MN Fisher

Good to hear that Lynn is doing so well at this point...send her my and Nora's best. Closest I've been to a mediport is when Nora had to have daily IV treatments, so they put in a PICC line and I set up/took down the IV daily for her. External access with that, so I didn't have to go poking around to find it.

^ Wish I could wear my dad's old Ray Bans, but they're not corrected and I need trifocals now-days.

Guess this is to match their TaxtX braid - low price, so-so performance. Even their own rating-graph shows lower knot strength, higher memory and the same abrasion resistance as the InvisX I'm already using for leader material. Selling it in 25yd spools it's more expensive per yard as well.

The OG reels I own are so old that even a 10-15 year old reel is better. All the reels I use are 5 years old or younger.

I've ordered several reels from Amazon, and a few rods as well. But I always make sure the rods are drop-shipped from someone else. Last Amazon rod order was the St. Croix Black Bass 7'3" MH/F the wife got me for my birthday - ordered on Amazon, but drop-shipped from St Croix....so came in a sturdy St. Croix tube.

Carry a lighter - the flame is hotter than those 'hot knives'...just have to be careful. As a smoker, I always have at least one lighter on me at all times.

I've got Line Laboratory bookmarked....have for a while now.

Where do you think most of my inspiration for Bass Trek came from?

Ya, we've had the cold snaps here - last week we had a 2-day stretch where the temp never got above zero even for the high. Tomorrow they're predicting it to bump up against +50....weird weather this winter. We need the snow - it's the snowmelt that keeps our ground wet and the rivers running...at the current pace, we're gonna have another drought season with low-water levels everywhere.

832 also has the gore-fiber core, and I never have a problem melting the end to lock the knot. I just use the Cuda scissors to cut it.

Primarily because most of them use a lie-detector test on the participants....and that pseudo-science has been debunked so many times it's ridiculous.

If I tie a snell - which is rare - I do the Uni-Snell

Built hull up from a 1973 Alumacraft F-9 (predecessor to the V-14) after stripping the seats out. Shot of the aluminum framing for the deck

Looks pretty - what's the upgrades from my 21 Ultegra?

Boron rods in reactors are NOT the source of the reaction... they moderate the reaction, absorbing excess neutrons. While they might be slightly radioactive after use, they're pretty stable and not nearly as dangerous as the fuel rods themselves. <- son of a nuclear physicist

Having lived in Northern MN (Bemidji), I have to agree with Gim - Brainerd lakes area is a fantastic place. If you really do want to shift locations - Leech Lake area would be my second choice.

Having run a cabinet-making business, I'd recommend Peter Korn's book as one of the best out there for a beginning wood-craftsman. While geared more towards furniture and such, many of the basics in this book apply to all aspects of wood-working

Missile D'Stroyer's Green Pumpkin Flash and Zoom's Pumpkin Chartreuse and Watermelon Slice.

^ I'm with Allen - since I never even got Bass Trek wet last year, it was all shore fishing which sucked for bass. I plan on using everything I can from my stash this next year to make up for it.

#1 Octopus hook for nose hooking, #2 Worm Hook for T-Rigging finesse worms Medium-Light rod with a 1000 size reel, 6# Sufix 832 to 4# or 6# InvizX 1/16oz or 1/8oz teardrop or 'pencil' weight. Drop-Shot is a finesse presentation to me - light gear is the rule.

Do maintenance on my reels, reorg my lure boxes, touch ups and minor changes to Bass Trek. This winter the main project is a powered trailer dolly. It's gonna be a 3-wheeler with the front being steering powered by a 24v go-kart motor with 2 12v-8ah AGM batteries and a PWM with reverse function.

If you don't have a fence for the drill press, just clamp something in place on the table...I do milling work with my drill press by clamping a pair of angle aluminum lengths to the table and running the piece between them. If I need keyed rods, I don't pay the excessive price for them, just get blank rods and mill out the keyways I need on the press.

Only way I could even afford a new motor on Bass Trek is if I won the lottery - a new boat....unknown millionaire relative leaves me lots of money.

Mine was renewed last year, so I'm good through the end of 2026.

I guess I'm lucky - was part of the Junior Small Bore competitions as a teen, hunted grouse with a 12 gauge and rabbit/squirrel with a .22 - never wore hearing protection. On the advice (read nagging) of the wife, had it tested last year. 100% pass including the highs that some teens can't hear cause of their music habits. No loss at any range, no tenitis - just perfect hearing....which at 65 years old is a blessing.