Tennessee Boy

I remember that tournament well. I thought it was cool that he found a way to get to the fish. That's what fishing is all about as far as I'm concerned. If someone finds a creative way to beat me in a tournament then I need to raise my game not cry for new rules to keep it from happening again.

I think Academy Sports sells them.

The 2022 BPT Schedule looks good. I think they heard the fans complaints about going to the same lakes every year and have a few new lakes on the schedule. Stage One – Lake D’Arbonne, Caney Creek Reservoir, Bussey Brake -West Monroe, Louisiana Feb. 5-10 Stage Two – Lake Fork - Quitman, Texas (Feb. 19-24) Stage Three – Lewis Smith Lake - Cullman, Alabama March 2-7 REDCREST 2022 – Grand Lake -Tulsa, Oklahoma March 23-27 General Tire Heavy Hitters 2022 – Lake Palestine - Tyler, Texas April 9-14 Stage Four – Lake of the Ozarks - Osage Beach, Missouri April 30- May 5 Stage Five – Watts Bar Lake - Spring City, Tennessee June 4-9 Stage Six – Cayuga Lake - Union Springs, New York Aug. 6-11 Stage Seven – Mille Lacs Lake - Onamia, Minnesota Sept. 10-15 https://majorleaguefishing.com/bass-pro-tour/2022-bass-pro-tour-schedule-explores-new-fisheries-big-fish-diversity/

I'll add somethings to what's already been said. MEGA 360 connects through a transducer cable to a compatible unit. MEGA Live connects via ethernet. You can connect both to a single unit but you will not be able to network anything else unless you install an ethernet switch. If your Ultrex is an i-Pilot Link model (not just i-Pilot) then you will want to network it to take full advantage of it's features so you will need the ethernet switch and the necessary cables to connect everything.

Let me guess. You told your grandson you would take him fishing if he put the smoker together for you.

I've simplified my outdoor cooking over the last few years. What I use most is my Blackstone griddle. I love it's versatility. I got rid of my gas grill earlier this year. Now when I want to grill I use charcoal. For smoking, I got rid of my barrel smoker when I realized that one of my favorite BBQ joints was using an electric smoker. I bought this one and love it. I just line the bottom with foil, put the food in, load the firebox with wood and plug it in. When it's done, I just throw the foil away, empty the ashes out of the box and cleanup is done. Love it.

That's why I don't think everyone will switch to Macs. I use Linux for software development work. I have a Windows Laptop that I use for email and such for work. I use a Mac at home. They all have their advantages and disadvantage. The thing that bugs me the most with Apple is the planned obsolescence. The iMac that I'm typing this on came out in 2012 and it will not run the latest version of MacOS that was released last Fall. This might be expected if it was a low end computer but it has a Core i7 3.4GHz processor and 24GB of memory.

Going forward, I think PCs will transition to ARM processors. Apple's new M1 ARM processor has demonstrated the advantages the ARM architecture provides. I certainly don't think everyone will switch to Macs. I do think the current Wintel world with follow suit and you will see high powered ARM processors that are intended for PCs from companies like Qualcomm. Rumor has it that Samsung has one in works now.

It’s what I use. I think it’s illegal to use any other type of spinning rod handle around here. ? This type of handle has been around for a long time. I think it existed before modern spinning reel seats were invented. I know St Croix’s first ultralight rod had this type of handle when it was introduced in 1957. Folks started calling it the Tennessee handle in the 1960s as it became associated with the Tennessee finesse fishing style made famous by Billy Westmorland and Charlie Brewer.

The amount of weight you have on a T-rig matters a lot. In my opinion it matters a lot more than color. Weight determines rate of fall and the rate you can retrieve the lure without swimming it. More weight means you can pull the line tighter without moving the bait. Tighter line means better sensitivity. More weight is also necessary when wind or current bows your line and of course when you want to fish deeper. I almost always have at least two rods with t-rigs with different weights. It pretty common for me to have three. Does 1/16 of ounce make a big difference? No. Does it make a difference? Absolutely.

What do I think about when I driving to my fishing destination? Same thing I'm thinking about when my wife ask what I'm thinking about. NOTHING

Vote cast. Your friend does good work.

I was aware he was replacing Charlie on their upcoming tour. Has he actually played with them in public?

I've been a big Stones fan for a long time. I saw them for the 1st time in the Super Dome in 1981 and for the last time in Nashville in 2002. I'm not a musician so I'm no expert but I aways thought the key to the Stones sound was the interaction between Keith and Charlie. When they played they spent a lot of time looking at each other. It seemed like Keith set the pace and Charlie followed in a jazzy improvised minimalist way. That's different from the way most rock band seem to do things and it's why no one sounds like the Stones IMO. Hopefully, the new guy can tap into the Stones magic. I wish them luck but I have no desire to see them live again without Charlie. Interesting side note: Me and my buddy made a special trip to New Orleans to see them in 1981 because we thought they were getting old and were afraid it might be their last tour.

I have a ritual. Anytime I touch my transom saver I touch the plug. If I’m in the garage and adjust the transom saver, I will reach over and touch the plug. Over the years I have turned this ritual into a habit. The goal of course it to make sure that every time I launch the boat I will put in the plug after I remove the transom saver.

They will continue to tour without him but they will never sound the same.

Very good topic for discussion. I hope to expand the lakes I fish when I retire and have a little more time. I do like to challenge myself to explore new area in the lakes I fish the most. I'll select an area of the lake I'm not familiar with and only fish that area. It forces me to look for spots that don't jump off the map at you.

Welcome to the forum. Everyone here agrees that the Tennessee members contribute the best information to the forum ? so it’s always good to get another one. When I was a kid I fished middle Tennessee creeks A LOT. That was a long time ago. I always used 6# line, a cheap spinning reel and a Ugly Stick. My favorite bait was a Rebel Tiny Wee Craw. It will definitely catch a lot of Smallmouth. It’s not as good for bigger fish. This time of year the bigger fish will hit a classic Rapala Floater. A Slider worm will do well. A lot of people catch live minnows and craws to use. That’s your best bet for a big smallie.

I've seen some studies that suggest that fish that have never seen a lure are extremely easy to catch but that they learn quickly. The health of the fishery is the most important factor in determining fishing success. The most heavily pressured lakes I fish are the ones that have produced the biggest bags for me. They are also the ones that make you earn it. They pay off nicely when you figure them out and you go home skunked if you don't. Of the lakes I fish, all of them are better than they were 20 years ago with the possible exception of Kentucky lake. The problems with KY lake are not due to fishing pressure. I think electronic have definitely changed fishing. It used to be possible to have secret offshore spots. There are no more secrets. In the MLF tournament earlier this year on Chickamauga the winners were fishing the best known and most pressured structure on the lake. They did so well on these spots because they're good.

It certainly happens. Once I was fishing a spot and a boat came off plane, trolled to within about 15 feet of me, and started casting to within a few feet of where my line was. The guy on the trolling motor looked at me with a look of shame on his face (he so close I could see his expression) and said "were fishing a tournament". I just pulled up and left. I'd already fished the spot for 30 minutes or so. If he had asked nicely, I would have left and would have told him how long I had been fishing and if I'd caught anything. I think most tournament anglers know better but they have high hopes for the tournament and have probably paid a hefty entry fee so they put their morals aside. I've felt the disappointment of going into a tournament knowing you're on fish only to find a boat setting on the spot that was going to win the tournament for you. It's part of the sport. I've never asked someone leave a spot and I've certainly never moved in on anyone.

A man could do just fine using only Stanley Jigs and Stanley Spinnerbaits. RIP Lonnie.

I missed you guys while you were gone.

I've spent the last 30 minutes searching for the right words to respond to this video.... I'm gonna need more time.

When I was wading creeks as a young man the Rebel Teeny Wee Craw and Original Rapala Floater was all I threw. It's definitely a great bait for numbers of smallmouth. I don't throw them as much now because I fish more for size. It may sound strange but this lure has always been a sentimental favorite. When I got my current boat a few years back I tied on a Wee Craw and it was the only thing I threw until I caught a fish. I wanted the first fish in my new boat to be caught on a Rebel Craw. It didn't take long to catch that first fish, a three inch long Green Sunfish.

I wouldn’t say my accuracy is that good but my trick shots are amazing. I can cast my line over a limb that’s 25 ft up and directly over my head without even knowing the limb is there. ?