Tennessee Boy

Piscifun Speed X Line Spooler $38 Reduces line twist on spinning reels. Works for bait casters also but I usually just use my feet.

Very interesting thread. I'm reminded of something @Catt said many times. It's the Indian not the Arrow. For me it was the Texas Rig about 45 years ago. I just couldn't master the feel. A buddy of mine told me it feels like a thump when a bass hits it. I remember exactly where I was when I made a cast to the back corner of a dock. On the initial fall I felt something. I thought to myself, that kind of felt like a thump. I wasn't sure but I set the hook anyway and reeled in the fish. I've probably thrown a t-rig every time I've been fishing since that day.

I’ll add another thing to consider. I’m a fan of lithium batteries but one problem with them is they go from working great to dead in an instant. The BMS monitors the voltage of all of the cells and when the weakest cell drops below a certain threshold it shuts the battery off. With lead acid batteries you can sense when they are getting weak and you know when it’s time to head to the house.

It looks very cool. I'm impressed. I love the way it builds a persistant map of the bottom. That's an innovation that Humminbird will need to match. 360 is one of the reasons I've stayed with Humminbird for many years.

I'm one of those weird people that enjoys reading dry academic research papers and there has been a lot of research in this area. I'll offer one study. In this study they tested the effects of air exposure on catch and release bass. They kept the bass out of the water for different length of time up to 10 minutes. They found that "physiological disturbances and behavior impairments were evident with longer air exposure." So it matters how long you keep them out of water. That said, none of the bass in the study died during the 5 day monitoring period. So be a good person and do your best to get them back in the water as fast as possible but this study suggest it'll be okay if you take a minute or so to weight them and take a picture.

Here's my theory concerning the mysterious f Look at the top of this page. From left to right you see the MENU button, the Bass Resource logo, and then a very small f. I think that is the f you are seeing. It's flashes on the screen full size before the browser squishes it down to the correct size. Open the link below in a separate window and see if it's the f you have been seeing. https://www.bassresource.com/themes/custom/bassresource/components/02-molecules/social-media/icons/fb.svg

The In-Fisherman Critical Concepts series Book 1 Largemouth Bass Fundamentals has a great chapter on categorizing the water we fish. I wish this topic got more attention on this forum. You ask what's the best lures in March? The answer depends a lot on where you're fishing and what type of water you're fishing.

Use satellite images taken in winter, when Kentucky Lake is low, to locate the ditches that cross the shallow flats in the backs of creeks. Then in spring, use your phone to locate those same features on the water. Some of them may be better described as small creek channels or creek branches. The fish don't care what we call them.

The key word in your question is lowland. I don't think we spend enough time discussing the differences between the different types of fisheries. We just offer up the lessons we've learned from our favorite fishery without stopping to think that a canyon reservoir is a very different habitat than a swamp. It's an interesting question. Do you focus on what subtle structure is present or do you focus more on cover? Buck Perry talked about structure situations where what might be called cover functions as structure. I have very little experience fishing a true lowland reservoir so I don't have much to offer but it's a very interesting topic and I'll be following the discussion.

Congratulations. Sounds wonderful.

I weight just about every fish I catch. I use a Chatillion and Sons spring scale. I don't have to turn it on. It's already zeroed with the fish gripper I use. I can weight a fish in 15-20 seconds most of the time. I toss the scale up on the front deck when I start fishing so I won't have to spend time pulling it out. It gets splashed and stepped on but it's indestructible. It's accurate to within an ounce.

2 fish over 6 lbs, 1 over 5 lbs and 2 more at 4-4. There's video of him catching a 4-3 smallmouth and a 4-1 smallmouth which I guess he culled. That's crazy!

This song is terrific—vivid, cinematic, and full of hard-earned heart. What makes it stand out most is how authentically it captures the grind and romance of chasing a dream. The lyrics paint scene after scene with sharp, memorable detail: the “gas-station thermos,” “Caddo fog thick as secrets,” “sleepin’ in the truck by the ramp light beam.” Those lines don’t just describe a lifestyle—they put you in it. You can smell the coffee, feel the rain, and see the headlamp glow. The chorus is especially strong. “Kayak Koz, chasin’ green ghosts” is a great hook—poetic, catchy, and perfectly tuned to the obsession at the center of the song. It gives the whole piece a mythic quality, turning tournament fishing into something bigger: a test of grit, faith, sacrifice, and persistence. The line “Some days they bite, some days they win” is excellent—simple, clever, and painfully true. Another strength is the balance between toughness and vulnerability. This isn’t just a song about fishing; it’s a song about belief. The thin bankroll, the bad weather, the empty screen, the call from Mama, the stubborn refusal to quit—it all builds a portrait of someone who keeps going because hope matters more than comfort. That gives the song emotional weight, not just atmosphere. The structure works beautifully too. Each verse expands the world, moving from Caddo to Fork to Guntersville, making the journey feel bigger and more epic without losing its intimacy. By the time the final chorus lands, it feels earned. And that closing thought—“hope’s on a hook / Every time he ties that line”—is the kind of ending that lingers. Overall, this is a deeply evocative, well-crafted song with strong imagery, a memorable chorus, and a genuine emotional core. It feels honest, specific, and full of life. For anyone who has ever chased something uncertain with everything they had, it hits home. Full disclosure. I had a little help from AI writing this review. 🤣

I didn't actually read the article since I try to avoid Russian website for security reasons. That said we already have openworm.org dedicated to an open source virtual worm. Maybe an open source bass will be next. 😆

I just listen to nature and the voices in my head telling me I should be fishing over there. 😁

I’m with Pat Brown on this. I would go with a cheap lithium. All of the LifePo4 batteries on Amazon get great reviews. These batteries are very simple. They consist of LifePo4 cells, a BMS, wiring, and a case. These parts are assembled into batteries in Chinese factories. One factory might use a little better wire or crimp the connections a little better but they are mostly the same. The cells come from one of the large Chinese companies that design and manufacture them. The cells contain the real technology. The box you buy with a brand on it is really just packaging. These batteries are commodities at this point. Buy a cheap one hope for the best. When it dies 6 months or 30 years from now buy another one.

Congratulations. Looking forward to hearing about your adventures off the bank.

I've said before if there were Angler Psychologist, they would be in high demand. Other sports have sports psychologist, fishing should have them too.

I know it’s strange but I’m kind of a scales freak. I have a set of calibration weights and I check the three scales I carry regularly. I don’t think I’ve ever checked a scale that wasn’t accurate enough for casual use but you can’t be too careful in the uncertain world we live in.🤣

Only if you're competing in the F2 category. 😊

Me trying to use a fountain pen.

I always recommend the Chatillion & Sons brass scales. They're not cheap but will last forever, never need batteries, come in various sizes and can be certified by the IGFA. I'm not sure if @A-Jay requires IGFA certification for state-to-state entries but it can't hurt. 😆

My attitude is my gear works for me, I don't work for it. I don't care what it looks like. It's unlikely I'll ever try to resale it. A personal best is worth infinitely more than all of my equipment. I still cry over a big smallmouth I lost in the 90s. I've never shed a tear over a rod or reel. I do expect my equipment to work correctly and I'll do what's necessary maintenance wise to make sure it performs to my expectations. That's about it.

You can tell a lot about yourself as an angler when you've gone several hours without a bite. What are you throwing? That's your confidence bait.