Alpster

Hey Cliff, I am very glad you are happy with the rod and I appreciate your review on how it casts, feels and handles. I am also glad you are catching fish on it already! Good job. Your post about the rod brought up a lot of questions about spiral wrapped rods. Yours is a good testimonial that they work well, even for fishermen who are not used to using them. Once you get past the way they look, you will be hooked on spiral wrapped rods. LOL I know that I am. All my rods are spiral wrapped now. I appreciate the nice comments from others too. Especially from David G., it's great to hear something nice about your work from a Master. Ronnie

AMEN!! Most parents don't get this. My oldest daughter is graduating from Rutgers this month "Phi Theta Kappa" honor society. She is a black belt in Karate and a national champion in the CBBA. My youngest is an honor student in HS, secretary of her class, manages the HS vocal group, leads her youth group at church. They lost their mother to brain cancer 6 years ago this month. Both of them got a spanking when they needed it, they just didn't need it very often. Both would tell you without hesitation that they always new where the boundaries were and exactly what to expect if they crossed them. It's the dimwits who can't descern discipline from abuse and those that expect the government to raise their kids that invite big brother into your home to tell you how to live. Next you will not be allowed to insult them or judge their behaviour on any level. I for one, am glad my kids are nearly grown, and I am also thankful for the values they will pass to their kids (my grandkids). I won't be surprised at all to see their kids as successful as they are. JMHO Ronnie

I have a hunch that burglers could drastically reduce their odds of being shot by getting a job and not robbing people's houses anymore. This is just a hunch. Ronnie

Catt, Cool one of those glass door knobs out of an old plantation home. Good Job! Ronnie

There is a personal preference issue here also. I personally like a rod to be a little tip heavy. I usually fish with the rod tip up and when I palm a reel I put all but my pinky in front of the trigger. Ronnie

I don't know if it does any good, but in NJ, stores must indicate the minimum # of items that will be in stock at each store in the ads. This won't solve the problem of employees getting first shot however. Ronnie

Cart, If you look at Sams Club, Costco, BJ's, etc. you will find frying oil in 35lb plastic containers wrapped in a cardboard box. These containers hold about 4 - 1/2 gals of oil. You can get one here for around $18-20. One jug works perfectly in a 10 gal pot. No measuring no fuss, pour it in the pot, heat it up and drop the bird. You will still have the container to pour back your used oil for the next fry. It's a big container and is hard to fit in the fridge, but if it's cool enough outside (not more than 45 degrees) during the day, you can just leave it outside. Just have to be careful that critters can't get to it, it smells delicious! LOL Ronnie

Sky diving when his mother in law is on the plane.... Mountain climbing when his wife wants a flower from the summit..... Ultimate fighting when they can't agree where to have dinner.... Ronnie

Cart, Nothing wrong with the walmart cooker (burner) but I would throw away the pot, it's a piece of crap. I wouldn't use anything less than a 10 gallon (40qt) pot. You can get them on ebay very reasonable. Honestly, if you use too small a pot, it will make a huge mess and will splatter oil onto your burner and can start a fire. If you get a stainless pot, you can use it for boiling seafood, making big stews and soups and clean up is a breeze. Get a good, big pot. I promise you will not regret it. Also it is hard to fry large turkeys and still enjoy the dark meat. If you fry a 18-20 lb turkey long enough to cook the breast meat, you will incenerate the wings and legs/thighs. 12-14lb birds are perfect for frying. You can do one in about 35-40 minutes and they are great. If you need more meat, throw in another 13lb bird, it will be done before you finish carving the first one. It's fun to do, and if you have good tools, it can be real safe too. I am glad to answer any questions I can. Ronnie

I have a ton of hobbies that I love to induldge in....here's a few...... ROD BUILDING TOURING MOTORCYCLES RV CAMPING IN THE BASS BUSS WELDING & METAL FABRICATION COOKING FOR BIG CROWDS OH YEA - I LIKE TO FISH FOR BASS ALSO. LIFE IS AWESOME!!!! Ronnie

You can pour the oil into smaller containers and refridgerate it and it will last indefinitely. Ronnie

I have been deep frying turkeys (about 200 of them) for 30 years. I do about a dozen a year. I am leaving in a few minutes to fry em up again at my church. There are a few simple things you can do to avoid the disasters you read about in the newspaper and in the pics LBH posted. Cook outside if at all possible, even if it's cold as long as there is no precipitation. I have fried turkeys at the deer camp in 0 degree weather. Outside is the safest place. Make sure the pot is big enough! With the turkey and the oil in the pot it should be no more than 1/2 full. The kits you buy at WalMart are not big enough IMHO. If you must have fried turkey, get the right equipment. Use TWO thermometers! leave one in the oil at all time to monitor temps and one out side the pot to double check with. The only fire I ever had (outside and safe) was due to a bad thermomoeter. I didn't know how hot the oil was getting. I will never fry again without 2. Corn oil and shortning should fry at 325 degrees, peanut oil (my reccomendation) up to 375 degrees. Peanut oil tastes better, has a higher flash point and is therefore safer to cook with. MOST IMPORTANT! Your pot must have a TIGHT fitting lid! If you should get your oil to the flash point and a fire starts. A fire extinguisher will not help. A tight lid stops the fire immediately. Put the lid on FIRST, turn off the burner and walk away. Do NOT remove the lid for several hours or untill the outside of the pot is cool to the touch. If you remove the lid too soon, the fire comes back with a vengence! I have proved this! I hope this is helpful. Have a happy, SAFE Thanksgiving! Ronnie

I bought the 600 yard spools in 6#, 10# & 12# when they were on sale for 11.99. They are the perfect size. Just about a years worth of line. The 1lb spools are for tackle shops and clubs who pool their resources. It's an amazing bargain if you use a ton of line. Ronnie

Now that's a 'big bird' on that table right there. Happy Thanksgiving! Ronnie

Heavier test line will help some. I read about it all the time, but I have not had this trouble. I only use 50lb (12 diam.) power pro. on the bait casters. I use RW's Yo Zuri U.S. #6 on my light spinning gear, maybe that's the difference. Ronnie

Hey Jimzee, Thanks for updating your avatar, that old scary one was freaking me out. J/K Ronnie

Good catch Robert! This will be especially prevalent for online, non-retail vendors like ebay & Craigslist. It's a jungle out there. Thanks for the heads-up! I use a lot of PP. Ronnie

You drive around town for 2 hours to find "RIT" powdered dye to change the color of your pork baits! : TRUE STORY Ronnie

A little primer on pork baits. 'Uncle Josh' Pork baits are made from the skin of pigs which is a type of leather. It is made soft and supple by soaking it in a brine solution which is the juice in the jar it comes in. However it is still leather. Imagine pushing a hook through your wallet or the sole of your boot. The pork skin is so tough that 'Uncle Josh' punches a hole in it for your hook to pass through, so you can get it on and off the hook. The theory is, (and my experience backs it up ) that because the pork bait is "real flesh" from something that was once alive, the texture will cause a fish to hold onto it just a second longer, and that's the magic. Pork baits are a hassle to use and care for. You must keep them moist and preserved, but if you are careful with them, they last forever. I have pork baits that are twenty+ years old and they are still good. If you let them lay on the deck of a boat in the sun for an hour or two with out getting them wet, they are ruined. They are more work to use than plastic trailers, but I (and a lot of fishermen) use them still. The 3 largest bass I have caught to date were hooked on a jig with a pork trailer, so I will keep fishing them. I hope this is helpful to you. JMHE Ronnie

Mudhole has some kits on sale for Christmas. Here's a link to their Christmas flyer. Check it out. http://shop.mudhole.com/Get-a-Free-Catalog Ronnie

A razor blade will get it off... ;D BTW - I love them pig skins!! I have gotten a few jars that were not punched, had to do it myself. Bad QC? Ronnie

I would like to see all businesses closed on the holidays. I am pretty old fashioned that way. Ronnie

Hey Mike, Try to be patient for a few more days. I have a couple of bloodhounds working with me to dig up as many details as we can find. STAY TUNED! Ronnie

Cliff, I believe our own Raul coined the term. I also have surmised that baitmonkey is indicative of the common phrase for various drug addictions "I have a MONKEY on my back". Us addicted bass fishemen obviously have a "BaitMonkey" on our back. LOL ;) Ronnie

Welcome aboard!! Ronnie