DogBone_384

We're starting to see temps above freezing around Boston. The Blue Jays are making a lot of noise and my cats are itching to get out. I might take a drive to Cape Cod with my auger and check ice thickness. It's not here yet, but soon enough....

3/8 oz. @Siebert Outdoors green shad swim jig with Yamamoto Zako trailer.

Bring on the World Cup ?????? How about BRING ON OPEN WATER!!!!! Ohhh pooop ... wrong thread! 😉

Congratulations to the champs .... Now for the good stuff. .... pitchers and catchers reported to their camps!

More than a couple..... 😉 . Yes, when the Lews' braking system is on, some distance is lost.

Firstly, WELCOME to BassResource! I've used a NRS Chinook life jacket for seven or eight years now on both my boat and kayaks.

I bought a couple, on sale, last year. If they were 20% off at the show, they were well worth it. They're light, cast like a dream, and their braking system works great in windy conditions. I wouldn't pay $300 for it with Shimano's SLX DC on the market. If you were talking to an older guy with a pro fisherman's jersey, it was likely the pro Ben's Tackle Shack sponsors.

I bought the same. My new Douglas is sitting next to my Champion SB rod. The Champion has a Tatula 300 on it. I'll take both out for a couple trips and compare them.

A couple Douglas Outdoors rods, a FX Customs rod, a new Lews swimbait reel, a Lews spinning reel, and an Old Town Sportsman 120 PDL Pro. My cats are going bonkers, it's finally above freezing, and the Blue Jays were making a racket this morning while I was shoveling the driveway... SPRING's almost here!

Congratulations to the Seahawks. They were the better team. Congratulations to the Patriots. From two seasons winning only four games each to the Super Bowl, I’ll call it a win.

AND AWAY WE GO!

I get paralyzed every time I pack for a kayak trip.

I was on the Cape a couple weeks ago with @Saltysmalljaws. We had to go to his house and get shovels to break the ice to launch. I hope for open water in early March.

My fleet is covered in snow. My Ranger’s covered and plugged in and the plastic Navy is tipped on their sides in the back yard. ☹️

......Texas Tackle....

Welcome to BassResource.

Sure will. 1/16 oz won't make a big difference. Your reel is the biggest factor.

Ben's Tackle Shack offered 20% off everything they brought. Douglas and FX Xtreme rods had a pretty good sale. I bought two Douglas' and one FX.

My two favorite cranking bait cast rods are the Diawa Tatula (TAT701MLRB) 7' ML/R and G. Loomis (GL2 811C SBR) 6'9" L/XF. The Diawa's regular action is great for small crankbaits. The Loomis is spec'd out as XF, but it sure doesn't act like one. It's also an awesome light crankbait rod. I use a mix of 6.x:1 reels, depending on my mood. My three best are my Diawa PXY68, Shimano SLX DC XT (6.2:1), and Lews Custom Pro (6.8:1). The Shimano and Lews have cast control systems.

@Swamp Girl ... YOU lived in MA?

Nope. I know I own ALL of them....

It's winter .... that's what fishing addicts do this time of year!

Fox25 news just reported Punxsutawney Phil predicts six more weeks of winter. Luckily, he's right only 35% of the time. It looks like I'm heading to the basement to dig out my ice fishing tote.

Western PA is supposed to be cloudy tomorrow morning. Let's hope.

The NH Outdoor Expo is March 6-8 at the Hampshire Dome in Milford, NH (https://nhoutdoorexpo.com/). It's not a big show, but you'll likely run into other BR members, including me. I go just to get out of the house and talk fishing, though the Tackle Monkey pummeled me yesterday at the New England Expo in MA.