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Fluoro brought the need for a new knot. The Double San Diego Jam seemed to be the knot of choice. Testing left something to be desired so I experimented. A mod of the Double San Diego was the result. Start in the normal way but take only 4 turns on the standing part. Instead of passing thru the loop at the hook eye end, pass thru the double loops at the other end. That's it. Draw down. Very easy. Repeated testing proves this knot to be 100%+. The line breaks before the knot every time. I have tested this only on 10# fluoro. Here-in-after known as Jim's knot.

The best battery ck is under load. Put a 150 amp load on it and it should maintain 10.6 v.

Disagree on car tires. Been using them for 30 years. They're cheaper and last longer. Never had a blow-out. The "bounce" factor sounds like a sales pitch. But then my rig comes in at under a ton.

When I was young I used Bearing Buddys. I also burned my share of bearings. Usually by the time you realize a bearing is gone you've also burned an axle and sometimes hub. Did away with Buddys and began packing bearings once a year and that worked out fine. Now that I'm an oldster I have them packed. About $70 a shot but with age comes a certain amount of financial success.

The essence of the crank is that it covers sooo much water.

Cranking? You can cover sooo much water.

I was sittin on the end of the pier waitin for em to invent water

On those bright sunny days I've found it helps to go small. 3" Senkos, finesse worms, small grubs, white Beetlespins[1/8 oz spinnerbaits]. On the spins I change blades to a #2 copper and usually hang a small lead on the line just in front of the bait so its easy to throw with a level-wind. All this doesn't make the fishing fantastic but at least I'm catching something under tough conditions.

I was sitting on the end of the pier with JC waiting for them to invent water.

My boat is 23 yrs old and the tape deck has long ceased its function. When it worked I would at times use it and it never seemed to affect the bite. As befits an oldster I listened to country from the 50s, 60s and 70s: what we termed sh*tkickin.

My boat is 23 yrs old and the tape deck has long ceased its function. When it worked I would at times use it and it never seemed to affect the bite. As befits an oldster I listened to country from the 50s, 60s and 70s: what we termed sh*tkickin.

You kiddin? Gotta be Kevin

In some cases an embedded hook will rust out of a bass. Some hooks are made of materials that won't rust. In that case the wound will fester and release the hook. Seldom will a bass die from an embedded hook. And yes, carbonated drinks[Mountain Dew?] will often stop bleeding. Bass are hardy fish.

I still use Stren. I've tried any number of the newer lines and just don't like em. I keep a spinning rod loaded with Stren high vis blue as a dead stick rod. Couple of other special loaded rods. The rest of my level-winds are loaded with Stren MagnaThin of various sizes. Hard to teach an old fart new tricks.

Speaking of things in the lake.... There's not a basser throw'n that doesn't use a chartreuse spinnerbait. Ever seen anything in the lake that's chartreuse?

I go with the white and use it in well stained as well as clear water. While black is a good night color, I've caught more fish over 5 lbs on a chrome U-20 flatfish at night than any other bait or color.

After 60 fishing years I've had several unwanted hook contacts: I will related two. While fishing a series of ponds in Ct. which were water supply ponds, fishing verboten and so fishing at night, I jerked a Jitterbug off a lilly pad and the hook went right thru my eyelid. Very close to being a very serious problem. An easy fix, however, by cutting the point and barb off the hook. Trout fishing for Redbands(a sub-species of Rainbow) in desert Eastern Oregon, I buried the hook of a Mepps Spinner down to the shank square in the middle of my chin. I needed medical help and the closest was a clinic an hour and a half away. Keep in mind I had been camping for a week and was filthy and also had a beard. When I walked into the clinic they asked me what I wanted and I said, "well, I've got this lure in my chin". They said, "well, you never know these days. It might be a decoration." To you trout fisherman, those Redband get up to 20" in a little stream you can step across.

If you do any traveling at all, over time the bumper will come loose. Get a hitch.

I got the Humminbird 798 Side Imaging Sonar late last year. I also have a Garman 120, a Fishmark 480 and a Lorance LMS527 GPS. I am way less than enthused with the HB. Regular sonar on the HB is all but useless except as a depth finder. Won't even show a fish. Structure in my area(Southern Oregon) is mainly rocks, ledges, ect. It takes a rock pile of several feet to show on side imaging, or a single rock of great size. It won't show a rubble field. I have never seen a fish on it. I do like the HB GPS better the the L GPS. I have considered the cockpit problem but think enough time has gone by to rule at least some of that out. From reports on these sites some have fared better than I so might have to sent this in for repair.

You people irk me. I'm still looking for my 1st 5. Can't quite break it.

As previously stated, its all in what you like. I've got a 17' 1988 Tracker. I like to go in the pucker brush and some of the shallow water--loaded with rock--that a glass boat wouldn't dare attempt. Here in Oregon we don't have some of the huge impoundments that other parts of the country enjoy so aluminum was a no-brainer.

I would'nt put a side-imaging sonar up front. I tried it. For one thing you have to be doing about 2 to 6 mph to get the best picture. For another turns play havoc with the return. I now have the Humminbird and a Lorance GPS at the console. I had to give up an Eagle Fishmark 480 monochrome fishfinder. Best picture I ever had. God I miss that thing. Like you, I'm fond of buoys.

Hildibrand "Go-Getter" 5/8 oz, #7 gold Colorado blade, chartreuse skirt. An especially good bottom bouncer in 30' but good at any depth.

In addition to the retrieval methods mentioned you might try this to avoid hanging in first place: the first second you feel your lure make contact stop you retrieve for two seconds. This will not only reduce your chances of a hang-up but can often trigger a strike.