K_Mac

I propose that it is natural selection that has brought us to the place where our life expectancy has dramatically increased and our quality of life is far better than it has ever been. It is intellect that has been rewarded by the selection process, and civilization is the result.

I am with Sam on this: While we are often judged on our ability to speak and write properly and clearly, it really has nothing to do with our abilty to fish or define our character or value as humans. Like Sam I can't spell either, and without spell check or a real paper and ink dictionary (a relic unknown to most today) I would be lost. With all that said, the way grammar and spelling has deteriorated does challenge me at times.

Bread gets a bad rap because most of it is just empty carbs with little nutritive value. That's a big part of my disdain for cheap bread. Good whole, multigrain or sprouted grain breads are much healthier, and have better texture and taste. Of course you can't eat a pound at a setting...like I sometimes want to!

There are some things that buying cheap is not acceptable to me. I don't need the best, but I would rather fish with an Ugly Stik and Zebco 33 than buy $1.00 a loaf bread! If it comes down to eating well or high-end gear, healthy and high quality food wins every time. I might skip an occasional meal to avoid entry-level fishing gear though. On topic, gas is $2.40 here today.

I agree that we live in a society that wants a pill to cure every ailment, real and imagined, without taking personal responsibility for our own actions. We also live with bottom feeders that are looking to get rich on the backs of the rest of us. One of the unfortunate side effects of all this is high drug costs. Manufacturers know that there are always unwanted side effects in a small percentage of users and that law suits will follow even if there isn't. They have to price accordingly. This is all giving me a headache. I better go take something...

I paid 2.33 yesterday across the river in Missouri. It is cheaper today I'm told. Still around 2.50 here in southern Illinois. The glut of crude is saving consumers millions now, but the long-term cost may be high. There are many that do not want cheap oil. I can't help but look for the other shoe...

I usually know what I'm looking for before I get to a new lake by studying a topo before I get there. Yes I pay very close attention to my electronics when I get there, but I always have a plan in place to start. Electronics will quickly show how fish are staging in all but the most shallow water, and I will almost always start there. I love fishing offshore, but starting shallow is often my fallback position. Where that shallow water is depends on season and conditions.

If you get your wife on board with this please have her call mine. This is not a concept she understands. Buying something you don't need because it is on sale is like a person starting smoking because of a good price on cigarettes!

Deaknh03 you may right that pro sports are just representative of society as a whole. I think they're often representative of those things that are most wrong with society. We are all too willing to accept bad behavior as long as it doesn't negatively effect performance. I just want to know how the Rams can be so good one week and so bad the next?

I am admittedly a casual football fan. It seems the Rams may be the most bipolar team in the league, although I have seen the Cowboys play a couple games...what is up with this? For the record, I am no longer surprised by cheating, misconduct, or criminal behavior in pro sports. It has become the status quo.

Congratulations Slone. A smart man who has paid his dues in a position to make a difference is a very good thing. Good luck.

WW your $100 rod argument thread has been locked on the other board. I hope that makes you smile...

I don't mind paying an extra $900 for a lifetime warranty to cover dink flipping, ceiling fans, car doors and such. It gives me a warm feeling to know that it doesn't matter if I do something stupid. I do catch the occasional 10 pounder-based on my uncanny ability to estimate weights. I don't believe in scales. They often weigh much too light based on my vast experience.

I don't think any rod priced below $900 is worth owning. Preferably they should be handmade in Japan by artisans who have been trained from birth, devoting their lives to making the perfect fishing rod.

My prayers are with your boss and all concerned.

Gaga is a mess, but she has great pipes. While I am not a real fan of the genre, Bennett is amazing-especially at his age. I have seen the two together several times and I think it is a strange combination that somehow works.

Pace yourself! Start now and you'll be napping before football starts! Happy thanksgiving. Enjoy your day.

I am also thankful for many things this year, including my friends here at BR. I enjoy this site and appreciate the information and fellowship I find here. Have a great thanksgiving guys.

Congratulations Mike. I wish you many more. Your wife must be a sweet woman...

We had a similar day here in Illinois. I went to the gym instead. As I get older good pan-fried chicken (or most anything else) calls to me louder than fishing in a howling wind at this temperature. Way to go!

I know that bass can be caught this way because I have both seen and done it. I have no interest in doing it though. I do not enjoy the process. If I did, trolling deep cranks on shelves off deep channels during the summer would be an option.

I agree with Jeff. Sometimes something a little different is a good thing. I do have some color combinations that work for me. A red trailer on a black or green jig is a favorite.

Excellent post. The more skilled you are in being able to put your bait where you want it, the more versatile and effective you wil be. Pitching is a very useful skill that should be learned by all serious bass fishermen in my opinion.

My prayers are with you all Slone.

Once I figured out that like shooting a shotgun or throwing darts, by focusing on my target I could hit my point of aim, my accuracy improved dramatically. Proper equipment is important and casting/pitching mechanics take practice to master, but, "The lure will go where you're looking" is where accuracy starts.