Minuteman

Welcome, that is what I call a real outdoorsman resume!!

Growing up fishing from the banks of the river with live bait on the bottom, we always noticed that a thunderstorm turned the fish on. You could leave your line in the water and either sit in a car or stand under the railroad bridge a few feet away when the storm hit. Of course the smart people would pack up and leave. We'd stay and risk our lives for stinking catfish and after the storms the fishing usually dropped off. Looking back, I wouldn't recommend it and I try to get off the water and in a vehicle as soon as I hear thunder or see distant lightning.

I see you found one. I was looking for a chicken skeleton image the other week. It isn't as easy as it seems. I eventually found a good one on a medical colleges website. My wife needed it and I have no idea why. I did learn the correct spelling for carcass though.

If you have a small boat like me you have to get used to casting a lot while sitting down. That was the hardest thing for me. Someone had given me some old rods and reels a few years back that he had used for Bass fishing tournaments. The reels needed some work, but the rods were too short (6' and under) for me. Once I got the little Jon boat I realized they would work perfect in the cramped quarters. I always take one for backup and close in pitching and flipping.

BTW: I believe Bill Dances new show this week is about barometric pressure. It's on OLN starting tomorrow(Sunday) afternoon and runs a few times during the week. I know he has covered the scientific aspects to fishing before and he makes it very easy to understand(in my opinion).

Thanks for the line advice on Bass Taper. I did see that in the Cabelas Fly Fishing catalog, but they don't have it at the local WalMart. I have run into a a few Fly Anglers on the lakes back in coves, but I'd bet 99% in my area are in the streams going for trout. Jeez, I'm getting sick of talking about fishing. I'm busy today, but I've had tomorrow penciled in as an open day all week! Even if the weathers bad I'll go feed the bait monkey.

Jeez, that would take some kind of stupid to try and cheat like that. I read where people found cages underwater and had someone hide in the woods nearby and took pictures during the tournament to catch the cheaters. Having a big Buoy marking the spot is really dumb.

I guess I should've asked you what type lines you use. That is where I get confused. Any suggestions would help. I plan on keeping the flyrod in the truck for certain circumstances and not really getting too involved at first. I'm pretty sure I won't be getting into tying my own flies. I have a hard enough time SEEING to tie knots.

I'm going to give it a try this year. I dug out my flyrod the other week from the garage. It still had line on it and I was messing around in the yard. I hadn't used it in years, but it felt good. I was just telling my son at college that I'm going to get it ready, practice up on some trout and then take it with us bass fishing. I really have no idea what type of flies I'll end up using, but I know some prime locations for them big frog and mouse imitations. I checked the new WalMart that opened down the road and they have a very small area in the sporting goods with just fly fishing tackle. Everything I have now is either old or made for trout. I guess I'll have to experiment, because I never really tried anything heavier than small flies for the little narrow streams near my house.

Years ago I would get shooting pain in my left wrist so bad that I would actually drop my rod and reel sometimes. I only used a spinning rod and usually spinners and crankbaits. I would then put on a soft plastic or a jig and take a break from non stop reeling. When I switched to baitcasters and mostly bass fishing the problem went away. I did start using spinning gear again, but only for worm and tube fishing and I do start getting pain again if I use it to much. So you could just be one of us unlucky people with creaky joints and have to make some equipment changes. It had nothing to do with age either, it happened to me in my very early 20's.

The worst thing is that we had a very warm Winter(in PA) up until mid February and I was able to get out a few times. Now the daylight is lasting longer, but it's getting colder. I just started getting Cabin Fever bad this week working on my Jeep in the snow and freezing temps. Major Winter storm for Thursday!! Blah...and they are stocking trout in the local streams. Luckily I have some native trout streams within 1 mile that you can fish all year.

There is an idea, donate some clothes to them guys. The thought of seeing Skeet Resse and Ike with no clothes makes me afraid to go out to the lake. I never buy clothes, but if BR puts out a line of stuff I'll make sure to add it to my fathers day or birthday wish list.

Never put off till Wednsday, what you can do Tuesday. That is only if it's something fun though!

That is so sad and my thoughts and prayers go to the family.

I refuse to admit I have a problem and denial is just big River in Egypt with big fish.

I glanced at this topic and thought it meant time for food to pass through through the body, that would be "di Gest". However definition 2. Gestation: The conception and development of a plan or an idea in the mind. Could be my planning on Spring Bass fishing. Right now I'm in the gestation stage.

The angler holding the fish is like 3' 4" tall, right ?

Yep, it was the Berkley Bat Wing. I saw that, but forgot.

I wonder if some people confuse snagging with foul hooking. Sometimes with tournaments on TV you'll see an angler land one that is foul hooked with a crankbait, they usually point out that this is legal, but maybe not why. The last time I saw it happen on ESPN, McKinnis did explain why though. I should add that, I realize we are just talking about snagging here, but someone not paying attention could see a foul hooked fish on TV and not realize that it wasn't intentional.

Everytime I bury a hook into myself I think about going barbless >, but other than that no. I know guys that fish some special regulation trout areas where barbless is must.

I saw this on the PA Fish and Game site, they were Electro Shocking Struble Lake and found this Bass, they removed the lure and returned it unharmed. Looks like it was in there awhile. They also have a Musky with a big spinnerbait jammed in its mouth that was also returned

There was a show on TV last week where they threw a cranbait into a school of Piranha, they were hanging all over the trebles. They weren't fishing for them, but they kept interfering with his fishing for some other huge Amazon fish.

I usually expose it and then lightly skin hook it. I only do that because I lack confidence in doing it completely weedless, but I'm going to try "rattletraps" experiment. Seeing it with my own eyes always works.

After seeing some disabled anglers, you should not have a problem. Good time to work on one handed knot tying. Seriously though, Good Luck!

Because some of my local reservoirs don't allow boats I go in the water a lot, but usually not until summer. Last year I tried hip boots my son had laying around, but they leaked above the knees so I cut them off and just used them to slog through mud at certain lakes. I got new ones at Christmas for us to use and plan on using them this spring on the local lakes and for trout in the nearby streams. I run into snakes all the time, but none are dangerous( I hope ) It is nice that my son and I are almost the exact size, since he got into body building I get the clothes he can't fit in anymore.