oteymc

Check out Acer brand laptops. I know the company I work for just bought three that are really nice for around $600 and they had huge screens. If you went with a normal screen I would imagine you could get one in your price range. I couldn't believe how nice they were for the money, they had a lot of extras too. I don't know that much about their track record of longevity or anything though.

That's good info, thanks Mike. That won't be hard to do.

Good story, cool pics. Condolences on your loss. Thanks for sharing

hello, welcome

Thanks everyone. I think I will just get some heavier mono like big game. I may also spool up some 15 or 17 lb Floro on an extra combo just to take along and see if I get along any better. When I had so much trouble, I had not been using a bc very long, so maybe I'll have a little better luck with it this time. I use a line conditioner now, but do you put some on at different stages while spooling?

Take a couple crankbaits and tweak them so that you can get them to run to the left and right. How do you do that?

I'll be "that guy" - KVD. To me, he is the best. Why not learn from the best?

Cool, thanks!

Planning a trip to Lake Fork at the end of this month. I was am thinking I need to put some heavier line on for this trip. I have a crankbait set up and kind of an all around rig I use for soft plastics, etc that I usually have 10-12 lb mono on. I have had trouble with floro on my bc's with back lashing, etc. So I just went to using mono, and had no troubles. I don't want to get down there and spend all day fighting my line. Should I just put some 17-20 mono on these? Any suggestions of some easy to manage lines? I may not have a chance to fish with any of these before I go, but I guess I can throw them around in the yard to see if I would have trouble.

welcome

Howdy!

Howdy!

Welcome

Holy smokes, what a fish! I looked at the pictures and just assumed you were from TX or FL or somewhere, then I saw the comments about RI. That is a truly amazing catch! Then I read you have done it twice. To be able to catch one like that with your own bait is even better. Congrats!

Cool, Pics make me home sick. I'm not that far away, but the country is a lot different here.

That vicious is some tough stuff, but man is it hard to handle!

I have to agree with the opinion that a lot of people talk about catching 5lb+ bass, that aren't really. I am even guilty of over estimating some of my fish's weight. I have only gotten serious about fishing the last year and a half, I haven't caught a northern strain 5lber yet (I did catch a huge bass in FL, but that is different story down there). I had caught a couple that I thought were over 4lbs, but didn't have a scale. I finally bought a good scale, caught one last night that I thought would have been for sure 5lbs, and it was right at 4. I know it was bigger than the previous ones, so they must have been 3 something. I have seen a lot of 3lbers called 5's, and 5lbers called 8's or even 10's. The IA state record is less than 11, so that tells you something right there. To answer the question, 5lbs is a big deal to me. I am taking pictures, and sending them to everyone I know! Catt- that is an awesome catching record, I don't care if you are talking about FL strain, Northern strain, whatever, that is really doing something. I do believe the the high # of hours per 5lber, when you take into consideration the # of hours spent fishing by people who have no chance of catching a big bass, and people who fish places that hold no big bass, that adds up. Also when you think about ten people fishing for 10hrs, that's 100 fishing hrs (not 10), that adds up.

It doesn't happen very often to me - as far as a fish hitting the lure right away when the lure hits the water, or before it hits the bottom. Maybe once per trip. It is fun when it does happen. Got one last night like that.

Good story, good pictures. What part of MO? I grew up in So central MO, headed down sometime tomorrow. Looks like they just cut the hay off the fields.

I think Wal-mart carries the Thermacell. BTW - the wife said she did try the off thing, and was fairly impressed - as long as you are sitting in one place. She had the kids on the deck playing out side. I still think the Thermacell sounds better.

I had a similar experience this winter in FL, the guide thought that Shiners might work well, but he did tell me up front that if they didn't we would go to artificial. That is exactly what we did, tried the shiners first thing then went to throwing plastics and crankbaits. He also said that I didn't need to bring anything, and he meant it. He had everything we needed, we also met at a bait shop where he was picking up some extra supplies. After we had been in the water a while I mentioned that I had just received my first baitcaster for a christmas present, and that it was in the truck at the ramp. He insisted that we go back and get it so he could help me set it up. In my case, he had told me not to bring anything for my convenience, but he did not care if I wanted to bring my stuff. It was great, and was the best money I have ever spent.

My wife bought one of the OFF clip-on's so that she didn't have to put spray on the kids, but I don't think she has tried it. I thought it might be a good alternative to spray so that the smell would not get on baits. The ThermaCell looks good too.

That crappie looks huge!

I love these videos. Keep 'em coming!

I bought one, loved it, but I got it hung up, pulled on it and the thing shattered into about 15 pieces. I wasn't pulling on it that hard, not much harder than I would if I had a big fish on, certainly not hard enough that I thought it should break. I am sure that this is an uncommon thing, probably got the only bad one made. The good thing is that BPS took it back, never batted an eye. They are great about that. I couldn't make myself get another one, chose an extreme instead. The extreme is not nearly as nice as the Carbonlite, but is a nice rod and was on sale. BTW - first time I ever fished with it!