Johnbt

"Also, the red/green don't have to be on the side of the boat. On the bow and visible at 180 degree angle is all you need for the average boat. " Looking at that 180 requirement, I think a lot of folks need a taller bow light. I can't count the number of boats I've seen with the red/green bow light blocked on one side by the trolling motor.

Catching a big bass from a spot they just left is the best revenge.

I crimp single or double barrel sleeves for black wire, but that's for saltwater when there are bluefish around. These are the sleeves linked to the 49 strand wire. I crimp single barrels with a pair of pliers - squeeze half the barrel flat, turn it 90 degrees and crimp the other half. If it'll hold a 17# bluefish in the surf using 15# or 20# or 45# black coated Berkley Steelon wire leader on 17# mono it should hold a largemouth. www.tackledirect.com/american-fishing-wire-double-barrel-sleeves.html

I'd use something with a rattle in muddy water.

Mine gets dirty in a hurry too. I tell myself that if they sold that line in a camo color they'd charge extra for it. A lot extra. I like camo line. I still use some Triple Fish brand mono that's camo. Then there's the distantly related TrikFish camo. "TrikFish is a provider of high quality lines and leaders. Our current products include European crafted lines, camouflage lines and world leading wrist spools (which are so popular among saltwater guides and anglers). "

They have been for years, since the two companies signed an agreement in '87 iirc. In Japan too. Tohatsu built its first 4-stroke in the very late '90s.

Used jon boats used to be fairly inexpensive because the new ones cost a whole lot less. Deals are still out there once in a while from I see. Some for $2k to $3k or so and have only been used a few times. I don't know if I'd ever sell mine for half of what I paid, but it wouldn't be too much of a beating for all the fun I've had with it. In 2014 I went to Bass Pro and bought a plain old bare hull Grizzly 1648, a Merc 9.9 4-stroke long shaft, and a very nice heavy trailer with 5.30-12 tires. The axle even has brake flanges. Appears to be from Tie Down Engineering (sold to Dexter in 2017 iirc.) The hubs are too. I paid list for the hull = $2699 I paid list for the trailer = $1250 The Merc was on sale for $500 off = $1649 Call it $5600. ________ Funny shopping episode: The guy who taught me to catch big largemouth guided me through the shopping. He was strongly pushing Yamaha or maybe Honda for the 9.9. The Mercs were a lot less even paying full list. I showed up at our decades-long Friday group lunch with the Bass Pro spring sale flyer. I walked in and said, "The Merc 9.9 is on sale at BP" He said, "How much off?" I said, "$500" He said, "Mercury makes a fine motor." And it has been.

I just checked the Richmond/Ashland VA BassPro inventory a minute ago and there is nothing. They list some package deals available in WV, PA, MD, etc. The best deal appears to be, for only $14,915 with a Merc 20 (20ELPT 4S W/PROP,3G) 2022 Tracker Grizzly 1648 SC Harrisburg PA

"I have five 7’ MHF rods " You need a couple HF rods. But I fish a lot of dark water wood, pads and thick stuff.

Sorry to hear the terrible news. I learned the tight belt lesson in the '80s when I stepped in a hole - luckily in fairly shallow water - at Cape Hatteras while surf fishing one December evening. Second lesson I learned, shuffle feet, move and place front foot before shifting weight, just like fishing a fast rocky river.

I like the Rod Glove sleeves, but I have more of the Rod Warrior 2mm neoprene sleeves. I have all black, but they have color choices and length options. They can put your name on them too. https://rodwarriorusa.com They don't make reel covers, but they do make Power-Pole covers.

That's a big bass anywhere.

"Model 9510" - Me too. Very happy with it.

fwiw - "Mercury outboards 30 hp and below are manufactured by Tohatsu in Japan."

"what are all these forks and spoons for?" Start on the outside and work your way in. They bring the first course, use the outside fork or spoon as appropriate. They'll take it away with the dirty dish. Same for the next course. When in doubt which side to use for any given course, take a sip of water and look around the table. It's not difficult. I learned most of it and I grew up in a rowhouse in downtown Baltimore back before it got quite so murderous. Fwiw, Einstein used to read Emily Post's big etiquette book because he found it amusing.

"There's high level pros fishing their sponsors' $100 rods and winning the biggest tournaments so you could say those rods and reels are "good enough" them even if they are getting paid to use the stuff." I wonder. How many more big tournaments would they win if they had better equipment? I also wonder. Why don't they use cheap boats. And an old flasher. More seriously, I'd be more likely to use free or lower-cost rods too if I'd designed them to my liking.

Urban Dictionary definition Part 2 on the same page. Or maybe Part 1A... Boo = bull if you say it fast enough I had to look it up, too. ______________ I have a 6' SC Premier MHF that's still great for up close fishing in the trees with anything from spinnerbaits to shiners. I have 4 Conquests that fish like a dream. I even used the 844 one day to throw a DT-10 in 9 feet of water and caught 3 bass on 4 casts before the school of two- to four-pounders moved off. And that was with a Metanium MGL XG - the 8.5 ratio had that lure and the rod vibrating hard at full speed. My two favorite cranking rods are a GLoomis IMX Pro and Dobyns. Everybody has their favorites. I started off with one casting rod and reel in the '50s and used it on through the '60s. I had a used tackle box, too.

I carry inch and metric socket sets, small sets, on my 1648. And adjustable wrenches. They mostly get used on the trailer, but you never know.

"If I opened up my tool box for a job which required a set of sockets, and I had two sockets at the ready. I might be able to do the job perfectly. However if I opened up that same tools box and I"... ...only had one adjustable Crescent wrench you'd be there all day.

"superfluous" That's a lot of letters for a minimalist.

The places we fish are stained and sometimes muddy. Last Friday the water was so clear in the lake near my buddy's house that we could see a chartreuse spinnerbait stuck on a log one foot down. Never seen it that clear. Clear water makes it a lot easier to fish the numerous laydowns.

I've had too many fish bite right at the boat either on the surface or straight down underneath. I don't care where a cast goes, as long as it ends up in the water I'm fishing it all the way back to the boat.

"I see spinnerbait mentioned as power.....what if I'm using micro spinnerbait? " My idea of finesse fishing is not using a 3-, 4-, 5- or 6-inch trailer on my 3/8 oz spinnerbait.

I love posting and seeing pics of big bass, but it's raining today so I didn't go out. I did see this post though. The day before yesterday, caught in the surf just south of Cape Hatteras North Carolina in the village of Frisco... 11 feet long. A grown one can go 20. They very rarely bite people if left alone.

Two of the three I caught Wednesday mid-morning. The 3rd one was maybe 14" or so. 6.24# and 21.25" Caught on a double willow chartreuse spinnerbait with a 4" chartreuse grub. 5.27 and 21" Caught on a DT-6 Demon in 8 feet or so of water.