Alpster

This is PRICELESS!........... http://heraldnet.com/article/20071221/MULTIMEDIA/283841756 Ronnie

I will have my video camera and still camera on the trip. Hey Jimzee, my experience is, the last week, you start talking to yourself a lot. LOL Ronnie

My $.02 worth.... "Highsticking" is holding the rod in a near vertical position, which results in very little pressure being applied to the fish, but a lot of pressure being applied to the tip of the rod. When "practiced," highsticking often results in a broken tip or rod, especially if it is made of graphite. The proper way to fight a fish is to get a bend in the rod but never let the rod raise much above your shoulders. Highsticking also encourages bass to jump out of the water, greatly increasing his chances of spitting your hook. JMHO. Ronnie

You can't go wrong with the Lamiglas blanks. I think they are superior to St. Croix in the same class and modulus. They will most likely meet your expectations in terms of power & action. I have built on a lot of Lamiglas blanks (4 in my personal rod collection) from ultra light to 10' surf poles and they never disappoint. JMHO Ronnie

The bigger and bushier the better. IMHO Ronnie

Nothing beats the "Redneck Fishfinder". Ronnie

...that was supposed to be between just you & me there buddy. Send me that stand up tuna blank and I will make him a net with some serious bling. Ronnie

This must be regional, here in NJ it's like this..... Entrance ramps are where you stop to look at traffic or make a phone call. Right lane is the fast lane (much easier to pass on that side). Middle lane is where teens and yuppies position themselves for aggressive driving practice. The left lane is reserved for those over 70 years old who can't see over the dash board and can only drive 40-45 mph confidently. It's definitely different here in Jersey. ;D ;D

If you are at all into fly fishing, fly rods come in as many as 7 pieces. You can nearly put them in your back pocket. LOL If I'm going camping, traveling with someone else where space is a premium, I always carry the 4 piece fly rod. Ronnie

With arthritic hands like mine (can't pick my nose without poking my eye) if a fish is large enough to break the line or a rod tip, I will use a net. On topic, I use a short handled nylon net I bought at WalMart. Works like a charm. Ronnie

I just got 1/2 dozen in the mail this past week to use at Guntersville. These are awesome looking baits. Ronnie

Hey Mike, Check out the trip website (there's a link in my sig line and the top left corner of every forum page) there's a lot of good information there. If you still have any questions, send me a PM and I will try to help you out. Glad to see you can make it! Ronnie

In my lake, with no ice, no freezing temps and no 30 MPH wind blowing up my shirt. I'm pretty easy.... Ronnie

If you think you have had a bad day........... http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3gkbc_compil Ronnie

I will build a few rods, tie a few flies, reorganize tackle, dream about springtime. LOL

The number of bearings is definitely overrated. I had two calais 200s with 11 bearings and I sold them both. I replaced them with 50Mgs (I now have 4 - 50Mgs). The Mgs are at least as smooth as the Calais and way lighter. Okuma makes a baitcaster with 11 bearings, but I don't think I will trade my Shimanos in just yet. Ronnie

Man, if you had given John Wayne a six-gun that was 2.4 oz lighter, he would have been elated when it came time to slap leather. LOL Ronnie

Jitterbug Original Floating Rapala #11 Spook Sammy Ronnie

I am old, single and my kids are pretty much grown and I can (and do) afford to buy most anything I want. The bottom line is, if you get a handful of soft plastics and a few jigs you can fish with the best of them in most situations. 90% of the best fisherman out there are catching the vast majority of their fish on soft plastics and jigs. They are not expensive and THEY WORK! JMHO Ronnie

I don't remember if I made a prediction last year, but my best 07 LM was a hair over 4lbs caught in a pond in NY. Ronnie

RW will likely be on soon to help you out. YZ Ultra Soft #12 has a very high breaking strength, about 19 or 20 lbs I think. I have been snagged in some tough cover with the #12 and have cut the line, also have straightened out some beefy hooks, it's HARD to break it off. I can't imagine a LM this line won't handle. JMHO Ronnie

I couldn't help but notice that LBH & 4Bizz who "got that fishing thing straight" right up front. Neither of them are actually married. ;D I used to pound my fist on the table and TELL my wife "I'm going fishing" and after she beat the crap out of me we would have a nice long talk about good planning, courtesy and respect for each other's needs. Seriously, my wife was my favorite fishing partner. She died 6 years ago. The reason I haven't remarried is she set the bar pretty high. If you have an awesome wife like I did, don't take her for granted. You never know what tomorrow brings. JMHE Ronnie

G. Loomis MBR844C IMX = AWESOME worming/jig rod. You can feel the bite just before it happens. JMHO Ronnie

OH Man!!! I almost forgot! Just kidding, I may be a few minutes late, but I will be there. I may bring the Bassbus so Speedbead can check it out, but if it's as warm as it was today, I will be on the motorcycle. LOL Ronnie

I am shooting for a new PB at Guntersville this year. 7+ lbs will do nicely! Ronnie