K_Mac

People pay crazy amounts of money for all sorts of things. 11.5 million is insane for a piece of jewelry to those of us who have live on a budget, but the current bid on KVD's cookie is $152.50. Now I love KVD, and knowing he will give the money away makes that a little easier to justify, yet it is still excess that will offend some. Some folks feel spending thousands of dollars on fishing related stuff is ridiculous. How Taylor's necklace is worth that kind of money is beyond me. There were a bunch of folks bidding on it though, so it must have worth to them...

I use BPS Pro Qualifiers for pitching. They work just fine. TW has the Shimano 51E on sale for $119. That is a great price price on a fine reel.

Hang in there guys. I still get the urge to choke someone from time to time and I haven't smoked for years. I'm not sure it is nicotine related though...

Nice fish Goose.

Now that the reel has dried out is it still making noise? It sounds like you are not sure if it even was in the water? .RM. and DVT are two of the experts here and I respect their opinion, but in my opinion getting a reel wet is not a big deal. I have fished in the rain many times with several reels on deck. If a reel getting soaked killed them, I would not have one working reel. If it continues to make noise then you will need to tear it down, send it in, or take it someplace local. Do not do it yourself unless you have a schematic in front of you, and are comfortable with the process after watching a couple of YouTube videos. Just my opinion. Good luck.

While it will take me longer than most to figure out all the features, I really like the changes. Well done Glenn.

My prayers are with you and your family.

Good report Goose. Based on your numbers, the value of the PQ is hard to beat; of course you and I already knew that. Thanks for the information.

Excellent advice from a professional reel guy. For what it's worth I have a few of the PQs and they are fine reels for the money.

As any cursory reading of my posts will show, I am not one of those guys who thinks I have to have the best to effectively catch fish. My reels are BPS and Pflueger primarily, and not one of them cost $100. My rods are are almost all BPS house brands, with a couple of exceptions. As a kid I learned on a Zebco 202 and a cheap fiberglass rod. In my mid twenties I returned to fishing and began to concentrate on bass. I once again bought entry level gear, but in baitcast and spinning combos. I fished for a few years with this tackle and learned much about catching bass. When I lost my brother (my fishing partner) to an accident I lost my passion for fishing, and stayed away from it for a few years. When I returned to fishing I knew my old tackle was worn and needed to be replaced, and wanted to buy new gear without breaking the bank. Since even the lower level new gear was so much better than my old stuff that is what I bought. When I found this site and started asking questions about tackle and reading the posts it became clear to me that many on this board recommended tackle that cost far more than I was willing to spend. I was offended by the notion that I needed to $100 or more on a rod or reel when when my $50 Extremes were just as good. What I have come to know after a few more years of serious bass fishing is that while I still use my Extremes they don't make me as happy as my other combos. Red Earth I understand your point. You don't need high end tackle to catch fish. When it comes to rods though, there is a real difference in an Ugly Stick and the newer rods. The Ugly Stick has stood the test of time because it is nearly indestructible and serves its purpose. The newer rods are far lighter, better balanced, and more sensitive even at the lower end. An ugly stick will limit your ability to feel subtle bites. As has been said, there are many better options available IMHO.

I love this guy. He is certainly a hero whether he admits it or not. Thanks for the post Glenn.

lynyrdsky1 while accidents happen and senseless violence are part of this world there is nothing normal about them IMO. The unexpected loss of a close friend or family member can shake us to our foundation. Most of the time when I think of those people in my life I remember the difference they made and there is joy in those memories. There is also sadness. One of the lessons for me has been life is short, and there are no guaranties. I am a lot more willing to tell those who are important to me that I value their friendship. I will keep you in my prayers (a source of comfort for me). There are many of us who would be happy to talk one on one if you would like. Good luck.

When I upgrade my wife's tackle I may be in the same spot. Most longer rods have a longer handle than she is comfortable with. She likes the longer distance from reel seat to tip though. Even if the net gain from 6'6" to 7+' is only an inch or two after cutting, that is enough to justify the modification in her opinion.

Shimmy I think some of us may have been "that guy" before. This board attracts guys that are serious about fishing, and many of us are competitive by nature. Being guilty of going too far does not change a thing about the way I feel regarding boorish behavior while fishing. Nor is it an indicator of my lack of self-awareness. I will not judge you too harshly if you get a little competitive when I fish with you; if you remind me yours is bigger than mine a couple of times that's OK. I will not condemn you for a little sniveling if you aren't catching your share. I have been there and done all that, but if you are so driven that your attitude ruins the trip then we are probably not fishing together again. Catching fish is important to me, yet I can have a great day fishing without catching fish. It's all good. This has not always been the case. As I get older I am much more concerned about enjoying the experience. Some people find the fact that I don't seem to care as much about catching fish as they do, yet often do well anyway hard to accept. I think it's funny, but normally I keep that to myself...

Good story Redline. There are moments that happen along the way that change everything. Hopefully this kid will never again be able to justify bad behavior by 'everyone else does it', and this encounter will make a difference in his life.

Thanks LM. Good to know all is well.

There are some folks I have fished with that one time is more than enough. I really want the folks who fish with me, esp in my boat to do well. I will let you use my stuff, make the first cast to prime spots, whatever. I want to catch some too, but I am fine with you catching more and/or bigger as long as when I return the favor you don't whine and cry about it much. I don't mind a little good natured give and take, but talk a bunch of smack and you can find someone else to fish with in the future...life is too short and time on the water too valuable to suffer fools.

Yep. As long they are cleaned well they are good eatin.

Maybe he scratched himself and has the fever? I do hope all is well with him.

Abu I am glad it worked for you. I learned that trick on this site, so I'm just passing it on.

Yes, left hand retrieve is correct for a right-handed person. This is true for both baitcast and spinning reels. Any claims to the contrary should be rejected. This may be law in Tennessee. I think it is legal to marry your first cousin there though. Just kidding! I am more comfortable controlling the rod with my dominant hand. There ain't no right or wrong here...use what works best for you.

There is much interesting information in the following link. Especially of interest is the shotgun ammo section toward the end of the article: http://ammo.ar15.com/project/Self_Defense_Ammo_FAQ/index.htm

As usual I'm with Goose. An NRX 893C or 853C would work very nicely. The 854C would also do.

Long-Range-Junkie what is laughable to me is your absolute confidence that you speak as the final authority in every circumstance and your willingness to categorize all of BPS as "jerks". If you don't like their policy on Steez rods buy them elsewhere. If I were manager, and you came into my store with the same attitude that you show in most of your posts, I would find it tough to go out of my way to help you. I am not, and with that said, the one thing most would agree on regarding BPS is they do service right.

I use Stick-os most of the time. They have been very productive for me. I do buy Senkos when they are on sale and use them at times. My personal opinion is there is not much difference, but there is some. Sometimes a little difference is a big deal...