BrianMDTX

I have braid on all my spinning rigs basically for one purpose. No line memory.

My primary T rig rod is a Falcon Lowrider MH/F.

I don’t know if 4’-6’ is too far outside your parameters, but I’ve had a lot of success with the Googan Scout in Pro Blue. Yeah, I know…Googan. It’s still a very good jerkbait.

Dove breast. Wrap in bacon. Cook on hot grill quickly. It’s so good! My opinion: dumbest bird on ground (you could walk up and hit one with a rock); smartest bird in flight. I’ve seen ‘em duck and weave around shot. They are a fun and tasty hunt!

If memory serves me, around 2006 there was a proposal from a Daniel Farbmen, self-proclaimed CEO and Commissioner of the W.H.A. (World Hunting Association) to have a professional hunting tour where “pros” shot deer with tranquilizer darts, scored the racks and released them. Ever watch it? No, because the hue and cry from his supposed target audience found it abhorrent and such a ruckus was raised, the dart concept was dropped in favor of killing the quarry. And as far as know, after every supposed sponsor backed out, the whole W.H.A. went down the crapper. Where it belonged in the first place.

Imagine fishing for bass…but never setting the hook. You get them to chase the bait…but never catch a fish. Would that be something you would do intentionally? No, you would not. You may fish long periods of time and never set the hook, but catching the bass and landing it is the intent. Hunting is basically the same. The joy is in the preparation, the scouting, setting stands, and getting into position for a killing shot. And you can hunt for years and never attain that. But it is the goal. And without that, it’s observing animals in their habitat, but it’s not hunting. The kill is both climatic and anti-climatic. But without the kill (or the goal of the kill), it’s not hunting. Besides, wild game is great table fare!!

I caught my PB (6-7 lbs estimate-no scale) on a Shakespeare 2052 spinning reel (over 50 years old) with 8 lb Stren on a Cabela’s UL rod (over 40 years old) with 1/2 a nightcrawler on a Eagle Claw #6 snelled hook. It was a 5 minute fight. But not bad until it headed for some submerged stumps. But I horsed her out and landed her. If that could do it, a BFS set-up should!

What style/weight shakeyhead is recommended for ponds no deeper than 8’, with leaves and other detritus on the bottom? And what baits? I’ve tried them with Zoom Tricks on a 3/16 oz. shakeyhead with no luck, other than getting piles of junk on it.

5.18 lbs. LMB April 18, 2021. Daiwa/Yamamoto Neko Macho in Houdini rigged as a weightless TR on a Gamakatsu 3/0 EWG. Slammed it as soon as it hit the water.

Congrats on the DD PB! That’s a hawg!

Congrats @hokiehunter373 I caught my first jerkbait bass last year. It’s a good feeling when you get a bite on one.

That’s what it was doing. Skeered the heck outta me!

Highest inflation in 40 years will do that. Anyone remember 10% and higher interest rates on mortgages?

Not fishing, but once I was 15’ up a tree bowhunting whitetails, and I just happened to look to my left and had an owl making a beeline right at my head. Missed me by inches. Never heard a sound. They are totally silent.

Now THAT’S something the Bait Monkey needs to leave be!

And ya can’t fix it!

I consider the dirt and wear-and-tear battle scars. I wipe ‘em off with a damp rag and fish.

I am relatively (not) young lol. Except in my head, where I can be 45, 27 or 14 depending on the situation! Yeah, I’m not fatigued sitting in a chair, driving, etc. But physical activity definitely is more tiring. But I have fished a few times and casting and reeling isn’t an issue, so I’m not going to complain too much! Hope you get to 100% soon!

Losing a beloved pet can be tough. Really tough. Sorry for your loss.

I really never eat while fishing, but water is a given. You can get dehydrated quickly in the sun and wind. Hey! At least you caught one fish and avoided the skunkaroo!

I did not like split grips at first but have come to prefer them.

I’m glad I saw this thread from Go vs seeing it days later and playing catch-up. @WRB, you have truly experienced some bass of a lifetime for sure. And you have a darned good memory, too! 100’ of line taken by a LMB. That’s unreal!

As my dad used to say, good googamoogah!

I’d say 95%. I still get a little fatigued and I think I have some brain fog at times, but compared to the alternatives I have zero complaints! Thanks for asking! Rats. I have Tricks and Mag 2’s but no Finesse worms. I hear the BM howling! Do your shakyheads get fouled a lot on algae and leaves? The ponds I’ve fished in TW don’t have a ton of grasses. It’s the stuff on the bottom that gets me at times. Especially Ned rigs.

You aren’t kidding. You must fish some of the same ponds I do. I haven’t been out in two weeks or so and end of December and 1/2 of January was a bust due to COVID. Haven’t caught a bass since late November.