Lund Explorer

Good for you Cliff, that should keep her on her toes until ice out! You'll have to report back on what she got for you. I've told my wife not to get many anything for quite a few years. I made the mistake once of asking her to get me something that would take my breath away and the old girl bought me a pillow! Better safe than sorry is my motto.

I think the key to your confidence and foucs issues should be to forget what the front seater is failing to do, and for you to focus on what you have control over. Sometimes the back seater can outfish they guy in control of the boat by simply ignoring what is going on up front and finding a lure/presentation that works from the position you're in. Many times, that is a lure/presentation that is completely different.

Sorry to hear it, but I'd trade you. I've got a Dr's appointment for an elderly parent this afternoon. Leads me right into the reason I've been so testy lately. Why, WHY, does the medical profession refuse to understand that it is useless to ask questions of an elderly old woman suffering from mid-stage dementia? It's already looking like a good night for alcohol and the sun has just come up!

Wow, good luck on a speedy recovery. Did they confirm the pizza as the cause?

Like THolmes, I'm no where close to any major outlet. BPS is the closest and that is a three hour drive. Most of my stuff is purchased online. BPS for bass fishing, Cabelas for walleye gear, and several other site sponsors for their specialties.

While I'm in full fledged rant mode, we might as well get into the telephone. I have to wonder about the fiscal health of any company that can't afford to hire a real American to answer their phones. A toss up between the automated voice (listen careful as the options have changed) or the guy/gal that may know English but just can't speak it! The only fun in any case is getting to sidetrack long enough to explain to the underpaid human that if they formed a union they could make more than Fifty Cents P/Hour. I always explain to them that a receptionist in this country makes at least $10 per/hour, just to give them something to think about. If I ever get past a machine to talk to a human, I ask for a full explanation to the company's financial health. Why would I want to buy something from a company that can't afford $10 per/hour? Finally, try getting put on hold with the IRS. Do you think it's subliminal advertising to play the theme to the Nut Cracker to everyone stuck on hold?

Besides those seeking attention through their boom-boxes, there are two other types that should be taken off the highways. The rolling boat showers! The pull up in the lane to the left of your boat and sit there admiring it. The wife, sitting next to this bozo is giving him the what for about the fact he is never going to be allowed to own something like that, while in the meantime, you are quickly approaching a slower vehicle in your own lane. Doesn't matter though as this guy is paying more attention to what he can't have rather than what the traffic is doing. The only option is to throw the left turn signal on and start heading his way! They usually wake up about the time you have them crowded almost into the median. Even worse? These are the people who are afraid to get behind someone towing a trailer. Try to avoid rear ending one of these dolts when you are hauling 30' of travel trailer at highway speeds when they dart out in front of you at less than 10 car lengths. The same idiot will then proceed to drive down the road a 5-10mph slower than the speed limit. They sure are lucky they won't have to pass that darn trailer!

Not so much that they grind my gears, I tend to feel sorry for the people who: 1) Feel so insignificant with themselves that they must play their music loud enough to rattle glass a mile away. I can understand why a newborn cries when they want to get fed, or the inevitable side effects from that feeding, as it is their only means of communication. But I will go to my grave trying to figure out how poor some near-adult's life has to be to continue the practice. 2) Think it is a great idea to put their companies on Facebook and then beg their customers to "Like" them. My first thought is that it should be the other way around. Shouldn't a business "Like" the customers that spend their hard earned money on their products? My second thought is why isn't there an option to either "Tolerate" or "Dis-Like" somebody. Some months ago, I read a news article that discussed the stigma some people felt when they didn't get enough "Likes". Obviously, the human race is rapidly circling the drain!

Without a doubt, that ad will create more buzz than all of the rest combined. It doesn't matter if there is a political slant or not to it, the goal of a good ad is keeping itself in the minds of the viewers. I can't think of another actor who could have pulled off the narative and kept the message alive and on the minds of millions.

The guys that really won were those with a certain 9-0 combination in their office pools! The guy that really lost was Dave. He drove a Ford!

KVD if for no other reason than he aggravates so many people. If not, then Swindle or Martens.

Three things create fire. Fuel, Air, and Spark. You need to look at all three. Easiest should be to change out the plugs. A good old fashioned mechanic can look at the old plugs to give you an good idea of what's wrong. After that it's a balance of fuel and air mixture. If you have fresh fuel, then you need to look at filters for obstructions. Finally, it doesn't take a mechanic too long to plug it into the computer to find the problem.

I understand about those "small fish". I always tell people that MI bass have only one problem which is with their tails. Not the bloody spot you noticed, but the simply fact that they're too darn close to their heads! And I also enjoyed the poem.

Yup, that sure looked like MI fishing to me. Even using one of my favorite colors. Hey Steve, If I get up there next summer and catch one with a flat face, did you want me to say anything to him? You sure bounced him off the side of the boat!

Just got done watching the rerun this morning and all I can say is those were some real hawgs. That and thanks to Overstreet, I now have a craving for Chicken Fried Steak!

After reading the original post, my thoughts went almost exactly where you did. Not fishing in trees (no pun intended) but using that type of rig for dropping into holes within heavy weed beds. I can see in my mind's eye that bait sitting suspended 6"-8" off bottom right in some old hawg's face until they can't help but eat it.

That's an interesting study, and while I wouldn't argue against those numbers, I would respectfully say that the original post was somewhat misleading. Based on this study, the 5% rule may be true for tournament anglers in that region of the country . But I don't think the statement would hold true across all of the different regions or across the wider spectrum of fishermen's experiences. It would be interesting to hear what Catt's take on this 5lb bass per/angler hour average given his home waters. I know from my old tournament logs that we fall well below the average of 148 hours per/5lber. IMHO the magic number of 5lb's is slightly skewed the farther north or south you travel from the Tennessee River. I also don't think you can compare the results of tournament angling with fishermen targeting stocked and/or private lakes and ponds. More importantly to me would be a study that determined how much effort (angler hours) was needed to catch that specific region's definition of a quality fish. The study should include all angling hours spent on public waters across an entire fishing season, and include data regarding the type of tackle/baits used. The data from such a study could be a valuable tool for the traveling angler to provide him/her with a goal for that region during a specific time of the year. Perhaps you folks that will be attending this year's road trip could keep track your results to compare to the attached study, and report back to the rest of us how it turns out.

Sorry to hear that. Time for a new accessory? http://www.basspro.com/McGard-Propeller-Lock/product/7400/80530

Old calculation from In-Fisherman says (LxLxL÷1600) 25.5" = 10.34lbs.

Yup, that's a hawg! Congrats Red.

There are a number of things besides docks that you can skip a bait under. Some of those times, it makes sense to use a BC rig. Like it has been said before, watch the videos and spend time practicing.

I think he said the concern was whether the released male might spook the female if he released it. If he let him go, that didn't happen.

I laughed so hard I became half turtle myself!

The term is Pro Bono or in the english language, "for the public good". While the phrase is usually reserved for those in the legal profession, almost everyone who has a given specialty is going to be asked for free advice from time to time. If it isn't an accountant being asked a tax question, it could be an auto mechanic being asked to diagnose that mysterious clunking noise. Having been a practicing accountant for over thirty years, I couldn't begin to tell you how many times this has happened to me. It doesn't matter if I'm sitting on my favorite bar stool, in the middle of a round of golf, or standing in line to weigh in a bag of fish. It seems that everywhere I go, there's somebody who has a question. Then there are the ones that call me on the phone. Some call my office, and others have called my home. But even with all of those untold questions, I can honestly say that I could count on one hand the number of people that I haven't at least acknowledged. I have listened to their questions, and whether or not the answer was simple or complex, I try my best to help them. Isn't that nuts? Somebody has a question, thinks I have the knowledge to help them, and I actually try to help. Maybe it is because I understand the real reason behind why they ask those questions. Maybe I understand that their imposition is really an acknowledgement of my expertise. While it might take me away from something I was doing, it usually only takes a minute or two to help them out. Other times, you might pick up a paying client, or perhaps will need their help someday. Now this IS NUTS! I've have actually gotten PM's from members on this very forum with accounting/tax questions. But that's okay with me, it come with the title of professional.

K-Mart/Sears is going through a fairly big downsizing with quite a few stores slated to close. Might not be a bad idea for folks to check out their local store to see if it is one of those targeted for closure.