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when you're dream are dry and you're flatulence is not

I'm developing a template for a master syllabus. decided to have alittle fun with it. I've removed all the blah-blah stuff that has to be there, and just submitting the content for your approval. Any suggestions before I turn this in to the boss? SYLLABUS Course Title: Comparative Sport Fishing Course No. WDF 101 Room No. Stinky's Bait Shop and Package Liquor Store Credit Hrs. 3 Semester Hours (0 hours lecture and 128 hours lab) Instructor: Philboyd Studge Date developed/revised: September 1603 Required text: Subscription to IN-FISHERMAN Magazine Author(s): a bunch of smelly old guys Publisher: a bunch of old smelly guys ISBN: what? Student Audience: Students working toward bankruptcy and/or divorce Prerequisite: a lot of old clothes, an expensive boat, more fishing tackle than you can carry and a cooler large enough to hold two cases of beer Course Description: This is a practical, hands-on class, centered on the study and application of fishing poles in the outdoor environment. This course begins at the introductory level and goes downhill from there. Quizzes and tests will be chuckled over, and will be shredded to provide insulation for the beer cooler. Selected fish will be eaten. The course emphasizes the on-the-job knowledge and skills required to get out of the house without doing any of the things your wife says you have to be do before you can go fishing. Course Outcomes: Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: 1. Catch fish 2. Clean fish 3. Cook fish 4. Eat fish 5. Smell like fish Type of Instruction: The course incorporates talkin about the big one that got away, sittin around tellin lies, sittin around drinkin beer and hangin out at the bait shop. Methods of Evaluation: Grades will be determined by a composite score based on fish species caught, fish size, amount of beer and food brought to class, loudest belch, biggest boat, and fanciest reels. Extra credit will be given for tackle donated to the instructor. A comprehensive final exam will be used to make hats. Letter grades will be assigned based on the following scale: A - for tackle donations, to the instructor, of more than $500 B - for tackle donations, to the instructor, of more than $100 C - for bringing beer and food to every class session D - for mooching the instructor's food and beer F - for breaking or loosing any of the instructor's tackle for puking in the instructor's boat or truck for excess flatulence Topical Outline: [ch61553] Learn 5 good reasons for not mowing the grass today. [ch61553] Removing hooks from your fingers. [ch61553] Picking out backlashes. [ch61553] How to convince the wife you need a new fishing pole [ch61553] How to dispose of the bodies of jet-skiers. [ch61553] Keeping your live bait stinking up the boat. [ch61553] Getting your boat back on the trailer after too much fun on the water. [ch61553] How to convince the wife you need a new trolling motor. [ch61553] Removing hooks from your partner's ears. [ch61553] Hiding new fishing stuff from your wife. [ch61553] Watching the bikinis on the beach without appearing to. [ch61553] Retrieving equipment lost overboard. [ch61553] How to take a leak in the livewell without killing the fish. [ch61553] Learn 5 good reasons for not fixing the roof today. [ch61553] Finding your way home after too much fun on the water. [ch61553] Emergency alternatives for toilet paper. [ch61553] Getting your expensive lures out of the trees. [ch61553] How to convince the wife you need a new boat. [ch61553] How to pack a nine thousand calorie lunch. [ch61553] Learn 239 excuses for not catching fish [ch61553] How to convince the wife you need a new pickup truck. [ch61553] How to light a cigar in a boat at 60 MPH. [ch61553] How to make the fish look bigger in your pictures [ch61553] How to drink beer with one hand while casting with the other [ch61553] Creative ways to finance new gear [ch61553] Trolling motors: the harder you push, the righter you go [ch61553] How to get your buddy out of the house so he can go fishing too.

fivebass, Check out Setyr rods. I have a 6'6" medium spinnerbait model that I believe is too soft in the tip for any spinnerbait over 1/4oz. It is however a very fine crankbait rod, unless you want one for deep cranks. It would not be suitable for that. All graphite, extremely light weight, split grip, no fore grip, short handle, lifetime warranty, Amercan company, American made blanks, American made rods. Just what you asked for. They also have crankbait models. I haven't tried one. YET. I also have a 6'6" MH model that is just right for spinnerbaits, but a little too stiff for cranks. The soft tip of the medium power rod almost feels like a glass rod, it's that soft. It loads very easily to cast small cranks, but the power is there. The first bass I caught ended up surfing becasue I over compensated for the soft feeling tip section. It transitions smoothly into plenty of backbone. I have two now, I'll be buying more. worth a look Cheers, GK

Welcome aboard. I think most "experts" recommend a 6wt because it may be the most versatile. You can cast small flies as well as some of the larger sizes. I use a 6wt for bass most of the time, and have no problems landing a decent sized fish. I even landed a 4 pounder on my 3wt. So, fish fighting power is not really the problem. The issue is the size of the flies you want to use, and more important their wind resistance. Some of the larger bass bugs; the big deer hair things, are difficult to cast with a 6wt or less. That's when I get out the 8wt. Keep in mind that the line is what gets the fly to the target, and the rod must be matched to the line. The rod casts the line not the fly. The fly is just along for the ride. If you're just staring out, I'd say get the 6wt, and get a good, read that as pricey, weight forward line. A bass taper line would be even better. I know a lot of folks who recommend the double taper because you can reverse it to extend the life of the line. That's OK as far as it goes, but you'll cast a lot better with a weight forward line, particularly if you're new to the game. Another thing to consider is the reel. You don't need one of those $500 reels for bass fishing. My 3wt, 5wt and 6wt rods have a $40 BPS Hobb's Creek reel. The reel just holds the line. All the casting and fish fighting is done with your hands and fingers. So, save money on the reel and spend it on the line. Now if you want to get after some reds or bonefish, you're gonna need a reel with a good drag. A decent bone would likely smoke the guts out of those BPS reels I use. Good luck, fly fishing is addictive. Cheers, GK

Good stuff there, thanks, amigo. Pfluemis, you'll still have the angle, just in a different plane. I seem to remember reading somewhere that bending your rod much past 90 degrees put you in the danger zone. This is when rods will snap. I can verify that. I've snapped a few in my time. Cheers, GK

HEY, what's wrong with a sleeve-less tee shirt? Other than sunburns, skin cancer and crankbaits tangled up in your underarm hair.

This is the only situation where Ive had repeatable succes with a swim bait. The 5" Storm baits, with the boot tail and internal weight have been pretty good for me in these conditions. Let it hit the bottom, then use a slow steady crank, experimenting with speed and a few pauses. Make sure you grease up the bait every few casts. When a big bass chomps down on one of these, it's difficult to get a good hookset. Using an oily scent let's the bait slip in their mouth easier. This is the only application I have for braid. Cheers, GK

For shallow water, 5' or less, I use a modified C-rig. It's just like a C-rig, minus the weight. I use a large ball bearing swivel, and rig the worm on an offset hook just crooked enough to make it corkscrew on the drop. It takes a bit of experimentation to get the crooked rigging just right, but when you do, it is deadly. I also fish one on a jighead. This one specifically. I rig this one as straight as I can get it. http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10151&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&partNumber=46146&hvarTarget=search&cmCat=SearchResults This jig, with it's flattened leadhead, gives a nice glide to the skinny worm. Cheers, GK

Been using this all year, with great results. I got some Ike's Spike jigheads on sale, and they mate up perfectly with the 4" GYCB hula grub. Cheers, GK

FALSE, you will not live longer, when you wife finds out you had just blown away a grand and a half in tackle you are going to be in trubble ! That would indeed be the fly in the ointment, senor

Last year I did OK with a chatterbait in stained to dirty water. When the water cleared up the chatterbait bite pretty much died. This year, every place I fish was much clearer than last year, and the chatterbait bite was not there. Now that I think about it, the spinnerbait bite has not been there for me this year either.

Let's start a new thread discussing ways to save money. Muddy started a couple of cool threads about value in tackle. Let's talk about how to afford those bargains when you find one. I almost always buy stuff on sale. Very little of my tackle was bought at regular price. Some of it was, but you know how it goes; you just gotta do it sometimes. BPS has regular sales, so does Cabela's. Ditto every other tackle store, from the big boys down to the little ma & pop shops. You just have to keep looking, and be ready when you find something you want at a good price. I keep a small can in my office. It used to have tea bags in it. I throw all of my pocket change, except pennies in it. I put something in it almost every day. It seems slow, but I manage to fill it up about three times a year. When full of nickels, dimes and quarters, it holds about $120. That means, three times a year I get to spend 120 bucks on whatever I want. It's not really free money, but it seems like it. Here's a better one. Since I had a heart attack, I've had to radically change my diet. Fast food lunches are a thing of the past for me. I've been making low fat soups, chili, gazpacho, etc to take for lunch. There are actually three benefits to this. One; I eat healthier. Two; I save a lot of money. Three; I actually have time to kick back, eat lunch, surf a bit, etc. If you figure a fast food lunch at 5 bucks a day, 25 bucks a week; and I can make enough of whatever it is I make that week for less than 10 bucks, I've saved at least 15 bucks a week. What would you do with an extra 750 bucks a year? Two IMX's and a couple of Revo's sound good to you? Well, eat better and go get "em. What I do is end up with extra money in my checking account to spend on whatever baits and small tackle items that I find on sale. Here's and obvious one. What's a pack of smokes run these days? four bucks and change? Figure one pack a day at four bucks. That's $1460 for one year. That's two GLX's and couple of Steez reels to go with em. Not to mention you'll live a hell of a lot longer to enjoy all your new gear. Any other ideas? Cheers, GK

Here's some stuff I keep buying because it all keeps on catchin fish. Zoom tubes Berkley 7" Power worms X-Raps Norman N series cranks Bandit 100's and 200's Strike King spinnerbaits Stanley Spinnerbaits Any Rapala hard bait Strike King buzzbaits Zara Spooks Heddon Torpedos Berkley Power craws Berkley Power brush hawgs Zoom super flukes Berkley Power tubes MegaStrike scent Powerbait liquid There's more, but I think that's enough for now. I like to shop for baits and other terminal tackle during late winter. That seems to be when I can find some bargains in the clearance bins. A lot of what I use is last year's clearance stuff. Guess what? The fish don't know that. Cheers, GK

Doin' a little crappie fishin, eh?

Know just what ya mean. I buy more fishing tackle online clean all my reels buy more fishing tackle online arrange all my tackle boxes buy more fishing tackle online arrange all my plastics bags buy more fishing tackle online re-arrange everything buy more fishing tackle online and, work more at my second job so I can buy more fishing tackle online The BaitMonkey is my constant companion during winter. I just can't get rid of him.

I've learned a lot of stuff here. Too much to say just one, but if forced to I'd say this; RW's bumper sticker "If it don't work, rig it backwards"

I don't know why people get so stressed out about bass jumping. I WANT TO SEE THEM JUMP. Bring it on. So what if I loose one now and then. It's part of the fun. Oh, and I let the rod and reel's drag do what they were designed for; fighting the fish. I maintain flex in the rod to protect the hookset and keep the drag set properly to protect the line. Cheers, GK

Good idea, Muddy!! I'm all about a bargain. My entries; Shimano Symetre; at 80 bucks, the best value in the Shimano family. But better yet, for ten bucks more, the Quantum Catalyst PT spinning reel, is the best value in that family. BPS Rick Clunn 7' medium Worm/Dropshot model casting rod. On sale for twenty bucks off several times every year. I got one, when it was on sale, to try dropshotting, and discovered that drop shot fishing is just about as much fun as washing the car. And the tip of this rod is just too soft to be very good for worming, in my opinion. But, it's my favorite crankbait rod. Got it matched up with a Daiwa Millionaire, that I got on sale for 70 bucks. That's 130 for the combo; a little over the target, but I can, and do, through everything from a #5 Shad Rap up to a DD22 with this combo. BPS Pro Finesse baitcast rod, 6'9" ML. Picked up one last year on sale for 80 bucks. Very nice rod for the money. I'd say it's worth the 100 dollar normal price, so when it's on sale it's a great value. I could list some others, but they're already mentioned. Cheers, GK

I've been using Ultra Steel weights for as long as they've been available. Because they're hard enough to resist deformation. I used to buy new weights every year to replace the ones I'd lost and to replace all the ones with the pointed end bent shut. And it wouldn't be long each year before I found myself sorting through all the new weights to find one that wasn't bent shut. I tried reforming them, but ended up with a line cutting edge on them every time, so I gave up on that. I have Ultra Steel weights that I know are three years old, and still look as good as new. I can't say that about lead weights. I did notice an increase in bottom feel when I switched to steel weights. Subtle, but real. As far as tungsten goes, I picked up some that were in the clearance bin for 50 cents a pack, and I like them every bit as much as the steel version. I fished them side by side to see if I could tell the difference. The only difference I see in them, versus the steel weights, is the price. Two bucks a pop, for weights, is ridiculous. How may states have banned lead weights? I don't know, but I'd feel safe guessing that more will follow in the near future. I like to travel, and my fishing gear goes with me most of the time. I don't have to worry about lead sinkers in my box, because I don't have any. One of the few cases where I've been ahead of the curve, if you can call it that. Cheers, GK

I like these for cranks: http://cgi.ebay.com/SHIMANO-Crankbait-lure-storage-tackle-box-crank-bait_W0QQitemZ280171140982QQihZ018QQcategoryZ22696QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem Shimano no longer makes them. They made one for cranks, one for topwaters, and one for stickbaits. I bought a bunch of them when BPS clearanced them out a couple of years ago. For tangle-proof storage of treble-hooked baits, these are the absolute best. I like the Falcon boxes, except for the odd size. They're too big for a 3600 bag, and a waste of space in a 3700 bag. I use them anyway. The terminal tackle box, spinnerbait box and spinner/buzzbait box are the best for each application you can buy right now. The crank boxes are not quite as good as those discontinued shimano's, but better than anything else you can get now. I'm seriously considering going with all Falcon boxes for everything except plastics. The smaller size would force me to plan better, think more about each outing, and be more selective. Been looking at the V6 bag. That would limit me to six boxes. One each terminal tackle, spinner/buzzbait, topwater, jerkbait and two crankbait boxes. I'm just not quite convinced that I can do it. I've gotten used that big ole Okee Fats bag, and all the stuff I can pack in it. I normally have nine of the shimano boxes in the main compartment, the Falcon terminal box in the back pocket, a 3600 box in each end pocket, tools in the front pockets, and towel and first aid stuff in the top flap. I really need to cut down, just can't seem to pull it off. To that, add five BPS dual finesse binders bags full of plastics and it takes two boys and a donkey to carry it very far. Cheers, GK

I only use two jigs with any regularity. The 1/8oz Bitsy Bug and the 3/16oz Evolution. You won't go wrong with either one. Cheers, GK

I'm pretty sure you're the guy who said he'd installed a TD-Z handle on a different reel. Where did you get the TD-Z handles? I have three Millionaires that I will be doing some work on over the winter, and handle upgrades sound like a good part of the plan. Thanks, GK

LBH, I think that is a Shimano SpeedMaster, but it's been a while since I've seen one; I could be wrong. My faves; casting, a toss up between the Avid AC68MXFand the Setyr SPB178M Spinning. easy the Airrus 7'2" medium Tradition

Why not? that's just about the perfect Senko rod. I have one, and that's exactly what I use it for. Cheers, GK

Don't just let it go, unless you want to buy a new one every 3 or 4 years. OR LESS. Check out Reel Mechanic's website for some excellent info, and if it looks like too much of a mechanical challenge for you, send it to him. He offers a discount to Bass Resource members. If you decide you can handle it, don't take the reel apart without having the schematic on hand. Cheers, GK