Fishnski48

66 years old at Sugar Lake Mexico 10lbs 8oz

I generally get on the water around 5 AM, it gets light around 4:45. Fish using top water poppers near the bank (when the top water shuts off it is done for the day until around 8PM), then I move to 15-20 feet and use a Texas rigged Brush Hog. Off the water by 10:30-11:00, by then it is already 100+. Been pretty successful the last couple of weeks doing this ..and... I this way I also avoid the wake boaters and jet skiers and their blasting music ?

Heck yes I do from Mott St in NY. I also miss the feast of San Gennaro! Campfire food is a great steak over the open fire with a potato toasting in the coals

I my old Silaflex 6'6" fiberglass spinning rod in the rafters of my garage and decided to take it out for a spin on a a fishing trip. I threw a Strike King Rage Blade (1/2 oz), the Z man Jackhammer (3/8 oz) and the Jackhammer stealth blade. I had a great day - the Rage Blade and Jackhammer caught fish with the largest being 3.5 lbs. The Stealth did nothing. Fun day tossing a noodle all day and did the rod bend when the big ones didn't want to come to the boat and thought they were submarines diving for the bottom, but the flex let the hookset hold. I think a little longer rod would be easier to throw, and I'm thinking of getting a custom made Cranking Rod using a composite Bushido blank. Who knew Fiberglass could be fun!

I have 7 of the Black Carbonlite rods and 1 CL2. They are Medium - fast and Moderate; Medium Heavy Fast and Extra Fast, 6' 9" to 7'. All a great rods (I also have Exprides and Fenwicks). and durable. I Bass fish an average of 2x/week and I'm usually out for 6-8 hours each time (nice to be retired). I also have a Crankin' stick, older one with power hump and cork handle handle 7' MH very nice, Although I am now thinking about getting a custom made cranking rod for lipless and med depth crankbaits. I have Carbonlite BC reels and PQs and they work well. On my last cleaning for 2 of them I replaced the bearings with ceramic bearing and it made a nice improvement. Although distance is important, smoothness and durability are key for me. I also fish SLX and the Curado "Greenie" and I think they are just as good.

I saw Mark Zona talk about this very thing on one of his shows. Then he showed a clip of him skipping a dock and the fish getting tangled up on something and instead of trying to horse him out he fed him some line and let him do the untangling for him since the fish wanted to get to deeper water. It can work!

I have used this for a long time. no poking or impairment when fishing https://activeprogear.com/product/deepconcealment-shoulder-holster/

Baskin & Robbins Baseball Nut and their Cherries Jubilee! also Coldstone's Chocolate with Blackcherries mixed in OK I just gained 5lbs

Scared and Hungry ?

2 men walk into a bar. The 3rd one ducked. Ouch!!

Why are elevator jokes so classic and good? They work on many levels. What did the police officer say to his belly-button? You’re under a vest. What do you call a pudgy psychic? A four-chin teller. What did Tennessee? The same thing as Arkansas.

To all those Men and Women in uniform today......

Thanks everyone.. I appreciate all the info. Sounds like Bushido is a quality blank.

Reading information is not the same as asking folks who may have used a particular item, perhaps someone used a blank to build rod, or handled one. For instance what is a medium vs medium heavy, there is no real standard to measure, but if somebody used one and said it is similar to.. put a popular brand here... or you respected that person's opinion it could make a difference. Besides you can't really believe everything you read on the internet, otherwise no one makes a crappy rod, at least I haven't seen anyone advertise we have a god awful rod for sale, please buy it. I hope that clears up why I asked for information from anyone familiar with the brand in the forum for custom rods.

I have this one.. takes up very little space and easy to deploy https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08D98XYZW/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B08D98XYZW&linkCode=as2&tag=lunker012-20&linkId=ddaf49f917da7eb7510148a6c3a402c5

I use Aqua Lung, got them at Sportsman's Warehouse, reasonable price covers my wrist and are light weight. Here is a link to Campmor with the gloves https://www.campmor.com/products/aqua-lung-sport-sun-glove-mens

Is anyone familiar with Bushido blanks from Warrior Rods? What is your opinion or their medium and medium heavy rods? What might you compare them with.

I believe it is. I fish Roosevelt Lake in AZ which is 21490 acres. I plan on fishing just a piece of it at a time, using the trolling motors anc my 2.3 Honda I do OK. To fish the entire lake I would probably need a few years.. LOL.. but I pick and choose where. it is terrific for getting around the coves. I can get into some skinny water. I have been in less than a foot and it's maneuverability is great for freeing up snags. I added a set up that lets me carry 4 - 3600 boxes plus my tackle bag, a lunch bag and a box of assorted fisherman tools and junk. Installed a 7" Garmin Echo map on it too. I use a series 31 battery, but once that is gone I'm going Lithium (1/2 the weight and longer life and power distribution), but mucho money. The now offer twin 45lb thrust motors, I have 36lbs and they are fine for me. I love the pedals for maneuvering and fighting the wind leaving both my hands free for fishing. Sorry, don't want to sound like and ad but for me at 73 years old, pushing around a 205lbs boat (with 2.3 outboard) beats pushing around a 2100lb glass boat by my self.

Look at a TwinTroller. A little pricey but very stable and twin trolling motors built into the hull and you use foot pedals to maneuver the boat. I have mine for a year and fish big lakes, but in little pieces. You can buy a trailer for it, which I have and I launch from a ramp or the bank. Fun for a day of fishing. for some info:

I have a TT and trailer and love it. I got rid of my Seaay180 because it was a pain to handle by myself. I fish alone these days and go out at least once a week if not more (usually T, W or Th). Here in AZ that's all year long. I have used it in some 10mph winds, but wouldn't want to do it with big rollers coming at me. Handles well and I launch from a ramp or the shore with the trailer. I put a Honda 2.3 on the back to get me around larger lakes ( I don't run from spot to spot like the big boys, but i can get around well and the pedals actually let me fish easily in the wind). I'm 73 years old and haul and push this thing around with no problem and I carry 5 rods with me. I have a series 31 interstate battery and I run around for about 5-6 hours and my battery meter says 58% when I put it on the trailer.

I run a 2.3 Honda (air cooled) and it hasn't given me any problems in the past year. Not cheap but has been reliable and is 4 stroke. https://www.defender.com/product.jsp?id=6868254

I know a lot of folks are not BPS fans but the Pro Qualifer is a workhorse usually $99 but you can find them on sale at times for less.

I use 20# braid with a leader of 6# or 8# mono as my leader (6-8 ft.) on a ML Spinning rod. I have had good luck with this on my lakes here in AZ.

Put it on a "fish" diet and maybe it will lose some of that extra weight

Topher - The Patriot... Great song, great message.... Let's hear it again..