schplurg

I had a guy walk up right in front of me and start casting while I was retying. Like he almost got me with his back cast and was between me and the water. I didn't say anything because his kids were there, and that is the only reason. I had just helped one of them weigh his very first bass too. If we were alone he would have heard it, big time. I'm not always confrontational but I can be. That was so weird I still can't believe it happened.

Buy a 10$ one on Amazon. Some go to 100th of a gram. Is it accurate at that weight, pffft who knows, but they are when you put a 50 gram weight on it, at least mine was, right on the nose. TV commercial: "Drug dealers rely on our scales, you can too! Order now and get 10 free "stamp baggies"!"

It's a "Premium beer" I guess. Not sure how much Bud and all that costs. Definitely cheaper. Uh duuuh I have the internet at my fingertips! $8 for a 6 pack of Bud bottles at BevMo. Mine is as cheap as $10 at another store. Well worth the price diff in my opinion. When I was 17 a case of bud was $10. I remember clearly

I'd like a hedge labyrinth in my front yard like the one in The Shining. Only thing my old lawn was good for was for other peoples' dogs to crap on. I had a camera and it was comical (or a major tick off really) watching people pretend not to see their dogs drop one so they don't have to pick it up. "Oh is that a bug on my shoulder? Let me stop here, turn and check...ah yes that is a bug (glances sneakily at dog crapping on my lawn)...darn bug huh wonder what kind it is....pssst are you done, Fido?" I watched two kids doorbell ditch me one night, after the fact. Scared the crap out of me...BOOM BOOM BOOOM on my door at 11:30 pm as I dozed in my living room. I checked my camera and had a good laugh. Good honest prank! Good on them.

About 2 months ago I stopped my beer drinking, partly to save money for fishing. I buy a 6 pack of beer for say $11.00 out the door. I drink 2 beers a night, Sierra Nevada IPAs, about 7% Alc. I shop by alcohol content and these are a good buy! So that is 10 six packs per 30 day month. $110 a month in beer. Not a lot really. If I cut that in half (which I didn't) that is $55, which is about 10 gallons of the cheaper gas, and I can still drink some beer! What? That's hardly worth it is it? No! I went back to spending $110 a month on beer last week. At least I know I can do without it! Next money saving scheme: Okay, I started grocery shopping at Walmart. Sorry, hate to do it but times are tough. I save over 40% on groceries. Asparagus at Safeway = $6 lb!!! (up yours!) Walmart = $2 I hate asparagus but that's an example! I order online and they bring it out to the parking lot to me. No extra fee. I don't even have to go inside. I don't even have to help load it into my van, but I do. I dread going inside Walmart! It is one of my top favorite things to hate! That saves me more money than the beer plan and that is where I have cut my costs. And I have lost nothing, unlike the "beer plan" where I lose all my beer I just spent maybe $800 in backpacking gear. I don't need fishing gear and haven't bought any. Enjoying life has become more important the older I get. Cutting back on enjoyment is a last resort for me. I have no family so I can afford this attitude though. Barely!

If I may speak for the group, there is room in our hearts for all of you. Your pain is not insignificant. Great to hear the good news. And good news is always welcome to me!

My Mom called me one day and asked me to shoot a pig that was tearing up her lawn. This is about 12 miles from downtown San Jose (in Morgan Hill). Not exactly out in the middle of nowhere. "I have my gun (Glock) can you come down here?" "Is it in the front yard? You have neighbors on the street" Semi-rural but several homes too close for my comfort. "Just get here he's ruining my lawn!" Haha okay Mom. Okay so I drove to Morgan Hill. My Mom's lawn is torn up and there's a little baby pig doing all the damage. I just laughed. "I can't shoot the pig this close to other homes" I mean I could have legally I think, my stepdad shoots on the property with some ex LEOs. But I'm not a gun person and I was afraid it would ricochet off it's skull and go through someone's window. And what if I didn't kill it? I'm no hunter. And I didn't want to shoot the cute little...pig.... really anyways. So it ran off up into the hills. The pig did a good job tearing up the lawn though!

I wish you the best.

A bit extreme yes. Sunscreen works on its own just fine, period. If we are just talking about feet then it's not such a big deal to put on. Sunscreen lasts hours for me in the kayak. I've also been sunburned through clothes so be careful about what you wear. I've been wearing sunscreen under my hats. Not all clothes are made equally, even UV ones (or sunscreens). I have the whitest feet ever. Sometimes I wear shoes, sometimes I'm barefoot in the kayak. Or I will wear shoes then take them off once I'm in. I keep thinking about buying boots like Greg Blanchard wears but I don't see the need in warm weather. I'm not 100% sold on barefoot pedaling, just saying it isn't a problem, except maybe bottom of the foot getting sore from the pedal. A shoe is nice for that sometimes. Funny, back when I was a kid it was called "sun tan lotion".

Same as bank fishing for me except it's even easier because it's all within reach. You got pockets and storage everywhere. I have everything I need ready to go. Sometimes I reach behind me to grab my scale if I forget. I have a video of me here doing that. Just plan for it ahead of time. When I get to a good bank spot I will lay my scale on my backpack ready to go. In kayak: Grab fish Set the rod in the forward facing rod holder (or somewhere) Camera(s) is mounted and always running so I can keep two hands on the fish. Plan ahead.

If you're near San Jose, CA I can sell you my Ride 115 for $600

Making your own plastics is cheaper too, but you still have to actually make them. I started doing my own worms and lost interest. "Oh I need a bigger mold, ooh and one for flukes, and maybe I need more colors" Saving money isn't everything, you gotta be into it a little bit too. Guess I'm not, though I will probably make more one day. Maybe.

My practically new kayak that has sat unused. Not sure where I'm going with my fishing so we'll see. No hurry. Yes, the Old Town I talk about here. Awesome kayak, haven't used it in awhile. Haven't even fished in almost a month. Not sure what's going on except that I'm hiking more often. I'm hiking so that I can go fishing in more remote locations though. At least that's the plan. Strange days indeed.

I want to be checked for my fishing license because I want those two dorks down shore from me to be checked too (bet they don't have theirs). I pay good money for it, please, check me.

That's a good idea. Or at least hand out a pamphlet for you to take. Then again, who is handing out drivers' licenses these days? For Pete's sake can't you guys teach drivers how to merge, at minimum? Maybe use a turn signal?

Then stop falling out of the boat! Hmmm heated PFDs.....any investors?

Wow I'm first again today? Where is everyone? Pretty light baits. I usually go with 10 lb mono, maybe even 8 with that, or an equivalent braid. Tiny jigs won't be easy to throw on a casting rod with 30 pound braid, in my opinion, and with a medium rod I don't know that you need to go very strong anyways. You will receive more answers here

What size hook are you using? Too small of a hook will make it difficult for a fish to get stuck as there won't be enough hook sticking out of the bait when the fish bites. I usually use a 4/0 with a fluke, could use 3/0 I think. Everything you said could be true too - disinterested spawners, short strikes etc....

Seems that both speed and lack of PFD are the killers far too often. In fact I can't think of many scenarios that don't involve at least one o those. Even when alcohol is a factor it usually boils down to either too fast or no PFD.

Sorry but I decided to delete this post. For those who saw it, me and some family are going to meet with this person next Friday and see what we can do. I won't let him come to harm. The wrong person could see this thread. I guess this post was mainly about life kicking you in the butt no matter how much you hike. Sounds stupid. But you work and work, everything is great, and then bam! Life smacks you upside the head. How this (this post) helps anyone I don't know. Thank you very very much, @jbsoonerfan (below). That is very kind of you. I'm cool, thankfully the family is pulling together. Rough day.

"Ooooh I'm sorruh, the correct ansuh is B - "69 baby, 69!" You shoulda used your phone a friend! Schplurg had the correct ansuh!" That's bad but I'm posting it anyways LOL. Edit: Wakes up sober next day "did I really type that?"

Old thread but what the heck this topic isn't dated really. I met and fished with a guy named George who was a real character. He had a thick accent, half Brooklyn and half drunk I think. We'd meet at the bank of the San Joaquin River in Lathrop here and there. George from Brooklyn: "Hey I got a ticket today for fishing without a license!" Me "Dude you fish every day and you don't have a license?" George "Ya, it was the same Sheriff who gave me a ticket last year" Me laughing "Did he remember you?" George "Ya, I was fishing in the same spot too. He remembered me alright" George describing a striped bass he caught after handing me an extra 40 oz beer he brought in his backpack:

Funny, I use Band-aids on my knots!

Ya with backpacking it's all about going as lightweight as po$$ible, for some it's an obsession. My backpack, tent, sleeping bag and pad are 9 pounds. Maybe I said that already? LOL. I threw in 3/4 gallon of water and a few other things for weight last night. I got the lightest best budget equipment I could get. My camp stove (like a jetboil) is less than an ounce haha. May not use it a lot. I was thinking about you guys when I hiked last night and I think it's just me pushing to improve every day that keeps me happy. I intended to do a short hike with no climbs because I had my new pack on, a headache, and slightly sore back. But of course, when I got to the turn around point my back wasn't sore and my headache was gone so I went up the hill instead. I was surprised I did the whole hike with my pack on. It felt GREAT to accomplish that, and I watched the sunset by myself. Gonna do it again in a few hours.

Just one more thing, and this has been happening for awhile now. Every day when I first wake up my thoughts are negative. "You won't use that camping gear you just bought, you'll flake, you don't wanna hike today. And the kayak too, just sitting there. Maybe you should return the gear? You're kidding yourself" Then once I'm out of bed that stuff goes away, every time. I don't know why this is, but it's every stinkin day. Again, I know it's just my mind screwin with me. I'll hike today just to prove me wrong LOL! Maybe these are the same thoughts that have always stopped me from trying new things and I'm finally realizing it and battling against it? Hmmm. Maybe these thoughts aren't new at all, but my defying them is. Maybe I'm winning now? That just suddenly came to me. Dude! What I started out trying to say is that trying to be "Totally Fit Hiking Man" doesn't mean I'm super positive all the time and smiling and everything is hunky dory. I'm not suddenly That Guy. More-so than before maybe, but it takes work and I sometimes make myself do it. I'm still the same old me. I can't put what I'm trying to say into words. Just because I'm climbing hills and pushing myself doesn't mean I've changed. I'm just trying to make it happen. I'm not special in that sense, I'm just doing the best I can and trying to redefine what is "my best". I guess. I'm not trying to make this about me, just sharing my thoughts and hoping it will help or motivate someone.