Zel

Not to worry My Printer's got that part covered BassResourse Man, I still see RED just thinking about it. > Anyone who gets the chance to fish with Muddy is in for a treat. You will get a trip filled with good fishing, fellowship, philosophy, laughter, and 100 cellphone calls. Rushing before the trip I couldn't find my digital camera, so I grabbed my 10 year old's digital kiddy camera. Tried last night to get the pics of Muddy's Jig fish (I honestly think it was more like 17 inches), but Windows Vista doesn't seem to be compatible with anything made before last week. Tonight I'm getting the old laptop with broken keys and broken USB and give it a try. Unfortunately, the post might look like this #uddY #an's J#g Fis#..., and the quality of the pics might be a bit Mookish (or should I say Avidish).

I'll pretend I didn't see any of this!

Just got a call from Muddy Man. He's at work, and a Tornado just came through. I lost several calls betweem him, but finally got back through. He's okay as of now. He couldn't speak long, lightning was striking all around and he's afraid to talk on the phone. Sounds like they got some damage to the buildings. None collapsed, but it seems there is some damage, maybe from power lines or trees. Another really bad storm is following the first and due to hit any minute. He's taking care of the kids to make sure they are safe, and taking charge of the situation. Keep Dom in your thoughts and prayers tonight. Sounds like a really dangerous and stressful night is ahead of him. Oh yeah, he called right in the middle of all this to tell me he won't be going fishing to Mauch Chunk tomorrow, so don't look for him. What a guy! Man... the lightning is bad and the thunder really loud up here tonight in NE PA.

Niksfishinmom... Thanks. Glad they appeal to Mookettes also (well at least the Original Mookette anyway).

Didn't mean to hijack the tread, but has anybody used the VibraSpin spinnerbaits from KaRu Lures at night? I notice it comes with a willow leaf blade. I like fishing spinnerbaits at night, and like a lot of vibration in my lure, so I mainly throw colorado single blade spinnerbaits. How is the vibration from this spinnerbait, and do you think it would serve me well night fishing? Thanks

No, but there was an article right here at BR which mentions the company (listed below). It might get you started. You can email Keith Nighswonger at his website, and he will be glad to help you. https://www.bassresource.com/fishing/dropshot_bass_fishing.html

Here is one I would like to see made up...

Here's one from Abel for the cigar afficianados...

Oh man... Looks like I may be swimming with the fishes! :'(

Muddy we'll have to wear our Mook shirts on our Topwater Trip II outing and get some pics and maybe a video. If we use my boat I may need some help with the trolling motor. My foot control is a little bit different than your good friend Lake Fork Rick's model, so I will put some instructions on the control. (just Mooking with you buddy )

Get well fast! Zel has spoken

Thanks, I got some good answers and varied ideas. It was an interesting thread.

Yeah out of Brooklyn, NY nonetheless go figure

Sorry... didn't mean for the post to turn into a maelstrom. I found a pretty good website that lists USA made fishing rod, reel and tackle companies, which you can find with their search engine by typing "fishing rods", "fishing reels", etc. www.madeinusa.com

Avid, I don't disagree with what you said. I think much of it is the root of the problem. I do wonder why you hate it when things like this come up. I think things like this don't come up enough. Personally, I equate our outsourcing of the manufacturing process to the beginning of the fall of Rome. They outsourced their military machine to protect the empire, and we are outsourcing our manufacturing machine to protect our bottom line. Back then, when the political, socio, and economic climate changed, Rome was unable to recover and eventually fell. What happens if world matters change drastically today. Can we compensate and recover in our manufacturing capabilities? As an example, with the oil problems we face today, how long will it take us to build a refinery? And how could we even do it if we don't have any steel manufacturing processes left? I am much less worried that John Deere is Japanese owned, than if John Deere was manufactured in the far east. Transfer of ownership can happen in a second. How long would it take to build a John Deere if we didn't have tractor manufacturing capabilities already here, or even steel manufacturing decades maybe. And what would we do in the meantime? Thank God we never have to worry about that old saying about biting the hand that feeds you in the global environment Oh wait I would never call you unpatriotic or anti-american. All I was saying was it scares me that so much of our manufacturing processes are leaving this country, and I wanted to do my little part to keep some here.

I won't do anything via shipping with rods anymore, and will only buy them retail, or from tackle shows. I've never had any luck. They were always broken or lost, and I have used both USPS and UPS. The last time was the final straw. A friend of mine that builds rods was up from Florida for a visit and came to our club meeting. I gave him two rods I had in the back of the SUV, one to redo the guides and the other to replace the handle and redo the guides. He took them with him on his drive back to Florida. I told him I would send him a rod case via UPS and include an ARS tag in it. After 3 weeks he called me to find out where the rod case was. I contacted UPS, and after some investigation they said they realized the rod case was empty, so they threw it away. I told them the rod case was the shipment and it cost me $50 for the case. I put in a claim, which was denied because they said I could not make a claim against a shipping container. Well my friend shipped the rods back to me via USPS in PVC pipe, and you guessed it the rods were broken. I couldn't figure out how in the world they broke them because the rods were packed so carefully. I sent my friend payment because he did his part and yup, the USPS lost my letter with the check in it. I sent him another check (which he did get rather quickly), and three months after that he received my original check from the postal service.

:-X

Two of my company's suppliers, both U.S. manufacturers, recently went out of business due to low cost imports. It scares me that our country seems to be getting out of the manufacturing business more and more. I think this will only hurt us in the long run. Personally, I am going to try harder to buy more American made products. I would also like to start supporting US manufacturers in my future fishing purchases. Does anybody know what rod brands, reel brands, line brands, and tackle brands are manufactured in the United States?

Just a fact of life somethimes. Opinions are like addictions... everybody seems to have one. And being in the public eye, paid lots of money, and required to be role models, athletes go under a much stricter scrutiny than most.

Can't believe I'm giving FC advice but don't forget to bring big swimbaits and large jerkbaits in trout patterns! And don't just throw them into the boat when you catch them. I've got several scars in my left foot from someone doing just that.

Cursed they're freakin possessed!!!!!!!! Since I picked up the Mook shirts, I've broken two rods, my throttle trim tab broke, and the bow switches stopped working. Also last Friday a tornado passed by my house less than a quarter mile away, which caused 2 large tents and chairs I had set up in my back yard for a weekend party do a scene from the Wizard of Oz (completely destroyed), I also had some trees damaged from the wind (and nearly cut right through my boot with a chain saw cleaning them up), and also had some light fixtures damaged by quarter sized hail. And Sunday night I took a spill on my porch stairs, and then, in pain, couldn't get back into my house for nearly an hour, and in the rain, becasue I locked myself out. Also, last week I gave my brother one of the Mook shirts I had made up. He had some of his outdoor furniture destroyed while trailering it over to my house for the party, and after the party backed into one of my trees with his wife's SUV (you should have seen all the apples fall and the nice big dent in the SUV's bumper). So. how much would I have to pay to have someone take my Mook shirt off my hands?

Way to go Muddy! I got my Associates, Bachelors and Masters also while I was working full time and raising a family. So I know how hard it is. I believe getting your degree is an investment that pays the highest of dividends. Hang in there and good luck. Can't wait till I see pictures of MOOK GRADUATE written on the top of that mortarboard graduation cap.

Don't know if anybody has posted this article link before, but this is an interesting read on how to safely remove a hook from a gut-hooked fish. The information is interesting, and dispels some of what I've always thought about just cutting the line and leaving the hook in the fish. http://www.outdoorcanada.ca/fish/offthe_hook.shtml

Sarà una bella giornata

I use an old Color-C-Lector when my confidence colors don't pan out (or have Muddy Man in the boat he's a human Color-C-Lector). When things are tougher than normal, I've found it to be a useful tool rather than a gimmick.