Bankc

South Carolina. I like South Carolina. It's got nice weather, nice people, nice cities and towns, nice parks and lakes, and is all around one of the nicer states to live in or visit.

I'd find a different shop if they told you two engines were totaled due to ethanol fuel (assuming you didn't use something like e-85 fuel in them). They clearly don't know what they're talking about, and just blaming a boogey man rather than admitting they're out of their league. Now ethanol can damage an engine. I'm not arguing against that. But it certainly won't total one. Ethanol's only issues are it absorbs moisture from the air and has an alcohol component. The added moisture can cause unprotected steel or iron components to rust, and the alcohol can damage some types of rubber hoses and seals. Most modern engines were designed for use with ethanol and so won't rust or break down when exposed to water or alcohol. Even on an old engine not designed for ethanol, the engine itself should remain unharmed by ethanol exposure, especially if it has a fuel filter. Worst case scenario is usually the carburetor gets clogged with gunk being passed from the fuel lines and tank. Then you just rebuild the carburetor to get the engine going again. A hassle and a cost you don't want to pay, but not enough to total an engine. They generally don't recommend ethanol gas in 2-stroke engines because the ethanol will accelerate the separation of the oil from the gas in the blended fuel, reducing the engine's lubrication. Especially if the fuel sits for a long time and isn't mixed up, like what happens with a lot of 2 stroke engines. Though you can still run old 2 stroke engines with ethanol added gas just fine, so long as you don't let the gas sit for long periods of time, unused. As for the octane thing, higher octane gas doesn't burn as fast and thus reduces power from the engine. It's actually the exact opposite of what most people think. The advantage of high octane gasoline is that when you compress a fluid, you raise the temperature and pressure of that fluid. And if you have a high compression engine that raises the pressure before firing, the cylinder can fire prematurely due to the compression pushing the gasoline above its ignition point before the spark plug fires. That's what engine knocking is. It's the gas in your cylinder exploding before it's supposed to, throwing the engine out of timing. So you need high octane gas for high compression engines so the gas doesn't accidentally fire before the spark plug sets it off. Running too high of an octane gasoline in an engine that wasn't designed for it usually won't harm your engine, but it will reduce power (slightly) and waste money.

I like to tie on longer leaders, so I don't have to replace them as often. For a drop shot, it would kind of depend on the hook. If you're using a standard hook with a palomar knot, then I'd probably go with something more than double the depth you plan on suspending your bait. That way, if something happens and you need to cut off the hook or whatever, there's a chance you can still reuse your leader without having to tie another one on. If you're using one of those dropshot hooks with the double swivels, then I'd just tie the braid to the top of the hook and the leader to the bottom at whatever depth you need. No need to do two leaders with that setup. When it comes to leader length for most presentations, you only really need a foot or two. But adding more usually doesn't hurt. However, sometimes the leader knot can get caught up in your reel or line guides, so depending on the rod, reel, and what kind of knot you use, you may find an advantage to using a shorter leader, to keep the connecting knot out of your reel or line guides. So I say just try something, and if you run into problems, try something else. I wouldn't waste any time worrying about it until a problem actually arises.

Run whatever the motor was designed for. Nothing more. Nothing less. The only time I buy ethanol free gas anymore is for my 2-stroke engines that aren't designed for it. The only time I buy high octane gas is for my wife's Miata which has a high compression engine. And the only time in my life that I've ever had engine problems related to fuel was when I bought old gas at an old gas station, which I knew was a mistake, but I didn't have much of a choice at that time.

That would work. It wouldn't be ideal, but I don't that many times with success. The thing to remember is 30lb braid is really strong stuff. You'll probably break your rod before you break your line trying to horse a fish out of that. The biggest reason to go with bigger line is it won't dig into your spool as much when you horse that bass out. So you're less likely to backlash your next cast. Plus, do you even have 30 lbs of drag on your reel? It's kind of the same thing with a rod. A stronger rod doesn't necessarily make dragging big bass out of the salad easier (well, maybe a little). But its real advantage is you can throw heavier lures with it. And heavier lures will punch through the grass easier. But still, there are ways around that. My point being, while there are some small advantages to be gained by upgrading your gear to stuff specific to punching heavy mats, they aren't necessary to get started and see if it's a technique that's worth investing more time and money into first.

Here's your problem: You're trying to do too much and not doing enough. That's obvious. The solution is a little less obvious. What you're doing wrong is combining things, trying to make them more efficient. And you're actually losing productivity that way and making everything less efficient. Instead of fishing more, you actually need to fish less. Here's what I mean. Right now, you're fishing with your friends, kids, and girlfriend. That's okay on the occasion that they actually want to go. It's nice to share a part of your life with them on occassion. But instead of doing what YOU enjoy with them as a means of spending quality time with them, focus your time doing what THEY enjoy with them to get that quality time. Don't spend time with your girlfriend fishing, unless she really, really wants to go fishing. Instead, maximize the quality of the time spent with her by doing what SHE wants. Same with the kids and all family and friends. Focus on THEIR needs and wants, not your own. Make the time you spend with THEM, about THEM. Then let everyone know when you go fishing, that you're going to be taking it seriously. It's not fun for you if you're having to focus your attention on other people. So, no talking or joking around. No helping out other people with their rigs. No going home early if the fish aren't biting. No fun unless they're idea of fun is grinding it out in silence. Let them know up front that this isn't about spending time with them, it's about serious fishing. If they want to talk, socialize, have fun, bond, etc., then set up a separate time for that. Do one thing at a time. Do this, and you won't have nearly as much time to go fishing. You probably won't even be able to fish once a week. That's a lot to ask if you have a significant other, kids, a full-time job, and a house full of chores, etc. But, when you do have the time to actually go fishing, you can ACTUALLY GO FISHING. You'll enjoy it that much more, because you'll actually be DOING what you enjoy, instead of just technically going through the motions of something adjacent to what you enjoy. And your family and friends will enjoy spending time with you more, because when you do spend time with them, you'll be actually spending time with them, as opposed to just spending time around them. And you'll enjoy that more too. TLDR: Live deliberately.

The type of weed will change my answer. Hydrilla is different than lily pads or water willows. But if I had to pick a general, catch-all, it would be a T-rigged worm. That'll get through just about anything, and be a highly effective bait.

Rod, reel, line, lure, pocketknife, fishing license. About half the time I go fishing, that's all I take. And that's all I really need.

As for lead acid batteries (which includes AGM), there are only a few manufacturers left out there. So it's really common to find the same battery sold under dozens of different names. And the technology is really old at this point, and there's nobody investing in improving this tech. So it almost doesn't matter what brand you buy. They're just about all the same. What I would be focused on is buying from someone who sells a lot of deep cycle batteries. Since most stores won't charge their unsold batteries, I prefer to buy from someone who sells enough batteries to ensure that you get a fairly new battery that hasn't sat on the shelf forever, self-discharged, and allowed the plates to sulfate. Well, that, and price. No use paying more for a sticker that no one can see.

I probably need to think more inside the box. I tend to catch more bass throwing a T-rig Senko than yo-yoing an old Heddon River Runt. But my mind can't help but wonder... what happens if I rig up a bunch of different creature baits on an umbrella rig? Why does no one put a soft plastic trailer on a weedless flutter spoon? Surely the bass haven't seen that before... I've had a few hits (like the back half of a lizard as a jig trailer) but a whole lot more misses (like dragging a C-rig with a floating, Elaztech Ned bait and Aberdeen hook so it will actually float).

That's what I run, though a different brand of lithium battery (Weize). Still, I've fished for 8 hours before with my 30lb Minn Kota off that 50AH battery without fully draining it.

Yeah. I had a great uncle, who didn't believe oil changes were necessary. He was convinced it was just a way for the dealer to get more money from you. So he never had the oil changed on any car he ever owned. Now, to be fair, he only ever drove to church. So he's sell his car after 10 years and only have something like 15-25k miles on it. So he never actually experienced why that was necessary. But we all felt sorry for whoever bought his cars from him. We were sure they all thought they were getting a great deal on a super low mileage car, only to find out it was probably on its last legs after going 20k miles on the break-in oil.

One of the first things I learned about bass fishing is to keep moving. To this day, I have a habit of staying in an unproductive place too long. I also have the habit of not staying in a productive place long enough. My point is, don't pick apart an area if you're not getting good results by doing so. I've caught more bass by randomly fishing areas that probably shouldn't have bass than I have by sticking to one spot that I know has bass, but they won't bite. If they're biting, then by all means, keep picking at it. But don't waste your time trying to convince bass to bite that don't want to bite. Having said that, there are times when the bass just aren't biting, and sometimes the only way to catch one is to slowly pick apart a spot until you finally convince one to bite. With bass fishing, no rule is 100%, except the "you can't catch fish if you don't try". So try to be flexible in your approach. A good angler lets the fish tell them what the rules are. A bad angler tries to tell the fish.

Definitely a factor to consider. I know a lot of these Chinese brands won't honor their warranty anyway. Though some do. But it's still going to be a lot in shipping and a long wait to get a replacement. However, I considered this when making my decision, and figured I could buy two Chinese lithiums and still save money over one of the US assembled batteries. So my warranty was buying a second if the first one failed. Kind of like paying extra for the warranty, only if you use it. Mighty Max is also a Chinese company. They have an office in NYC, but it's probably just a space rented out to say they have a US address, something a lot of companies do. I mean, there aren't too many companies that can or would afford NYC rents and labor for a factory or warehouse! However, being sold at Home Depot does give you some recourse, as I've found HD a little easier to deal with returns than Amazon, as of late. I have no idea if Mighty Max actually honors their warranty. But judging from their website and HD affiliation, I bet there's a good chance they do. They have a lot of restrictions on their returns, which usually means they plan to actually go through with it. Otherwise, why not offer a lifetime, no questions asked, shipping paid warranty, if you're not going to honor it. It costs the same.

For cheap rods, I just use sewing thread and super glue. As noted, the glue/epoxy just keeps the threads from unraveling. It's the thread that does all of the work. So just about any glue or epoxy would work. Though I'd stay away from anything too soft (like Marine Goop), too thick (JB Weld), or water soluble (Elmers School Glue). Not that they wouldn't work, just that they'd be less than ideal. The hard part is getting the threads to line up in order, so they don't clump up or cross over a bunch. But if you take your time and go slow, it's not too hard to do it by hand. Especially with good light and eyesight.

Yeah, this is an area of contention. Game wardens often don't need search warrants in situations where the regular police would. So in the past, they've used game wardens to illegally search people and property to circumvent the work of gathering evidence and getting a warrant the right way. Then, if you're poor and have a court appointed lawyer who doesn't have the time to give your case the attention it deserves, they'll recommend you just settle to lesser charges rather than fight this illegal maneuver. Whereas if you can afford your own lawyer, you can fight the charges and get the whole thing thrown out, because it's an obvious violation of the constitution. It's one of the ways the police can game the system. Game wardens usually don't appreciate doing this, as it puts them in unnecessary risk, is technically illegal, and distracts them from doing their real job. We don't see as much of it as we used to, maybe 10 or more years ago. Word has gotten out on it, and judges and juries don't tolerate it as much as they used to. Technically, game wardens are usually allowed to enter and search your property without a warrant, but only under the suspicion of hunting or fishing illegally. They can't do it for things like suspected drug activity, as an example. They need a warrant for that, just like every other police officer. However, if they say someone is suspected of poaching (which in this example is a lie), raid the property, and then find the drugs, then they can still prosecute you for the drugs, even if they find no evidence of poaching, so long as they had reason to assume you were poaching. Like I said, a good lawyer can easily prove this was an illegal search and get the charges dismissed, but not everyone can afford a good lawyer, which is what they're relying on when they do this. Still, I don't blame the game wardens for this.

I only have nice things to say about any game warden I've ever met.

Well, there you go! And it looks like you have a lip on the front of your kayak that catches the bar, making it easier to lift. That's handy. I do something similar, only I use a truck bed extender in a trailer hitch on the back. I have my installed in reverse, so that it sticks up instead of out, so it's level with my roof rack. It's definitely a lot easier having to lift just one end of the kayak versus the whole thing at once.

I'm a cheapskate, which is why I have my tires balanced. It saves money in the long run on gas mileage and tire wear. Plus, it's easier on your bearings. It's one of those ounce of prevention things that's worth the small cost up front.

For my kayak, which is a DIY stern mounted trolling motor, I pretty much do the same as you. The difference being that instead of having to make slight steering adjustments, I'll have to make slight speed adjustments, since for me, my foot pedals control the steering, and I have to adjust the speed with my hands, instead of the opposite. An advantage to having a trolling motor over pedal power is you can have the trolling motor running while you stand and fish. Without a programmable TM, it's not a huge advantage, as it's a pretty dumb system. You just point and hope. I mean, I do have a little control over it, as I can lean the kayak or position the rod during retrieve to steer the kayak a little bit. But I can usually only get one, maybe two casts in before I have to reposition or adjust the motor or something. Fishing is a lot easier if I stay seated and keep in constant contact with my foot pedals. Typically, if I'm standing and fishing, I'll either anchor or drift. A drift chute comes in really handy with this. Especially if the current or wind runs parallel to the bank, so I can drift with it and maybe just adjust every once in a long while. With an anchor trolley and a drift chute, you can fine tune it to keep you on path pretty well where you might not have to do anything until the bank, wind, or current changes direction.

That's what I've noticed as well. So I typically just get whatever's cheapest and not too old. The market has consolidated to the point where if you're buying a more expensive battery, all you're paying extra for is the sticker on the front. Even the "warranty" isn't worth anything to me. Most are "prorated", meaning they're about equivalent to a "$5 off your next purchase" coupon. Really, the biggest "difference" between various brands of lead acid type batteries is how long they've been sitting on the shelf before you bought them. Most retailers don't keep their batteries charged while they're in the shop, and that can damage them if they self-discharge for too long. So the only stickers on the battery that you should pay attention to are the "made on" date and price tag.

It's hard to beat a Texas rigged worm from the bank. At least that's my no. 1 lure for bank fishing. If for no other reason than it gets through the weeds. It all depends on the body of water you're fishing, but for me, the number one factor in determining what lures to use, is what the bank looks like. In other words, is it all covered in vegetation? Or is it sandy or rocky? Can you access deep water from the bank, like from a ledge or dam? Or is it all shallow? You can throw virtually any lure from the bank. And they can all work. But given the conditions of your particular bank, there might be only a dozen or so that would be worth your time.

I get the sentiment. But visibility isn't really the problem. While we think of kayaks as being pretty small, they're actually quite large. Much larger than a swimmer or water skier. Kayaks are just small compared to other boats. Back in the 70's, various states and cities started passing laws mandating that bicyclists use those bright orange flags. The idea behind that was it would make them more visible and thus safer. But most of those laws are gone now, because all it did was give motorists a reason to deny responsibility and pass the blame on to the victims. It didn't do anything to reduce the number of actual accidents and protect the bikers. Besides, boaters run into other boats pretty often. It's not that kayaks get hit more often. The opposite is actually true. It's that they're so much smaller and more vulnerable when a collision does occur.

I believe we should be required to have a separate boat operators license or a certificate on our driver's license for boats, because it's not at all like driving a car, so being able to operate one does no good for operating another. And you should be required to pass a written test, at the very least. Even better would be a course you have to take. Don't make it expensive or cumbersome. Just make sure that everyone at least has exposure to the rules of the water before they go out. I know accidents will still happen and people still won't follow the rules, as we can look to the roads of an example of that. But I believe it would be only a minor inconvenience that would pay for itself in lives and reduced property damage. We'd all like to believe that common sense would prevail in these situations. But common sense ain't too common, as they say. And some people need to be told that just because you're not looking at something, doesn't mean nothing's there.

That's happened to me several times. And a couple of times, I'm pretty sure it was on purpose. Sometimes those guys in the big bass boats don't like us kayakers fishing "their spots".