Darren.

It is. dang autocorrect. It was a good excuse, no?

There were some great combos. Montana/Rice Young/Rice Marino/Clayton/Duper Kelly/REED Manning/Harrison Brady/to anybody and many more....

I took a fishing hiatus for a spell this summer, after vacation, came back to it this past week, and once again, soft plastics caught the bass. Had some success this year branching out to hard lures, spinnerbaits, etc. Will continue to use them, but most fish I catch are on soft plastics. So I like to stick with what works. Last summer, senko-style baits fished wacky (mostly). This summer, pretty much the same. It. Just. Works.

I won't make a single team prediction, but who I think *can* make it: Seahawks Broncos Patriots 49ers Bills (okay, LOL - just kidding. My team has a snowball's chance in H. E. Double Hockey Sticks of making it that far)

Welcome aboard!

Welcome aboard, Dan!

And here I thought this was about the NFL! *sigh*

I'm a "reluctant" zoo keeper. Wish my boys took "better" or "more frequent" care of the critters so I didn't have to compensate. Now the "missing Russian tortoises" is a completely different matter. They escaped our beautiful outdoor enclosure on their own accord. Virginia will soon have a breeding population, likely... * I deny any and all culpability *

The monitor is a fine creature. My eldest takes care of it. Has a good-sized "tank" with areas to soak, climb out of the heat lamps, burrow, etc. But sometimes I wish we had a simpler life...LOL.

A zoo it is. Many have called my house such, LOL. If my wife would allow, I'd have an English Mastiff for my 4th dog. I have *always* wanted one....

Indeed, every boy DOES need a dog. Or a really good cat, LOL. For my 4 boys, we've got 3 dogs, a cat, about 14 snakes, 2 turtles, 2 missing Russian tortoises, and a Savannah Monitor. Life is good with animals around!!

There's a video or blog with pix out there of a guy who has a paddle strap around his waist or something. When he stands, his paddle hangs wherever he lets it hang - by that I mean either in front of him, to his side, out of the way of his fishing. Not sure how it'd work, but was interesting. Perhaps you could try Native's new cam-lock holders and see if they could be modded to fit your Ride. https://www.austinkayak.com/products/13671/Native-Cam-Lok-Paddle-Holders.html

Hey Joey! Welcome aboard! Lots of us kayak fisherfolk here.

Then you're forgiven LOL The 1000 Stradics - the models you're looking at - are pretty spectacular based on all the things I read and hear from those in the know. Fantastic reels all around. I would love to have one for nothing else but the X-ship. Just can't sport another $179 (for the FJ) for a reel these days with 3 boys in travel soccer, etc... Penny's are being pinched, and my secret fishing purchases are being brought to light with my wife, so I'm being watched!! LOL Nothing I haven't brought on myself....

Beautiful setup! Funny, but I prefer 1000 size for full-on bass fishing, not UL!! Love the smaller/lighter size. With 10# braid, I have never been spooled and caught more than a dozen 6+ pound bass with my Stradic 1000FI reels (on MXF rods). For UL, I drop to 500 size Sahara reels...

Power Pro original in yellow is my braid of choice. Given how expensive braid is, I'm not biting at the bit to try 832, others. I have spent a lot of money on braid and kept coming back to original PP, so that's where I've stayed put. Not that I won't venture out an try something new in the future, mind you!

I was gonna say this, but didn't... LOL

Meh. Just adapt and move on, don't worry too much about it. One of these months, the moon cycle will yield your personal best and become your best friend. Seriously, I'm with you, though. I've paid a lot of attention to moon, barometric pressure, etc., and sometimes the prognosticators were spot-on, other times they were dead wrong. Or at least dead wrong to the way I was fishing and presenting baits.... I've had spectacular days when I should have been skunked, and I've been skunked when I should have had spectacular days. C'est la vie.

Tragic. If I was fishing in waters like that and my line got snagged... I'd probably cut it and retie, not enter the water to retrieve it.

Nice! Also better than my outing on Friday last. Bass and pannies aplenty were jumping all around me. Bass following my lures back to the yak, but nobody taking...

Hi Ryan, welcome aboard!

Personally, I like O'Shaughnessy bend hooks from 2/0-4/0. I've got some EWG hooks, but a guy turned me on to round bend hooks, then I later got into the O'Shaugnessy style and have liked it ever since. Not quite sure why, but it *feels* like my percentages went up when I changed to that style.

One of these days I'll get to FL for some awesome saltwater fish. Although my bucket list is to catch some of the monster FL strain large mouth bass.... I'll take whichever come first!

Welcome aboard, Derrick!

Kev- If I may, I rarely actually use my spare spools... This is how I roll, I use braid for the mainline which solves most every line management issue I've had with monos, copolys, etc., as mainlines. I tie on a leader for every application. So with my braid of 10 lb test (use 15 or 20 if it suits you better), tie on anything from pure fluoro to a copoly or mono line for whatever crank, softie, jig, etc., you want to use. Typically I carry a plano spool "box" with 6 spools of various lines in various pound tests. In my book, this system solves a lot of issues. But again, it is how I roll, we all have different tastes, likes and dislikes. Just FWIW. Darren