Ratherbfishing

Three dollars at a garage sale? Seeing as how it was your grandfather's, it probably has considerably greater sentimental value to you than it would to the general public. Now if it were an antique split bamboo fly rod, it'd probably be rather valuable.

You're not holding it upside down are you? I watched a younger couple fishing this way (with the reel on top and reeling backwards) a few days ago and I cannot speak for them but it nearly drove me mad! No, spinning rods/reels are very comfortable for me.

About the bass or about your girlfriend? They both seem like keepers to me.

I like your thinking!

If people regularly reported suspected criminal activity, our police would likely be a much more efficient and effective force. We cannot always just sit on our duffs and wait for someone else to do everything. No one wants to be the "bad guy" but as I see it, the bad guy is the offender and certainly not the person who turns them in.

It's a hoot, ain't it?!! Playing a fish is (or can be) a lot different-at least at the onset. If I have a lot of line hanging loose in coils in front of me, I'll usually take and/or feed line manually and I won't attempt to reel in all the loose line. If, on the other hand, there aren't any loose coils and there's only a llttle slack line, I'll try to let the fish strip the remainder out (while still maintaining tension) so that all the line is taut between the fish and the reel. Guess it also depends on how hard the bass is pulling. But with a long limber fly rod, it's a heck of a good time.

What he said.

Try deep diving and/or suspending crankbaits in the deeper sections. If you have an countdowns or other sinking crankbaits, let them fall at different depths before working them in. Rattletraps in the early spring can be a killer. If, as you say, you can nearly cast to the opposite shore from the dock, you can pretty much cover most of the water and water column so mix it up. If the fish are pressured heavily go with the lightest line you can get away with and generally fish more slowly than usual. Every lake is different and the bass there will have their own moods and preferences depending upon the season, etc. so you just never know.

You're gonna hate this response: Try something else. : )

Circle of life, man, circle of life.

Be sociable, be curious, fish some tournaments, love to fish. Be respectful to EVERYONE. You'll get what you give. Don't expect any notoriety whatsoever. Last but not least, never tell anyone how good you believe you are. Let your actions and your results speak for themselves.

Based on some of the responses, I guess I'll respond this way: Response 1) Why would you refuse unless you didn't actually have a fishing license? And if you do have a fishing license, why would you prefer to make your life (and the cops) more difficult than it has to be? or Response 2) Go ahead and refuse and you'll find out soon enough if the cop has jurisdiction. I think you'd find it was easier to just present it in the first place (refer back to response 1).

The more experienced I become, the less often I get completely skunked. But it still happens. And I'm not above fishing for bluegill or crappie if the bass aren't biting. I have plenty of fun with those, too. Especially with my flyrod. I'm also fine with targeting small bass if I have to. Generally the only time getting skunked bothers me is if there are already other things in my life that are stressing me out, the wind is blowing to beat the band, and/or I'm either really, really hot or really, really cold. It doesn't help if I've gotten up at 4 a.m. (I hate getting up early) and driven 2 hours to get somewhere.

Not intending to be a wise acre or anything but are you sure it isn't the other way around? That the backlash isn't causing the line to part? 'Bout the only time I send a lure sailing for parts unknown is when an abrupt backlash causes it.

In the Spring and fall, my fav lake doesn't seem to "turn on" until very late morning or early afternoon anyway. So, based on that, I'd say neither. Most of the lakes I prefer to go to are at least 1.5 hours away so I really have to get up at "Oh 2 early in the morning" if if I'm going to be there at dawn. And I hate getting up early. I feel like my nerves are hooked up to a 9 volt battery when I get up too early. So, if I had to choose between those two options, I'd say Dusk.

Bass will feed on baby catfish and catfish will feed on baby bass.

Har! It's a good thing I wasn't drinking coffee or it would've been all over the screen. I'd love to take on a boat load of strippers.

I had the same problem recently. Was fishing a weighless super fluke and could not feel a strike or see the strike but the fish would pick it up and practically swallow it before I realized they were on. Phooey! Anyway, I feel your pain (but probably not to the extent the bass do).

That's a nice bluegill but you sure have an odd shaped head! jk

A helpful tip: Don't store the boat in the back of your truck (unless you first turn it upside down). If you do and it rains very much, you will spend a great deal of time draining the water that not only collects on the outside but also that which seeps inside the boat. It's this latter water that will take forever to remove!

Or the time the homeowner was asked why he'd shot the intruder 6 times and he replied, "That's all the bullets my gun held."

You might consider reversing it so the worn line is toward the inner part of the spool.

I once had a friend (I stress the past tense because we aren't friends anymore) who thought it was perfectly fine to cast his muskie baits right in the bank fishermen's water. One time he got an earful from a peeved fisherman and I just smiled to myself. He was a dumb arse.

One night I awoke to the sound of tiny voices calling out from the bathroom "If this log rolls over, we'll all drown!!!!!"

I, too, find it disgusting when people don't wash their hands. How hard is it?