DogBone_384

Of course I do. I generally take two baitcast setups and a spinning rig when I fish because I've only been serious about fishing for the last two or three seasons and tend to experiment a lot, 'just to see what happens' . At some point, when I get a whole day off (!?!?!?!?!) I plan on taking all my rods & reels and cast every possible combination with a T-Rig, Senko, Rapala, and a spinner bait or two to fine tune my collection (read: keep me too busy to buy more.) Besides, if I bought every setup I decide I 'need' from reading this forum, I'd need a bigger garage. Not because of the additional rods, but because I couldn't sleep in my wife's Wrangler when she boots me out of the BIG BED....

I fish mostly by myself for the same reasons others do: piece & quiet, but the best fishing I've had since being a child were the days fishing with my Daughter when she was little. She's now in high-school and spends her time dancing, swimming, and being a teenager (yeah, she does homework and makes her bed too!). I occasionally fish with a friend from college - 30 years ago - but we both work two jobs and have family obligations, so it really ends up being just a couple times a year when our schedules cooperate.

I'm having a tough fall here in MA too. I've had more time to fish in the last 8 weeks, so I have. I've kayaked three of my semi-regular ponds and tossed crankbaits, Senkos, Rapala DTs, a couple different spinner baits, and my 'regular' T-Rigged Zoom (which I know works). Short of tossing a hand grenade in the water, I've yet to catch more than a couple 1 +/- pounders. The temperature's been yo-yo-ing here, combined with a few storms, is the likely reason the bite's been off up here. Gonna keep trying, they've got to be out there somewhere.....

I will when working my second job where I schedule the work. There's a decent reservoir 15 minutes from home that's central to local highways. My primary job starts at 0700, so no go on those days.

Getting out there, somewhere, on Tuesday, wish me luck...

Congratulations on your hard work. I fast-tracked my MBA in 18 months while working two jobs. It was well worth it & so shal yours! Best to you & your family!

Of course all the different soft baits are NEEDED. In addition to keeping folks employed and cash flowing through our economy, it gives BassResource members more to discuss, especially for we Northerners that don't get to fish during the winter months!

Yeah - but the iPhone 18 will have an APP that'll scan, translate, and speak their Grandparents' letters out loud. And quite possibly, our Government may just have completely rewritten those Founding Documents (hopefully not).

There's always a purpose to learning, whether someone's learning what to do, or not to do, or a skill that won't be used regularly. You might not see a need for cursive writing and I do, but the more you can learn, regardless of what it is. Another aspect to learning, especially older technologies, is just the simple appreciation of it. You're right that not many know how to make a flame with sticks, though it'll be useful to them if they run out of lighter fluid. BTW - this thread sure took off, eh?

Let me throw this out there, since I'm a parent. How about you 'younger kids' take it upon yourselves to learn to read & write in cursive? I know we all use keyboards 90 percent of the time, but learning isn't something that should ever stop. My daughter can read mine and my wife's handwriting just fine, but she had to practice it when she was young. Perhaps, in return, some of us 'older folks' can practice talking with our thumbs and improve our texting speeds...

X2 - I bought a Spiderwire fishing backpack and use it on the bank and in my kayaks. It'll hold two rods, comes with three plastic boxes, and has a separator for the top portion where I keep a sweatshirt or rain jacket. I can't verify where it's build, but it's held up great for my during the two years I've owned it.

BPS Pro Qualifier & any $99 (or so) M/F or MH/F rod that feels good to you. This forum's flea market might also get you a nice Shimano reel or St. Croix rod for short dough too.

As a kid, we just dug up worms from the garden & tried lures the bait shop owner recommended. Then came Field and Stream magazine. Fast forward 30 years or so later, Bassresource.com took over, with a lot of trial & error based on what I've read here...

I see a nomination for fish of the year!

I've got a Shakespeare Sigma spinning reel on a 6' Ugly-Stick I bought in the early '80s. I'm pretty sure it's my first setup. I don't remember how much I paid for it, but am 95% sure I bought it @ BrayWey sports, a tackle shop that's long been replaced by 'progress'.

I haven't had mine yet. That's why I keep going!

The farmer's almanac says, YES, we're in for another 'real' winter.

Getting ready for winter for me is moving the snow blower to garage and doing PM on it, winterizing and covering my motorcycles (they're in a heated garage), and moving the patio furniture to the shed where the snow blower usually sits. That, and making sure my skis are ready to go in case I get some time off.

I've got 6'6" M/F and 6'9" MH/F Veritas that I really like. They load up nice and cast well regardless of the reels I've tried on them. I've not seen many other manufacturers out there making 2 piece casting rods. Best of luck with your choice.

The Ebola Virus is, in many cases fatal, but is also difficult to get. It's transferred through bodily flui'sd exchange, not an airborne method. My department's been trained and is coordinating with my state EMS through the PFFM, along with other local departments. I think much of it is blown up through news & social media. Think about it this way, had this occurred 40 - 50 years ago Walter Cronkite would have mentioned it briefly or you'd have read a paragraph or two in the paper. We also now live in a instant-knowledge world full of 'supposed', 'possibly' and 'alleged' - meaning society's afraid 'something' might happen. Something else will replace it in the news in a few months.

I buy nearly all of my rods in person because I prefer to handle them before I plunk down my cash, and for the couple I haven't, I do what many others likely do - read reviews and opinions about possible purchases from this & other forums/sources.

Pflueger, Pflueger, Pflueger.

I have a similar set up, with the difference being my Veritas is a 6'9" MH/F and my Revo SX was supertuned by Mike @ DVT. If you've not done the same, get yours tuned. It's one of my best casting reels.

I've got a BPS about a half hour away and DSGs sprinkled all around me. I like BPS because I've always had good customer service experiences with them versus the virtually non-existent customer service @ DSG. I'm overloaded with gear (I blame this forum, my wife just thinks I'm retarded...) so it's now down to picking up terminal tackle and soft baits I run out of. I'll shop the internet when there's a good sale that helps me rationalize another purchase....