BrianMDTX

That’s the knot I referenced. It works great IMO. Easy peasy to tie as well.

All my spinning rigs are braid-to-leader. It 100% eliminates coiled line and a spool of braid lasts a long time. If I get snagged, I break about 6’-7’ of leader and keep the braid. All my rigs have 20 lb. braid and 6 lb. mono leader tied on with a Lefty Kreh knot.

I’m in again. Fishmas is a great holiday!

Looks ripe for a Fat IKA or a Neko Macho rigged weightless with a 3/0 EWG.

I have a couple HMX’s. One is my go-to wacky rig rod. Not bad rods for the $$.

I kinda agree with this. I have great success (and fun) fishing weightless Senko TR’s on my MLXF, but they weigh substantially less than a Fat IKA or a Neko Macho. I prefer a MF at a minimum for those, and mostly a MHF. It will work, but I find casting accuracy suffers with too much rod flex.

Today was not a bad day! I started with a Whopper Plopper and a jerkbait. Nothing but pine needles lol. Switched to a black Senko WR and caught a 6” dink lol. Then I tried a black Senko weightless TR and caught another 6” dink. Took the stickbait off and switched to a Zoom Trick in green pumpkin. That changed everything. My first cast I caught a decent bass and they came real quick until the bite died off about 1-1/2 hours later. Caught 9 total including those two dinks. I have to say that I’m kinda impressed how well that St. Croix Bass-X MLXF sets a 3/0 Gamakatsu EWG. And what a blast catching bass like these on a ML rod.

I have an old set of ceramic sticks. Colorado Beaver Teeth is the name. If you hunt, you need razor sharp knives and broadheads. Take your time and your blades will shave. Also strop them on leather when sharpened and use a steel intermittently.

The Bait Monkey works solo with encouragement from fellow anglers. He quails in fear at the mere mention of the Wedding Monkey! ?

First time out in over three weeks. Been busy with work and my daughter’s upcoming wedding next month. Got on the water just after first light. 75% of the pond is covered in algae. The kind that doesn’t cause issues other than staining mono lol. I started with a Whopper Plopper. First cast it got hit lightly and I missed the hookset. A few casts later it hit it again. Not big but still fun. Bite cooled off and I switched to a Mann’s blackberry Jelly Worm TR. That was dead. Went back to the WP and started working an area just getting lit by the sun. A few casts were fruitless. I casted it again and as soon as it hit the water it disappeared. No big slurp. It just silently disappeared. I set the hook and had a decent fight. Not big but bigger than the first one. Caught three more on a white WR Senko. I’ve kinda given up on the WR this year as the bite has been off. This is a new color, so maybe it helped. Nothing spectacular but still a fun morning. Only downfall is my Fuego CT seems to be getting hard to reel. Like it takes real effort to crank in a bait. Gotta open it up and see what the issue is.

Live in Montgomery but work in Harris. It’s not good, but I don’t think it’s the most dangerous place in the US. But I was born and raised in Baltimore, and many would say it ranks up there. But it really depends on what part of the city you’re talking about. Which is how it is in most places.

I get you. My wife has had MS for over 18 years. Worked as an RN and in all that time, only missed one day of work. One day in 17 years. But she had a bad reaction to her 2nd Moderna shot which exacerbated her symptoms to the point she had to stop working and retire at 55. She’s tough as nails but breaks down often in tears. It’s hard when husbands can’t “fix” things. There’s no fix. It is a daily struggle for them and us. More for them, but still, we struggle as well. I wish you both well.

Three AL East teams (Yanks, Blue Jays, Rays) are in the playoffs (as of now) with the Orioles 2.0 games back (currently up 3-0 top of the 7th against the Guardians). If the BoSox get back to form next year and things remain relatively status quo, the AL East is going to be a cage match.

Mono or copolymer, but mostly mono. One thing I like is that the leader knot is pretty strong with mono, and running an 8’ leader, the mono never gets coiled as it isn’t getting spooled.

hokie, Gunnar needs a bigger batting helmet! Navy, two things. One, the farm system under Buck was a wasteland. It’s now #1 in MLB. Two…no Ubaldo Jimenez!!!

September! Football season starts End of summer/start of autumn Dove season Bow season (depending on location) Pennant races My birthday ? Great fishing! What’s not to love?

The wait is over. First AB in the majors against the Guardians last night. He crushed it to deep right center field. Went 2-4 in his debut. 2.0 games back in the wild card standings. Going to be an interesting September!

That’s a good flick. So is the original The Thing From Another World (although John Carpenter’s The Thing (1982) is still absolutely fantastic.

Other than my brother, you are the ONLY person I’ve ever heard say they’ve seen the Monolith Monsters. I loved that movie when I was young. Very original plot. 50s sci-fi movies are one of my favorites. Them!, The Angry Red Planet, Crack In The World, When Worlds Collide, Forbidden Planet and a host of others.

The guy getting roasted alive inside of pottery was a nice touch lol.

They aren’t “classic films” lol, but if you like them, that’s all that matters. Of the four, I liked all but the Dukes of Hazzard. Except for Catherine Bach’s Daisy Dukes lol.

Not everything appeals to everyone. I loved Laurel and Hardy and the Three Stooges, but was never a big Marx Bros. fan (even though they all were very talented). What can be interesting in watching some unedited (censored) Pre-Code films from the 1930’s. It is surprising to hear so much sexual innuendo, ladies in skimpy lingerie, etc. that were in films prior to the Hays Code. And Fx? Watch Public Enemy with James Cagney. They used real Thompson submachine with live ammunition. Almost killed him!

You're right. Although, I'm quite sure my grizzly/moose days are behind me. It's a dream, but likely not gonna happen. But the aurora? That will happen one day.

Those are all good. But 12 Angry Men is superb. Except for two minutes or so in the restroom and on the street at the end, the entire film is in the jury room. What a cast of great actors.

A capital idea, sir!