DitchPanda

Wish I had buddies that appreciated good whiskey. They are all the bird dog or Jameson mixed crowd. I've got nobody to sip the good stuff with. I've never tried a good sipping rum but I'd be interested in giving them a shot. Any recommendations that won't break the bank?

To be fair the bigger ones may have been saugeye and I just didn't realize. I have seen several sauger around 24in which would put them around 5lbs. Beasts man.

How is that Woodford double oaked? I've always wanted to try it

Only if you don't know how to use it! P.S. don't feel bad I've lost my spinner bait mojo...can't catch sh#$ on them anymore

I completely get it..in fact I suspect there are many hardcore fishermen on this site that feel.the same way. Late last fall I started struggling with serious back pain...then this spring right around ice out it flared up even worse. I went fishing anyway but I'd like if I didn't say it was at times miserable. Then in April it got really bad...like can't stand up straight bad. I was super bummed. But I got some therapy and incorporated some stretches and exercises into my routine and that helped. How did you tear it? Sounds awful

They actually grow big around here. Over the past 10 years I've caught several saugers and saugeye in the 24-26in class. Few big wall eyes to...a couple pushing 28 inches. Pretty big for tiny rivers and gravel pits.

Hit a small local river this morning and had a blast. Ended up catching 2 smallies, a small walleye, 3 nice sauger in the 16-18in range and the biggest saugeye I've ever caught. Probably pushing 26in. All the damage was done hopping a 4in white fluke on a ballhead.

My buddy brought me some spotted cow last year after his trip to Wisconsin. Maybe my hopes were to high because I wasn't super impressed by it.

This sounds very much like me. I just went thru a 2 week shutdown at work where I was managing several high dollar projects...the stress level was up there. Even with working 11-13hrs a day I still had many nights where sleep didn't come easy. That said my normal schedule is bed between 10-1030 and up most mornings by 545. I have my alarm set as backup for 620 but it only goes off a few times a year. In fact I can't really remember the last time it went off.

Yep they ain't bad. Speaking of good eats I'm going to a small local river tomorrow morning in search of walleye and sauger.

I brought home a couple nice channels this morning. Also got one in the 6-7lb range but turned her back.

Too bad they didn't get put in the hospital. In olden days they would cut your hands off for stealing a loaf of bread, now you get community service for stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars. What a great "deterrent". Pretty pathetic.

Maybe...if not ill enjoy stacking some catfish and walleye fillets in the freezer before the ice sets in. I turned my back on other species in favor of bass the past several years..this past year I've rediscovered my love of walleye,catfish and crappie fishing. And eating!

Do you eat store bought meat? Or just game and fish?

Favorite brands?

I'm not entirely sure. For months there I was consistently catching 3-6 bass in a typical 2hr outing with a few better days mixed in. Then one day it just stopped. In the past 5 or 6 trys I've caught 1 lost 1 and misses a few bites. This is the lowest I've ever seen the water so maybe that's got em messed up. Been spending alot more time catching catfish and unsuccessfully looking for walleye in the local river.

Triple crown? Only bass I've seen in the past month was a 5 incher I caught in my cast net going for shad yesterday. I'm getting a little bummed out honestly.

I agree with what your saying...definitely less consistency with wild game or fish. One thing I can't say I've experienced is a venison steak that's anywhere near as good as a prime rib eye from a meat locker.

So with the changing of the seasons I find my tastes changing as to what I want to imbibe. Winter I'm almost 100% a whiskey man anymore with an occasional dark beer thrown in. Summer its hard to beat an ice cold beer or Gin and Tonic. Spring and Fall I find myself enjoying wine...I'm into medium body reds. How about you guys?

I've never had squirrel but I keep hearing how delicious they are.

So I've hunted some over the years but never really got into it. That said I like food! So what's your favorite game meat?

I love watching how during the initial.exchange he was like oh yeah I'm sorry ill move in then when she came back for more he was like well call the cops or whatever but I'm not going anywhere. I'm a fan.

What do they taste like?

I've done it in the past hen learned the error of my ways. If a buddy did it I'd probably point it out to him, otherwise I wouldn't say anything because I don't want a " thing" with a stranger. I will however call out anybody for leaving garbage..nothing ticks me off like garbage. A bad hold on a fish affects only that fish trash affects all the fish, turtles, birds etc.

Still upper 60s range here. We had a day last week it got to 106 in the afternoon...cooler weather since and coming. Get it down around 64 or so seems to be game on. We do not around me