bassnleo

I believe in the old saying "everything happens for a reason". Keep your head up, things will turn for you. I too went through a similar time in my life, I kept grinding and finally things turned around. It will happen for you too......

I guess it's like this: You have a very difficult decision to make. You can solicit advise from every member here and probably get alot of input to consider but it all boils down to one thing, WHAT DO YOU WANT? That crap about going to college and drinking for the first time, well, you'll still be underage. The same consequences can still happen. Just because your in college dosen't give you the green light to drink. As I and someone else previously said, 1 night of underage drinking can ruin plans you may have for the future or worse. I personally know many people whom have had to change majors because they got caught drinking and could not have ANY alcohol offenses on their record. I recently had a 19 year old, home on break, that got caught drinking, tried to run, fell over an embankment drunk and broke his leg. He was on scholarship for athletics. Important word in that sentence, WAS. His funding got pulled... Man, I seriously feel for you. Your decision is not easy. How do you know if you will be able to "drink a little"? Once you drink a little it will lower your inhibitions and your friends will easily talk you into drinking more, then who knows? You may get laughed at anyway because you made an A$$ out of yourself. Choosing not to drink dosen't make you any less social. Don't let someone else make your decision for you. If your nervous about drinking and don't want to, then don't. Come next year you'll have all new friends at college and what you are being talked into doing will not even matter.

STAY STRONG, continue to resist the pressure. This reminder and advice is coming to you from a Police Officer and D.A.R.E. instructor for the last 12 years. Your first drinking night could be your last, keep that in mind. Many teens don't make it home due to accidents etc.. from a night of illegal drinking. If your "friends" don't understand that you have choosen to stay sober than it may be time to start hanging out with different people. What would your parents think or do if they caught you drinking or the police brought you home at 2:00 AM drunk? All the trust you have built between you and your parents would be gone, plus you'll feel alot worse, alot longer, than a hangover would last. I wish I could say more. I could go on for hours with stories of what alcohol has done to many young lives that I've had contact with while on the job. It's hard being your age. Maybe find a friend who has the same beliefs about alcohol use as you and talk to them, a school counselor could also help you. Good luck and STAY STRONG.

Pretty cool! The smile on your son's face just about says it all

The Gander Tech20 stuff does not have Gore-Tex. IMHO if your going to spend money on rainwear and want it to be totally waterproof, Gore-Tex is the only way to go. If your budget is tight then the Gander brand will probably do ok for you.

SILENT and LISTEN are spelled with the same letters. that's something we all should heed at various points in time

I too pull mine and put them in my basement, charging them about once a month.

LOL, great pic. I was thinking he may resemble a young Austin Powers.... YEAH BABY ;D

Better check your states motor vehicle regs BEFORE you add the loud speakers. Some states prohibit sound over a certain decible level. Just as a sidenote, I investigated a crash a few weeks ago involving an ambulance and car. The ambulance was bring operated with emergency lights and siren going and the young man had his speakers a bumping away and never heard the ambulance. The young man now needs a new car, fortunately that's all he needs, along with a job to pay for some of the fines.

I reel with my left hand, cast with right. All the BC's I but are left hand models, all spinning reels have handle positioned on left. I never have to switch the rod over.

Welcome and enjoy!

Police Officer for last 12 years, 8 more to go!!!

I build my own! Great way to pass the winter plus you can build a bait to exactly what you want. I order components from Stamina.

I think I've read some of lightninrods posts and he has been having success on them.

I like the idea, sounds good to me. Can't really go wrong with Lowrance stuff. I'd probably consider putting the color up front since that is what I would be looking at more often.

I just about always pre-fish. I don't set the hook on all of em so I'm not sore mouthing the fish I want to target during the tournament. I'm with what Bassinfreak2 said....

Tubes are my go to bait, they are very versatile and bass just plain like em. In an open water rocky type environment I rig mine with a open hook style jig. The head slides into the body of the tube and hook is exposed. I actually pour my own heads using 3/0 and 4/0 Mustad Ultra Point hooks. I generally fish the tube by dragging it or hoping it around the rocks. In river situations I alllow the current to wash the bait along the bottom. In these situations it is important to choose the correct weight, my most common weights are 1/8, 3/16, 1/4. On Lake Erie I will go up to 3/8 if the wind is blowing and I need to stay in contact withe the bottom. I also sometimes use a ripping retreive letting the tube fall back to the bottom on a semi-slack line, this often triggers bites. In a weedy or wood cover situation I usually rig the tube texas style and pitch or flip the tube to the cover. For docks and skipping type presentation, I rig the tube texas style also but use an internal weight which I also pour coupled with an Eagle Claw HP hook. This style of hook has a clip on it that keeps the tube in place on the hook and makes a nice slim profile bait that skips great. I'm usually using a 1/16 oz weight for this style since it's usually fairly shallow and I want the bait to glide down rather that fall straight down or spiral down. I sometimes rig tubes texas style w/ no weight and fish it on the surface like a jerk bait. Great presentation for open water when fish are chasing schools of bait in top. I'm basic about colors. I use black in stained to muddy water, green pumpkin and some variations of in clear and lightly stained water. I also sometimes use a watermelon or variation, or plain brown, on Lake Erie. As far as brands, I'm currently using only 1, Micro Munch Tackle. For open style jig fishing I use a 4" flare tail. For texas rigging I use the 4" flipping tube. For a tougher bite, 4" finesse tube. I also like Mizmo's big boy tubes but really haven't used them much in the last year. One more tip, I usually add some scent and prefer craw scent Smelly Jelly. Hope this helps.

I use 10 lb floro on most of my deep cranks. For shallow cranks that I'm working around cover I use 14 lb floro, it gives me a little more strength if a fish wraps around a stump or something.

Them Hibdon boys have always been tough on that trail! Glad to hear both of you had a good time.

I still like the In-Fisherman mags, great info usually.

I like to fish the 1 minus just like a spinnerbait. Banging it into stumps, running it beside laydowns etc.. really has worked for me. It's also a great spring bait when fished around dead lilly pad stems or emergent pad stems.

Jig is always a good choice. I usually use the flies I tie like sucker spawn, glo bugs, blood dots etc... I do occasionally take the noodle rod and use jigs, egg sacks etc..

Yes but those bass were White Bass not any species of Black bass... Also you didn't state all the article said...If this Biosonix was that good for BASS anglers wouldn't all the other anglers get one? If everyone has one it levels the playing field. Also it said that it isn't automatic. You have to take out the right sound for the right situation. You can't just throw on any sound and the bass come running. Just like a lure. You gotta have the right color, type of bait, retrieve etc. etc. You can't just put anything on there throw it out and catch 20 fish in an hour. Also the thing can't be used for ever, only in short bursts. If you leave it on for to long you can spook the bass....then your really screwed. They weren't biting before. Now you put this "magic" tool on and make it worse! ;D So anyway. I wouldn't get one because it is too exspensive. If that article is being truthful then Biosonix is another tool that you have to know how to use for it to be effective. Just like a new lure or presentation. It isn't automatic out of the box. Good reply. I too agree that it's just another tool and has to be used in the right situation.

Nice. Been whackin em here in PA too. Chasing steel is a great way to spend the non bassin months. You using fly equipment or spinning?