Daniel My Brother

I'd strongly consider trailering a jon boat over car topping. It's so much easier to launch and load a boat onto a trailer, and you don't risk denting and scratching your jeep in the process. Plus, a trailer allows you to buy a bigger, wider, safer boat, and carry more gear for a more enjoyable trip for you and the twins. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Letting the raccoon kill the fawn would of been letting nature takes it's course. Just saying... You are right. By getting involved I only prolonged that fawn's agony. I will not make that mistake again. :-/

Very impressive!

I keep a two piece rod in my trunk for occasions like this. Normally I have a 3/0 hook tied on with no weight. I'll start with a senko, then maybe switch to a soft plastic frog like a ribbit or rage toad. If these don't produce, I sometimes tie on a spinnerbait to cover more water. That's it...3 baits, a pack of hooks, needle nose pliers, and I'm set for an hour or 3.

It sure was for these guys... http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1244951643

What a great read! Thanks for sharing.

Some projects require extra hours, occasionally I get to leave early. Sick days and vacation days are accounted for, nobody really tracks when I come in or leave, but I'm not out to take advantage of the situation. Employees who abuse privileges, don't remain employees for long.

Full Metal Jacket. Specifically the scene with Private Pyle in the bathroom. X2 on Silence of the Lambs, Exorcist, Deer Hunter, and American History X. I have not watched Seven, but now I want to!

I really think something else got to that reel while in storage. I also buy bulk spools, and pretreat them with KVD. At least one spool is almost a year old, and I haven't had ANY issues like you describe. Is it possible it got warm, or was exposed to sun light? I don't doubt you, it just sounds really weird to me. I went back and forth about posting this. It's tough to make a blanket judgement over one bad experience. But I guess I was curious if I was alone on this. I put the KVD on heavy, spraying it on the spool as I added line, as well as soaking a cloth and running the line through the cloth. Maybe I over did it...or maybe something else is to blame. I store my rods in the back of the garage, no heat in the winter, no sun.

I can only imagine the story I'd have to tell my wife "Yep, the bass were really biting...oh and I smashed Bambi's skull with a rock. What's for dinner?"

I used KVD last fall and liked it ok. In December I added it to the 6# P-line CXX on a spinning reel. Then didn't pick up that reel again for a few months. I suffered several break-offs on that first trip out, usually on the hookset. I backed off the drag and still broke off. I was able to break the line with my bare hands. The 6# CXX which was normally so strong, turned brittle. I buy P-line CXX in large spools and had no other problems with that spool. I was going to post this at the time, but I didn't want to tarnish a product that so many on this site swore by. Maybe leaving the KVD on the reel over a period of months was a bad idea? Or maybe there was another reason the line on that particular reel went bad. Either way, I stopped using it and haven't looked back.

White Castle. It punishes you and everyone around you. You can't even go through the drive-thru without smelling like onions.

This reminds me of a classic joke..."Other than that, did you enjoy the play, Mrs. Lincoln?" The fishing was pretty good. Probably caught close to 20, the biggest was just under 4 pounds.

Went fishing Friday on a pristine lake in the heart of the Shawnee National forest. While working the shorline, I heard crying from across the cove. It sounded like a baby in distress. There is so much wildlife in that forest I really didn't know what to think. After several minutes I went to investigate. I beached my boat, grabbed a big stick (just in case)...and my camera...and followed the sound. Through the trees I saw the markings of a newborn fawn, losing a battle with a small grey animal. At first I thought coyote, then maybe a bobcat. I beat my stick against the tree and the animal looked up. It was a Go@#$amn raccoon! Taking out a baby deer! The 'coon ran off when he saw me, but it was too late for Bambi. The raccoon had destroyed her hind-quarters, and she was bleeding from her mouth. Momma was nowhere in site. I wish I would have had a gun to put her out of her misery. Perhaps I could have finished the job with my stick, but I was too much of a coward. Instead I went back to the boat and let nature take it's course. I didn't have the heart to take pictures. A few minutes later I was back on the water, focused on fishing, almost forgetting what I had just witnessed. Then the crying started again. I dropped my head in shame. I should have finished off that poor fawn. I had no idea raccoons were capable of this.

Marauder Yak, I still shop at BPS, but I am skeptical of anything they advertise as 'Limited Edition' or 'Tournament Edition' or 'Special Purchase' or 'LTD' and the list goes on.... Here's one of the threads Muddy referred to earlier. This pretty much sums it up for me: http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1195492478/0

My daughter Emily snapped her collar bone just before the start of summer vacation. So sad. Doctor says she can't swim or play softball, and has to wear a brace at all times. He didn't mention fishing. We got out for a few hours tonight and had a blast. She caught 11, all on a Baby Brush Hog, while I managed just 6 on a regular Brush Hog. Here's Emily's Best...Prettty typical of several that she caught. This one gave a good 2 foot jump next to the boat, that had us both cheering. Here was my best...the fish had a big, crooked frame, but only went 4 pounds: This 3 pounder had a pretty distinct tail: Thanks for looking. I hope you all were able to take advantage of the full moon tonight! DMB

Here's something I've wondered about for a while and would welcome your thoughts. Around here hybrid sunfish are normally a bluegill/green sunfish mix that are considerably bigger than either pure bluegill or pure green fish. However, as the hybrids continue to interbreed they tend to get smaller and smaller until your pond is overgrown with little green sunfish. It's been suggested that the Perry bass was a Florida/Northern hybrid. Is it possible that a Florida/Northern mix would get bigger than either a pure Florida or a pure Northern? After all, bass are just big sunfish. This would explain how the Perry bass got so big to begin with, and why no fish close to that size has been caught in Georgia since then. Might also suggest why Cali doesn't seem to be as hot as it was not too long ago. I'm curious what you guys think? DMB

I feel sorry for any kid that has to deal with a camera zooming in on them anytime they cry or misbehave. That's no way to grow up.

You're lucky to have a girl who wants to fish with you...gripper or not!

Nice fish...but what's going on with that first photo? I see a fish, a jerkbait, AND a grub sticking out of it's mouth...and how is she possibly holding that bass?

Interesting post. Do you know what the record is for the Delta, or any non-trout waters in CA? I had always just assumed that the next record would have to be trout fed to get to that size. I'm sure the Arugo bass would have weighed more fresh out of the lake...but I suppose the same holds true for Perry's bass.

9:30 is pushing it some, but I don't mind the late games. It's a good lesson in time management for the kids. My girls do a lot of homework in the van on the way to games and practices. My bigger issue is with games on Sunday, but I don't see that changing anytime soon.

Could I? Sure, maybe in a half day club tournament. This is still fishing and blind luck is still in play. Stranger things have happened. Would I? No. Even with lesser gear, he's still the world's number 1 bass fisherman...and I still buy my own worms. By the way, Michael Jordan lost a game of one on one to an investment banker: so I guess anything is possible.

If they had this, they would surely air it. That channel thrives on controversy.

Big Game is a great line and a better value. You can find it just about everywhere, including Walmart. It comes in the big 1,000+ yard spools, and sells for under $9 here. Stronger than XL, but not quite as manageable.