K_Mac

Way to go Roger. Nice pictures. Lois out-fished you again. ;D I would give you some grief if Ann (my better half) didn't do the same to me quite often. 8-)

Yes. I don't think that you're supposed to cut it up though. My earlier quote was from the ifishillinois website. As long as there are no size restrictions on bluegill in the body of water being fished, it is legal to use them for cut bait.

Bass Akwards I agree that increased enforcement is badly needed. The problem in my state (Illinois) and many others is that due to budgetary problems the state can not afford to pay for essential services, let alone anything else. An example is our local school system which is owed nearly $2,000,000 by the state, even after major cuts in funding. I don't want politicize this, I'm just saying increasing the number of officers in the field with the current economic conditions is not likely. For this reason IMHO when someone is caught breaking the law with complete disregard for the resources they are abusing, they should be prosecuted to the limit of the law. The laws need to be punitive enough to be a deterrent. Seizing boats, tackle, vehicles, etc may make the next idiot take notice.

Is that a piece of shrink tube? Do you hook through it or just under? I get many good ideas from you. Thanks.

That was a fine vacation story; lots of action, mystery, danger, pratfalls, comedy, a little blood, and a trip to the hospital. ;D Add a bunch of good fishing, good company, and I'm very jealous. Sounds like you guys had a great time. I glad your equipment issues were not too costly and you weren't hurt seriously.

Uncle Leo having a 6+ smallie in the boat is one of the few times it is acceptable for a man to scream like a girl IMO. ;D Well done. Sounds like it was a great trip. I sure wish I could have made it.

Steezy I'LL take a new Chevy over a well used Mercedes any day; the cost of ownership is too high. I'm with SirSnook on this. Spending that kind of money on a used reel is a bet I would not take. Just my $.02

Rooster I've done my share of backyard fishing, and never noticed any abrasion from grass. A lure cast into a tree can cause abrasion, but that is another story. BTW up until this year XL was just about all I used. It is very soft and frays fairly easily, but should not in your yard IMO. Maybe you have a bad spool?

I have three reels with dual braking, and while they make casting a joy, I have yet to meet a BC that I can't backlash. Catch a bait on your motor, light, seat, console, etc. and your beloved Pflueger will blow up just like any other.

Yes to both questions. I would find and fix the cause of the over-current first before anything else. If you eliminate the plug connection and the problem goes away, you know what you have. I would bet that is the problem. I don't know where the fuse you now have is located in the circuit. It should be close to the battery (ies) as mentioned. While a circuit breaker is convenient, from a safety standard a correctly sized fuse and marine rated base is just fine. A breaker is recommended by by MK and MG.

For health reasons I haven't been out in three weeks, and I am about to lose my mind. Up until this, I have had a very good year so far. The quality of fish is much better on average, and numbers have been good also. Part of that is due to a little better equipment, including better electronics.

You run a 4.4. Wow. I wish I was fast :'( This runner wrangler stuff does sound fun though. Coun't me in I propose just having runners turned loose at the seventh inning stretch and tasing them. They could post the names of the runners, and people could bet on the last one standing. It would allow people the chance for a few moments in the spot light, and be entertaining for the crowd. :

Nine Miler I respect your desire to keep your posts clear and professional. 8-) The definition of character I like best is "the aggregate of features and traits that form the individual nature of some person or thing." Humility, integrity (a steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code), honesty, courage, strength, generosity, and compassion are among those traits. I agree that our words are one of the measures by which we are judged. It is not the only measure though, even on this forum. There are people who post on this forum who couldn't care less about proper grammar and punctuation. Some of them are funny and have interesting things to say. Many know far more about fishing than I do. If I dismiss their posts because I don't like their style, I completely miss the content. That is my loss. You said there would be long lists of exceptions; I only have one. Many years ago, when I was in real trouble in my life I was befriended by an old Tennessee country boy. On the surface we had little in common. He had little education. He spoke slowly with a thick accent, in a southern dialect that only casually resembled English. He was rough and unrefined, and didn't really care to be anything else. By the grace of God I was able to see past all that. The truth is he was one of the smartest, wisest men I have ever known. Much of the success I've had I owe to him.

Bird dog you're entitled to your opinion. I'm glad you paid attention in school. Good for you.

I like it. ;D BTW I know people who think I'm an idiot for having a boat full of fishing tackle.

Well said Senile 1. I have been guilty of it too. The older I get the more I realize that judging people based on how they speak or look, what they own, or how much education they have limits me. I enjoy being around smart people, but some of the biggest scoundrels I know are very intelligent. To paraphrase Dr. King, it is the content of a persons character that matters. Feeling superior to, or being angry with, someone because of spelling, grammar, or sentence structure is a waste of time and energy IMHO.

No one should believe anything in this "article". What the heck is an "atomic electromagnetic pulse"? An EMP has nothing to do with atoms. It is an EMP created by a high level nuclear explosion. http://www.atomicarchive.com/Effects/effects21.shtml

Matt I understand your point. Stealing with the intent to sell is a more serious crime. It is the same rationalization that people make when downloading music illegally. At the end of the day these practices costs the creators of intellectual property and do violence to the creative process.

Matt I'm mostly on your side here, BUT how can you say that stealing intellectual property related to fishing is "much worse" than stealing from music artists? The intellectual property of a musician is just as valuable to him as yours is to you. The argument that fishing related theft is worse because it is "a much larger scale" would be hard to make to the people in the music business who are losing millions because of illegal Internet practices.

I don't know what the voltage is on the tasers that are carried by police. It is plenty to do the job. I have a friend who is the chief of police in a local community. When his force started carrying them, they all were tasered so if (when) they were sued for using them they could say they knew what they were doing to the bad guy/victim. He said there was no way he would do it again. It is a very unpleasant experience. With that said, I think it should be standard procedure in this situation. If the knot-head had stopped immediately when told to do so, maybe not. He didn't. He wanted attention and he got it. Good enough.

Why would you be angry that the woman wouldn't give you the name of the employer? Her agency was given a list of qualifications that needed to be met before they sent someone to be interviewed. You did not have the qualifications required. In order for the Career Center to have any value to prospective employers they have to provide qualified candidates. As far as your being able to figure out their system in an hour on your own... What the employer knows, and what you will learn, is that there is far more to the job than a basic understanding of accounting systems. I suspect the twelve months experience requirement has very little to do with accounting skills. They want someone with a track record who can do the entire job, and they don't want to pay for that part of the educational process. I have been involved in the interviewing process several times over the years. A smart, confident young person is a valuable asset for a company. Proper education and training will often get you in the door, but most jobs have to be learned as you go. I like the title of your post. If this was the first jab you've taken you are a lucky guy. This one barely made contact. Keep counter punching and hang in there. It is a long fight.

I was night fishing with a friend a couple of years ago with both of us using the same spinnerbait, except mine had a gold blade and his copper. He was catching three to my one until I changed to copper.

I think it just comes down to preference. There are many right handed folks that use LH reels, and vice versa. Some use both. The salesman who told you it was "weird" probably should find a new job or at least a different department. If you can find a LH reel to use for a bit, you would have a much better feel for whether it will work for you. If not put a LH reel on a rod at your local tackle store to see how it feels. Good luck.

Yes. It is the way I learned, and controlling the rod with my right hand just works better for me.

I almost always have my middle finger on the trigger during casting, and often move my ring finger up as I engage the reel. It is more comfortable this way for me.