from Catt years ago that stuck with me,it was something like catching bass has more to do with what's between your ears and less with what's between the folds of your wallet.

Do you have any rubber worms? Buy some berkley power worms in blue fleck or black and try texas rigging them weightless and drag them across those lilly pads slowly,even letting the worm fall into open pockets and slowly fall down. When things get tough i will rig small robo worms and yamamoto shad shape worms the same way. I will rig a 4"yum dinger (senko) wacky and cast it out and use it as a top water lure by keeping the rod tip up and flexing the tip as i reel it in slowly,try doing that across those lilly pads. Buy your self a white spinnerbait,its a good basic all around search bait.

I almost bought one during the winter cabin fever suicidal lull time...lol I even had an alex rod picked out to go with it,but since i fish so much clear water and i love finesse fishing with smaller weightless soft plastics i wasn't sure if i had a need for it. I cant wait to hear your review on it Bill. This winter lull is approaching quickly and this might be the winter i buy myself a baitcasting combo for my jig fishing.

I ran out to my truck to look in my fishing vest and i must have lost them today while i was out in my kayak...lol. There are all kinds of brands and they sell them at bps or a local bait shop should have them.I just go with one of the smallest sizes so the weeds don't get caught on it.