DogBone_384

The cheapest rod I just can't get rid of would be the Ugly Stick I bought somewhere in the early '80s from BraWey Sports. It has a Shakespeare Sigma spinning reel under it. I've kept it because I've just had it since HS. It's just too bad I can't be that simple anymore with just one rod. . . I have a couple 1st gen Omen casting rods. They were a great $99 rod.

Tie a double UNI knot and see how that goes. I assume you're using spinning gear? Best of luck knotting things up...

I bought my RT178 in '20. It's been outside, under a cover since. I wash and vacuum it regularly. It looks almost new, less a scratch here and there.

I couldn't bring myself to spring for a Hobie, but I've pedaled a FeelFree Lure 11.5 for almost 10 years and an Old Town Sportsman 120 PDL PRO for this season. The only canoe experience I have is when I fished with @Fishing Rhino. He had an Old Town w/ TM for propulsion and transported it in his pickup with a bed extender. The FeelFree is much smaller than the Old Town, has an all day comfortable seat, and pedal drive that can be removed easily and accommodates their own electric motor. It also has a fully padded deck. I'm 60 and can lift the FeelFree's hull on my Tundra's ladder rack. It doesn't have a transducer mount built into the hull. I use a scupper mount. FeelFree also has a wheel in its keel, making it easy to transport across parking lots and packed terrain. Spare parts are readily available and their customer service is phenomenal. I want to say they're about $2,500 w/pedal drive. The Old Town is set up better for fishing. It has rod tube and in-hull storage, accommodates a TM and about any electronics you want. The seat is fair, at best, compared to my FeelFree and there's very little deck padding. It also allows a lot of water in the floor when the pedal drive is stowed up, or removed. The FeelFree doesn't. Fully rigged, it probably weighs close to 150 pounds. I paid $3,200 for mine, on sale. Both my kayaks are stand up stable. My Lure averages about 3.5 mph pedaling normally. The Sportsman is slightly faster @ 4 mph. To pick one again, I'd stick with the FeelFree. Even though the Old Town in made here in the US, they skimped on a lot of small things, quality wise, that the FeelFree does better. As far as weight, I'd say a 10' - 10.5' fits your needs better. Whether pedal or fin drive, being hands free is the only way to go. Good luck picking out your kayak.

I use @Siebert Outdoors and Beast Coast fishing jigs. Siebert's jigs are my #1 and Beast Coast are my 'finesse' jigs because they're smaller and have lighter hooks. I got turned onto Beast Coast jigs through Reel Northern Bass, a YT'ber from NH, so I guess you could call them "Northern Style".

It's normal to me. Try both if you can and stick with what's most comfortable.

The Red Sox are in the same boat. As long as they don't finish in last place ... again ... it's the best I can hope for. I don't think ownership cares about championships. It's about " the Fenway Experience" I heard one owner say during a press conference a while back.

No. A box (1 alarm) assignment is 3 engines, 2 trucks, and our heavy rescue. Add two companies for each alarm that's called after that. We had mutual aid from Boston, Braintree, Weymouth, Milton, and Dedham. Mutual aid companies come to the scene and cover unmanned stations during the active incident. Quincy is a small city whose Mayor and City Council do a good job keeping us and the police well staffed, trained, and equipped.

You should dust off your uniform and teach the youngins on the Eagle how it's done. Bring a couple rods too... I'll take you smallmouth fishing (though New Hampshire smallies might disappoint you when compared to Lake Menderchuck!).

One morning in March 2019 a cab driver knocked on my Firehouse door and let us know the building behind us was on fire. We got rolling, my LT called dispatch for the box assignment and away we went. The building was under construction and there was a chain link fence surrounding it. There was heavy smoke pouring out of the second floor above us. One of the Ladder 2 guys cut the fence while another FF and I got ourselves ready to make entry with a line. In that amount of time the fire went from smoke to fire blowing far enough above us that the plastic bits on my Engine started to melt. Needless to say we didn’t make entry and the pump operator disconnected all the lines and moved the engine. Had the fence not been there, Gordy and I would have been well up the stairs to the second floor. The fire went to five alarms. It was one of two fires in my career that really could have gone bad. That’s me kneeling and John O’Driscoll, the truckie that cut the fence.

Pay the ticket and move on.

I have AT1 on my boat and use scout mode most of the time. It helps me locate structure and my targets better so in turn my accuracy improves. I try not to stare at it too much, but it is really cool to see a bass come up from a weed bed and grab a lure. Having FFS has also ejected a bit of cash from my savings account. So much so, I'm OTW to NH to pick up a used AT2. The AT1 in my Ranger is coming out and going into my kayak. Even though I have FFS, I still fish like a 3rd grader.

3X on Mike’s quality. The only other jigs I use are BeastCoast compact jigs. They’re ‘smallmouth’ sized, with a shorter hook. If Sieberts happened to make such a jig … hint … hint …. 😏

I wasn't able to get @Fishing Rhino (Tom) out on his Nitro, but his daughter and her boyfriend did. Christie sent me this picture.

I use 10 or 12 # Seaguar flouro on my JB rod and Yozuri Hybrid for topwater (8# for spinning gear and 12# for casting).