DitchPanda

German and English mostly....believe there's a little touch of Native on my dads side. I'm 6'3"1\2.

My trips are almost always close to home and relatively short, 2-4 hours. Normally ill eat breakfast before going. Usually I take a 32oz bottle of water, sometimes a bag of jerky. This year I may start carrying a tin of kipper snacks, I love those things.

Fun Fact: he grew up 30 miles from my hometown

Wow that's quite an accomplishment. I'm very jealous. absolutely... I've seen catfish fever about a hundred times. Plus I've read the books channel catfish fever and life and times in catfish country over and over.

I love this guy...no matter what type of fishing I've been into over the years he's always been my favorite fishing writer and tv fisherman, I just like his demeanor and his writing style. I connect with him and his ideas of selective harvest and also getting away close to home suggesting a fishing trip doesn't need to be expensive or far away to be world class. Also being from small town Iowa like him has given me a huge appreciation for his love of channel catfish. Tonight I'm watching a new interview with him on the YouTube In Fisherman channel and my wife, who refers to him as Mr Doug Stange, says his voice reminds me off your grandfather. So that's just bonus points. Sorry I don't usually fan boy out like this but this man has taught me alot about catching channel catfish, enjoying every moment outdoors and just appreciating the simple good things in life.

Those look yummy! I'm getting pretty excited, ice is almost out around me. Small ponds are open, rivers open and bigger ponds ain't far behind. Potentially look for some ice out cats tomorrow.

Picked up a bulleit BIB tonight...from what I understand its 7 years and its their own distillate. Basically the same exact specs as heaven hill BIB but I like this better. Its got some toasted hazelnut and earthiness with more sweetness on the nose than the palate. Its kinda different.

I agree...we've got the same deal down here. No way my shovel is touching it.

Suspending jerk bait Ned rig Ball head finesse jig with twin tail grub Small bladed jig with low action trailer

Yeah I agree, I trust him and agree I know I'm making the right choice. Thanks for the well wishes and I'm ready for some fishing!

We get random drug tests...otherwise this may be an option

Yep I have a good relationship with him and we've talked pretty extensively about his departure. Its a combination of things....stress and bullcrap on the list, but ultimately he got tired of the shift work and had an opportunity to take a job with a slight pay bump along with Monday thru Friday schedule.

This is what I'm trying to do, just control what I can and not worry about the stuff I cant...easier said than done but I am working on it. Management is well aware of the issues which are pretty much incompetence, non compliance and complacency. Those 3 are leading to increased work load on those of us already over loaded which is in turn contributing to some pi#$ poor attitudes. All that being said I'm really trying to keep my attitude in check since I'm in control of it and hope my positive attitude may influence others. Like I mentioned that is easier said than done, at least for me.

Yep you get it. The slight pay increase is not worth the massive bulls$&& increase. I asked my wife what she thought because I was on the fence about it. Gave her the facts of job duties and wage increase, she said no way. My current position sucks enough but at least the hours are better.

Everybody's got it. How do you guys deal with it? My job has become increasingly more stressful. Lots of turnover, my supervisor has been with the company 15+ years and he put his notice in this week. My PM and GM both approached me this week about sliding into his role but I told them I'm not interested in working shift I.E. weekends holidays and evenings after 5pm. That's all I've done since I was 16 and now that I have a Monday thru Friday 7-330 position the extra money wouldn't make up for the time away from home. Normally I'd fish but I'm in Iowa and its February so that's not an option on work days. Sorry for the rant, winter and the job have just been kicking my a#$ lately.

Outside of fishing I guess the only other things I really get into is cooking and whiskey. I've tried many hobbies over the years and those are the only ones that stuck. Past that ill say I've always prided myself on the fact that I'm reliable, dependable and hard working. One thing I've really focused on the past several years is learning how to appreciate people. From friends and family all the way to coworkers I've really tried to focus on the good in people instead of only dwelling on their negatives. Guess what I'm really trying to do is realize I'm not perfect and stop being so judgemental of other's. Its been a challenge but it has strengthened many relationships.

Congrats man, that's exciting. I actually got offered a new position at work and am thinking it over as we speak.

Come on man you know better than that. Why you gonna do that to us?

That's the double edged sword of pets: the only way to not hurt when they leave us is not get to close, but they way they love us makes that impossible. I worked with an older gentleman for years when I ran the meat counter at the local grocery store. I was in my 20s he was in his 80s...shortly after his wife passed we were talking one day and he said if your lucky enough to live as long as I have bury everything and everyone you ever loved. I asked if he regretted anything? Hell no, I'm incredibly lucky to have had them in my life.

Its been a sh$% week at work...had a 15 hour day on Tuesday...plants been running kinda crappy. But I'm off tomorrow so I'm having some whiskey tonight cuz I earned it. Started off with some Wild Turkey 101... Gonna move to Knob Creek single barrel reserve.

Local store has a dozen large eggs for $6.....18pk for $12? Hard to believe they can run a successful business but not understand math. Bet they probably get some people though.

So prior to my current job I spent almost 8 years running the meat department of the local grocery store. Learned alot of skills like breaking down primal cuts,grinding fresh ground beef and pork as well as brat and sausage making. Decided to get myself a LEM #8 countertop grinder, a roll of Weston freezer paper and a freezer tape dispenser. Excited to do a little meat cutting and grinding again. Have a pretty good hookup for whole sirloins and pork butts so time to buy a small freezer and fill it up.

This winter has been about as dry as I can remember... We've had basically no snow. Last year by this time we had pretty much already hit our full winter average. Brutal cold right now...wind chill was -37 earlier.

How long have you had your Aiwa? I got mine for my 12th birthday and it still works....ill be 42 in May.

Was -10 wind chill here this morning... Coldest temp of the winter thus far. We've had no measureable snowfall at though, last winter I bet we had 25 inches by now.