K_Mac

I have caught good fish both early and late in the year on chatterbaits. They are definitely a cold water bait in my experience. I was sceptical when I started throwing them in colder water, but it has become a go-to bait in all seasons for me.

A-Jay out of curiosity I checked Barrow weather. -21 F is their low for today. Your temps are right in line if you lived above 70 degrees north...

That may be acceptable in Barrow, Alaska. ​ In these parts it is getting old!!! It was down to -4 here this morning, going all the way up to about 12 degrees later today.

As you can see, for some 'do it yourself' is the only answer. For many of us Mike at DVT is the go-to guy. He does great work at reasonable prices.

I am completely indifferent about braid noise. I don't use braid much, but noise is not the reason. We are all different when it comes to what pushes our buttons. ww2farmer for me the sound of wind is no problem. Earbuds and music would drive me off the water quickly though.

In my youth, I once tried to catch a black snake about 6' long. I was bleeding from several places and picking teeth from the web of my right hand for my efforts. It was a valuable lesson: I do not mess with them. With that said, those pythons do not belong there and are are a menace. I wonder if they are good to eat? You could feed a family for a while on that dude.

Raul I could use some warmer weather, but your temps most of the time would have me looking for cooler weather! I need a nice temperate climate. Maybe Hawaii would work. I could not afford to get there though, let alone live there...I guess I will have just to stay here and complain from time to time. Good luck with those big girls as they begin to spawn.

Roger I'm good. All I'm saying is that given a choice between staying with the grandkids or moving to Florida Ann is probably staying here; or she would make the move so unpleasant I would have to concede defeat. A man has got to know his limitations! She is a good wife and fine fishing partner. I'm lucky to have her. She would not be easily replaced. I married well above my station with her. It is not likely I would get so lucky a second time. I will send you a PM. There are many world problems that need to be solved. Rhino one of these days I hope to make one of the BR Road Trips. I would love to hang out with all y'all.

Roger I am happy for you my friend. Your post causes me to wonder why I am here and not there? Grandkids are the only reasonable answer. To move there I would have to go alone, and the thought of finding a new wife at this point does not appeal to me.

A-Jay I would eat the groundhog and the wolf if I thought it would help.

I consider Cedar Lake here in So. Illinois to be my home lake. It has a 10 hp limit. Because it is a city reservoir swimming is also not allowed. The smaller motors and minimal recreational boating make it much friendlier to fish than some of the other lakes around. That is the positive. On the other hand, I have a 10 hp kicker motor on my boat that at WOT causes me to create a wake much bigger than if i was on plane with my bigger motor. I know many of the guys who fish there, and it very common to have 20 or more hp with a 10 hp sticker on the motor. I also know many who simply ignore the hp limits. I have never heard of anyone ticketed for this infraction, even though I have been told by a couple of DNR officers that they will check the motor /serial number plate if there is any question of hp. Cedar is far too big to effectively fish with a standard trolling motor, even though I have done it that way more than once. I think restricted limits serve a purpose. I also think that if you exceed the hp limit running the big motor at an idle is a reasonable solution. I think speed limits is another solution. The real problem is enforcement. There are nowhere near enough DNR folks to enforce the existing laws, and there are far too many knot-heads who don't think any of the rules apply to them.

This winter has me thinking about moving to a warmer climate. It is snowing like mad (again), the wind is howling (again), and the temperature is going to be around zero for the next couple of days (again). Add propane prices pushing $5.00 a gallon and I am not a happy camper. This may be the norm for some of you guys, but it has been a long time since we've had sustained weather like this. OK, I'm done.

While YZ is not my preferred copoly, it is much superior to Big Game for most applications in my opinion. I've used BG many times, and the only time I might use it now is for treble hook baits where a little more stretch is needed. I use copoly exclusively at this time.

The answer to how far is a country mile is much like the amount of time your wife means when she says she will be ready in a minute. There are too many variables to hazard a guess. Southernfried just focus on casting accurately and consistently. As you get comfortable with a baitcaster in your hand distance will take care of itself. Being able to put your bait into spots others can't will catch you a lot of fish. Good luck. FWIW some of my most epic backlashes have come when I really muscled up to get a few extra yards...

Welcome to the Forum! I was on the TW site earlier this evening and saw the sale prices. Buying more than one gives even greater savings on some of the higher end reels. If only I had some extra cash... As Jeff said, I am sure it is only a temporary thing.

Yep. Start up energy then is a function of the total weight of the spool, and how a reel casts in the real world is a complex equation that is a measure of how a reel is engineered and the quality of materials and construction. It is also very subjective based on personal preference and experience.

That my friend is the absolute truth. Counting our blessings and not the cost is not always easy. Your attitude is exceptional. You are a good example for all of us.

Having seen the devastation that comes from the loss of a husband, father and friend to drowning while fishing, and had a couple of very close calls myself, I appreciate your willingness to share your story. Glad you had the resolve to wear your life jacket. It has been said that are no excuses for not wearing one. The truth is there are many. I have used most of them at one time or another. When weighed in the balance with the consequences of not wearing one, it is a foolish rationalization. Glad you're OK. Good luck with the boat, motor, and replacing your gear.

Stlbob don't be concerned about your thread taking an unexpected turn. It happens. Most of us here are just like you: Fishing is not just a hobby for us. We come from all socio-economic, political, and religious backgrounds, with a love of fishing in general and bass fishing in particular in common. With that kind of cultural diversity there will always be differences of opinion. Those differences also keep it interesting. What makes this site the best is while we can do the "leg" thing a bit, but if it gets really uncivil Glenn and the Mods will step in to restore order. You asked a good question. Where it goes from there is impossible to predict.

I could go for a Snickers bar...

Just a spirited exchange of ideas my friend.

Red Earth you have often argued that your Ugly Stiks are as good as you or anyone else needs to be a good bass fisherman. You have said that it is stupid to spend more on gear than you do, since you catch as many fish as most anyone else and have a good time doing it. You tell us that it is because we are willing to pay more than you for over-priced and unnecessary gear that it makes fishing more expensive for everyone. The overwhelming majority of fishermen on this site would disagree with you. Many of us have tried repeatedly to explain that there are some issues here that you are unwilling or unable to understand. You have made your point. I hope I've made mine...

Templeton, I did both resistance and cardio training. Starting out a cardio workout was a 20 minute walk at a 20 min per mile pace. I still walk outside regularly, but supplement it with elliptical and stair work. I train at the gym 3 days a week, but I spend an hour or less lifting. When I started I spent a couple of hours or more. It took a while to learn that sometimes more is less when it comes to lifting. Overtraing will simply cause injury and failure. I was lucky to have a couple of gym rats get me on track. When it comes to food, there are no magic programs. What worked to get me started was eating large amounts of low fat vegetable soup as a base and just making smarter choices about the other foods I ate. I have lost a lot of weight over the years counting, carbs, fat, and calories. I have never been able to stay on one these diets over the long term. By staying active and eating right I do not have to worry about being hungry. PM me if you want more details.

It is disposable income that determines the price I am willing to pay. This means that I am often priced out of the market for many things, including some fishing tackle and gear. I do not resent anyone for buying anything that I can't afford though. Too many people consider anything beyond their means excess. That is a very limited, and limiting way of looking at the world IMO. Matt, of Mattlures fame and fortune , is a fine example of a guy who has developed a product for a specific demographic. Many will find his prices too high. It does not matter at all. He can sell more than he can make at prices that are very reasonable in his market. I just found out a few minutes ago that an eye exam and new pair of glasses will cost me $516. Is that too much? It is too much for me to pay without some cost -cutting in other areas. I could go somewhere else and probably buy glasses a little cheaper. I won't, because I know when I buy glasses from this place I will get exactly what I want, and if I have any issues they will be taken care of without delay or argument. Price and cost are often two very different things.

I agree with WRB that Martens is one of the most meticulous (some might say anal) guys out there. His attention to detail is one of his greatest strengths. I also think that in order to notice a real difference between a reel backed with braid and one with fluorocarbon or mono, a high quality reel with a light spool would be needed. I may try one reel this year backed with some old braid I have to test whether or not I have the equipment and hands to know the difference.