Boomstick

Has anyone had any luck with a decent fishing scale that is fairly reliable? I bought a new Berkley scale to keep in my kayak and caught a decent fish last week. When I went to weigh it, it wouldn't turn on. Sadly it seemed fairly accurate when I tested it out when I first got it. I have another Rapala and it generally works too, but the heat has warped it a little bit although that lasted a few years and many fish at least. I'm wondering what I should replace it with.

I used to drink rum and coke a lot before you could get decent beers at bars. The only cocktail I really drink these days is mojitos, but that's been a while. I think this Friday, I may go make a pitcher and sit outside.

I wouldn't say I ever really wrote a bait off because I'm far from a pro, but if I can think of any it might be jerkbaits. I bought a few when I started bass fishing but never had any luck on them and didn't even throw them for years.

Nice catch. I can't really guess the weight because it could be all camera trickery though, especially in this photo.

A MH should be fine unless it runs on the lighter side. I had a similar issue pitching into laydowns this past week. I may missed easily over a dozen fish, a couple actually bit as I was reeling in and about to lift my rod and the jig out of the water, real odd time and place but others hit it on the fall or after I hit it off a log and were catchable fish.

I felt this way about a week ago. At that time, I was only able to make it out this year due to prior commitments and weather only twice but I was feeling little motivation to go fishing or do much of anything, maybe a little depressed even. Come Sunday, I had booked a Sun - Sat trip at Fish Creek Pond. We tried to get up at 5am on Monday to morning fish but we were hit with heavy rain shortly after. The rain would die out for a while, but the winds were too strong to paddle against. Tuesday was really cold, so we went hiking to make the best of it and then made an early fire. On Wednesday I had to go out to buy more food and ice, so I did that and got some subs to take on the kayaks and came back and went out door the day and that all changed! We made it out Thursday and Friday, didn't get a lot of fish but had a lot of fun. And I'm a whole lot happier now than I've been all year. I'm not gonna say forcing it like I did will work for you, but I can't wait for the next time I get out (I took Monday off as well since it's my youngest son's birthday and we're going to go fishing for his bday)

I just got back from a Sunday to Saturday camping trip and I caught two fish, my oldest son caught one and my youngest son didn't get any, so I'm feeling you right now. What's even worse is we were getting bites pitching and flipping brush piles and laydowns, and lots of them. And in deeper areas, we found the fish, suspended down about 15 feet but we weren't able to put a bait in front of them for very long due to lack of ability to anchor in deep water plus some pretty heavy winds. For reference last year I recall catching five fish in a day and missing two and that's all the fish I missed that entire week and we made it out everyday, this trip we only made it out three days because of the weather and I missed more fish than I missed probably the entire past two years. It's rather frustrating, I don't think I'm doing anything all that wrong. All around it was a really fun trip nonetheless, but my confidence is shot.

Well if you have the right location, it's the matter of finding out what they bite, so I'm going with location. I still haven't caught a bass in a lake that does not have bass in it, but man I would be a legend if I could make that happen!

Either tight, or mostly tight. Sometimes a little slack can be beneficial, but if you can learn to do it with tight line then that's going to be better every time.

I have not used them but I would be intrigued to because they made the first arky head jig, which is something that works universally and they were the first.

If you are targeting catfish chances are you are using some sort of a bottom contact rig. So I would either use mono or braid to mono or fluoro leader for that. The problem with straight fluoro is when you let that bottom contact sit out there for a while, the line will go flat against the bottom pretty much, which often leads to the line going between two rocks and you lose your bait.

Software engineer, full stack web development.

A butter cat is actually a term for some species of catfish that exist in Africa and Asia, but many people refer to bullheads as butter cats as well.

Yup. I was actually allergic to shellfish when I was younger, but not to the point I couldn't breathe or swallow, it would just come back up. That went away when I got to around 30 or so, but others remain. For example if I drink milk, I will feel sick.

Sometimes, but often there is a small amount of real crab in it, and it's enough to give him a sore throat.

Man, that looks good! I wish my oldest wasn't allergic to shellfish right now

I would be interested in how you make your own. Fire roasted? I would actually be interested to make my own habanero poppers - huge chilihead here

For a few weeks a year, this is true!

What's your favorite campfire beer?

One thing that I will note is that when you see a spool holds 110 yards of 14 lb line, it is likely using the diameter of fluorocarbon. For example, my Steez SV uses .310mm as 14lb and .330 as 16lb. So if you are using monofilament, that 110 yards of 14lb fluorocarbon translates to 85 yards of 14lb mono and that's using Trilene XL, Sufix Siege or Big game would be around 78. If I know the reel that I am spooling holds 110 yards of the line I am adding, I would put enough backing line to solidly cover the spool before tying on the mainline. I haven't got a line counter yet, but in this case I will argue you don't need it since you can make do with anywhere from 10 to 30 yards of backing line.

He put up a good fight! Grats to Hank Cherry. Just like last year, he came back with a late showing to pull it off. Honestly, I doubt he would have his back to back wins if he got that fish. Back in 2013 was like a slap in the face saying hey you're almost there and helped turn him into the angler he is today.

For similar reasons, I'm scared to help people who breakdown on the side of the road these days. A lot of times they fake it just to mug you.

Typical taco sauces or southwest ranch usually work (I generally despite Ranch, but I do find some Southwest Ranch acceptable) but personally I go with Hot Sauce. I think my favorites would be between 1542 or 1498 or Cauterizer from Heartbreaking Dawns if anybody is brave enough Or if you're really brave, try the even hotter Trinidad Scorpion from Cajohns which is also exceptional.

Ever try sausages? I avoid them now due to getting gout, but used to really love the spicy ones.