Panamoka_Bassin

Not that I'm shying away from fishing, but BRING ON THE SNOW!!! I just got a new pair of skis and I am chomping at the bit to go out and shred some powder. The deeper, the better!

I say loor, but I'm just a hick from the east end of Long Island. And, no, I don't say Lawn Geyeland.

I clicked the link, but I'm not sure what we're supposed to be looking for...

I bought a pair of Native sunglasses last year while skiing, and just used them for fishing as well. They are grey lenses with 100% uv/polarized yaddayaddayadda. I find they are a HUGE advantage when fishing as I can see down about 15-20 feet on a calm day (and clear water, obviously). I wear these glasses every day and will buy another pair when these get too scratched to be any good. They ran about $100, but remember I bought them in a ski shop where an automatic 25% is added to everything. As for other brands, I have also used and liked Maui Jims, Bucci (if they still make 'em), RayBan, and Panama Jacks. The Panama Jacks were certainly the cheapest, but remember, you get what you pay for (they broke after about a year of everyday wear.)

Leave it to Avid to once again put things in the right perspective. Not from a fishing sense, but more business (which is really what we're talking about here), if you prove that you are a commodity worth selling then you will have too many offers to count. Look at it in NASCAR terms (which as we all know is about the biggest corporate sponsored sport there is), if a driver stinks, the sponsors will tend to drop them, while guys that consistantly run in the front have million dollar contracts with companies. Remember, though, that you'll have to be consistant to keep sponsorship. Sponsors like to get a result for their monies. Its not "What have you done in the past," it's "What have you done for me lately." (BTW, I am just using my common sense/knowledge here. I have never been sponsored by anyone for anything. I could be completely wrong...)

Well, up here on Long Island, a 10# fish is HUGE and doesn't happen very often. Putting it into local terms, say above or below 5 pounds, I think that below the mark the fish are more dominant and aggressive, but when that big cow decides she wants something, you'll see her make a wake as she comes for a bait. Does that make it more aggressive? Dunno, but I've seen 2 pounders school after a bait while I've never seen more than one large fish come after a bait at once. Just my $0.02...

I can't say I'm one who knows much about car repair, especially on newer model cars. All these computer chips and relays are just beyond me. I long for the days of my '66 Mustang that I could fix with pretty much 2 wrenches. Last week I did my shocks and needed 3 different wrenches for 3 bolts. Why do these engineers who design cars have to make it so bloody complicated? Good luck Tip, I feel your pain.

Hey, man, enjoy your time as best you can, and we'll be here when you get back.

How do you get a blonde to marry you? Tell her she's pregnant. What's the first thing she'll ask? Is it hers? What is it called when a blonde dyes her hair brown? Artificial Intelligence

HBB is not the show it used to be. The original from 8 years ago kicked a$$, but the new style just leaves me flat. It seems more like a panel discussion that should be on CNBC instead of the fun and crazy stuff from a decade ago. Just MHO...

AH, Pedro is retiring anyway... Or, at least he said he might... Who know for sure. Retiring ain't what it used to be, eh, Roger Clemmens?

Heh, so should they just keep a S.W.A.T. van near Lake Fork when you all head down, is that what you're saying?

Velascus, you got it right. I am as big a yankee fan as they get, but I can't understand why anyone would want to get rid of A-Rod. Look at those stats. Thats an off year for him. When we had Brosius or Aaron Boone at third they didn't put up those numbers in their best years. The problem I have with him is his post season numbers. I'll wait until next November to dump him. Otherwise, I say trade Sheffield to either a NL team or maybe Baltimore, resign Mussina, and try to sign either Suppan or Schmitt during the off season.

Hey, thanks for the info, guys, you really do come through...one of the many reasons I love coming to this site every day. I liked the idea of using a decoy best, but I unfortunately don't have a coyote or fox decoy. I do have a couple Owl decoys (they're supposed to keep seagull from pooping on boats), what are the chances that they'll keep 'em away?

OMG, that was too funny...I'll be sending that link to all my friends with desk jobs!

Um,...well,.....me? But only if it's too late at night to grab some coney island weiners Just make sure those weiners weren't wrapped with coney island white fish... ewwww

Anyone know how big a fish these things eat? Could they, say, eat a 12-15" bass? I have noticed a bunch hanging around my pond lately and have also noticed a sever drop off in production from the pond. Is this coincidence or should I find a way to get rid of them?

Aw, man, leave it to LBH to shame us all into being warm and fuzzy about Christmas...I would have said new golf clubs or something, but I guess I'll do the right thing and ask for whirled peas too...

I used to like DL savings quite a bit when I was younger, but after last night at the bar, I may be against it. Normally, we make last call at 2am, but seeing as everyone knows that the clocks get turned back at 2, they all stayed for another hour. Ah well, at least the tips were decent...

Very happy to hear all is well, and I hope that things just continue to get better every day. Welcome back and let us know if you need to "refresh your memory" about how to fish

When you talk about doing the right thing, that show deffinately is deffinately the front runner. They did a house up near me a year ago and some of the guys who worked on the house come into the bar I work at every now and again. They say it was the most rewarding job they've ever worked on and they still hear from the family now and again just to say thanks. Good luck to you and all involved, and be sure to let us know when the show airs, especially if you get a cameo!

That's an insane amount of golf. Years ago some guys at my club did that for charity. They started at first light and didn't stop until dusk. I think they ended up playing more than 100 holes as well. By the end of it, one of the guys was playing shoeless and the other 3 were just hacking away at the ball. I guess they were sponsored per hole for the event. After it was all done they ended up raising some good money too.

I'll tell yas, if I didn't live on a lake myself I'd probably only be good for 20 or so days, but seeing as I do live on a lake I'd say I'm around 200 days a year.

The Flags of Our Fathers thread got me thinking about WWII and my grandfather's journal one of my aunt's found and put into an email. I thought you guys might like to see it, though it isn't much... "I've been reading Daddy's letters that he wrote to Grandma. Most of them are reports of letters received and letters he need to respond to. He didn't want to worry Grandma and so I've found that he didn't write much due to that and censorship restrictions. I found that he started on the Aaron Ward, then went to the USS Chestatee (AOG-49) in Oct 23 1944 which hit a mine or something Aug 15, 1945; then on to the USS Dyson DD 572 January 1946 and April 11, 1946 on the the USS Roosevelt. His friend Stanley Poirier (after whom Michael is named) was from Ipswitch, Ma. Daddy got to know the Poirier family because he and another mate roomed at their home while one of the ships was being built at a shipyard in Ipswitch. I located a small, black, leather book that had the only personal information of Daddy's detailing the sinking of the Aaron Ward. I thought I'd send it to you all in case you were as interested in it as I am. If any of you have any other information, I'd really appreciate receiving it. I wish I was interested in this when there was someone around that I could ask... I will type it as accurately as possible. Some of Daddy's spelling was fairly creative and I'm not sure if it is a Navy word or misspelled. love, Weezie April 7 1943 4:20 Bombed by Japanese dive bombers off Guadalcanal. Three bombs: first near miss stoving in Fwd. F.R. bulkhead. Second direct hit Aft. E.R. Third near miss Aft. F.R. and Fwd. E.R. floods entire space. Tugs began to tow us to Tulagi harbor twenty five miles away. Ships hull six inches above water. I have head set on connected with bridgeduty steering from fantail. Ships stern started sinking fast at 10:00 water near me is three foot deep at shalow side ship has 25 degree list to stbd. Sterring control secured. No word to abandon ship. Water to arm pits am holding to rail to keep from floating off. Rest of fantail crew in liferafts. Lost my hold on rail and start swimming for rafts 10:20. While swimming heard orders shouted for tugs to cut all tow lines. Abandon ship. Reached raft just in time to look back and see the ships bow raise perpenduclular throwing many men into the oily water. Their cries are unexplainable. Somewhere lost in the tug screws. Ship sunk at 10:25 one mile from our goal. 49 dead or missing about 25 wounded. Picked up at 11:20 by whale boats and put on tugs. Tugs crew swell to us. Gave us coffee and smokes. Put ashore at Tulagi and taken to army camp. Slept a couple hours and at morning April 8th 1943 Woke up tired and without clothes (abandoned oil soaked ones on tug). Given Army trousers, shirt, shoes, socks, hat, toothpaste, brush, carton on cigs. Attended services for our dead visited graves of our dead of Nov 13, 42 April 9th Went aboard U.S.S. Strafford (transport) p-41 at 9:30. Ship under way and anchored in Purvis Bay, Tulagi. Remained aboard ship April 10th Anchored in Purvis Bay aboard U.S.S. Strafford April 11th No change. Condition Red in A.M. April 12, Still anchored in Purvis Bay on U.S.S. Strafford Six condition reds April 13 No change Condition Red 9-11 Much A.A. fire and planes all over Mighty Nervous April 14 still in Purvis Bay. April 15 Thurs still anchored in Purvis Bay. At 3:30 LCT5 took all survivors to spot where A.W. was sunk. A memorial to our dead. Was surprised to see how close we were to our destination. Another 10 minutes she would have been beached. We threw three wrethes on the water after a prayer by chaplin of Tulagi. Marines fired a three gun salute and taps were played. Washing Machine Charlie hasent been over for two nights. April 15 still in Purvis Bay. Made out chit to get money that was on the books when the A.W. went down. Gyro started this P.M might get under tomarrow I HOPE! April 16 Still in Purvis Bay. Air Raids on Guadalcanal visibal from here. Also some A.A. fire from tulagi. April 17 Anchored in Purvis Bay on Stafford AP41 One air raid at night. Sun April 18 Attended church meeting consisting of crew. Saw movie Back street this P.M. **** droped flares and bombs off Guadalcanal and Tulagi. Mon. 19 Left Stafford this P.M. in LCT boat and went to Tulagi. Left Tulagi in LCT boat and boarded transport Fuller. Steamed away from Guadalcanal at dusk. Headed for Nomeau, New Caledonia. April 20 en route to New Caledonia on Fuller PA7. Meet a fellow named Lyons from Sag Harbor talked all P.M. April 21 en route to New Caledonia. April 23 Arrived at Noumeau Cal. Stayed on ship. April 24 left Fuller PA7 at 9:30 made Navy landing and went by freight train up in the mountains to survivors camp (concentration camp) April 25 Easter at survivors camp. 24th Batt. Seabees. Church this morning. Movies Johnny comes marching home May 10 - Still at Navy Casual Camp New Caledonia. Expect to leave for U.S. any day. Next duty new destroyer. May 19 left Casual camp on trucks this P.M. Took passage on Dutch ship. May 20 expect to leave Nomeau tomarrow on Dutch cargo ship. May 21 Underway from Nomeau at 0600 on Dutch ship S.S. Japara California here we come. June 1 En route from Nomeau to San Francisco should dock the sixth. SS. Japara That's all he wrote except at the back of the book he drew two maps (one was a zoomed in version) showing where the RR tracks came through the mountains and where the tents were. He drew a creek where they could swim and wash clothes, where the latrines were and where they watched movies and where his tent was. He titled these pages, Survivors Camp (Noumea) -- which he spelled differently than in the other pages and which I believe is the correct spelling." -Sounds like a very brutal experience, and I'm very grateful that I never had to go through anything like it!

I'm on a streak...a skunky streak...I haven't caught a fish in the last 3 serious trips, including today. I'm gettin' kinda frustrated...