DanielG

Maine here, so good winters. I have two 100 amp batteries in my electric boat and one in my camper. They are covered and stored outside from October to May so, 7-8 months. I fully charge them when putting them away and find that they discharge maybe 10-15% by spring. A dead battery freezes. My batteries stay nearly fully charge over that time period. I've been doing this for a few years not and am not concerned about it.

Thnx... I may post here again when it's done. Haven't started yet. Or I might not... depends on how embarrassed I might be!

You're fine. I began using a baitcaster recently and like it but had always fished with a spinning outfit and mono. It's easy, effective, and actually a very satisfying way to fish. You're good with it. I've never used copolymer line but I hear it's a good line with Mono characteristics. It's practically invisible in water so maybe the leader isn't necessary (?). This would save added frustration with knots and make casting a bit easier. Heck, I use braided now and use a leader only for soft plastics. I don't use swivels much unless I'm fishing something like a spoon or spinner that can raise heck with line twist. I always wonder if the fish notice. Verdict out on that. Trailer hooks... I let the lost fish determine if I need a trailer hook. If I'm using some lure that hangs out a lot and the hook is forward and I seem to get strikes but no hooking, I'll mount a trailer. If I don't need it I don't. I think you're fine. I was pretty much like your setup for a long time and diverted to other things over time. Sometimes using them, sometimes abandoning them if they weren't for me. Just think of it as expensive, experimenting play.

I was looking at this thread and realized I had two of these in my tackle box. I acquired them when I was about 10 yrs old... let's see. That would be in 1965. The one that really worked good though, and I lost it in a fish fight was the red and white. This was when the choices for fishing pretty much boiled down to jitterbugs, Red devil spoons and mooselook warblers. Later on the swedish pimple hit the market and that was a big deal. Of course there were all manner of odd looking skirted things but no soft plastics that I remember. Spinners too but not that commonly used as much I think. Streamer flies were popular and effective though. I used to love to drift into a shallow lagoon on the lake and cast and just let it plop near the shore. Then reel it in slowly hearing the pop, pop, pop sound and looking at that little wake on either side of it as it came forward. Fish loved it too. I just looked on Amazon and that front one is called a 'coach dog'. They're still selling it and the side markings are identical to what they were fifty years ago. Wow...

I'm not sure it's a recent thing. It may be worse these days but I can go back years with relative having work done and contractors taking four hour lunch breaks, not showing up but every other day, not showing up for estimates when you've taken a day off to be there. And the doing most of the job but willing to take a hit on the last of what you owe them by not showing up to finish the details at the end. Seems it's been going on for a long time.

Something like this leaves a sour feeling. It's more than the lost item, it's the idea of the violation of someone snatching it that's worse. That someone would do that to you. Sometimes if someone is in need of something (something else of course not a hummingbird) I might just give it to them. Other than that I want to be waiting around the corner with a baseball bat. Sucks...

I can ditto that.

I have a Curado DC. I really like it but it may be a matter of taste. I'm sure you'd find good things about both. I will tell you that I have a Dobyns fury spinning rod... nice, but then I got the Dobyns champion mh glass rod that I put the DC reel on, and I just don't want to use anything else any more for bait casting (or at least anything I've got). I don't have tons of experience with this stuff, but right now I don't have my eye on anything else and don't feel the need to move on. Happy where I am with this combo. The rod is magnificent with a fish on it.

oh... didn't know those numbers were racking up. Ya, that is a good day of sales. Still waiting to see the reviews in March from those who got one.

I made one! Link below... I just went out to clean the shop and start getting it set up for my next great folly. I've been watching crankbait making videos on youtube for about a year now. The carving, the airbrushing, the epoxying, the lead ballast, etc. I find "marling baits" to be one of my favorite to watch. The past few weeks I've been searching online and locally for the materials and tools I'd need that I don't have around to try my hand at making them. I've manage to acquire most of the items. It is far for inexpensive. I shudder to think now many off the shelf baits I could have purchased with that dollar figure. I've made a lot of stuff over the years. Mostly furniture type stuff so this is a downsized project in comparison. I'm periodically shooting sections of video of my endeavors. It's oriented for complete tackle making newbies like myself on what it takes to get started, so it should be both informative and pathetic at the same time. No rush, and I've yet to get the new airbrush set up along with a bunch of other things that need to be done. Fingers crossed. I've added to this post weeks later. Here is a link to my first bait. It contains a multipart set of videos (links in the vid information). It's for people like me who didn't have a clue and pieced together methods and ideas from the internet. It was pretty successful. The ending is sad..... But the videos are funny, interesting and sometimes pathetic at the same time. Anyway, for anyone interested in viewing this endeavor.

I went to the website again after deciding not to bite...... Lots of advertising info. It looks like anyone can get one, not just the first few (maybe not that many are buying into it??). Not available till spring. Kind of looks like a lot of hype. I dunno, when you guys get one I'm sure you'll post your impressions. I'll be interested in those thoughts.

I got the reminder and just decided to pass on this one. Ah well.

I would think that would have done it.... That's how I got there.

What I think is funny is you catch a 3" pickerel on a 6" lure. They come up kicking and fighting. Almost like a little pit bull. They seem to think they can kill and eat anything.

You had to register, sign up for this with the original email... if you got that.

I received this message regarding the reel...Once we get the notice of the discount we've got to compete to be the first few to grab it for the half price cost. Since they're asking us to compete with each other I probably won't participate. At least that will make it easier for others right? So, be at your computer at 6pm... pacific time. What is that, 9pm Eastern(?) where I am. If you're quick at the keyboard you might get it. Two hundred entries might seem easy to do but with 370 million people in the US and is it open to Canada and other countries? They might go pretty fast. The original email said the first 300 backers now it's 200... but still. Good luck guys. "We're excited to kick off our Indiegogo campaign for the Speed Demon Elite tomorrow at 6 pm PST! At that time tomorrow, we'll send you a unique link that will take you directly to the campaign where you can lock in your $60 discount (50% off retail). Remember, we are only able to give this deal to the first 200 backers, so keep an eye on your inbox and lock in your discount early. Good luck tomorrow, anglers!"

Depending on your towing distance I'd opt for a smaller/mid sized pontoon boat. You've got the deck hands to assist in launching. My take on it: I'd look for an old one (read: a lot less $$) with good pontoons and bimini top. Then make it a project to fix whatever needs fixing, The kids would love it and it would be a great project to bond and learn from. Being not new, you can do whatever you want without feeling guilty. Drill into the deck and add stool seats. Mount a bbq and cooler, add bait storage cabinets. Make a deep well out of a cooler and plumb it through the deck. Mount a trolling motor, plenty of battery room for sure. Add rod racks and holders. You can add to or alter things each year if you want. A work in progress. The family fishing barge. If the kids take part in it's development and fish from it I'll bet it becomes a family heirloom over time. You can also, anchor and park it as a swimming/sun bathing platform. I do stuff like this. I actually have a heavily modified fishing barge.. my second one. It's fun if you've of a mind to enjoy this type of thing and are a bit handy with tools.

My latest acquisitions. Can you guess what endeavor I'm about to embark on? (It may be more like an effort in futility!) It's going to be a long, non fishing winter here in Maine. Two part epoxy opaque, transparent, pearl, acrylic paint Iwata airbrush .038 stainless wire CA glue Rotisserie motor And a few other incidentals.... Totaled, basically the equivalent cost of a bunch of baits.

I agree... But they are disease spreading, not poisonous. That being said, as the climate warms and we seem to be averaging about a month more of summer the past few years, here in Maine, the warnings are out about the ticks and we're doing what we can to mitigate the situation, inspections, dressing right, bug spray, etc. The deer ticks are the culprit and they are very tiny and hard to notice. The regular big ones are all around too but nasty, not dangerous. There are people with lyme disease from deer ticks around here. Years ago it was pretty much an unknown issue. Often our winters aren't cold enough for long enough now to make much of a dent in them. We're also getting the diseased mosquitoes and such. We're being told to keep the kids inside at dusk till first frost. Always delegated to the warmer climates before. We never had the issue here. As it warms up, we're warned to expect more insect disease issues. That's why tropical south american insect diseases are now in the southern states. We're seeing birds and that we've never encountered before too. They are all migrating more north now. We've got blue herons here at the lake. I've been here all my life. Never seen one but in books before a couple years ago. Now I see one most times I go out on the lake. I guess they were around before, but their breeding area tended to be predominantly south of us. One nice thing. Not related to climate issues is over the years but we've seen more and more bald eagles. Three nests that I know of within my sight now. As a kid we never hoped to ever encounter one. Very cool to watch them scoop up the fish I should have caught. I'm wondering if taking them off the endangered species list was a good idea though. There aren't that many of them yet. Time will tell.

Looks like you'll get different views here but I had splits all the time then when I got my full cork I found it more comfortable along my arm when leveraging. But both are okay.

Yes... ouch.

Ah.... no.

Dobyns 735c champion glass. It's all I want to use now.

Fewer engines around the better, but sometimes you have no choice. Walk behind lawn mowers are motors with a cowling and a blade. One is about the same as another. I always look for a Briggs or Tecumseh engine. Simple and easy to clean/work on. I had a honda power washer for a few years. When the carburetor started acting up I took it apart and counted 43, very precision parts to it. It took all day and when I got it back together I held my breath. Beautifully made, but over engineered. My other engines are much simpler. Craftsman lawnmower.... inexpensive, simple. Always starts. 8 yrs old now. Ariens snowblower 10 hp. 17 yrs old. Starts 2nd pull. Plugs and oil. That's it. Maine winters. Millennial relative with solar on the house has a new Lithium battery mower. I have to admit it's pretty nice. Starts easy too. ?

Maine here: We have no naturally poisonous animals here. And pretty much no dangerous ones. Ya a rare black bear or moose in rut but that is pretty unheard of. That being said, we're pretty much neophytes when it comes trekking in the south or west. First time I went to Yosemite camping I asked the ranger about the guy who was eaten there by a grizzly two weeks before. He said, "ya, that was unfortunate." Then you see signs on the trails that say, 'look out for rattle snakes.' Nothing like that here. I've traveled to all continental states with my camper. So far haven't encountered any dangers. Can't say it wouldn't happen but Maybe it's a lot rarer than we think.