Darth-Baiter

mine wasnt fishing. it was hunting. elk hunting. brother had the tag. i was muscles-only, and calling detail. we headed into timber. dark timber. we heard an elk, beating up on a tree. my brother set up ambush along a big trail. i went into the middle of the timber and started cow calling, while walking around like an idiot. i figured i wanted it to sound like a cow walking around, calling out for some elky goodness and hot loving. apparently i was really hot sounding, because a smaller elk tried to sneak in to steal her away. he walked right up to me. SEVEN FEET! i was frozen. i tried to film him on my phone, but my mind stopped being smart and i never hit record. he never figured me out, and stood around me for about 5 minutes. i hiked back up to my brother and he almost didnt believe me. i was shaking like a leaf.

all my rods are 7' plus. i like the length in case i have to work the fish around the nose of my kayak. plus it helps when i try to high-stick it to net the beasts. my first kayak was a Hobie Compass. it was out standing. key word "Standing". just popping up onto my feet was the biggest challengs as a newb. so a stable boat was a must. i would search for a used Compass. but i am highly bias to Hobie.

To b honest, I’d rather be in my 20’s. Haha.

I’d come out screaming, “you can take my life, but not my FreeeeDoom!” looks like a very cool place.

d**n. I would leave that place with an accent. that’s nuts.

Dang. That’s quite the distinguished list of lakes.

Wife and I took a class on “how to catch crabs”. The Dungeness were a no-show, but we got into the red Rock Crabs. I was shocked how strong they are and how far behind themselves they can reach with their claws! Total yoga moves.

Holy smokes people! I wanna try for one now.

5” Magdraft. Nice.

80's are the actual delusional..maybe 90's.

it warms up right after Easter around here. lets do this!!!

nah.. I get it. I was only voicing my views which are all I really know. the coolest thing ever is that like-minds usually find each other. my new fishing buds are all a bunch of showboater social types.

very interesting perspective. I thank you for it. my wife is a RN for adult protective services. her job opened my eyes on some of the horrors of aging. the goal (my goal) is to age with grace. making friends is a perishable skill indeed. I feel and see it now! I'm not one to claim to be a lone-wolf type. if I do, it will be a defense position (it can't be me!) . we as a species thrive with social contacts. I believe it to my core.

I have been flirting with the thoughts of buying a more salt water friendly reel. this one looks kinda nice. not too costly. I dont think I have ever seen one on the water. any real world user reviews?

The dropshot knot is my best knot for that technique.

Haha. I changed a faucet the other day. I was up/down and into a fetus position. House repairs…yuck. I imagine days where I get body-aches if I sneeze wrong. Haha.

that's a bummer.

what a debate!! haha. this thread compelled me to go into my garage to look at my rods. I honestly dont know how many rods are cork and how many are EVA. the material doesn't register on my radar of importance. pretty interesting. does a cork rod float a rig if tossed overboard?

I wish. btw. I would have an optometrist appointment if it wasn't raining today. hahhaa..just kidding.

I'm getting to the point where I feel I can retire financially. but I LOVE and adore the social aspects of work. hanging with people, collaborating, debating, etc. I basically love being with people for the most part. I like to think I am decent company in return. I love fishing. looking into my future, at retired-me. I dont think I would be fishing non-stop. first, I'll be older (@$!#$!!!) and so will my friends. going fishing is still effort. not like I can step off my back deck and go fishing. I would be so bored fishing the same waters anyways. second, my wife is younger than me and will not retire when I do. so not like I can buy a Sprinter Van, and tour the country looking for out-of-state bass. (I'm looking at you Florida). I would miss my wife dearly. again, social person and my wife is a huge part of all of it. plus she would be so ticked if all of our vacations involved a Sprinter Van and my kayak. I am mid 50's so probably too young to retire. right now I just call in vacation time or the time-honored "mental health day" and go fishing. like I am doing this upcoming Tuesday. I have an appointment with Clearlake. it is why I wear a face covering religiously (in all my photos)..I can't to to work all sunburned. hahhah.."huh..the doctor treated me with UV lights...yea..that's it" sorry just rambling and trying to see what the landscape of retirement looks like. with fishing.

I can't wait to see the Catch pics.

I've been trying small batch stuff from obscure distillery places. we have a few very good local places. I'm on Rye whiskeys lately.

there isnt an electric golf cart to pull the kayak up the hill? what about breaking it up into smaller loads up the hill? like use a small gardening utiltiy cart to pull up all the ancillary stuff, essentially leaving the bare boat to drag up the hill. i have a few spots that i wish i was a stronger dude. i do mulitple trips, and bring it up slow.

I know a guy that puts a bobber stop in front the knot so it comes thru grass easier. protects the tag end(s)

I suck with a spinner bait. not as bad as that dude from TN , but pretty sucky. I have only caught bass on the Megabass SV-3. I love the thing. it swims all evenly, and not canted to the side. I sometimes grit my teeth and just fling it into cover and it somehow comes thru it like a 4x4. it is a bit more compact, so it feels finessey..and it casts pretty great.