BrianMDTX

I’ve based a lot of my rod purchases on reviews from folks here. While I am not a believer in everything that’s ultra expensive is best, I also tend to shy away from ultra cheap items due to quality concerns. And yet, had I not read many reviews about Daiwa Aird-X rods, I likely would have shied away from them due to the low cost. The two I have work well. Yes, they may not be the same quality as my Dobyns, St. Croix and Falcon rods, but they are very fishable. Having said that, for the fishing I do, any new rods I look at tend to be in the $120.00-$150.00 range or so.

5” Senko Watermelon with copper flake/orange with red flake has always been my #1 color, but lately black has been very good.

Not much, just some known producers. Except I’m trying some Sunline Shooter Defier mono for my Texas rig combo.

When I was a boy (born in Baltimore in 1960), there wasn’t a whitetail within 17 miles of my house. And when I saw my first one in the wild (while fishing at Loch Raven reservoir north of the city) at 17, it was an eye-opener. Back then, it was recurve/longbow-only, and muzzleloader season was primitive arms (flintlocks or percussion cap, open sight only, etc.). But suburban sprawl (with mandated open green spaces) and changes in farming (mostly corn and especially soybeans) caused the deer population to explode. What was once one buck per season (and a doe tag if you were lucky enough to get drawn) morphed into 6 bucks per season and unlimited does (in archery season) in some counties. Compound bows became dominant, even though they were once looked down upon by the stick-and-string hunters. And crossbows were available to those with disabilities. But as populations grew, crossbows became legal during archery. And OMG was the hue and cry from vertical bowhunters loud and vitriolic. And yet it has made little difference. Live and let live, I say. Elitism is a fancy way of saying “I got something and I don’t want to share it.”

Umm, no. One can try and avoid the skunk, but one is not always successful. Much to our everlasting dismay!

All I can hear is Smash Mouth lol. For a relatively small pond that sees its fair share of pressure (although from what I’ve seen, it’s more panfish vs. bass fishing), they are rather healthy. And beautifully colored, too! And avoiding the skunk is avoiding the skunk. Beats nothing!

There is elitism in almost everything. In bowhunting, longbow and recurve shooters tend to be elitist towards compound bow shooters, and all three tend to look down their noses at anyone with a crossbow. You can see it here at times. Some feel the only “proper” way to fish for bass is with a baitcaster. Spinning rigs are at times looked down on as beneath a baitcaster. Most of us don't really care too much as long as we can kill a deer or catch a bass lol.

Man, I had a good morning! Second outing of 2023 and the first time I’ve taken the boat out in probably two months or so. Forecast was a high of 75° and overcast. Got on the water about 7:30 and started with a Zara Spook. No takers. Switched to a chatterbait (which I’ve never caught a bass on) and on the second cast it got walloped. Nice bass just under 2 lbs. Tried a Zoom Trick TR with no bites and then a jerkbait. Caught a bass as big as the lure lol. Then I switched to a 5” black Senko WR. That’s when all hell broke loose. In under 2.5 hours I caught 8 bass all between 2.0-2.5 lbs. Mostly while working the bait back to the boat but one actually jumped over a sunken branch and hammered it as it dove on it. That was pretty awesome. Had a dink throw the hook and had another that I’d say was 2.5-3.0 lbs. throw the hook as well (that one hit the bait immediately and I had some slack to reel in so I’m guessing the hookset wasn’t all that great. All of those bass really fought. Hard. They must have been in real attack mode. It made for a great few hours!

It is. But thrusting the ball over the goal line is feasible from one yard or closer. Not from where the Ravens were. Bonehead play.

The QB won the game. Just not the Bengals QB.

17-17. Tight game!

And yet….

Let’s make that “now we’ll see if the Bengals beat the Ravens”.

^^^this. I lay my finished knot on a sheet of glass and use a single-edge razor blade to trim the tag ends as close as humanly possible without touching the actual knot. I use the Lefty Kreh knot. I can feel it go through the guides, but it’s nothing I lose sleep over.

Daiwa Tatula 100H 10 lb Berkley Big Game Dobyns Fury FR 705CB Shimano Sienna 2500 20 lb Seguar Smackdown; 6 lb leader Daiwa Procyon PCYN661MXS Daiwa Revros LT2500 20 lb Sufix 832; 6 lb leader Fenwick HMX 66M-FS-2 Abu Garcia Black Max 10 lb. Berkley Big Game Daiwa Aird X AIRX661MFB Abu Garcia Black Max 12 lb YZH Daiwa Aird X AIRX701MHFB H2O Xpress Ethos HD 50 lb Sufix 832; 12 lb leader Fenwick HMX HMX76H-FC Daiwa Revros LT2000 20 lb Sufix 832 St. Croix Bass X BXS610MLXF Daiwa Fuego FGCT100XS 10 lb Berkley Big Game (switching to 15 lb. Sunline Shooter Defier when it arrives this week) Falcon Lowrider LFC-7MHF

This was the first of 2023: This was the second (and last so far): Both on a weightless TR with a Neko Macho in General’s Melon on a Gamakatsu 3/0 EWG.

I’m not a big crankbait angler. But I’ll admit it’s fun as heck catching bass on cranks. I should probably expand my horizons.

I think I’ve had the most issues tying a Palomar with getting the line caught at the end of the hook eye when tightening. If you’re not careful, that can nick the line and cause the knot to fail. It’s a knot I’ll use 100% of the time if I’m fishing a dropshot, but other than that, I’m an IC guy.

Going fishing on Monday (holiday for me). Forecast is a high of 75°. Should be a good day!

This is a perfect example of what I mean. You say you regret not going to college. Yet had you, your life may have turned out very different. Those kids and grandkids you love so much may have not existed had you went to college. No one knows the future when they make decisions like that. The only question is, are you happy with your life now? That’s all that counts.

Unless ski boat tubes have lace, then that’s a hot no!

No experience with the 795 SB, but the 705 CB is a great rod for crankbaits.

I have a rule. I regret nothing in my past, with the exception of anything I’ve ever said or done with the intent to be hurtful (which is not something I normally do lol). I say that as many people will say things such as “I really regret leaving Job A for Job B” or “I regret selling our old home and moving here”, etc. That’s a waste of time and energy. The vast majority of times those decisions were made with the best intentions. Things may have not worked out according to plan, but as no one knows the future, it’s foolish to constantly berate one’s self over decisions like these. Regret the times you have hurt someone for no good reason. Let the other stuff go. Life is short.

There were times I’d get in an elevator, hit the 12 button, it would stop on the second floor and some matronly 75 year-old would step in smelling like she fell head-first into a vat of Jean Nate. I’d walk out. If I stayed, I’d have a splitting headache by Floor #5.

The Ravens need to A- run, run, run the ball with a fresh JK Dobbins; and B- play lights out on defense. With two OL starters out, the Ravens need to pressure Burrow and make him pay for every pass. Granted, they may not have opened the playbook all the way last week, but the Ravens stymied the Bengals offense in the second half. What killed Baltimore was two picks and a fumble recovered for a TD in the first half. Plus, the Bengals played all their starters while QB Tyler Huntley, TE Mark Andrews, RB J.K. Dobbins and G Kevin Zeitler rested. Even missing Jackson and four starter (all on offense), the final score of 27-16 would have been a lot closer without three TD’s scored off turnovers. I'm not saying or guaranteeing a Ravens victory on Sunday, but I think they have a better chance than most pundits are giving them.