Thornback

Take photos of all the stages of your work and share them with us. We all love "before and after" photos. I can tell your adrenalin is surging at the thought of all the fun you'll have.

When I used to fish plastic worms in a river I would throw a heavy chain out the stern to drag along the river bottom to slow me down in the current. I would use my trolling motor only to keep me in the center of the river. I had a 15' rope tied to a 10' heavy galvanized chain. The rope end was looped around my motor. It was nice moving along very slowly in a fast current. And as already pointed out the bass will be in the nooks and crannies, or anywhere out of the current.

Do a detailed cost list on all the parts, material, labor, etc., and then compare that cost to a new boat or a running used boat. You might be surprised. On the other hand it sounds like you love the challenge so the cost is a secondary consideration -- in that case "just go for it".

Good point. It can happen. I recently used a tiny spot of JB Weld on the "eye gap" on a dozen hooks. Did a nice job and is very smooth.

I have no problem with anyone keeping legal size bass to eat. I release all the ones I catch. Years ago there was a drawdown at the impoundment near me and fishing was allowed on the old river that had been submerged. I didn't want to fish during the drawdown because it was just too darn crowded. The law was any LM bass caught during the drawdown had to be immediately released. I paid a visit to the ramp and there was a wildlife officer parked at the exit. I asked him if he was checking the leaving boats and he said he was. I asked him if he had caught anyone leaving with a LM bass and he said the day before he had caught two boats. People will try to cheat no matter the rules.

My opinion -- Obviously it's the line or the knot. #15 should not break on a hook set, never. Switch brand of line to see what happens. And when you tie your knot, moisten the line before making the knot, then hold the loose knot in your mouth in a pocket of saliva and slowly pull the knot as tight as possible while keeping it surrounded in saliva. Then grip the tag end between your teeth and jerk the line a few times.

Wow! This OP drew a ton of replies. Actually some were interesting and I learned something. One thing I do is take a cup of hot coffee and sip on it as I head to the ramp. I drink about half and place the rest in my cup holder. When I head back home I sip on the cold coffee.

Now I'm curious -- did you weigh it? If so do tell, if not get a scale

Thank you.

Just accept the fact sometimes a rod will snap. But then you have the opportunity to purchase a better one

IMO many of the adults today have never matured mentally. Look at the antics in public, the language, the rudeness -- adults acting like a spoiled 5-year-old. Look at the behavior in classrooms, in the mall, in movie theaters, in traffic, at sporting events, and yes even a few anglers. The hippies of the 60's didn't rear their children and those children are now parents and don't have a clue how to teach proper behavior to their little devils.

Sorry to hear of your misfortune. That's one of a boaters worst nightmares. But in a month you'll be whole again and laughing about it.

Go to link supplied by jakob . . . http://people.howstuffworks.com/fishing-superstition1.htm

I thought that looked like a Pizza Hut pizza box up in the reeds

I have fished with a few nuts

One method I have used is tie on a hook or lure and clamp it in a vice. Then take the line and wrap it around a hammer handle or a screwdriver handle many times, then start pulling. When it breaks you can examine the knot and the line to determine which let loose. You can also do this with a scale to check the pound strength before the line parts.

Thanks for the link. I will still carry a banana when going fishing. I just don't believe in superstitions and that includes black cats or Friday the 13th

You could look at it this way -- The Babe slowed down, Ali slowed down, Y. A. Tittle slowed down, Bird slowed down, Tiger is either in a slump or he's slowing down. So we must realize that KVD is also human. He has nothing to be ashamed of and will always be great to many of us.

I take a Cuban sub, Lance peanut butter crackers, a banana, and several Snicker candy bites. For drinks I take Gatorade, Tropicana lemonade, and a can of Coke-Cola in my small cooler with ice. But sometimes I bring half that stuff back home. BTW -- has anyone ever heard it's bad luck to go fishing and have a banana in your boat?

Are you sure it was a bass? You get hit by a mudfish or pickerel and they will cut your line with their teeth. I have had that happen on #40 braided.

You will learn by doing. You have practiced and received a boat-load of advice here. Go do it. There will be helpful and considerate people at the ramp and there will be a jerk once in a while. That is a fact of life. I once tied up to a pier prior to loading my boat. The guy ahead of me had backed his trailer down the ramp and his wife was going to load the boat. She made about three attempts and couldn't do it. He shouted at me, "Inexperienced boat driver." I shouted back, "Well we all had to learn at one time." We both laughed.

Sounds like you'll do fine. Only advice I will offer is back up very slowly and make quick corrections. Be careful not to overcorrect. If the trailer get away from you, stop and pull forward to straighten up the trailer. then start backing slowly again.

Knock it off you young whippersnapper I'm 76 and I have put four, that went over 8 pounds, in the boat since January. Back to KVD -- He runs on atomic energy and it could be at 47 he needs a new shot of uranium.

I have worked with a female complainer and I have worked with a male complainer. When it was a female I would always detour around her as fast as I could and maintained my distance throughout the day. When it was a male I invited him into the restroom so we could settle up man-to-man. I'm so lucky I'm now retired Sometimes when you escalate a situation you end up with the short end of the stick. Practical jokes are fun, but you got to know when to laugh when the joke is on you and just move on.

"There's enough n*****s out there to make a Tarzan movie". -- Fred Sanford, aka, Redd Foxx