GReb

I know this is entirely false but as someone who’s never caught a smallie every time I watch these guys fish for smallmouth it looks so easy. They just find it visually and throw a worm down there and it bites immediately LOL.

My F150 has a plastic drain plug with an o-ring. You can work it with your bare hand. However the put the plug right behind a bar so when you pull it the stream of oil gets deflected all over the place. Stupid design. And the oil filter requires 3 o-rings that are a PIA to change. Engineers…. However the truck is 7 years old and has a 150k miles on it without leaking a drop of oil

The problem is buffalo trace and eagle rare were supposed to be $20-30 bottles. And for that price they are just fine for sipping neat. For the money, my favorite go to bourbons are Rare Breed and Knob Creek. Both have great flavor profiles and high proofs that offer versatility to drink straight, on ice, or on cocktails.

A lipless will soar no matter what rod you throw it on. I’d focus on other factors

I live in the south and love it. However there’s no denying that in 2023 the best fishing is up north. These northern fisheries are insane. Even the lakes you don’t hear much of such as in Maine produce silly numbers. You’d have to believe the LM bite will slow as the week rolls on. Absolutely insane it’s going to take a 5lb average each day to contend.

Big win for Brock. He’s finished top 5 so many times it was great to see a fellow Mississippian hold up that trophy. It’s no surprise he won at Sabine as it fishes just like most of our water here and is perfect for his style.

Email smooothdrag and they will send you what you need

Every time Bassmasters comes to Ross Barnett it takes the lake a year to recover. They had an Open last year and 100+ boats showed up 7 days ahead to practice 10 hours a day. I know the Elites have a stricter and more limited practice schedule but the national tournaments in addition to all the local derbies really affect the fishing especially on smaller bodies.

I may be wrong but didn’t they just expand to a new warehouse in Georgia?

I was shocked as well when I placed an order yesterday and received notification I’ll receive it tomorrow. Figured it would take the customary 2 weeks. Maybe they were tired of losing sales and hired some folk

I’m assuming at that price the hardware definitely needs to be upgraded.

I wish there was a cheat code but you really get what you pay for with fluorocarbon especially in thicker diameters. If you can afford it Tatsu is the best I’ve tried. However the real key to great casting flouro is downsizing line diameter as much as you can get away with. Once you get to the .013 range, casting will start to suffer no matter what.

Little John’s for $7.99 is a solid deal. That’s 40% off.

Not my preference but around thick grass it does help

I’ve owned several extra fast rods and sold them. They casted terribly. They were all higher end rods $250+ and very sensitive but something just felt “off” For chunk and wind and roll casts down the bank, nothing beats a nice mod-fast action. They cast well, are accurate, and just require less effort throughout the day. Flipping, pitching, frogs, etc I do use fast action. It’s a good balance of sensitivity, responsiveness, and power. But all in all, I’ve learned not to get caught up in specs. Use the rods YOU LIKE and feel comfortable with. If you like throwing cranks on a fast action, do it. If you like pitching with a 7’6 heavy mod fast, do it. There’s no correct recipe. Confidence and being comfortable are understated. We all feel different things with different equipment and luckily for us, lots of option exist.

I was going to buy the Dream last month but bought the Ikos Buzz instead after talking to Alex. He said they are virtually the same rod except the zolo is made in USA. I haven’t fished it much yet but you can save $100. Falcon Expert is a great moving bait rod. I have 2 Expert Head Turner which is what I throw all 3/8 oz chatterbaits on including the mini Max. Incredibly versatile rod thanks to its action.

Keitech fat impact is my favorite but they are pricey and not durable.

And that’s Turkey “101” ?. You either love or hate it. Not many are in between.

Most decent bars will have Laphroig if you want to try a pour before buying a bottle.

Highland Park is another that’s widely available

Rare breed is my go to Turkey but 101 is a great option. Mixes well due to the higher proof. If you mix a 80 proof bourbon it waters it down too much where as 100 proof can handle being watered down and still taste good. Turkey makes a fantastic whiskey sour. Not my favorite for old fashioned though.

Never had to. One pair was lost when a friend totaled his truck and the other is kept as a backup in boat.

If you want to stay at a lower price point the Kaden series has a fast action and was designed for such. Otherwise maybe bump up to the Extreme.

I had two pairs with plastic lenses before my current pair with glass. I prefer the glass. Might try Bagio next but could be while. I typically get 5-7 years out of a pair before replacing.