Crow Horse

Out of an abundance of caution, I plan to retie using the FG knot prior to every trip. The Shin's knot is easy to tie in the event that I need to retie while on the water. For me, the Daiichi tool is a godsend and makes the FG knot easy for me. I'll try to learn tying it without the aid of the tool but I'm not sure that my arthritic fingers are up to the task. Won't know till I try and I have plenty of time to practice. If I don't succeed, I can always have the tool stuffed in my PFD.

I've been practicing the FG knot with the aid of the Diaichi Knot Assist 2.0 tool and can do it fairly quickly with surprisingly good results. I plan to use the FG knot to start out on the water and in the event that I need to retie I'll want to use an easier knot. I've tried several different knots and they seem quite strong but I'm concerned with how long they'll last going through the guides before being compromised. Typically I'll spend 7-8 hours on the water non stop casting so I'm guessing that connection will weaken at some point. I might be overthinking this but this is how I roll. I suppose my question is, what braid to FC knot is the most durable?

Thanks!

In my searching, many of the recommended colors are out of stock in many places. Do they eventually return to stock or are they limited run colors? Anyone care to share sources for the Oneten? I've found some stateside and several in Japan and one in Singapore. Not easy to find some popular colors.

Exactly! I've learned that the bass don't read the same books, webpages, and threads that I do. Countless times when I thought the conditions were going to result in a slammin' day only proved to a day of a thousand casts and very few fish. I no longer give any weight to my former bass metric. I recognize that it's there and I'm hopeful but that's as far as it goes. I'll fish when I can and relish the experience.

I'm prepping for next season and wanted to become proficient in tying a strong braid to leader knot. I'm embarrassed to admit that even the SC knot defeated me. My hands, damaged from years of manual labor weren't up to the task. I spent several hours but wasn't successful. I then dug out my Daiichi Knot Assist 2.0 which I never used and tried the FG knot. Success!!! I tried it again just by memory and success again. I've had the Knot Assist for several years and don't remember what I paid for it but whatever it was, it was worth it. Not to get ahead of myself with my first time success. I'm going to keep practicing. I really hate when I can't do something or have a lot of trouble doing a task.

It happened to a former co-worker. He apparently had a cardiac event in his canoe. Apparently not wearing his PFD because it took 5 hours for divers to recover his body. The PFD might not have saved his life but it probably would have saved the recovery divers a lot of time and reduced their risk.

This cannot be overstated. Just having one onboard (for boats) in my opinion is worthless. Things can go sideways really quickly and there's no guarantee that you'll either be able to get to it and put it on or that you'll have enough time to dig it out. WEAR IT, not stow it!!!!! This can happen faster than thought. Towing my buddy back to the launch site wasn't any fun.

Lost or disoriented is never a good feeling but I'd be more concerned of a possible collision with a boat. Boats v. kayaks, kayaks always lose.

Wow!!! Followed by uncontrolled drooling.....

Thanks Tom and Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Next season I'll be starting my education with Onetens and wanted to know if tying direct or a fluoro leader should be used? I'll be using 10# braid (832). Thanks..

No worries. I ordered the green Owner which states it's good for #4-#8. If I need to get a different size, it's not a big deal. They're cheap enough.

Thanks! I just ordered a large bag of them.

Yes, I'm aware of the impacts replacing the trebles can have. I might not ever have to make a change but wanted to have them on hand in the event that I do need to change things up. Time on the water will tell. I'm looking forward to getting them wet and the learning journey. I'm curious to know if anyone crushes the barbs on the trebles. I prefer to fish barbless/crushed barb hooks. It's better for the bass and safer for me.

I've begun my "collection" thanks to everyone's suggestions. I have several more on order from Japan and there's plenty of time for them to arrive before next season. I just reread my original post that stated I wanted to buy 2 or 3. Yea right..... I also have replacement hooks from VMC. Owner, & Katsuage to have on hand if needed. Thanks for the recommendations. Breaking the code & language cyphers is somewhat challenging but at the same time quite interesting.

One item that needed to be replaced were the original straps that came with the cart. Pretty worthless. I used high quality straps and all strap related problems were history. I also used high quality bearings in the wheel hubs.

A female ruby throated hummingbird and nuthatch that became friends.........

Here's another one that might be of interest. Dr. Cicoria, struck by lightning has a NDE. He was one of my surgeons and has an incredible story to share.

These might be of interest..... Dr. David Morehouse, former Ranger company commander (1st & 75th), former CIA remote viewer. Dr. Eban Alexander is a neurosurgeon who had an amazing NDE.

Some anthropologists believe that the use of entheogens or "plant teachers" are responsible for early man's first understanding of consciousness.

With all due respect, let's steer clear of the religion aspect in accordance with forum rules. Not that it's any less a component or plays a less significant role in this arena, but rather to keep the discussion between the guard rails. The visible light spectrum is roughly from 380 to 700 nanometers. Beyond that on either end is the infrared & ultraviolet spectrums. Some animals & insects can see in those areas but because we don't see it doesn't mean that it doesn't exist. We're just oblivious to anything in those spectrums. This is just in the 3D arena. Moving beyond the 3D world can be challenging. Most often we are conditioned to believe that it doesn't exist. Our minds then screen out what it's been conditioned to believe is nonexistent and we "don't see" it, yet that object or scene is still there. The military for a long time had been researching enhanced human performance potential. The one area that I'm most familiar with is the Remote Viewing program. One of the most compelling facts about this phenomena is that it's a science based methodology primarily designed for intelligence collection. It's been proven to work and does have some limitations. Remote viewing is defined as the learned ability to use two inherent kinesthetic human abilities to detect and decode four-dimensional waveform data into coherent three-dimensional thought form, and to further objectify this data into two-dimensional medium. A more understandable definition from the DOD is (paraphrased from memory) The learned ability to transcend time & space, to view people, places, and things remote in time & space, and report on the same. Again, I have direct experience with this phenomena and it works. It can provide information that is not available by any other means. It's teachable which implies that all humans have the potential to tap into it and go beyond the physical. If one is firmly rooted in this 3D world, this sounds crazy and I understand that. Once the veil of skepticism lifts, a new reality perspective emerges. My sense of it is that all humans have this "conduit" that can reach beyond our 3D world. Some are naturals and don't require any training and it just comes naturally to them. For others, it does require training and effort to open that conduit. Physicists tell us that there are 11 dimensions. I have difficulty wrapping my mind around that. Not that I don't believe them. Maybe I just don't have enough RAM & gray matter to fully comprehend that fact. I'll keep trying....... An interesting read are several books about human consciousness by Dr. Eban Alexander. His experiences dramatically present a vivid world beyond the physical. There are many interviews on Youtube with him that are worthwhile watching if not inclined to read his books. It's an amazing world out there.......

I'm guessing that the site has been abandoned. Hope I'm wrong. I fired off an email to Art. Hopefully I'll hear back.

Prices haven't been updated and some dead links. I found this......

Is Gullwing Paddles gone? I had heard it was up for sale but that's where the trail ends. I have a Gullwing paddle and love it. It's given me 8 years of hard service without so much as a hiccup. I especially like the design that takes some of wear and tear away from one's shoulders.