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Which Pline do you favor? I see Pline 100% fluorocarbon, Pline CX and Pline Floroclear. I'd like to try this as a leader and also as main line, I've never used anything but mono and braid. I fish all kinds of baits but a lot of soft plastics. I have several rigs with braid or mono.

You push the boat off the trailer? Having a hard time envisioning how you do this. A 10' rope is not very long. I actually went to buy a LONGER rope just yesterday. Didn't find what I wanted. I had my boat tied to my trailer a week ago and it gently followed me as I slowly pulled the truck out of the launch and i walked back there about one second too late to keep the bow from hitting my tail light and knocking a small piece out. This is me wading into the water; in the winter, that won't work, unless I wear waders. I need a longer rope or I'm doing something wrong, lol. Actually, I don't like my method as having the boat follow the trailer is not good because the launches are concrete and it scars the boat bottom. Guess I should tie off to dock.

Haven't thought of that in many a year. I think we twitched the rod tip to bring it in. I've caught quite a few fish on one, and a couple of big ones.

So, the concept is to use spinning only? Why, I'm curious.

Did you luck up and discover the fast retrieve when you hurriedly retrieved it to get it back in or did you mean to try it that way? That's wild that you caught so many like that! A high-speed reel would come in handy, lol. Interesting pattern.

Because he was mimicking a baby bird that falls out of a nest, not a full grown blackbird. A baby bird is kind of pumpkin colored. BTW, on a side note, I recently saw an expensive bait that was an exact dupe of a full grown blackbird.

My gf is a mosquito magnet. I wonder if it's smellum wimmens use?

Has anyone found a solution to mosquito / gnat / flies control other than stuff you smear/spray on you? Thermacell has this electronic gizmo that supposedly controls them for several cubic feet around it. How great that would be if it worked!

You bet small ponds can hold big bass. They do around here, anyway.

That's a good article. It's the same type of eye-opener there is for trying to go pro in any sport. Such as golf. A ton of travel, lots of expenses, away from family, and a bunch of guys better than you are.

I used to fish a lot of ponds. I know of three nice size ponds that have produced terrific catches of bass lately for a couple of friends of mine. Large numbers of bass, including some hawgs. Just curious if anyone has found strategies for obtaining permission. I was thinking of perusing Google Earth to find ponds and then you would have to figure out who owns it. That might be a chore. You'd need to visit the tax assessor's office and view maps to figure it out. Unless it is obvious that it is on Farmer Brown's land. Then I was thinking maybe I could plead my case -- that I specialize in fishing ponds with the owners' permission, that I would release all fish unless they are injured but if he wants them culled, I'd give him filleted fish! I could probably dream up some other benefits, lol. What do you think? The friends I mentioned caught a lot of fish when we were struggling in the lakes. And... they were fishing from the bank! I'd like to take a jon boat.

I didn't know it was a warning buzzer. In fact, I still don't know that it was. It was just a buzz. After I first heard the buzz, I went about 30 seconds up the lake, trying to figure out what that sound was. It wasn't like some horn was going off, it just sounded kind of like an electrical buzz. And it came from the motor, itself, not the console. I had no idea a motor has a warning buzzer. I owned two bass boats 40 years ago. This is my second used boat made of vintage of the past 15-20 years. I've fished with other people who own bass boats. Never heard of a warning buzzer. Now I know.

What state is that and what is the size of the lake, just curious? What states are considered good smallmouth fishing? What times of year are good fishing? Is fishing for smallmouths about the same as LM bass? What's different? Thanks.

This was maybe 30 years ago on Toledo Bend. It was the heat of summer and the typical heat. 100 degree weather. There is no way my buddy and I would've chosen to go to this spot, no way. We must've had somebody tip us off. The very good size bass were at the upper part of a cove, in flooded timber and the water was 3' deep and less! We didn't monitor water temp in those days, but it was hot. The bass were in the shadow of the trees. We'd toss a plastic worm or lizard and we had a great weekend of catching nice bass! I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't do it myself. What has surprised you?

As for bass (and mostly concerned about action - small/average fish and maybe an occasional lunker) and the President line, what model would you think is adequate? These are the ounces weight for 6920, 6925, 6930, 6935, 6940: 5.9 7.2 8.3 9.9 10.9 Thanks.

I wonder how fast these 2015 guys run their rigs in the big tournaments? How fast will a 300hp boat go, 80mph? Sheesh, that seems so dangerous. So many of these lakes have logs floating around.

No, it's not a kill switch. I know what a kill switch is. I've never seen this, but I have not owned many boats. It's like a master switch to totally remove all connections to the batteries? It's hard to get to, I have to open the back hatch, lean way over to get to it. I don't know when I would use this except maybe to store the boat and turn off all juice. Or is this something I would use often?

I used to catch quite a few LM bass, lol. Been getting back into fishing this year after a long layoff. I had one day I caught 9. Another day I caught 15. That's the best this year. Not a very good year. BTW, I'd rather catch numbers, action, versus chasing big ones. Although, not fond of catching little bitty ones. Say, 1 lb. or bigger. I might have caught a smallmouth or two in my entire life, I don't fish where they are. Are smallmouths a fish that gives days where you catch a lot?

I am NOT finding the genuine TRDs as tough. Mine tear up far too quick. I pulled one the other day to stretch it and oh my, that was NOT the thing to do. It pretty much fell apart quickly. How are you guys fishing these, do you pull them steady. Slow, fast? Do you pump and let it fall? I am experimenting with weedless, I gotta have weedless, there is too much stuff in the water. I am going to make a trip SOMEwhere that I can fish an open hook, lol.

EDIT: I see something on a Google search that says there is a warning if oil is low. Bought a used 1997 Bass Tracker, 40hp Tracker (Mercury) motor. Recently, I cranked it and very quickly, I heard a buzz. Didn't know what it was. After it warmed up a bit, went on maybe a 30 second run down the lake. Turned the key off and buzzing wouldn't stop. Fiddled with the key, it finally went away. Fished an hour or so, cranked the motor, it ran like a top, as usual. It bothered me and I called a mechanic. He said he knew exactly what it was -- the engine got hot and there is a buzzer warning setup. I said no way, it happened within seconds. He claimed something about yes it could get that hot. I still didn't believe him. I always look at my motor to make sure water is coming out, indicating the water pump is working and it was. I agreed to bring it in to the mechanic for a scan. After talking with other people, I decided it could not have gotten hot. As for oil, the seller had checked it out before he sold it and confirmed the oil pump was drawing oil into the engine, so, that appeared to be working. On several trips prior to this buzz, it ran like a top. Anyway, I backed it into the water and it cranked fine and I ran it a minute or so and all was well. A day or so went by and I went to run it again. It ran fine leaving the dock. Upon return (about a 30 second run), it started buzzing immediately upon startup. It went dead and then I couldn't get it started. I forget what happened except I guess the buzzing continued, loudly, and I think the motor was not running. This seller had installed something I am not familiar with, a lever switch that is hooked up to the batteries. (EDIT: This is in the back of the boat, next to the batteries; it's a lever you turn to "off" or "on." I have to open the back hatch to get to it.) You turn this off and there is no juice going to anything. I don't know what it's for, maybe shutting it down totally if you are going to store it? Anyway, I turned that switch off and it went silent. After a bit, I turned the lever on and the engine cranked! I turned it off and on maybe 3 times and it always cranked the engine when I turned the lever to on. But if I pushed the throttle to give it gas, it would not give it any gas. I finally gave up and just trolled into the dock. I took it to that mechanic today and he seemed in a real bad hurry, so, I'm not sure I am buying what he is telling me. Immediately upon taking the hood off, he said there's your problem, you need more oil in this reservoir. (It was easily visible, maybe 1/4 full.) He said there is a sensor in there and if it's not half full or so, it gives the warning unless it's up to "this mark." But "that mark" was a magic marker mark that the seller had drawn on there to make sure the oil was going down, being pulled by the oil pump. Seems to me that if it critical, "that mark" would be VERY easily seen. If it's going to carry on like that, you should darn sure know not to "go below this line." The mechanic got a meter and checked and said that yes, the oil pump is working. I don't know what to think about this buzzing all being due to not enough oil in the reservoir when it was about 1/4 full, maybe a bit more, you guys let me know. He was 100% certain. And that problem I had out in the lake with that lever switch turning the motor on. And not accepting input from the throttle. Hmmm... I would rather have had him check it over but he was in too big a hurry. BTW, the buzz was coming from the motor. EDIT: P.S. I have been nervous about the seller telling me that he had put a magic marker mark on the oil reservoir (prior to us closing the deal). I mean, unless he was suspicious of the oil pump, why would he tell me that he "put the mark on there to just make sure all is well with the motor." All along, a mutual friend of ours said it was because he truly wanted to sell me a boat that was in good shape. His dad originally bought it and he finally got it but over its 20 year life, it supposedly did not get much run time. It supposedly sat up for 2-3 years at a time a couple of times. He said to me, "If you ever get nervous about the oil pump, just disconnect it and mix your oil/gas like we used to." He told me this even after I called him after the buzz and I asked him if the motor ever got hot or if he ever had a reason to doubt the oil pump. That's when he told me the boat at up unused from time to time. He also told me he put a water pump in it 2 years ago. He said they dry rot or something. I guess he is talking about the impeller. He seems to be conscientious. And I did test drive the boat and it ran like a top.

Be aware that the Lightning Rod and Lightning Rod Shock are different rods.

$169? That takes the cake. IMO, that is insane. My $2.99 scissors work fine.

I have been very concerned about using sunscreen / skeeter repellent. Especially the latter. Bullfrog brand is a combo of both, which I use. I try to wash my hands, but... I even looked a mosquito net hat thing yesterday.

What is slow roll?

I tried low-end and high-end glasses at BPS. I couldn't tell the difference; both made me uncomfortable because vision seemed slightly distorted, just not clear. I ended up buying some for $20. I returned them after a week, just not satisfied. If I don't want to wear them, might as well return them. I am thinking I will have to get prescription lenses. And don't know what to get. For good vision, I'd pay. I know one thing... my regular glasses... major disappointment. I paid about $500 and I have no idea how it happened but I got a terrible scratch right in my line of vision within days of getting them. The lens has to be very soft for that to have happened. It's just ridiculous that lenses are so soft. I still can't figure out how it happened.