Guitarfish

I think it all started years ago. I was fishing the edge of SF Bay, when I stumbled on some kind of bird struggling just under the surface. It had been tied up to drown. The group nearby got some severe grief as I cut the lines. They were fishing hand lines and raking little fish into buckets. And in the delta I watched another group filling buckets with stripers they had caught. Then they would load them all into one vehicle trunk. They would leave and be back an hour later. I reported it but not sure if there was anything done. So I guess bucketheads could be apropos. It won't be getting better sadly.

Our local lake 'recommends' catch and release, but does not enforce. The only type of fishermen I see are the boat load type with bait. They are ruining it for sport angling.

A slug-go set up and a Mann's Augertail set up, and you were set up.

I would assume so. Companies usually stick to their recipes.

My 'best hour' started at 6:00 am in the dark. Launched the BassHunter and went about 20 feet and heard a bloop in the water. Cast out whatever lure I had tied on and caught a schoolie striper. Caught a striper on nearly every cast for the next 6 hours. There were three schools as near as I could tell, just continuously roaming the 10' shallow end of the lake. I was probably 60 then, and my shoulders were aching from constant working them in and releasing. I had to stop, but the bite started to slow anyway as the fish moved back to deep water. Everyone else launched and went north. I giggled to myself all the way home. Man that was fun.

I've seen them slip because of the wrong lube. Cleaning is usually enough. If corrosion gets in, then replacement is definitely in order. Keep your old one. My guess is it will be good insurance that you hopefully never need.

I was under the impression 5200 cures into a permanent repair. I use the 4000 or 4200, as it seals but not a hard cure. I like to be able to get it back apart, whatever 'it' might be. I am in the middle of a Pelican Predator / trailer redo. I'm doing a front deck addition, too. All new hardware, bedded in 4000. Sealed but not permanent. I'm also redoing a Boston Whaler 16. But that's a different bird. There is a good video series by a boat repair guy, I'll try and find it. (I'm thinking Boat Works?). He had the best explanation for the proper use of each of the 3M products. Yes, it's called Boat Works Today on YouTube. Find the video on sealants and you will do it confidently. Good luck.

In the delta we usually caught them trolling lures. I did use live minnows once with a baitrunner reel, now that was fun in the tule fog. In the lake I just throw anything 3"-4" long. Hair jig, minnow cranks, Slug-go, etc. But that's when we know where they are because of boils.

I must be hungry. Thought someone was asking a recipe question.

Boat decisions are just a thing. Do what works for you. I'm not a college student, but is that new math on splitting costs 50-50, lol?

Thanks beeno, that actually amazes me. How does he have time to fish too?

A few thoughts on the video. 1) The guy has to be paranoid to open his garage. 2) He doesn't fish because he's too busy with his lure hobby. 3) His poor family will spend a lot of time offing that if he goes to the bass pond in the sky.

Almost all of my freshwater outfits are less than $100. I'm still using Shimano Bantam Mags, Spidercast 3000's, Quantum Energy 400's, all on older Fenwick, Berkley, and Ugly sticks. I service my own reels so I see no reason to replace them if they still work good. I did buy a tiny Daiwa aird100 a long while ago, but haven't used it. I use a lot of 6lb test mono. (I forget the brand but it's been the same for 20+ years). I just bought another big spool. Now if you talk spinning gear I have almost all the old Stradics, FE's I think. And baitrunners. 150's and 250's, 3500's. I spend all my money on hard lures, and or saltwater reels/upgrades. (I pour my own plastics). Fish don't care what I use. Hell, I'm proud of Alden for being willing to work for it! I started cruising the drugstores when I was a kid. It took a long time to save enough for a spinning outfit.

Nice job. Tell us about the paint type. I've thought about painting my aluminum.

I tried chasing down bear hair for a few years. Calif is not hunter friendly so don't hear too much about take.

I like catching anything but if I catch a crappie I start thinking dinner. I never catch a second one in the lake I fish though. Fishing is fun generally but there are lots of factors that can change that. Who you are with, heat, googans, etc.

I invited some new friends to fish with me. An older couple. Showed up with a 30 of Bud. Mid afternoon they got belligerent and threatened to throw me out of my boat in SF Bay. Took a while to calm them down. I think I had asked if I could have a beer. Asked the guy to pull the anchor about an hour earlier and got an F U. Shoulda pulled the plug then. If someone brings more than 2 beers now they can go in someone else's boat. Not throwing shade on you Brew City.

I missed the draft by literally a few month's. I knew I was going to Nam for sure. My birth date came up in the lottery #8. I was really worried. Then they stopped the draft. So my heartfelt thanks to those that did get drafted, or volunteered. You did your share and mine too. If anyone tells me they're a Viet Nam vet, they automatically have a free ride with me. Least I can do. Thanks to all vets period. Want to see what our young are fighting now? Check out 'The Hornets Nest' on Netflix.

I used to overnight on the Delta all the time. Had some pretty shaky characters park on the channel edge and check me out. Wouldn't bother me but this was like 3:00am. But this is Calif. You can't protect yourself. Only the creeps that are checking you out have the weapons. On another note, the street behind our house has changed dramatically since they built so much low income housing and brought the BART train downtown. Lived here 30 years before hearing of a house break in. Had someone firing off a gun in front of the house a year ago. Found 3 hypo needles on the sidewalk last week. Bags of garbage tossed along curb. It is time to move. Used to sleep with the back slider open. Not anymore. But meantime, I spent a few hours yesterday cleaning up my 60 year old, single shot 12 gauge. It was my step dad's. It's leaning against the mantle now. The zombies get past that I'm going to have to pop them with the pellet gun.

I wanted to mark all the stumps and channels in our lake when the water was way down. GPS wouldn't work for whatever reason. So I spent the afternoon pulling lures out of tree tops that used to be submerged.

Best wishes to Mom and your family.

Boy I wish I could catch something on a Pop-R. I sold them all off except 3. I bait monkeyed the hell out of them and I never even got a blow up.

When I used to fish at night I used Jitterbugs and 10" worms. Never had a problem other than a beaver that used to come up and slap the water and scare the beejeebers out of me. Why anyone would use a white light and be night blind for even 30 seconds doesn't make sense to me. And shine a white light on a big bass you are getting ready to lip, see how that works out. Red light is perfect. And a head net for skeeters.

That was pre-old eyes. I used to be able to work them out usually. Now I switch to a back up reel.

I love the suspending Husky Jerk 8 for bass. But I troll the jointed 12 for big trout. Black / silver usually. I did buy some countdowns for this year, but well, no fishing allowed here.