The Bassman

Beg to differ. Women have always put a curse on me.

Let's not forget. Ralphie struck a kid with yellow eyes. Must make a difference.

And a break from summer sun. Ponds around here are mostly out in the open. I have real issues being in the sun too long since I flirted with heat exhaustion last summer. ( I was fishing, not painting). Just do interior now. Don't know how I ever handled being on the sunny side of a house when I was young.

Buying fever subsides a bit this time of year. Funny, the rods and reels that I think can be improved on during the winter become everyday hard working tools. I grab what I need for the technique of the day and get to work with no issues with them. Go figure.

I have a JDM Zodias 2 piece with spigot ferrule that feels like a one piece to me. I keep it together all the time so I don't have to line up the guides. A lot of JDM stuff is two piece.

Reread this thread after seeing your new one. I've got an different take on this thought. In late summer/fall I've found a lot of activity "offshore" using moving baits like lipless and small blades in mid water column. Wind seems to be a key component. Doesn't seem to work on calm days.

f288261e-fa60-442a-b3fc-c5d13ac6219e.mp4

Same here. It's a holiday for her. Between 50-55 hrs. a week at a car rental agency and looking after her dad she enjoys any what she calls "me time" she can get.

Dynamite for low water creek smallmouth. I've switched to tiny paddletail trailers like Z-Man Slim Swimz. Helps the bait run straight. Caught several up to 16" Fri. on my first real wade of the summer.

I'll give that a shot in one particular pond that gives up cats for me pretty regular. Caught lots of bass today with one nearly 4 lb. but just one cat on a Fat Ika and he was a bullhead. They hit plastics occasionally for me.

And since then I've been unhappily painting away. Not sure if I've impressed anyone. LOL

I've caught several channels while casting and there's no mistaking them. Fast strike, frequently a quick detached sensation as they move toward you, then all heck breaks loose even on small ones. Great sport fish.

I have a Fuego 2500 and 3000LT. Actually prefer the 3000 with the slower ratio. The reel feels a bit freer. IPT is still over 30" because of the larger spool.

It's also stronger at the same stated strength. 6 lb. 832 is the same breaking strength as 10 lb. PP. Should be standards in the industry but there's not.

I've done well with Fins Windtamer 4 and 6 in pink. Supposed to be low vis underwater but the fish haven't told me one way or the other.

Always finished with "So long, and good luck with your fishing."

Dig those Costas.

Found this one on e-bay last year for around 150.00.

JDM Shimano Zodias 64ml2. Absolute joy to use.

Too bad to see other guys noticing the same things I have. Our one store in Greenfield is always deserted and the Castleton store closed last year supposedly because of a zoning issue. Camping World wanted to display RV's. Would agree with @slonezpas to their future.

My daily chorus: "There I got bit!......aannd now he bit me. About that time the ducks close by are quacking and it sounds like they're laughing at me.

In my experience wind knots happen when I force my casts. I bank fish and frequently push for distance. Others have mentioned that the distance lost by not forcing (snap casting) is really minimal. The OCD in me tends to forget this.

Probably close to five. By your dog's expression it might look like a big pork chop.

Depending on how you define a creek anything over 6'6" might be a bit cumbersome. Also, I stick with my modest priced stuff because creek fishing (as you stated) can be rough on gear. I've got some discontinued Cabela's Pro Guides that are light and serve well. There's lots of good stuff in the 50-100.00 range. I find that name brands tend to not have many shorter choices.

It was a May 19 thread "Summer Gloves". Don't know how to link it. I used the search box.