Josh Smith

You can have 'em. They get in the way of my smallies!

Yes. Throw a weedless football jig on heavy braid (50-60lb) and crawl it over downed trees. Go slow. Use rattles and a craw trailer. Josh

I generally talk to the dog.

You should use backing. Unless tied fast, like through a hole on the spool, the braid is slick enough to slip. Josh

Same as stained water, but with a fluoro leader. :-) Josh

Most generally yes. The rattles I use are connected by straight plastic bands, so they make the rattle noise along with a smaller version of whacky rig vibrations. Josh

I just rebuilt and retired Dad's 5000 he gave to me after he moved to a Quantum 1310 on a Fenwick rod to modernize sometime in the late '80s or early '90s. I have some other 5000/5500 reels I use alongside my more modern 5500c3 reels, and one vintage 5500 (non-c) is on Dad's Lew's Speed Stick he gave me with the aforementioned 5000. I'll have to remember to post file pics to this thread when I get to the PC later. Josh

Thanks guys. It's really not a huge problem. More than anything, she feels she must ask before she spends money -- just how she was raised -- or spends money and expects me to get mad, or something. Now that she is working again that's slowly changing. It's never something we argue about. In fact, I really think she sees it as a respect thing towards her. She just wants to be informed, not asked. It helps her security, or maybe some strange woman emotion I can't fathom. Josh

I love my wife. I really do. I grew up with her; she was my best friend's sister. As adults, we fell in love. Today I wandered over to eBay and typed in "Abu Garcia 4500" just for kicks. There was an almost-new one listed with five minutes left. I almost bid, but didn't. It went for $20! When April got home for the kid exchange we have before I go off to work, I told her I was sad. She asked why, and I told her what I missed out on, that I almost bought it for my upcoming birthday but I knew she got upset when I bought things like that without mentioning it to her, and that I didn't know what she was planning to get me for my birthday. She said I should have bought it! That woman... she drives me crazy sometimes. I love her to death, and it's not like she wouldn't have agreed to the purchase; she just likes being included in these decisions. <facepalm> Josh

I don't keep them because I don't consider them eating fish. Same reason I don't actively hunt for coyotes, though I will shoot them if necessary. If I could shoot coyotes without permanently harming them, I would. I can catch bass without hurting them, so I do. Predator vs predator is fun. Killing is for food. I keep panfish, crappie, and catfish, and I kill small game and sometimes deer. Josh

Wait for the sun to heat the shallows, and throw a frog on top of the leaves close to shore. Keep a jig on a second rod to throw in front of, and parallel to, those leaves. Josh

Catch and Grease, Come to Indiana. We issue carry permits at age 18. Josh

Walk softly and carry a gun. Josh

Subbing for later.

About the black bass... Stop trying to catch them in salt water. That should help a bit. Josh

Different rates for different zones. I'll look it up a bit later, though I'm sure someone will beat me to it. Josh

Next up... The King's deer! Pretty sure this is a non-issue for now, guys. Josh

Jig, I guess I never noticed any smell. I've never considered them any which way until I looked them up and found they are related to Redfish, etc. Josh

I had some luck with throwing a large frog on top of floating leaves, and this was on a lake that had turned over. The wind was oxygenating that part of the water and blowing downed tree leaves against that bank, as well. The bass were HONGRY! Josh

Catt, Along those same lines, I generally close my eyes when fishing slowly. Josh

What is different now that wasn't different on their introduction to Kalifornia? Introduction took place with the railroad in lots of instances, though I can't say for certain this is one of them. What is happening now that's changed, that bass must be killed? Josh

Well, I'll tell ya'... My wife asked me if she was fat. I was busy writing something on here, and without thinking I said, "Not as fat as you were when we got married." It's a really good thing she loves me. We grew up together; she's my best friend's little sister. Josh

I make sights, triggers, and accuracy kits for a certain popular rifle. I've been to trade school for auto technology and college for law enforcement, computers (A+ Cert), industrial electrician and industrial maintenance, and CNA. Just knowledge I wanted/needed at the time. Been thinking about going back for some business classes. I've worked as an auto tech, parts tech, CNA, and what I'm doing now. I like working for myself and will keep on; planning on turning the thing into an FFL-based gunsmithing business before too long. Been sorta' waiting for the political winds to shift a bit (and enough on politics; just a statement, not an invitation for discussion.) Regards, Josh

Jim, why?

As I understand, they're very closely related to Redfish. Is this correct? Regards, Josh