Eric 26

@FrnkNsteen I too took advantage of the BPS trade in sale but I’ve learned to hold onto my trade in until I’m ready to purchase and our BPS (Bolingbrook IL) has a cash register in the fishing department and he handled the trade in and sale transactions. I also stopped at my favorite local shop (Anglers Outlet) on my way home yesterday from a work meeting. I’m still debating on putting an alder Abu Garcia Cardinal or a Piscifun Carbon X 1000 on the St Croix and I’ll agree with you guys that love them and although as pointed out parts aren’t readily available but as of 3 seasons they show no signs of needing any.

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@Peacedivision @WaskaCrank12 I think you may be on to something 😉

@LrgmouthShad

@Jig Rookie She’s a nice one for sure 👍🏻

Although I don’t use my hvy powered rod’s much I’m going to say at right under your budget at $165.00 on Tackle Warehouse I really feel the Okuma TCS A 7’-3”rod is a lot of rod for the money. It’s labeled a frog/swim bait rod rated for lures 1/4-2 ounces and has a nice moderate tip that hits a solid backbone pretty quickly. You’re going to get a lot of options hopefully but it’s going to help if you offer what you’re looking to do/techniques with the rod. From the sounds of it maybe football jigs and buzz baits in your waters.

@Way north bass guy Best of luck on your endeavor 👍🏻

@DaubsNU1

@T-Billy Couldn’t have said it better. I know it’s nowhere near as back breaking as carpentry. Not quite the same pay but I’m happy with the trade off.

@gimruis How can you post this and not include the rod/reel photo 😬

@ol'crickety Those pictures are absolutely stunning and bring back great memories of my vacations in Minnesota when I was a kid meaning nothing around the lake but trees and animals. I’m happy for you and hope one day to find something similar for my wife and myself.

@michiganoutdoorsman I’m pretty sure your dad will find something he loves there. They typically sell a few combos at a ridiculously low price at least at my BPS or Cabelas. I’m heading to BPS later on today in fact. Let us know how he does.

@12poundbass Although I know politics and religion are forbidden on this site I do wish we could all sign a form that allows us to talk about it willingly and separately as there are quite a few posts with the “other” factors we can’t get into. I will say I’m not opposed to the trades at all and I wish your son a long prosperous career in the trades👍🏻@TnRiver46 I’ll agree with you that there are some 🤔Dufesses on all the roads nowadays but I’m still going to say driving through Tennessee was heavenly compared to here😉 Again I wish nothing but the best for you as you sound like a hard worker who just fell into a tough situation and as far as climbing ladders being on roofs all day and being in crappy situations that’s not a sustainable career for just about anyone.

@QuirkyCarp2000 If it’s brand new why not return it for an exchange/refund or have it fixed under warranty?

@TnRiver46 I wish you the best of luck. Although I don’t know about your state other than it’s beautiful from the brief time my family and I spent there, it seems there is a shortage in every blue collar field which truck driving falls into and if you’re able to find a local job that gets you home every night it’s actually quite fun and at least up here pretty much everyone is offering benefits including health insurance.

@12poundbass although I liked your comment I’m going to respectfully disagree as here in Illinois we had and will have in the summer radio commercials for the trades targeting the younger demographics which it seems kids these days aren’t willing to look into.

@TnRiver46 I apologize if you’ve been asked this question already but if you don’t mind sharing what are you currently doing? And could you find a way to start your own trapping business?

@Mike L According to our local sports radio shows Holyfield is no longer angry about it either. Maybe he gets a cut of Mike Tyson’s business 😉

My career path started with me graduating high school not knowing what I really wanted to do in life but knowing college wasn’t for me. After high school I worked at a local furniture store delivering furniture and worked for a great boss who along with another older semi co worker encouraged me to try to find a better career path. My mother suggested truck driver or maybe one of the trades, I took a carpentry course at the local college but nothing much came out of that. Flash forward 3 years and I met my now wife and my then 2 year old stepson (who I consider my flesh and blood and always will) and her father who was the vice president of a successful general contracting company who needless to say knew I needed a better career path and when I informed him I filled out applications for the carpenter apprenticeship program along with the operator engineer program but wasn’t chosen he said tell me which trade other than the 150 operators and I’m in. I spent 19 years as a union carpenter with my favorite 7 years at a small framing outfit run by 2 brothers who treated us like family until the housing market crashed which then led me switching to commercial carpentry working for one of the largest contractors in Chicago and the Nation as my father in law was working for them as a project manager until he retired a year and a half upon my joining the company. I was there until the great crash in 2008-2009. My wife and I then bought into a startup carpet cleaning franchise that ultimately was a bust for us and while on unemployment and begging for help a kind unemployment worker helped me get a Pell Grant which led me to my current job as a union truck driver for a local concrete company which I haul powdered products for both them and outside customers. I also ran a 48’ dump truck which I loved but the company has gotten out owning dump trucks ☹️ I’ve been with the concrete company for 9 years and have moved from the number 5 driver when there was only 5 of us to number 2 out of 7 and have trained 4 of our current drivers along with a few others who are no longer here. I love my current job and the company even more but unfortunately our busy season keeps me working 60 plus hours during the fishing season, which I’m hoping to cut back my hours in the next few years. In the end I should have just listened to my mother (who I dearly miss) in the first place. Thanks mom as you always knew what was best for me and also to my father in law who is unfortunately no longer with us 🙏

@Woody B I’m not going to lie I’m not currently or ever have been a fighter in any sense of the word and kudos to both you and @Mike L and any others on here who do or have participated in ANY way shape or form but look up some current videos of Mike Tyson training and I think a million dollars would basically be for medical bills. @throttleplate And now he’s making a big dollars selling “edibles” shaped like ears🤪 One more thing to add, obviously with the upcoming event my local sports radio shows are talking about Mike Tyson as an interview and everyone says the same thing which is he’s articulate and one of the nicest most gentle athlete (their words) they’ve ever been around. One host shared a story that after he interviewed him Tyson signed a pair of boxing gloves for him and his brother even though he was under contract with another brand and was told by his manager he shouldn’t do it but Tyson insisted the host should have them autographed.

@TcRoc Unfortunately I heard this afternoon on my local sports show this is going to be an exhibition☹️ I’m hoping they’re wrong.

To ol’crickety and any other ladies I might not know on here and to all you guys significant others.

I’m curious what your thoughts are on this? I heard yesterday Mike Tyson is going to box Jake Paul on July 20th, anybody going to watch? Tyson will be 58 and Paul will be 27.

@TnRiver46 That stinks when your passion for life doesn’t pay enough to cover the bills .

@michiganoutdoorsman Although my only medium light casting rod is a crank bait rod I would personally go with a medium power/fast action rod with a softer tip for the above technique’s but that’s just me. Here is a rod/reel combo well within his budget but full disclosure I’ve never held it let alone used it but Bass Pro Shop is currently having their annual spring sale where really good deals can be found. I’m going to include a few different combinations but all are from Bass Pro Shops.