Luke Barnes

My local BPS usually sells bulk bags of Dingers, Ochos, and Stick-Os. I think the first two are 30 packs for $10 and the stick o is 100 for $20 I think? Maybe? They are bulk and cheaper. I use different brands but like the max scent general alot, but in the same boat as the actual Senko. More costly and tear really easy. But I have alot of nice Ned rig max scent baits now!

I have the same jigs and I use the Berkley Power Swimmers. They are long enough, durable, and have good action. They have been my favorite so far.

Good question. I have my medical card for Oklahoma so I can ask next time I'm in a dispensary. On the subject of cannabis, I'm a big advocate of it. I was an alcoholic for 17 years and depended on it for sleep and relaxation. Well needless to say it's probably the single most unhealthy thing you can do for any reason. Medical cannabis has helped stay off alcohol, get pain relief, sleep WWAAYYY better with zero hang over. It helps my moods as well as depression. As long as you get what is good for your body. Get the wrong strain and you can be in for a bad time. I know it is still looked down on as a drug but I would rather have it than alcohol. As far as depression goes alcohol is one of the single worst things you can put into your body.

CBD could be a good resource for people. It can also help with pain and inflammation, which a long day of fishing can cause. So its worth looking into for anybody that has access.

I second that. There are actually many mental health issues That all need awareness. But yeah anxiety is a doozy and can be down right crippling. I have no advice but if anyone has any, I need it as well.

Yes please don't hide it or tough it out. DM me if you need to talk or anything, that goes for everybody. Just speak up somewhere because you are worth it.

One of the worst parts of depression for me has been the lack of interest in things that I usually enjoy. Fishing has falled victim to that, but it's also ruined relationships, jobs, hobbies, and on and on. People make it sound so easy when they say, just get out there and do it. Well on a day I can't pry myself out of bed, let alone get dressed, just forcing myself doesn't always work. So it's frustrating but it has gotten better and anyone who truly wants to get better, therapy has saved me and I recommend it to everyone. I fought it for years. I was a newly back to civilian life war veteran when my family started asking me to go to therapy and it took many many years. Don't waste years like I did if you even think you are depressed, go talk to therapist. You will not regret it.

Those were some tough soldiers back then. I wish they had the ptsd awareness back then though. It's helped me and I was just in Iraq. I agree with everyone that admitting it is the biggest hurdle to overcome. Once that is done you can work on getting better.

I'm a bank angler and what i found is to go lighter on the weights. The lure stays up and doesn't get buried down in the snaggy stuff as easy, the lighter it is. Atleast it seems that way to me.

Reminds me of the Terminator Shudder bait.

Would a light carolina rig with a number 1 straight shank hook be good for shrimp on the bottom?

I want to catch anything that will bite from the bank. I seriously don't care about which species, just anything that will bite.

I thought about taking a rod with a carolina rig tied on it for bottom fishing. I think I may just do that now. Im not experienced with anything ocean related so I probably won't wade out into it. From looking online it sounds like sheepshead are common bait fish and readily bite a hook unlike a shad.

So basically a hair swim jig and a curly tail grub trailer. Hmm I wonder how a white regular swim jig with a paddletail for a trailer would work. I do have white grubs for trailers but not any bucktail or hair jigs in general. Ive seen people online use shrimp. Whole, tails, heads, raw, cooked, live. I may try some form of shrimp under a bobber too but would love to do some casting with a swim jig!

My family and I are going on a vacation to Jamaica Beach in Galveston next week and I am wanting to try my hand at salt water fishing. After looking at the satellite images it looks like the in shore bays would be the easiest. I have ZERO experience in salt water and want to atleast try it and if I can increase my chances of catching a fish, all the better! I am bringing one 6'6 M spinning setup because it's a two piece and we are going ti be tightly packed into the SUV for the drive down. Does anyone have any experience on where, what lure or baits, and when is the best time of day?

I bent the blade on the mower last time I mowed. The only thing I hate more than mowing, spending money on my lawn mower. Its gotten a new pull cord and main handle, now it looks like if I cant straighten the blade I have to decide if I buy a new one or give up on this mower and get a new one.

Me and my wife enjoy camping alot. We have a good tent and air mattress and all the add ons. We would go more if the kids were older or we had more than one sitter in the roster to watch all three kids. Been going to counseling at the Vet Center and its been helping. Ive gone for years and years but have taken breaks from going. I'm going to stay going and not stop when I feel I am "better".

I love them. They have been a go to for me on top water. Weedless like a frog but looks kinda like a fish. But it worked and I'll keep throwing them.

I hate mowing with every fiber of my body. I would rather be fishing but since its been mowing season all my free time on the weekends where I may actually have a small chance of fishing, nope. I have to mow. So I haven't fished in two months.

I have one I see regularly through the VA and actually have a session tomorrow. It does help alot but no one thing is a cure all for everyone. Ive really really been thinking about this. I have a 4'8 UL for sunfish and two spinning setups already tied up to fish for cats. The reason I don't just do that is I have such limited times i can fish, I want to fish for bass when I do get to go. But that is getting frustrating to the point I don't want to do it. So I just don't fish and I don't like it. I spend my time with my wife, three kids, and 40 hours a week, co workers. Outside of that I don't hang out with anyone or talk with anyone besides you all on here. My wife has her own things and I dont want my kids to ever have to deal with my burden so I keep them sheltered from it.

I'm glad that you are on the way up and doing better. One of the best decisions I have ever made in my life was quitting drinking all together. I can't just drink with friends or have just one or two. So I dont drink all and that's fine with me. It has helped me for sure and bouts with depression are much fewer and farther between than when I was on the sauce. Thank you for sharing your story with me.

I just made a thread about me dealing with depression. It's real and it sucks. I totally understand what you are going through because ive been going through it for 12 years now. I'm going through it today. I wish I had some good advice to give you because it genuinely makes me happy to help other people, but I don't have anything enlightening that someone else hasnt already covered. I will say this though, if you ever need to talk or vent DM me any time.

At 19 I joined the US Army and one month and one day after I turned 21 I was on a plane bound for Iraq. Spent a year over there, came home for a year and a half then right back over for 15 more months. When I got out in 2010 I resisted going to the VA for years and finally went after my family begged me to. I was diagnosed with PTSD and clinical depression. Medication helps but is in no way a cure all. On point, it has really effected my interest in things I normally enjoy. I used to love riding motorcycles. I used to have a dirt bike and a Harley but could not force myself to get on them anymore. Same goes for guitar. Played for 20 years and I just cant get myself to play. So like the bikes I sold them all off but kept one crappy guitar just in case I wanted to play. This has now reared its ugly head with fishing. I havent been in a month and a half and if given the chance to go I dont know that I would. Ive been dealing with a pretty bad bout of depression lately and am more worried about getting skunked and being more frustrated than before I went fishing. I worry and stress that I suck at bass fishing and wont catch anything so might as well not go. I don't have any other hobbies besides fishing anymore, but its gotten more frustrating than fun and relaxing so I started a thread asking about used values of rods and reels because I know this isn't going to pass very soon and it literally gives me anxiety looking at them and not using them, or even wanting to use them. Im trying my hardest to not give up on fishing for bass but its not been easy. I could still fish with my cheap beginner gear that I hung on to. Who needs an aluminum frame and 10 bearings to catch a skunk? Ive also been accused of being whiny on here and maybe this will explain why ive been like that. Because there is a constant dialogue in my head that I should just give up because I cant catch bass consistently anyways, so might as well just use nightcrawlers under a bobber, if I ever even go. Has anyone else dealt with this and what helped you to push through?

You could always buy shirts two sizes too big. Something I have found that works like you are describing is a thin white dress shirt. Unbutton the cuffs and first few buttons and let it flow.

Ive never caught anything on a jitterbug. I got a black one for night fishing even. Nothing. Alabama rig with fove different swimbaits to choose from hasn't caught anything but leaves. I switch all five swimbaits to a different type and color and nothing. It catches dust now.