Alpster

There are some custom bamboo fly rods that sell for $5000 and more. My deal is, that any time I get to spend on the water is precious time and I intend to enjoy it to the fullest. I sometimes load the boat with fish and sometimes I get skunked. It may be hard for some to understand the joy that I find in fishing with a finely tuned, light, balanced, fishing rig. Yep, it can be expensive, but even when I don't catch fish, I enjoy the fact that I brought my best to the water. You don't have to be winning racer to enjoy driving fast car. All of us would fish with high end equipment if money were no object. It just happens to be an object LOL. JMHO Ronnie

Excellent Russ! You are sharp enough to do anything you want. I'm glad work stuff is allowing some more fishing time. You talked about other work options. Maybe will get some time at Fork and I will tell you about how I bailed out on my own and why I think it's the best thing to do. In the mean time, congratulations. Ronnie

You must have a plan for "just in case". Time is of the essence, not for keeping the fish alive, but a big fish begins to lose weight quickly when stressed and will expell a lot of fluids when they die (even less weight) .If I caught a state record in the waters I normally fish, I know where the nearest place to begin the documentation process (certified scales, witnesses) is and how to get there pronto. Aways have a camera, and nothing beats uninterested witnesses (a fishing buddy is useless as a witness). Always find strangers, and preferably non fishermen to witness THE weighing. I am a Land Surveyor and pull my boat with my work truck, so I have a certified measuring tape I would photograph the fish along side this tape and use it to record girth, etc. Like Cart7 said, you can't work too hard at verifying and documenting. I have a good live well in my boat. I would leave the fish in the live well and transport her carefully on the boat trailer. I have torrnament weigh in bag (for quick transport to certified scales & witnesses). If you really have a record fish, the odds of the fish surviveing the process of verification is pretty slim, so you just do your best. In your scenerio, if I'm not absoulutlety sure I have a record fish, and I was too, hurried, dumb, lazy or whatever to bring a camera, fish gets released for another day. JMHO Ronnie

Welcome Nicks mom, We are glad you have joined us. Ronnie

Nothing wrong with that fish. Just write down what you did to catch her. Keep a journal and soon you will refer to it often and repeat your success. Thanks for posting the pic. Ronnie

My crew will show up in the evening on Sunday the 18th. Ronnie

Now your thinking like man! Ronnie

Now why didn't I think of that?? I will definitely give this one a try. Thanks Redtail! Ronnie

If your car has a luggage rack, you can go to the Home Depot and grab a 10' length of 4" ABS plastic pipe, a glue on cap and a screw on cap. Cut the pipe 2" longer than your longest rod, glue the cap on one end and the the screw on reciever to the other. a couple of bungie cords and you have a rod carrier. Only costs about $30. The other option is a rod carrier that bolts to your bumper or traier hitch. Much more expensive and doesn't protect your rods. I hope this helps. Ronnie

If I'm going to be out all day, I will have an egg sandwich & OJ and a cup of java on the way to the boat ramp. On the water a couple of immitation meat sammiches, some cheese peanutbutter crakers & a soda or bottled water. On my electric only lake, it's about a 20 minute cruise betreen my honey hole areas. I will eat my lunch while cruising across the lake. Ronnie

For another $25 you can get the IMX and I can tell you from my experience that it is a fine rod. JMHO Ronnie

Congratulations! Remember, it should take at least a week for grandchildren to 'recover' from a trip to grandpa's house. Ronnie

OK, I have called my doctor and he's hooking me up with some medication. I have taught my daughter how to post a property bond. I am practicing my lines "honest officer I just picked these guys up hitch hiking" "I have never seen them before in my life" and if those fail, "were on a weekend field trip from the Sunnyside Home for Worn Out Fishermen". This trip is fun and we haven't even left yet. 14 more days!! Ronnie

The rod is awesome! Your nephew is a lucky guy. The rod with the fancy butt wrap in the background is beautifull. Nice work all around!! Top notch stuff. Ronnie

Spiral wrapped, split grip 7' MH Mod. Lamiglas fiberglass rod. ABU Garcia 6600D5 5.3:1 reel spooled with 12lb Big Game mono (going to try Yo Zuri ultra soft). LC pointers, Rapala DTs and Poe's 400s. Ronnie

Spinning rods already have the guides on the bottom of the rod. Ronnnie

WELCOME! You will not regret the 50 MG. It's a great reel! Ronnie

This bait holder is pretty legit and reasonably priced. JMHO Ronnie http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5075002

This is the main reason I use the opposing nail knots. The nail knot is best for connecting lines of different diameters. Also, the opposing nail knots tie each line to the other (two knots instead of one). A uni knot can only be tied to a loop, eyelet or another uni knot. You can't join two lines with a single uni knot. With uni to uni you still have only one connection point where the two loops overlap. A single nail knot can join two lines together very well. With opposing nail knots, in theory, one knot could fail and the opposing knot might hold and both knots create a slipage stop for the other. This is especially desirable with braided lines. Well tied braid doesn't break, it slips apart. JMHO Ronnie

I bought my first spinning reel for fresh water only this past year as a result of this board. I have always been a die hard baitcaster in fresh water. Only used spinning gear in salt water and then only cheap ones that could be thrown away when the salt got them. I must admit that I am a hard won convert, like Avid. I am enjoying the Stella on the Loomis drop shot rod and I built a Loomis SJ722IMX for the Twin Power. I'm still 8 to 3 bc over spinning but I am discovering the best of both worlds. Ronnie

I think he means spiral wrapped. As far as I know you can only get them custom made. Reelmech can do this. Ronnie

Way to go Catt! I just hope Muddy's tackle box doesn't have a lock on it. Ronnie

Robert, I just got my 2 Shimano 200 Calais's and 2 Chronarch 50 MGs back from ReelMech today. I don't remeber them feeling this good. David will treat you right. A happy customer Ronnie

Well, The three mooks in a bassbus had our last board meeting today at Cabela's in PA. We had a great lunch, reviewed the itenerary, made some last minute adjustments and everyone got slapped around by the baitmonkey. Looks like we have the bases covered and we are counting down the days. A real pleasure to visit with the mooks today. It won't be long now! Ronnie

Yea, but you have to use it awhile before the memory goes away. Ronnie