BrianMDTX

If my dad hadn’t passed away in 2019, I’d swear this was his post lol. He was not a lover of field goals. Then again, it is foot ball!

I am a diehard Ravens fan. When I saw Tuck line up for a 66-yard FG attempt, I knew if any kicker in the NFL could make it, he could. But I am not going to sit here and say I knew he was going to make it. I’m still in a state of shock and disbelief. Baltimore has had a couple of great kickers. Matt Stover, and now Justin Tucker. Stover won games during the Ravens’ SB year all on his own. Without him, no Lombardi. But Tuck is on another level. Walk or drive around the Baltimore area on Purple Fridays and game days and you’d be surprised how many fans wear Stover and Tucker jerseys. Especially Tuck. Or as they’re calling him today…Legatron!

Sorry for your loss. 57 is way too young.

I can’t confirm that 100%. But if it is, it’s a great job. But I think it’s a legit pic.

Someone I know back in Maryland caught this fish in the Choptank River recently. It looks like a LMB, but those fins! He said it looked like fins on a snakehead. Ever seen a bass with fins like this?

I was at DCA standing outside between the old hangars (now gone) and C Concourse after both towers were struck and after the Pentagon was hit, when I heard and felt two loud booms. A group of flight attendants were there and started screaming. Then I heard loud jet exhaust and I yelled to them not to panic, as those were sonic booms. That’s when I looked at my boss and said, “ If the Air Force is breaking the sound barrier over the capital of the United States of American, this is some serious…”. We were then approached by a normally-attired police officer and told to stand underneath an overpass. I decided against that, as I wanted to be alert for any incoming threats. Minutes later, another officer fully decked out with a riot shotgun, bandoliers of ammunition and body armor told us another aircraft was hijacked and its destination was Reagan National (the aircraft that crashed in Shanksville and for which the two F-16’s from Langley AFB were scrambled and flew over Washington DC and went Mach 1). I made the call to leave and go home. When I got to my 1990 Ford Ranger it was coated in ash from the Pentagon. I drive partway through DC on 395 but got off (if memory serves me) Florida Ave to avoid traffic that was starting to back up. I drove up to Rt. 198 to junction onto 295 N. Just as I approached the entrance ramp I was passed by many fire trucks and state police cruisers. They started to block all the NB ramps onto 295. I had my turn signal on and a MD state trooper came over and asked where I was going. I showed him by DCA airport badge and said we had evacuated the airport and I was headed home to Bel Air (on the opposite side of Baltimore). He answered a radio call and asked me again where I was headed. I told him again, and asked if they were closing the ramps onto 295N as the next exit, Rt 32, was the site of the NSA. He nodded and told me to go. By the time I got to that exit, Jersey walls had been pulled across the ramp to deter suicide truck bombers (at that time, the NSA was directly across where the ramp junctioned onto Rt 32; that entire exit was redone to prevent that occurrence). I called my wife and told her to put a pistol in her purse, withdraw as much cash as she could from the ATM and get the girls from school. Pack food and water and I’ll be home. She said she had never heard me speak (in her words) in my “military voice”. She complied with question, God bless her. Forget? I’ll be 102 and I’ll never forget. Or forgive.

I was a mile from the Pentagon working at Reagan National. The airline I worked for at that time did not lose an aircraft that day. The one I work for now lost two. I truly have no wish to “remember” 9/11. It dredges up a lot of bad memories.

Same here out of my inflatable. The tricky part at first is not casting with a jerky, flicking motion. Let the bait come back and load up the rod.

X2. Looks like a juggernaut. Stay safe!

That’s a heckuva way to get a set of rattling antlers!

Look up 5” Senko wacky rig. It’s great for a beginner as it’s easy to cast, fish and it definitely catches bass. Get a bag of #297 (green pumpkin) and #956 (watermelon w/copper flake-orange w/red flake) Senkos and catch some bass!

Not towing a boat, but deer several times. First one was on my way back home from Western Maryland from deer hunting. Had a buck in the bed of my 1990 Ford Ranger. It was dark and I was driving behind a Ford Explorer on a small two-lane highway. I felt a large bang/bump and then saw the Explorer stop and make a U-turn. I followed. The Explorer went back down the road, made another U-turn and pulled off on the shoulder. I jumped out and asked if something fell off her SUV. She yelled “did you see that deer”? I walked around the front and driver’s side and everything looked fine. When I got to the rear, I saw the left rear taillight was broken. A deer (the lady said it was a big 8 point) had ran across the highway and hit my truck just forward of the wheel well. There was a big schmear of deer snot down the bed until it got to the busted light. It ran off, so likely made out with no more than a headache. The second was on a small side road about two miles from home just starting my morning commute. A small doe partially ran out of a hidden driveway and stopped with her head dead nuts in front of the right bumper of my ‘05 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4. I heard the whack and saw it roll to a stop as I pulled off the road. Snapped its neck and it was killed instantly. Took a napkin and wiped off the smudge from the bumper and went to work. The worst was several years ago. My wife left early Sunday morning for work at the hospital in her 2016 Mazda CX-5. She was gone maybe two minutes and called my cell. I thought she left her coffee at home, but all I heard was “Car! Deer! Ran over! Help!” I hopped in my truck and reached her in less than 60 seconds. She said a small deer had ran out and went right under her SUV. She felt the bump like running over a speed bump, it came out the back and took off. I inspected her SUV and saw some cracked fascia and blood smeared on the oil pan, but that was it. But she was shook up and afraid to drive it without having it checked out at the dealer. We called the police to file a report, then I drove the SUV while she drove the truck back home and I made a claim to the car insurance folks. She asked me to drive her to work, but not in my truck, so we left in my 2016 Mazda 6. Drove 25 miles to the hospital, dropped her off and left for home. I was one exit away from home on I-95N when I saw a deer run across the southbound lanes, jump the Jersey wall and head straight for me like a torpedo headed towards a freighter. It ran in front of the left bumper and I smacked it at almost 70 mph. It flew feet in the air and landed about two lanes over. I was fine but it destroyed the front of my car. I called AAA for a tow, the police for (another) report and finally the insurance company. Two deer collisions in less than 1-1/2 hours. Yes, it died!!!

I know how you feel. Stick a pin in the map in the center of Baltimore and draw a 60-mile circle around it. If it ain’t in that circle on the Western Shore, it ain’t a Maryland crabcake. Especially in DC.

Just like this one.

I use 1/0 circle octopus hooks on my Senko WR. Unless it’s simply hooked where it comes out easily by hand, I grab them at the deep part of the bend with my hook remover and rotate them out. I haven’t had too much of an issue removing these hooks, even gut-hooked bass. Going through the gills normally results in a good hook removal and a saved fish.

Have you ever used a baitcaster before? If not, I recommend you start with 10-12 lb Berkley Big Game mono. If new, you are going to get backlashes (maybe some severe ones), so best not to ruin $$$ FC or braid until you have spool tension and brake settings figured out.

With friends like that, who needs other friends! ? Although, being friends with a partner of the Bait Monkey could be hazardous to one’s bank account!

The last three tropical storms/hurricanes that have directly impacted me and my family were Isabel and Irene (while in MD) and Imelda (in Texas). Must be something about the letter I. By the way, my M-I-L's name is Ida. Not a good sign!

The tip for skipping I’ll agree with. Not so sure about the backbone. But I’ll guess that depends on the hook. I use a Gamakatsu 1/0 circle octopus hook, so I don’t set the hook at all. I raise the rod tip and reel in the slack and the bass sets the hook. Either my Fenwick HMX MF or Daiwa Procyon MXF (both with 20 lb braid and 6 lb mono leader) work equally well (the Procyon’s XF is pretty close to the HMX’s F as far as the tip action). Even my St. Croix Bass-X MLXF does a good job, but is a bit light in power for anything over 4 lbs. Although it’s handled a few 5 lb’ers without that much difficulty.

If you don’t like them, I’ll be shocked.

They sound good. I don't think I've met a wing yet I didn't like. My favorite are Old Bay and Honey wings. Get wings fried plain, coat them with honey and cover them in Old Bay. No one local has those, so when I want wings, I bring a jar of honey and a can of Old Bay with me. Generates a lot of stares! ?

That bass is chunky! Congrats on the new PB!

I’ve never used any other leader knot, so I can’t compare it to others. I use it on a Fenwick HMX66M-FS-2 and a Procyon 661MXS (both with 20 lb braid and 6 lb mono leader) with no hang-up issues. I’d really like to hear from some others (especially those who frequently fish with leaders using the FG, Alberto, Uni-Uni and other knots) that have tried and/or used the LK knot and see how they feel they compare. As I’ve said, I’ve never used any other leader knot, and I haven’t caught any DD bass, but I’ve caught bass over 5 lbs without a hitch and have never broken a leader knot or had a failure. It’s so simple to tie I think many feel it’s bound to fail compared to more complex leader knots.

Try the Lefty Kreh knot. Takes 30 seconds to tie. Haven’t had a knot failure yet. Even pulling a snag it broke at the hook, not the leader knot. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GDxGy3Nld2g

I do seven loops for an IC because...that's what my dad taught me. So far it hasn't failed me. I don't have superstitions. Rituals? Yepper. Have to lay out my towel, fish grippers, scale and hook removal devices before the first cast. Forgetting to do so gives me the willies. Not due to a superstition, but the fact that I do not want to catch a bass and need those items and have to dig for them while a big 'un is on the line.