Mobasser

I would be interested in most anything a pro has to say here. The lifestyle, and comments on fishing too. The pros live a different lifestyle than many of us. They also fish differently than many of us do.

One other thing about my old shop- the guy knew how to spool a spinning reel correctly. Lots of shops don't.

I forgot about Academy, a two year old store about 25 min away. Good sales on stuff there.

I can get to Bass Pro Shops in about 1hr from my house, but it's a bummer. Very few folks that work there know much about fishing, and the selection is poor. We also had a great one not far away about 10 yrs ago. They've slowly shrunk down they're fishing section, and replaced it with clothing and shoes- boots. Now they cater to a younger crowd. This must be where the money is for them.

Actually, Missouri is good about license fees. For years it was 10 dollars for a resident fishing permit, then went to 12 dollars. The only special tag is for trout fishing. I've never complained about the cost. I can understand some states needing the money more than others. It's the age limit that's a problem. 82 and 90 yrs old is wrong IMO.

When I first started bass fishing, I bought all my stuff at a small tackle shop called Clock Bait Shop. A husband and wife owned this shop, and had run it since the mid 1960s. They were both good at fishing. I used to love this shop. It was in an old house, and they had converted the front two rooms into the tackle shop. In the winter months, I'd stop in and have a cup of coffee. There was always at least one guy in there talking fishing. They carried Fenwick, All Star, and Diawa rods. Reels were ABU, Shimano, and Diawa. If you were looking at a new rod, they would say come back and bring your reel. He'd rig up your reel and let you take it out in a lot next door, to cast and see if you really liked it. He sold scores of rods and reels this way. They also did rod and reel repair, and usually had some nice used rods and reels for sale, at very good prices. Eventually Carl, the owner passed away, and his wife ran it for a couple of years, before she retired. Now, the building is gone. It's a vacant lot, and the house is no longer there. There's only one shop about an hr drive from my house, but it's nothing like Clock Bait Shop. These days, ordering on line seems to dominate tackle sales. I really wish we had a good small tackle shop near home, and if you've got one in your area, I'd say your lucky. Do you have a shop like this near you? There's not many around anymore.

Catt, that's not too bad. I would be in this group also. Still 82 is too old.

Man when I saw this I thought you were joking.

I guess maybe there are some benefits to getting older. I'll turn 65 next month. Once you turn 65, Missouri doesn't require that you have a fishing license. I will need a tag if I go trout fishing this winter, but I think it's around 8 dollars. I've bought a fishing license every year since I think I was 18. Hard to believe I don't need a fishing license after next month. Hope everyone is ready for October. Sometimes, it can be a great month for fishing.

F&S used to have great writers. Ed Zern, Ted Trueblood and the last one John Merwin. People really don't write very well anymore. Now days, they send text on cell phones.

If possible I like to get better quality flannel shirts. Cheap ones are thin and shrink too much in the wash. They also don't hold they're shape. I don't think they've ever really gone out of style. I've been wearing them a long time. Most younger guys wear sweatshirts of some kind. I like both. Carhartt is a good brand.

I wear flannel each day from October through winter. I get mine at Orschlien farm and home store.

Some other types of cover I like are overcast sky, light wind( chop on the surface), or light misting rain. Many times this happens at the same time.

Log Catcher, I'm glad to hear that the old Mepps are working out well for you. I've been having some fun with them this summer also. If you throw them again, keep me posted. And yes to your question. LM will hit them very well also.

If I'm going somewhere new, I'll try to learn as much as I can about the lake. Fishing my regular lake I just go. But I always check my tackle and make sure I have what I want to use, and that my rods and reels are working asthey should be.

Battered crappie fillets( or bream fillets). Potato salad, baked beans, hot buttered roll.

Best of luck on Friday A- Jay. Hope your trip is a good one. I'll be fishing Friday also- early morning. Still trying for a big one.

I retired as a carpenter, but have worked around many pro plumbers over the years. Ive learned a good amount about plumbing over the years. Around my area, very few guys actually sweat copper pipes these days. With the invention of shark bite connectors, and pex pipe, the old skills are not used much anymore. Years ago, a plumber carried some packing, a small heater to heat lead, which was poured in to the joints on cast iron pipes. This took a lot of skill. All copper pipes were sweated in with a torch, and flux and solder. Gas pipes were cut, and threaded on site. If you had a copper line freeze up and break in the winter, a plumber would have to let this pipe drain before he could sweat the copper joint and repair it. Now, he'll cut the pipe, cut a piece of pex, grab two shark bite connectors, and snap it together in a few minutes. Like most all trade work, it's all about speed. Plumbers in my area make very good money. Not easy or glamorous work. Scale pay around KC was around 35.00 per hr last I knew, and good benefits with the job also. Are there any plumbers here on BR? What " type of plumbing do you do? Residential, commercial, or underground work?

Great crew working here on BR. I appreciate everything you folks do. Thank you for a job well done.

I try to use what works the best, based on all the factors. For much of the summer, it's a soft plastic fished slowly near bottom. With fall coming in, this pattern can change. Plus, every fish is a little different, so I don't ever get tired of catching them.

It came together for me a long time ago when I learned to fish a t rig plastic worm.

Fishing a black Lunker Lure buzz bait at night, probably 25 years ago. A big weedbed was against a bank, and dropped off into deeper water. My first cast was off target, and landed in moss. I reeled in and flipped on my light, picking the moss off my buzzer. Next cast was good, right along the weed edge. A really big bass sucked in my buzzbait. I saw her white belly when she rolled once on the surface. Then she was gone. Ive replayed this strike, and losing this fish in my mind many times since. She was a heartbreaker.

A-Jay, I don't have a lot of words here for you and your wife. But know that I'm thinking of you and your situation. Hoping and praying that things improve for her, in the best way they can.

I have seen them feed these trout at a hatchery in south Mo. They walk in between the tanks and throw pellets. Yes, the trout go crazy.

I guess the Beetlespin could be considered old now. I still use them, mostly the 1/4 oz version.