Water Dog

"Back in the day", I wasn't terribly impressed by President Ford but History is beginning to look at his Administration in a more favorable light. What most impressed me about President Ford is how he lived his life after the Presidency. HE DIDN'T INTERFERE WITH ANY OTHER ADMINISTRATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is what Presidents used to do. They knew when they were done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They didn't try to run 'Shadow Governments'. They were helpful to the next President, regardless of party, and they put the Country first. Some of you won't remember that but that is the way it was done. They were bigger people for it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My hat is off to You Mr. President!!!!! May GOD Be With You and Your Family !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[move]"What makes you so sure saddam and bin laden did anything and it wasn't all bush like a lot of evidence points to? "[/move] I think he may be serious and if so I am not too surprised. President Bush and his Administration have faced a non-stop mainstream media blitz to pick them apart from day one. Uncle Walter set the agenda back in the 60ties and 70ties and I got sucked in like most everyone else. Fortunately there is other media now that is more fair and balanced, "FOX" for one and talk radio in the good old US of A. It's hard to blame someone living in the far North. Living in Canada would be like growing mushrooms in the basement, feed 'um BS and keep them in the dark'. These are a people who have agreed to allow their Government to confiscate their guns for gosh sakes! : ;D ;D ;D I'm going to say you're kidding right? ;D ;D ;D You're putting us on. ;D ;D ;D Otherwise you would come off really poorly informed but that is something that you can correct with some good research. Read some of 'Troutfisher's' links. I am gratified to see a 'youngun' as well informed as he is! Please avoid 'MoveOn.Org' for information, this is a website funded by George Soros who like militant Islam wants to bring down this Country. The NY and La Times are about the same. The Alphabet networks have an agenda. Leave our Universities out of your search, that is the only place left in the World where Communism thrives. Well maybe in Venezuela's where left-wing President, Hugo Chavez, is trying to establish himself as the new 'Castro' in our hemisphere. There are plenty of bad guys around, the USA is not one of them. We are the 'Shining City on the Hill', 'Give us Your Tired, Your Poor, Your Hungry' .... We have nothing to apologize for and much to be proud of. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian President has openly called for Israel to be wiped off the face of the earth. He is one of the leaders of Militant Islam who is another nutcase that is waving around the threat of nuclear weapons and will have to be dealt with. Mahmoud has to realize that there is a stopping point, hopefully, his own people will take care of him. It is tough for them as individuals to face down the barrel of a gun of a despot. I would prefer for us to use the CIA or perhaps encourage commando units of Israeli secret police service, the Mossad, to take out Mahmoud. Now that's a politically incorrect smart weapon that is effective. ;D Fight the evil devils on their terms. ;D Also taking out the vicious Muslim Clerics who are leading and preaching militant Islam would go a long way toward defusing jihad theology. Oh and bin laden, he is about like the groundhog that eats my beans, one day he will stick his head up and Our boys ain't forgot him......... ;D

I was afraid that when they started these trials that we would be treated to seeing 'our own' Ramsey Clark for the next 20 years trying Saddam's cases. I guess that the rest of his cases will have to be tried in absentia! ;D I expect that this will sober up the remaining trials of his hinchmen. The court circus should be over. Thank GOD that Present Bush didn't allow the World Court or our court system to try him!

Heh, this is too good to stop Getting back to the original article by Reservest, Cuney Mayor Oscar Birdow, I guess that he is mayor of some small town in Fla, anyway, I salute his service along with all of our Servicemen and Servicewomen both active and retired. All of us can take the tiniest bit of information and weave it into a whole story about a person and the "story" that we develop shapes how we react or relate to them or what we say about them. We all do this unconciously, eg. 'kid with long hair goes in one file', 'we see two guys in a pickup with a rifle in the window, another box', and so on. It reminds me of the old game 'Rumor'. By the time the rumor went around the room it didn't resemble the original line in the least. I would put the story of 'James Bath' in that category. Political operatives start rumors all of the time and the first thing that you know the press gets it or starts it if it suits their agenda and then it becomes fact for a lot of people. President Ford was an All American Football Player but he stumbled on a step and the press portrayed him as a bumbling idiot. President Clinton had sex with several women, forced or otherwise, and that made him a womanizer... Oh, wait a minute, that one's true One thing that is fact about taking down Saddam. World History Was Changed. 1. The madman Saddam will not kill hundred's of thousands of more people. Saddam was developing long range missles and the bomb. He had to be taken out. Mistakes, yes we made mistakes. The first was trying to fight a politically correct war and the second was allowing the press in a war zone. The press has its own agenda. I don't know that we have learned that lesson.

A lot about fishing for trout is to realize that for the trout, it is mostly about conservation of energy, they generally are not patrolling around wasting energy in a stream looking for food, the food continually comes to them in the water column. Ever try to swim upstream in a river, it takes some effort just to stay in place. If it resembles something that they eat they will move a little and get it including their own if they are a hook jaw. My most success on trout is to drift the bait to where they are likely holding. Some of the best fish in streams with pressure are the pockets that other fishermen miss. Spaun is a different matter, most streams are closed where I fish during this period. An exception is the Great Smoky Mtns. National Park. I love catching trout on a fly that I have made, hope to do that one day on Bass, I've got a lot to learn but that's where its at for me. If I get to the point that I can slay them like some of these guys I might get bored, but there is no danger in my lifetime.

;D I work for the highway department and it makes you appreciate the science and what our guys have done over the past 100 years. I'm not taking any credit for it. I sow grass. The application of science in all fields has advanced our society. We have one farmer doing what it took 95 to do back in the 20ties. That lets the other 94 become proficient in something else, like bass fishing! ;D Ahhh... for the good old days of bad roads and poor drinking water!

Christmas is a wonderful time of the year! Stories like those in this post remind us that these these moments are precious and that we are celebrating the birth of the Christchild. I passed a funeral procession while I was on the way to pick up some food for our party and really felt sad for those people. Christians know that death is just the beginning for those who Believe in Jesus and this helps us through these times. My neighbor, Chip, just got back from hunting in Canada a few days ago and today he is in the hospital likely waiting on a bypass operation. He has a couple of young children and we need to pray for him and all of those like him and be thankful for the gift of Jesus. Precious Memories How They Linger...... Family memories become more precious every passing year. May GOD BLESS You All !!!!

[move]SANTA ROCKS !!!!!!!!!!!![/move] Well let's see: a Sea Eagle inflatable boat to get me to those hard to get to places. a couple or rods and reels appropriate line and tackle do dads, boxes to put them in... a Minni - Kota / battery that's about all.... My wife got: A pair of "little giant" knock off ladders from Walley World which she really wanted so that she would have something to do besides watch TV and eat bon bons while I'm gone fishing. ;D PS (she doesn't know about this site)

Your site has been a valued source of information for me. I really appreciate someone who is willing to share their knowledge and experience. May you and yours have a Wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year!

:)Nice rack on that 10 pointer! We have plentiful whitetail in Western North Carolina but our deer don't get very big. Too much hunting pressure for them to get over 6-8 points generally also. Merry Christmas to everyone!

There is another way if you ever buy another motor. Take a look at the 'beavertail' style of aircooled engine with prop that comes out of the water if the guard hits a log or something. There are several brands on the market, some better, bigger, and more expensive than others. These things were designed for duck hunters to plow their way across mud flats and they will go practically in no water. I've got one and it is more noisy than the regular motor but it will get you through rough places. I wish that I had a bigger one. Louisianna is where these things shine. ;D They will run a river.

Players like him is why I don't watch any professional sport very much any more. They burned me out. Gives me more time to do something else. Life is short, why waste it watching a bunch of idiots. I used to know all the stats on football and baseball, all the personal stuff. They're a bunch of millionaire thug bums, who cares what they do. Some of the ones that I did like are on ESPN now and they are plastic people. I can't stand to listen to their hype. That is awfully harsh at Christmas isn't it. ;D Gentlemen they are not worthy of our time. Let's go fishing!

Ike is a bonified character to say the least. I read his book and I think that one of his points is that you have to be really driven to be a PRO. I wonder if in the end he will believe that it is worth it. Maybe for him, not for me. As thorough as he is, I'll bet that his new DVD is good. He doesn't put any of that crappy music in it does he? ;D

Gosh, I'm sorry to hear that! There are some vicious no good bums out there. I heard that they came out with a new credit card that simply had a chip in it to speed up transactions, you don't have to swipe or input data. The only problem is that someone can stand next to you with a card reader and read it right in your wallet. Then they have all of your information. Date of birth, social, everything. I'm sorry that they have hurt you financially and messed up your Christmas. Put me on a jury and they will get the max! > I hope things work out for you.

I have to make a comment on this post since this is something that I am good at. You stirred everyone up with your casual approach to such a serious subject. Even having grown up around guns you should consider yourself a novice especially when it comes to sidearms. There are so many safety considerations besides your own safety in handling the firearm versus a rifle or shotgun. For example, is there any remote possibility that a child (who hasn't been raised to respect firearms) will be anywhere near your gun? Going to a range and being under a range officer's control would be a good experience for you. Everyone has a handgun for sale at the range, I would advise you to take your time. Your shotgun should be your 'go to' weapon, I'm thinking, at this point. I guess what threw most of us was mentioning a handgun for recreation and self defense in the same sentence. That covers a lot of ground. You need to shoot a lot to be proficient with a handgun and any caliber above a .22 costs money. For me that means I need a .22 or two or three to shoot at tin cans, what a lot of fun. Now for self defense, .40 cal is the flavor of the day but my .45 ACP, .45 long colt, 357 mag., 44 mag. are all better. Todays shooters call the 9mm a 'mouse gun' but Governments have killed millions of people in the last century with them. A 9mm hollow point will do a lot of damage and you can save that magazine for the bad guy. I have some Isralli Diamond Cut rounds that are really nasty. You can buy 9mm surplus FMJ ammo for around $105/thousand and you can afford to practice some at that price. You can find revolvers chambered for 9mm on <gunbroker.com> occasionally if you want to be considerably safer and more reliable than the semi-autos. Glocks are great but the extra mags that you need are expensive. Browning 9mm's or Fabrique-Nat.'s (same factory) version is also good, extra 17 round South African mags are $30 and they are good. That's $400 a gun versus around $650 for your Springfield 40 cal. I would go with the Springfield 1911 .45 ACP copy, myself if I had to have a Springfield. If you really like shooting you can invest about $1000 in a good progressive reloader and shell costs will eventually go down and the caliber choice is no longer important as far as costs to shoot. That is kind of liking making your own bait. You have to need a lot to make it pay. You can find excellent .38 special S&W revolvers for $300 and loaded with hollow points are accurate, safe, and man stoppers at close range. Buy the .357 mag revolver for a little more and stop the bad guy and his buddy through the wall out in the hall. Buy a stainless and you can carry it on the boat (where it and you are legal). You can get protection on a budget if you do your homework. There is a lot of homework to do. This is homework that you will enjoy!

I thought the same thing at first but then decided to go with the card. You get points for anything that you buy using the card but a lot more points for items that you buy from Cabela's. Points do add up by utilizing the card for other purchases. The trick is to pay off the card every month to avoid the interest. That takes a little discipline. : So far so Good ;D Cabela's of course has a lot of stuff that we all need and they are good to deal with. They sent me a rod with a nick in it and when I called they sent me a new one and let me keep the old one, no questions asked. That's good business when you are dealing with someone raised the way I was. I'll go back to a company like that, other things being near equal. You do get emails from them with advance sales which has also been helpful. The last thing that I want to do is pay interest on a credit card so we'll see how it goes.

Merry Christmas to all of our fighting men and women especially those overseas who won't be with their families!!!!! We are looking forward to you completing your mission and coming home. We appreciate all that you do to keep the enemy over there instead of over here. The American people love their military men and women and their families. Hoo-Ah !!! was a term the Marines claimed when I was in but I like the sentiment and since everyone is using it now. HOO - AAAAAAhhhhhhhhhhhh !!!!!!

Way to go Gentlemen! We have many things to be thankful for, Merry Christmas to all and May GOD Continue to Bless The USA.

A little more information, they are made by Pro-Troll and Cabela's was running an email special on these. The regular price is $4.95 for a size 2 minnow. I can't find the minnow style on their website but they do have a Pro-Troll, 'Rat-Zap' with e-chip technology. This is the 'pitch' for the product: "The RatZap crankbait is rapidly proving itself as a superior fish catching device. As the lure shakes and rattles, the EChip emits continuous nerve pulses. This lipless style crankbait works great for a variety of gamefish including bass, stripers, walleye, trout and many more. The results are astounding." I found the minnow that I bought along with the rest of the family of Pro-Troll e-lures at <http://www.fish307.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=83> They may be too new for folks to have tried them. There seems to be something new everyday to try but that is a big part of the fun of fishing. They looked good enough to catch me this time around and I will give you feed back in a few months, or not. ;D

Anyone try these minnow type lures? They are supposed to emit an electric signal that duplicates a wounded minnow. I'm curious as to whether they are something worth a try or a gimmik to catch the fisherman.

In addition to the other comments don't forget to disconnect your brake/tail lights before you back into the water. No need to short out the system. :-/

Here is a good article on the subject. http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/float_tube.html also you can do a search on "belly boats" and find all sorts of information about selection, styles, etc. there are clubs for belly boaters who have refined this style of fishing to an art. This is another good article: http://www.gofishohio.com/articles/licht/eee_bellyboat.php The selection of methods to put you on fish is about as wide as the lures available and all are good. Search 'pontoons' on this site if you want to make the gators and snakes work to get at you.

I'm also looking for a sonar and based on the conservation down the page, I am about to buy the Fishin Buddy 4200. The Fishin Buddy 4200 is portable which fits my needs for various craft that I plan to use at one time or another. I was thinking of spending about $200. I won't be fishing over 100', mostly 20' or less. This is a first time buy for me also. for the post and all of your comments.

Now those are some nice shots there Unabasser! ;D I'm sure that those shots will be real helpful for those of us who are trying to make a decision. If it was just me that is what I would go with. After the Rockville MD angler's post I decided to go with the the 'big float', the 9' Sea Eagle, I need to get those grandchildren started fishing like my family got me started fishing and hunting at an early age. I can remember sitting on the river bank way back when with my grandmother with her straw hat and long cane fishing pole and helping her take fish off the hook. My people were hard working and self sufficient. I want to give those boys a memory like that. May GOD Bless those who have gone on, they were a Blessing to me. Not many kids get to grow up like that, times are different. Thanks for the input everyone!

Thank you Rockville MD Angler! The Back Packer Pontoon looks like a smaller version of the Fold Cat on the Sea Eagle site and you set there basically in your lawn chair sipping a cool drink while you catch more than willing fish. An idealic setting, blue skies and all. Now the BP is a one man thing, but you can carry it and it is cheap enough. Your feet are up out of the water. This thing is about like one of those scooters I see folks riding around Wal-Mart except it's on the water. Then I look up the Sea Eagle 9, It's a little more expensive but it folds up to 24"x23"x10", weighs 38#, a little more with the floor boards 36#, will take a 4HP motor (another trip to the car) and will carry 5 adults or 1200#'s. 1200#'S. THAT'S WAY MORE THAN MY JON BOAT! They are running a special including an electric motor for $648. The thing will haul my grandchildren or a moose, how can I pass that up. I use the Jon in the snaggy river and the Sea Eagle 9 in the lakes, big or small. Granted the Sit on Top Kayaks look good too on my rocky streams. There is a real good link in the kayak discussions going now with model comparisons by price, etc. all that you need to know. My problem is that I can't carry a Yak on the main vehicle that I will be using and need the convenience of being able to throw my ride in the trunk. So there you go....