TOXIC

If you really want to get to know someone, put them on the back of your boat for a day. As a guide I had to work when I had someone else on my boat. While that has its advantages, there was a lot of pressure. My regular fishing partner and I have a fishing relationship that has been forged out of many years fishing together. It’s hard to explain but we just click when we are on the water. It is both fun and enjoyable when we fish together. We have had some very memorable days. When I take someone new it totally depends on the person. Kids are different than adults and experience levels of adults make a difference. I love my time alone on the water but I also enjoy taking others out. I just adjust my expectations based on who is in my boat.

Just be aware, any vinegar solution is acidic and will remove the wax from whatever you use it on. Following up with a spray detailer is a good idea. Personally, I know the owners of bass boat saver and it is a great product. It has more cleaning ability than the other spray on detainers and I use it often. I also make sure my motor and boat have a good coating of sealer/wax about every 3 months. I want a good base coat to work from. I also use a lot of 303 on my seats and anything other than the gel. It can be used on gel as well but I prefer the wax products. I also use the 303 on my trailer and tires.

Thanks again for all of the well wishes. So far I just feel like I’m on vacation. I do have to get over the mental gymnastics from not having to work. It’s harder than I thought it would be but then again, I have been working since I was 13 and this is foreign territory for me. I did go out and buy 3 new trolling batteries for the boat and install them. Group 31 wet cells are heavy by the way! I cleaned and waxed the boat, stripped some rust on the trailer and recoated with bed liner to try and match the Ranger road armor coating. The weather has not cooperated at all with over 100 degree heat indexes and pretty much rainy every day. I don’t need to torture myself just to get out and fish especially with the holiday weekend. I had my financial planner fly in for 3 days and we went over my finances one last time. I am going out with a friend on the rappahanock tomorrow. There was an 11 lb hog caught out of lake Anna, my old stomping grounds, so I might head down there next week. Hopefully the weather will start to cooperate and I can get out a little more. My honey-do list is very long as well. I’ve got some long pulls set up for this summer and I am looking forward to fishing some new water. I’ll be sure to keep checking in and put up some reports.

Thanks!! Yep, Birthday yesterday retire today....coincidence......I think not.

One of the nicest things about my agency is we get to take all of our coverages into retirement. Medical, Dental, Health and Vision. That's a weight off my shoulders!!

As I sit in my office patiently waiting for the celebration to begin, I am thinking back over my 34 year Federal Career and looking forward to what is on the horizon. I'm getting out of Federal Service with a good pension, relatively young, fat 401k and a nice chunk of change in the Thrift Savings Plan. I am blessed to be able to retire out of the SES Service and should be financially comfortable for the remainder of my life. Now it's time to get deeper into writing for Yamamoto and maybe do some special pieces that I have been planning. I will have a lot more time to travel for the Rep Group I work for (hunting and fishing) and take my show on the road more often. Most of all, I am looking forward to the days I can spend on the water. Starting with our annual trip to Wisconsin. Instead of spending just 1 week, I am going to spend 2 weeks (my brother and sister in law go up for 3 weeks to get out of the Florida heat) and since my wife is planning to go back to Kansas City for her class reunion and will fly in and out of Wisconsin, I will be pulling the boat solo, so I plan to fish my way back and hit some new water since it is a 2 day pull both ways. I'll also begin the search for our retirement home, somewhere on a lake where winter will never find me again (coming from a Nebraska native son). I am of the generation where my major life's goal has been to get to the point. I made it.

I'm sure he has been waiting patiently!!

Lots of good replies and all are right. Yes, the "Magic" of a Senko is in the fall but if there's no room for it to fall, like in heavy cover, the shimmy doesn't matter. I was a purist and refused to weight a Senko until I moved down to Florida where the current and cover can be extreme. I still use as light of weight as possible, but I will use a Bullet screw in weight in the nose. It helps on the Potomac slide through the weeds and will counteract the tide swings as well. I will say if you are going to weight a Senko style bait, it would be the 1 time where I would go with the cheapest knock off there is out there.

Congrats!!

And in the end, all we have is our honor and reputation. His is gone.

Seems I never have a problem with smaller bass eating my "Big Bass" baits.

Just read an update where Derek had a stroke before his surgery. Still in ICU. Prayers to both of them.

Big difference between "Boat Shoes" and "Sneakers" although they can be interchangeable, I prefer my boat shoes to be designed for boating. Many good brands. Soft Science, Shimano, etc. Right now I am wearing the Shimano Evair. I have worn Keen sandals and even Crocs. My main concern is grip and a sole that is made out of non-marking material. Sneakers for me are not good boat shoes, too confining and cram my feet.

That's the great thing about dropshotting, everyone has their own style and rigging. As for me, I don't do anything the same way as you do. First, I use a palomar knot. When tying, if you go in to the hook eye from the front of the hook (the hook side not the shank side) it will naturally hold your hook up straight. If it doesn't you can put the tag end back through the eye like you did. I don't fish nose hooked baits on a dropshot. All of my baits are on a #1 Gamakatsu EWG. Finally, I don't like tungsten for a dropshot. It gives too much feedback if you are dragging or drift fishing and the smaller profile for my preferred weight (1/4 oz) hangs up much more. But hey, that's the great thing about fishing, there's lots of styles and they all work.

Usually my first "combat" fishing trip in the spring is to Lake St Clair for a solid week of sun up to sun down fishing. We try to get out here locally for at least a couple of weeks of long day fishing. Get's all of the fishing muscles (legs, arms and back) into condition for a week straight on what can be some pretty challenging water especially if there is wind involved. There's a big difference between a relaxing day on the water and fishing for a week straight. The only time we sit is to move spots, there's no Bill Dance fishing on our boats.

Timing is perfect. Bass are on the beds and it's a free for all!!

I rig all of my spinning reels to cast with my left and reel with my right hand. I just never felt the cast - change hands - and reel process was right. The only thing that will bother me is after a long day on the water, at the beginning of the season my left arm will get a little fatigued until I get into fishing shape. Since I am fishing a weightless Senko in a lot of presentations, I always have pressure on my left arm holding the rod suspended. I don't finesse fish with a baitcaster although I'm sure it can be done.

Honest question, under good conditions on big water, what is the range you can fish given the time constraints of a tournament? Do you physically have to be back at the launch at a specific time? Or since you picture document your fish can you still be on the water when the TX ends?

Looks like a pretty good deal. Whats the big motor?

In my experience, it's better to avoid bad habits upfront rather than to correct them later. You used to be able to go to an Orvis store for lessons. It's not as simple as it seems and some instruction would do you well. Also avoid the package deals for flyrods at the big box stores. Flyfishing is expensive. Very expensive. Start small with panfish to hone your casting skills. It's much harder to properly cast the bigger flies and poppers used for bass.

Look at the standard features of both. Traditionally the NITRO will have smaller engine, TM size and other options as their package deal along with a lot of other "add-ons" that are standard on the Ranger.

I really am not being a fan boy but there never has and never will be a NITRO that compares with a Ranger in Build Quality. I'm not putting a NITRO down as I had one for my guide boat for many years. I do have to question your 20k difference though. I have yet to see that much difference in price between comparably equipped boats. If I were you, I would upgrade to a lightly used, newer Ranger if you are trying to save $$.

Any watercraft with a propulsion device in VA is required to be titled and registered and that includes a trolling motor. On the example above I can't see him getting too shallow with that motor on the back, doesn't look like it adjusts up in any way and I thought that was one of the advantages of a yak?

For it not being a "fishing" trip, you sure are planning a lot of fishing stuff. Don't overthink it. With kids those ages, if it were me, I would just go out and buy a few of the cheap Zebco push button combos for the kids that are new to fishing. A bunch of bobbers, pinch weights and bait hooks and then get some nightcrawlers when you get up there. If you want to do something more extensive with your kids who are a bit more accomplished then that's fine but the bulk of the kids will be 10 times more excited just catching gills or whatever will bite. Your kids can bass fish around them. Sounds like you are not taking a boat? I wouldn't even attempt that many kids on a boat anyway (and I have guided a LOT of families).

Also keep in mind that the big box stores are really aimed at the "casual" fisherman/women/kids and not those that are more "accomplished" and know what they want. If you look at the demographics of the individual stores you would see that they make the bulk of their sales to the casual or novice fisherman. No one can argue that they have been very successful at what they do. If they don't make $$ on the more experienced fishermen then they are not going to stock the product that caters to them. They are not dumb and I would wager they are making a pretty good profit with the way their stores are set up. I had a friend who owned a tackle store close to a Bass Pro location and he loved it. He carried everything that BPS didn't and had baits specifically proven on the local waters.