SirSnookalot

Oh really? I don't sway off topic but I can think of and caught many species that pound for pound will give anyone an education how some fish can put up a battle. I'm not including or excluding a king( I'm sure the reference is not an ocean kingfish), we catch 30# fish that have to be run down to land them and that's on heavier conventional gear, not light light tackle.

I much preferred the old match needle 35 mm cameras to the automatic, before digital. Those autos took a nice pic in auto mode but the manual mode drove me crazy with all the data in the viewfinder. I could focus, set exposure, frame my subject much faster and more comfortably using match needle system. I had shutter problem with mine, like a dummy I bought the new tech( canon A-1) instead of fixing my FTB, all my lenses were interchangable. Downside was those cameras, in a photo bag with a full compliment of lenses and flash weighed a ton. For a simple outing a I had a 35-135 (may have been 35-205, can't remember exactly )zoom that gave me amazing photos.

No nicks, no problem.

Tarpon do not have teeth, they inhale bait much like a bass or snook, can they cut a leader, the answer is yes, but with their razor sharp gill plates(top one only), which in this scenario I don't think happened. Most likely a shark or a slim chance of a very large barracuda and if I were targeting those species wire leader is the way to go. Circle hooks and mono leaders are not the best set up for toothy critters, shank is too short and lots of cut offs, try a shark hook 8/0 or larger. I have caught many sharks, probably most of them while I was kingfishing using a standard king rig, frozen sardine, 20-30# line mono or braid and 40-60# mono leader. Fishing for these kinds of fish do not require a hookset, circle hook or not, a simple elevation of the rod will increase your drag for the fish to hook itself, then let it run, if you tighten the drag too much on the reel, your line will break.

I wouldn't buy any rod on line without previously seeing it first and preferably putting my reel on it. I would choose to buy a rod from a store where I didn't have to be worried about the return policy, don't take the cellophane wrap off before you make up your mind. Rod recommendations are for the most part just opinions, I personally put no stock in them, except from a professional rod builder.

I may have missed it but where in Mexico, kinda looks like Puerta Vallarta. Looks like a nice area to fish, water appears to be fairly flat, still photos can be misleading, which are not the most favorable conditions. Many people are under the belief that in saltwater the fish are everywhere, au contraire mon ami. Fish are very spread apart, unless in a feeding frenzy, and you have to hunt them down. This is the kind of fishing I do everyday, I walk and and cast looking for signs, bait, birds and fish, then sight cast. Do I catch every outing...NO! Lures you had were more than adequate, spoon probably the best saltwater lure, I use one maybe 75% of the time. I'm really surprised you didn't score better, that El Toro is a Jack Crevelle,

Quite often when I hook a bass 1 or 2 others are closely behind, happens with other species too like tarpon and barracuda. Question is are they there for moral support while the hooked fish is in distress or do they want to strike the bait also. When fish are on, they are ON and hit darn near anything. I do this with bass fishing all the time, catch a fish and immediately change lures, if the fish are still on I'm still catching them, not meaning I'm catching them on every cast. Yesterday afternoon was a perfect example, started off catching a couple on a jerkbait, switched over to a flats bucktail jig, finished off with a storm top water popper, actions was good on all three and caught fish.

Glad you got some peas. Ties i took my wife to the airport so i took a ride to western Broward county. It's a field day out there, caught quite a few peas and LMB, nothing big. Around my house I can't catch too much in the canals, down there it's like shooting fish in a barrel. Very quite at the inlet or any Sw area now.

For 2 phone plan? Have to check that out when my contract expires.

Glenn is the expert in this area. Only smart phone failure I have had has been a battery replacement, I've had cell phones since the late 80's. Raider Nation, sounds like your kinda hard on your phones, running them over with a truck not once but twice. I have a Casio Commando, built like rock. My only complaint with Verizon has been my phone not ringing when a call was coming in and the voice mail message didn't appear for a week or 2. it has with this phone as well as my last, makes think it's a Verizon issue and not the fault of the phone, no settings ever get changed. @Deak, my bill is $130 mo, 1 smartphone with unlimited data and no texting and 1 flipphone standard service., could be a difference in minutes, I forget what I have. No longer in business I reduced it down from 1000 a month.

Pretty much a lackluster year as far as size and numbers, did manage maybe 8 or 10 bass 6-10# range, and a few peacocks that I haven't caught in 2 years. I don't keep track of a personal best. My snook fishing has been terrible, biggest was only 37" caught on a poppa dog and my numbers were nothing to brag about this year. Offshore I did ok, quite a few sailfish, aj's, cobia and kings, the highlight of my year was getting spooled a couple of times on max drag, G-d only knows what it was(probably wahoos). 2012 goal, making it to 2013.

I happen to like Tebow, and for now he's doing good. It's a matter of time until the defenses adjust to his style, option QB's as rule don't last, they get hurt. Both longevity, statistics, and winning seems to favor a traditional pocket passer. My mind can only remember Tarkenton as a scrambler that lasted, but then again he never won the big one, but neither did Marino and he was as traditional as you could be, so who knows.

0119 makes a good point, but in fairness the 42' yellowfins and contenders I see going out have stellas and Penn internationals on board, the 21' sea foxes have much more moderately priced gear, many of those boats are pretty much weekend fishermen. It goes down the line, saltwater offshore gear takes a real beating, inshore equipment not as much and freshwater equipment should last pretty good.. Living most of my 66 years in Michigan, being a snowbird for over 20 years and now living full time for the last 7 in a coastal environment, I've done my share off fishing, I get offshore 2 times a week weather permitting and fish inshore almost every day. I've caught most of the common species. When it comes to taxing your equipment, offshore ocean fish certainly can do that, many times we have caught a mere 30 or 40# fish like an amberjack on conventional gear and have to run it down with the boat, could fry an egg on the reel. Conversely sailfish aren't nearly as hard, not a big deal to land one on a 4000 spinning reel with 20 or 25lb class rod, they average only about 50# and the fight is totally different than the amberjack. Inshore species don't tax the equipment quite as much as offshore, unless you're getting into 100+ tarpon, or big redfish and jacks. Fishing inshore with the salt surf, wind, sand and the power of some of these species is going to take it's toll on equipment, cheap stuff won't last. Back in Michigan I caught plenty of those byproduct fish and I thought they fought great, until I moved, I no longer hold their fighting ability with the same esteem as I once did. A muskie is a nice fish to catch, but even a 45" doesn't come close to a cuda or tarpon of the same size. There is no reason why moderately price gear won't last in freshwater, you just don't get that many fish over 20#, I can't keep track of how many fish I catch over that size. This is just my opinion, I'm sure others will have a different view. Those pictured byproduct fish are purdy and make a tasty meal, but I'll stick with my location.. I'm not one of these guys that eat, sleep and drink technical information about equipment, I care less about that, I just like catching fish with a good pair of shoulders.

As long as opinions are being thrown around this is mine. As most know I'm strictly a spinning guy and own medium priced and budget reels that have caught great fish on, each reel works great. I wouldn't spend more than $100 for a freshwater reel, the overwhelming majority of fish barely tax your equipment. Saltwater I feel more comfortable with a better quality reel, saltwater, salt air and sand will take it's toll, a pound for pound that fish are tougher.

Probably for freshwater the BPS rel would be fine, I'd still buy the stradic if it were a decision between those 2. Looking at the drags on the smaller BPS reels, looks like a misprint, 1000 or 2000 reels will not have a max drag of 19.5lb, 22 for the 40 could be accurate.

A number of years ago Charles Barkley, a former outspoken NBA player, said he didn't want to be a role model. IMO any one in the public eye should act accordingly, young people are very impressionable.

A tip learned from my own personal experience. When trying to get unsnagged the first thing I do is open the bail or put the reel in free spool to take the tension off the tip of the rod, I did break a couple of tips years ago, never happens now. Also I prefer to pull the line with my hand rather than using the rod, snags come free a bit more easily. A former BR member sold me on " snapping the bow" for snags in certain situations, works very good with braid, mono not quite as good because of the stretch.

I'm a pro braid guy and not fussy on the brand. The only problem I ever get is the occasional wind knot, many I get out but not all. Where I fish any line can be cut or get abrasions ( coral, barnacles, rocks ), since I always fish with a leader that's what usually gets cut. Braid does get line twist, seldom does it have any negative impact. The radical line twist is from applications that very few on this forum will ever use, barracuda tubes, this is one of the very few times I use mono instead. I've learned not to pull my lures too hard out of tree, I don't want it flying straight back to me, which has happened, I'd rather lose line and lure than get hooked. For me the positives of braid out weigh the negatives.

Braid fail?..........hahaha ! I could salvage the Titanic off the bottom with 50# braid, since I'm not fishing for the Titanic I don't use anything heavier than 20# braid, even for my offshore ocean fishing. Any line will break if it has been compromised. In a pinch braid can easily be cut with any pliers or nail cutter, carrying a scissors is just excess baggage, nothing works better than a bic or cigarette if you smoke. I'm not negative on mono, just choose not to use it, I prefer braid for any kind of fishing I do. That said, there are techniques that I will not employ under any circumstances because it isn't enjoyable to me. A case in point for me would be a b/c on a mhv or heavy rod with 50# braid, fishing slop or lily pads, I avoid those areas. Rather catch a 5# fish on light spinning outfit in open water than a 10# bass where the weeds are fighting more than the fish, but that's just me.

Heisman trophy means nothing, anyone remember Andre Ware? Heisman aside, Tebow is playing well and like RW stated he's a solid citizen and brings emotion and motivation to the team, that's an untangable commodity that few players possess. As I was watching the game and listening to Phil Simms, who BTW was a QB, and a SB winner and ongoing color man for quite a few years, said of Tebow when playing side by side videos of him and Brady. He uses the same shoulder movement, back leg lifting off the ground while finishing the passing motion. Simms gave Tebow a good passing grade.

The war against northern aggression...........

A cosmetic scratch means nothing, if the scratch is into the blank, problems could arise. 60 years of fishing, never used a hook keeper, my lures are always on on the bottom guide. No scratches, no damages, no nothing to be concerned about, if I were concerned my hook would be on the crossmember of the guide and not the insert, but I'm not concerned. Can't recall ever having a scratch on the bottom guide inert where the hook is hanging. Only thing I would be concerned with is a safety factor, I don't want a lure flying off the guide, if the reel is cranked too tight( with a bow in the tip, that's dangerous) too loose and it only falls off, no danger. Keep the right tension with no stress on the tip and you are fine.

I really don't understand the reason for inquiring on advice. This woman is not a wife and it doesn't seem apparent she relies on you for financial support, what you do with your money is your business. If the 2 of you are planning a future together, she seems to be the one with a good head on her shoulders, I'd be listening to her. IMO a person spending 20% of their income sounds a bit excessive. It's one thing to make (net) 500k a year and spend 100k on an activity, there is money left over to live well. I do think taking care of their obligations and planning for the future comes ahead of spending money on an activity. Making only $4000 a year, doesn't leave much even if you spent nothing on fishing equipment. I'd be digging up my own worms

Tebow showed me a lot yesterday, no question he has much to learn. He has a good arm and can get himself out of trouble. I was impressed when he went over to Andre Carter( Pat's player) checking out his injury and giving him a pat on the helmet, as to say" hurry up and get healthy". The kid is a class act, time will tell on his skills.

Tebow played good, Brady played better.