Kev-mo

Aside from trendy and keeping the expensive one at home; one of the primary reasons for wearing the silicon rings is finger safety. Look up Jimmy Fallon finger avulsion.

I'm currently using 20 pound j-braid and occasionally experience the bite back. I also experienced it with power pro. It's all operator error; whether using my drag/reel to pull out a snag, from a hard hook set, a backlash loop I failed to clear or from a big fish pulling drag . The first three happen much more frequently lol.

Not sure what the whole situation is but I think you'd be better off driving the car once a week to keep both the battery charged and fluids circulated throughout the vehicles various systems.

For me it's about keeping my hands dry so it's been 3-4 mil nitrile gloves and that is good down to the low forties (air). However when the wind kicks up or the air temp is in the mid to high thirties it's not enough so I've found that the polypro glove liners from the army surplus under the nitrile get me there. I might look at 7 or 9 mil nitriles for next cold season.

Not sure it really matters. I've done well in the spring in stained water and also in July/August slightly stained to clear water. Square bill(s), mostly river fishing.

X2!

How about mend it for non-elaztech plastic. Take the trailer off as carefully as you can and mend it.

Agreed!

Most everything everyone has mentioned is important and has helped a lot. But the thing that helped me the most has been success. Actually catching fish the way I set out to catch them where I set out to catch them. Success breeds confidence and confidence is huge!

Yeah that rod looks awesome! Specs are sweet too! Reminds me of the 6'6" Shimano Magnumlite I have which is a great stick despite its age. I can only imagine how much nicer the Deps is... let us know if you get/like.

What was the Megabass lure? Just want to see what it looks like. I'm very curious about this lure myself, especially the depth range. I want to know if it will run properly in that 1-5 ft range. Should've bought some the night the video aired... Also fish will hit/choke various other square bills.

LMAO!!

Depends what your definition of 'hitting topwater' is. We had an old river rat up my way that would talk about a topwater bite in late fall. He would let a spook float downstream and give it the occasional twitch and catch smallies. While I didn't doubt him I also never experienced that for myself until last fall or two falls ago. Was on a different river in November around noon, water temp maybe mid 40's... nicer morning with some sun and I was throwing a square bill letting it go downstream and working it back with various retrieves. I picked up three good fish (18, 17 and 16) in short order on "topwater" letting it float and giving it twitch. I got one other fish on a suspending jerkbait. My theory is I hit a feeding window at just the right time and just happened to catch them on "top".

A little bit younger than some of you guys but my mom was a huge John Wayne fan so of course I became one. Randomly clicking through channels this past year and ending up watching both The River of No Return and also The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance for the first time(s). Good stuff!!

Yeah those roads are a bit twisty and those downgrades... thanks! What's your definition of 'drive a little'? Not trying to make this a fishing vacation per say but I'll have 1-3 days depending how things play out. Also looks like a decent cool down is gonna happen the day I arrive. Looks to warm back up, hope that's the trend. I actually got some good general info on the CLP from a guy that owns a fly shop and has been out there before so that should keep me busy for a day.

Heading to CO next week to visit my son and nephew. Bringing the waders. Anyone want to give up their honey holes on the Cache la Poudre, the South Platte or anywhere else?? j/k Seriously though... no fly rod, I'm bringing a spinning rod and my waders. Figured maybe I'd try for some trout (unless there's smallies in a stream out there...). If anyone has any advice on a few lures to throw and general areas to investigate I would appreciate it!! Otherwise I'll see what the the general interweb has to say. Also any safety advice; safe wading levels etc. or anything else. Thank you!

As long as I can keep my hands dry and not exposed to the air I can deal with the cold. I've found that nitrile gloves work pretty good for me. I was using the 4 mil and that was comfortable down to the low 40's for air temp. I'm going to try the 9 mil black ones from harbor freight this winter and I'm thinking that will get me in to the mid 30's. Anything lower and I might as well wait for ice... A non disposable option are the R1 gloves from patagonia. I have a pair and they are great!! but should have gotten the XL as the L are too tight.

Just for reference I'm GenX. I think it's more of a cultural/generational shift rather than "work ethic". My 22 year old would be the first one to admit he's "lazy" but it's not laziness in the general sense. He'll work hard when hard work is required. If not he's going to chill. He's doing very well in school and has an internship/job with the forest service out west for the summer. I owned a house but one of those life changes happened when the kids were small. Been in apartments since. I don't think I want another house, not because I'm lazy but because I'd rather spend my time doing things other than yard work, repairs or general maintenance. I think the younger generation has some of those same attitudes. Plus a lot of them probably can't afford a house. We brought our intern from last summer back for several months of work and she owes crap ton of money for college. She got a good degree so she'll get a good paying job (hopefully with us)but regardless those school loans are going to be tough. This girl also works her ass off! Brothers at my work that shared an apartment had to move back home cause the rent was going up and they couldn't afford it and they are extremely frugal. I'm not arguing with you guys cause there are a lot of lazy idiots out there but at the same time there are some hard working young people that are just making different life choices.

Am I the only one thinking about how the Native Americans made them w/out algebra and you need to find a Native American?

This^^ Try toasting your bread, whole different animal. Just let it cool a skosh before eating or it can be a gooey mess... Bonne Maman makes some good preserves.

What Scott said along with; It's been my experience that the fish tend to feed as the water is rising so they may be content for a day or so depending on water temp etc.. Also they'll use different parts of the eddy/stream bed at different flows so where you think they might be is completely different from where they actually are.

You're going to need some type of metal stud whether you go with something on the boot or something like A-Jay suggested.

9 pounds 13 oz.

Thanks for the feedback. It's probably my hook set more than anything else. I think I probably got a little lazy with braid.

Mostly fish rivers and throw a bit of everything depending on conditions etc. So years ago I switched from mono to braid. About 4 years after that I put mono on a reel just because I wanted to remember/see what mono felt like. I could not get a hook into a fish. I think I was throwing cranks and maybe jig/grub. So for you guys that throw braid, mono and/or flouro all in one day how do you compensate mentally/physically for the differences in stretch/sensitivity? I'm going to guess some of it is just repetition... how did you initially fair? I'd just like to be able to throw some heavier mono now and again when cranking and also throw mono on those winter days when a braid ices up. Hope this makes sense. Thanks.