DaubsNU1

You have a good sable of rods. Don't get too caught up in the "technique specific" rods. I've been fishing the same rods since the early 1990's...they catch fish. Might add another spinning rod or two...I really like fishing braid-to-leader on my spinning set ups. Adds to versatility.

@12poundbass, agree with you, they let them play, and that's the way football should be played! I was fearful the refs would call lots of tick-tack DPI penalties, and turn the game in to a Bid 12 type shoot-out. Nope, Michigan won by playing great defense, stopping the run / forcing UW to throw the ball. And Michigan ran the ball, controlled the clock, and wore them down. Great recipe for success. 73 had a rough night.

My brother was right...he thought this game would be decided by the men in stripes. He thought ff Michigan's DB's were allowed to man-handle Washington's receivers, and there were a few holding calls on Husky O-lineman, it was going to be a long night. Michigan controlled the line of scrimmage, ran for 300+ yards, and played to keep Husky receivers from getting deep. Welcome to B1G football.

Nebraska alum and fan here...witnessed first hand Michigan pounding the crap out of the 'Skers in Lincoln this fall. Michigan 23, Washington 13

Water that cold is nothing to mess with. Duck hunting with my 72 year old Uncle few weeks back...he's hard core waterfowler, and stubborn as heck. Hoped in his 10' john boat to move decoys in a back slew of the Missouri River. Water was ten feet deep...he was wearing chest waders and did not have a life-jacket on. As the boat rocked back and forth...I said, "if he dumps that boat and goes in...what is our plan??" His hunting buddy of many years quickly chimes in, "we call 911 and wait for the Sherriff to come find his body...that water is so cold...you wouldn't last 5 minutes." We shot 9 ducks that morning...without incident.

Borrowed my brother's boat, with Ulterra and the remote deploy feature. Fishing in South Dakota on Father's Day weekend, waited in a line of 10 trucks to launch the boat...told the people standing on the dock, "if this doesn't work...I'm going to need a ride..." Launched the boat (with wife on board), deployed the Ulterra...set spot-lock...parked the truck...drove the boat back to dock with remote...stepped on...and drove off. Pretty neat! Minor applause from the peanut gallery. The next morning I was launching alone at 5:45 AM, no one on the ramp but me. Thought to myself, "this is pretty cool, the remote thingy..." Launched boat...it is floating gently away from the dock...I press TM deploy feature...it starts to deploy...when one of the cables catches...and STOPS the process. CRAP! I quickly strip down to britches, hop in the water, and swim out to his boat. Thankfully the water was warm. I still use the remote deploy...but not when the wind is blowing hard, or the water is cold.

23 years ago starting a family, limited budget...and left-handed...so my options were limited. I opted for the old school 30-06, as a "do-everything" caliber. A few years later, won two fantasy football leagues...and had $600 burning a hole in my pocket...scored a used Winchester Model 70 stainless in 7mm MAG.

@Scott F, large spinnerbaits, spoons, dare-devils, maybe a large jerkbait here and there. Have been looking at some of the heavy bass rods that will handles up to 2-4 oz. lures. I like the rods that telescope in to the handle...give me length, and still fit in to the rod-locker. @JediAmoeba, thanks for the St Croix Premiere suggestion!

Looking to add a Musky/Pike rod to my arsenal. Max length needs to be under 7'4", or telescope in to the handle. Largest rod currently is an old Berkeley Series one, 7' medium heavy 12-25 line weight, 3/8-1-1/2 oz. lure weight. Suggestions? THANKS!

I was 215 pound offensive lineman in high school. In college, dropped down under 200 for a while, playing intramural sports, riding bike, working out, hunting a lot. Married and kiddos, got up around 225. Heaviest was about a year ago...235...then I stopped eating vegetable oils, processed foods, really watched my nutrition...got down to 208. Back up around 220 this winter... Desk job. @A-Jay is my motivation...I need to get on a solid workout schedule!

A few years back, got to talking with small engine repair shop owner, who jokingly said, "I love ethanol...replaced four thousand carburetors last year due to ethanol...good for business" I run ethanol-free in all my engines, from weed-eater, blower, power-wash, generator, ATV's, push mowers, even two stroke chain saw, Lawn Boy, and old Mercury. No issues, even with two stoke-mixed fuel sitting for over a year. No fuel-stabilizer, never felt it was needed. I do run ethanol in my 2005 Accord daily driver...average 20k miles a year in that little car...knocks down 30 mpg all day long. I did put fuel stabilizer in the tank of my Lund. Purchased in August, not sure if previous owner ran ethanol-free...better safe than sorry. Some areas do not have access to ethanol-free gasoline. Sadness.

Sorry for your loss. Know that we care.

18 years with Mrs. Daubs #1. Been with #2 since 2010, married since 2017.

Continue to dial in the new boat, learn all the features of the electronics, catch more bass, pike, walleye, and panfish. I tend to get really focused on LMB's.

@gimruis I really need to get back in to pheasant hunting. My yellow lab is 2 years old, and has done well on waterfowl. He needs some ditch-chicken time! Deer hunting was a success in November. Waterfowl today...but nothing flying.

Most EXCELLENT!!

Hang in there @KSanford33! Divorces are tough times for sure. I was married for 18 years, walked away from four different career paths to support my the former Mrs. Daubs as she got through college and medical school. We had two wonderful daughters. I was even a stay at home dad for a few years. Things didn't turn out in the end (2009), and she willingly gave me custody of the kiddos. Worse couple years of my life. But in the end, daughters survived and thrived, I met a wonderful woman in 2011 (she had two boys), we combined our families and canines. Hang in there...better days ahead!

Rest up @Woody B! Exposed to covid first weekend of deer season in 2020. Found out the Monday after that one of my hunting buddies tested positive. My wife was livid. I was bound and determined to head west that Wednesday with my brother to chase mule deer. Tuesday night before I left, wife got frisky. : ) Wednesday morning kissed her good bye as she headed to work @ 6 AM...I got quick covid test at 8 AM that day...negative...called wife...she said get the long test...okay. Results due back in three days. So, I packed up the truck, ATV's, and headed west with my Brother. Got settled in to the hotel around 7 PM, slept good until around midnight...woke up freezing and could not get warm(!). Cranked the heater and shivvered myself to sleep. Woke up at 3 AM sweating like a dog...threw all the covers off...by time brother knocked on my door @ 5AM I was feeling like crap. Tossed my keys at him and said, "shoot a big one." He did. I started feeling a little better around dinner time. Next morning (Friday) I knocked on his door, this time he was feeling like crap...so I hunted (and shot a nice one!). Saturday I got the call my covid test was positive. I hunted Saturday, we drove home Sunday...wife quarantined me in the basement for a week. I felt tired, lost my sense of smell for about a month...but aside from that first night...it was very manageable. Funny thing is, my wife is a nurse practicioner...kissed my face night before, and just hours before I tested...she never got it.

Favorite way to fish is close in, pitching or flipping a jig, or a spinner-bait. My spinner-bait casting rod is dialed in pretty good...I can bomb it ~40 yards when needed...or finesse it under branches in close. All of my spinning rods are spooled with 10lb braid, with 8 or 10lb fluoro...and can bomb lures : )

Stuck a few of these on gunwales of the old tin boat...one up front cut to 25" for quick catch-measure-release action. Another mid boat full length to measure Musky / Pike. With the Lund, switched to an aluminum board from Scheels. Don't like it so much...always seems to be stored when I need it, have to walk to back of boat to measure...and I'm a lefty...so have to flip the fish around to measure. Might go back to the stick on. Note: Fish scale hangs up front for quick weight check on the big-uns. Not a tournament fisherman.

Heck, I'm still struggling to learn all the intracacies of my HBird units, and the Ulterra. If someone wants to drop cash on FFS, then so be it. Does not matter to me...not my circus, not my monkeys. And for what it's worth: I am very happy dropping Mule deer @ 280 yards with my 7mm MAG. I would probably feel comfortable out to ~350 yards...not much more.

Outstanding work!!

@Way north bass guy OUTSTANDING!!! Great set up you got there!! @gimruis The diesel on my John Deere has plenty of power, throws snow 40+ feet. We don't get a ton of snow here, probably used the JD snow blower three times last year. My Dad had a blade on an old Wheel Horse growing up...it did okay with light stuff, but struggled with drifted snow and wet-heavy snow. I looked at a few blades...glad I found the 54" snow blower used. Saved a bunch of $$. I usually clear my driveway, and 5 of the six other driveways in our circle...I'm out there, having fun...might as well help a neighbor out. The 6th guy has a nice two stage walk behind snow blower...and he likes to move snow : ) Wind blows so dang much here in Nebraska, causing packed drifts. The John Deere really chews through it nicely.