NYWayfarer

The Bass are on beds right now. At least the pond Bass. I caught one while panfishing.

My Dad has had Tinnitus for a long time. Working a printing press for years with no ear protection contributed for sure. At 84 he can barely hear anything over the constant hissing in his ears. Scares me to death. I wear ear protection for all loud activities. Mine is barely noticeable but it is there in quiet times. Probably from the screeching NYC subway trains I road from my 20’s to near 40 years old before I got out of dodge.

I work a hybrid schedule. 3 days in office, 2 at home, 2 days off. On my work from home days my Dog gets a morning walk before I log on for work. She naps until noon. At Noon we take a 45 minute walk during my lunch hour. When we get back she naps again until it’s time for me to sign off. We have a great routine.

I am so sorry for your loss.

Lew’s Lazer HS rods from Walmart are surprisingly good for the price.

I have seen many combos on the racks at Dicks and Walmart with missing tension knobs. Consumers should examine any store bought rods and reels not in clamshell packs for damage and missing parts. in this case you say it was a gift. Hopefully it came with a gift receipt. If it didn’t you can hope the store will do an even exchange without a receipt. The unethical thing some folks would do is go to the store and take a cap from a combo off the shelf. That leaves the next person with the problem you’re experiencing…

Not a big fan of the bourbon taste. When I want some it’s usually Jim Beam or Evan Williams. I prefer blended whisky’s like Crown Royal and Black Velvet

I get mine at Walmart. Guess I am penny wise and dollar foolish.

Go with the Vanford. I have the 1000 size and my only complaint is the uncomfortable reel stem. I had to adjust how I grip my rod to make fishing it comfortable. Before 1 finger in front of the stem. With the Vanford 2 fingers in front of the stem. Larger Shimano spinning reels I do not have this issue. The reel is crazy light and smooth.

I have the SLX DC and the gen 1 Mach Crush. No contest the SLX DC is the better reel. Besides the DC braking system it has an aluminum frame. The Mach Crush has a graphite frame with Winn Grip knobs and dual brakes. I feel the Mach series is overpriced for what you get. If you go Lew’s stick with the LFS or the Tournament MP. Both are superior to the Crush and cheaper.

A true Northern giant right there! Grats!

First Bass of 2013 for me. A real record breaker! I saw this dink cruising the bank while Trout fishing. Picked up my panfish setup and caught him. Got that monkey of my back. Caught and released 6 Brook Trout today. Had a visit from a conservation officer asking for my license. I have it on my phone. Only the 4th time in my life I have been asked to see my fishing license.

IMO yes it is worth $80 more.

I tried them when I couldn’t find baby rage craws in the color I wanted. They performed pretty much the same but I give the edge to the Rage Craw. Might have something to do with the scent. The Rage Craw has the coffee scent while the Googan smell reminds me of anise.

I use my Shimano Convergence travel rod in my regular rotation of rods. I like it that much.