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Happy to report, I heated it with a hair dryer (the part where the hole goes) and that was enough to where it worked without breaking.

Well, yeah, that's what I'm trying to do, but wow, is it tight. Wondering if anyone knows a trick working with plastic.

I lunged for a rod/reel combo going overboard from a limb that reached down into my boat and grabbed it, lol. I landed on my tackle box and broke the latch off. I thought it was broken but actually, it just snapped off. This is a Plano 1374 box that looks like the below. (Image should be rotated 90 deg counter-clockwise.) Those two plastic pins are molded into the latch. The pins stick into holes in the tackle box. I can't get them to go in and I am afraid I am going to snap the pins off, which would not be good on a $65 tackle box! Any idea how to get the latch back on without breaking?

I bought a BPS Pro Qualifier rod/reel combo last month and now I see why people like the Pro Qualifier... it's a great reel. I am very accurate casting with it for some reason. A few days ago, the PQ reel itself was on sale for $79; normal price is $100. Seems a good bargain even at regular price. I have a Lew's TP and don't notice it having any superiority.

Catt... certain time of year you like that or not?

The 2-tap with the unique sound, that is interesting. Hmmm. Do you guys have favorite colors?

BTW, is there a size that is best for bass numbers rather big ones?

Other than a Rattletrap, lol. If Rattletrap is good, let me know! I haven't fished this type bait in 40 years. Lately, I have two reports of good numbers. A friend told me today he and wife caught 67 bass last outing! I know where he fished, we'll see! Do you have a favorite brand/model? What type of line, I guess fluorocarbon or mono? I don't fish much open water and don't like losing baits but I have some spots to go, plus I bought a plug knocker, lol.

Adding on to my original post, my motor is very noisy and herky-jerky when I press the button to engage the motor. Looking at it, I am not sure where the slop is coming from. Anyone have this experience, can this be fixed? Is it worth it, or just forget it and buy a newer one with newer technology? I mean, if I buy a new one, do you think it would appreciably better to steer versus a 1997 model? Also, do you think you'd need to spend quite a bit of money to get smooth steering?

I'm not good reading backwards, but at 4:10, that looks like a price tag sticker? Is that a six figure price? That's one heckuva boat, for sure, lol.

All things being equal, I think you'd appreciate having more power for your boat. And on top of that, I think the newer motors would do significantly better on battery consumption. I guess Ulterra is an upgrade? Do you know what it has versus Terrova?

Bought a used boat last year, '97 17' Tracker with 40hp outboard with Tracker 30 troll motor, made by Motor Guide and says 37lb thrust. I don't fish if it's super windy; in light to moderate wind, I guess it pulls the boat okay. But it's old and it wasn't a high end motor when installed. Might be some mechanical problem I could fix, but if not, I'm wondering if I could buy a better motor and enjoy it more. Ease of steering a troll motor is crucial to enjoy fishing. Mine has 'slop' in the linkage, and I wonder if a more expensive, modern one would just be smoother anyway. Anyone have an opinion? Are modern motors quite a bit better? If there is any model that steers great or has some newfangled super duper feature, let me know!

I wanted a high vis braid line for weightless soft plastic (fluke, etc.) and bought 40 lb Spiderwire Stealth Glow-vis (braid). I like it a lot. Easy to see and lays flat after a cast. Fishing with high winds, got all my backlashes out, lol. Do you have a favorite line for soft plastics? Do you think you should use "at least" a certain pound test for fishing heavy cover? I am also considering using a FC leader so the fluke will sink better. Any thoughts on that, as well?

And another for Berkley Lightning Rod Shock. I have a spinning rig and really like it. They have casting rods, too. A very good bargain, and I don't notice any decrease in sensitivity, I catch just as many fish on it as more expensive rods. When I was young, we didn't even have graphite rods, lol.

What does black/blue color work? Any theories? I am thinking soft plastics.

All of the water around here is stained... I don't know why I throw anything but watermelon red, by far, the best for me. I just bought ten more packs, lol.

Do people usually fish it weightless, will it sink good enough?

Reaction Innovations makes the Sweet Beaver, I think that is what it's called. How do you fish this? With a bullet weight? Do you have a fave color?

Line that was installed last season... what about taking it off and putting in 'backwards,' so that 'unused' line is now available? Anyone have tips on how to do that, or any things not to do, lol? Do you recommend this with any certain type of line and not others? I mostly use braid, but have some FC on. Which I hate, lol.

Do you guys have a method of keeping up with what line is on each of your reels? What, exactly, do you do, keep a journal or what, lol?

I have only owned one spinning rig for bass, a Pfleuger President 6940 and a Berkley Lightning rod medium. I have several baitcasting rigs, including a couple of fairly expensive rigs. But I loved the spinning rig. Dropped that sucker in the lake and have not been able to snag it. So, what now? I keep seeing Shimano Stradic as a good model. I tell ya... the reviews on that reel are about as good as it gets. But, heck, I loved the President! I have no idea how much more, if any, I would like a Stradic. What do you think? I used the President for quite a few uses, but also for my favorite bait... weightless fluke. I don't fish very deep any more. Lots of shallow lakes and ponds. Any thoughts on a rig, and is Stradic "that" good? CI4+ is what I have looked at. Of course, it costs much more than a President! Then, I have to buy a rod! Thanks.

Thanks to you, I discovered two new knots, was not familiar with either! You said the tag end 'faces down,' and I am not sure what you mean from that. From what I see, both knots definitely do NOT have the tag end facing backwards to the direction of pull.

I was reading on Powerpro braided line website and they recommended "Aero Wrap II Oscillation" off-spooling spinning reels when using braid. Touting how easy it lays off the reel. Which reels have this? Is it proprietary to Shimano? I'm not keen on spending $350 on a reel right now, lol. Or is it worth it, lol?

If I got free lures, that would be the case. But after casting for awhile, the hook will come out of the plastic and be exposed upon retrieve. But, like most, I have to stretch out the life of the lure. This is not the worst problem, but it is a problem. I could use a Palomar knot or many other knots, but not picking up debris saves time from not having to clean it off, plus, the retrieve looks more natural without any debris on the lure.

An extensive search did not reveal an answer, but I recall a thread maybe a year ago about a knot that is much better for this problem... When you fish a soft plastic lure like a worm or fluke in waters with moss or gunk, if you use a knot that has the tag end pointing forward, that tag end will pick up moss/debris and get a bit fouled with gunk. Somebody mentioned either a knot, or a technique to use so that the tag end is not pointing forward, or is less so, to reduce the chance of fouling. Any idea what knot and how to do it? I mostly fish braid, but I'm all ears. Thanks. EDITS: I think it was a loop knot. I see that Kreh's loop knot, for instance, has the feature of the tag end pointing backwards. Now, I gotta figure out which loop knot for sure I was using. I haven't fished in over six months and with my CRS disease, I forgot which knot I had settled on, lots of vegetation around here! I also recall I had settled on a small knot. The Canoe Man Loop Knot is interesting but I don't recall that being it. It may have been a Davy knot or a Double Davy knot. But, the Davy knot tag end does not lie backwards like I recall. But it is small. I am mostly talking about fishing weightless, so, the knot is the first thing coming through the water, not a weight. After finding a page showing completed knots, these have tag ends that do not point forward: Double Davy, Davy, Kreh Loop (Non-slip Mono Loop), Snell, Trilene. I think it was one of the first three.