Darth-Baiter

I like how a Ganatral does that odd freaky u-turn when you do a hard twitch and stop the bait. I had a big bass hit it so hard when I was simply standing up watching the bait do it's thing. I think even a bass giving your bait a hard pass will reconsider when a bait turns around and gives it the stink eye. I dont love tossing it because I dont seem to have the right rod set up. too heavy. but man is it fun when a bass comes up for it. maybe my snaggiest hard bait as well.

my friends grandpa once told me, "if you can't hit bottom, bang the heck out of the sides". he did it with hip thrusts and wiggles for emphasize. I blew beer out of my nose.

look for shade. that's my own feeble strategy. that's what I would do if I didn't have sunglasses to wear.

I'd hit a private lake where they raise giant bass. like Camelot Bell Lake. I think it is in Texas. stop in Austin and eat a chimichanga to round out the experience

Hahaha. I snort-laughed.

WOW. congrats!!! on all counts.

wow. welcome!! I'm hungry for more info. how are you moving about the country? big dually Mercedes Sprinter Van towing a 21 foot bass boat? or pickup truck with a rooftop mounted kayak? I love reading all things logistics. spill it newbie! haha.. welcome aboard. and go to Florida.

I'm currently in a meeting. did you catch anything?

to be fair. I want to own a boat someday. I want to trick out one of those tiny aluminum boats and turn it into a sick bass boat. think "tiny boat nation" stuff. it will be my retirement project.

true. like "FAR". haha. my only limits are far away. and mentally, the Pacific Ocean, but that I categorize as "FAR" as well. I dont think you can even compare a bass boat to a fishing kayak. sure they are both boats, but dang. the differences can't be measured.

I own plenty of sunglasses. of all price ranges. I have very inexpensive Gooder sunglasses scattered in all our cars. the sun is brutal these days to my aging eyes. I need them for daylight driving. I also work construction and inexpensive sunglasses are a must. Mountain biking, I am nursing a pair of Oakley Pitbull sunglasses. they are on life support despite me buying new lenses for them ( I found old stock a few years ago when I called Oakley!). they survived a mountain bike crash that sent me to the ER. tough tough glasses. I love them. Fishing, I am wearing my new Costas. glass lenses. they fit okay, and I ONLY wear them fishing. but lately in the summer, the fish are in the weeds and I am punching, so I wear plastic lenses. My favorite are an old pair of Arnettes. I think they are style 4703 or something. way discontinued. they fit beautifully, despite my giant melon head. the fit is my datum. I judge how all sunglass fit compared to these. they might be 15 years old. the lenses are scratch because I bought them way back when I was poorer and they were my only sunglasses. a life of bowhunting deer and elk (and field construction) destroyed the lenses. just amber polarized lenses. I was just about to toss them in the garbage and I found aftermarket lenses!! I had to take a magnifying glass to read the style number. It was very worn down, and I could barely make out the four digits. I ordered green mirrored lenses, and waited and waited. then I forgot I ordered them. the company is so slow!! I remembered (weeks later) and harassed them a bit talking trash about their customer support. I hovered my finger over the PayPal claim button and BOOM! I think I get my lenses today! fingers crossed they fit into my beloved frames. my next pair of the greatest fitting quality sunglasses, I will immediately go back to the store and buy a second pair. if they are moderately priced like my Arnettes, I might buy two pairs. IIRC they were around $100.

It wasn’t about the money for me.

hahahha..i once saw a meme. it was a picture of the Sun on one side, and Earth on the other side. there was a tiny tiny speck in between them. there was an arrow pointing to the speck in between and a lable. that lable said, Tennessee (hmmm, it might have been Lousiana) . hahha..i assume it gets hot there?

Daubs. if i got a boat, i would go for something like yours. i LOVE yours. why a kayak? funny you mentioned a boat. my wife actually was possessed by someone entirely else and uttered the words, "you should get a bass boat" "WAAAT?" i looked for a bit, cost, maint, storage, etc..and i decided to buy a kayak. (i am still needed to unsubscribe from Vexus). i liked the kayak for the simplicity. i dont burn gas, and in fact i burn cheeseburger fuel. it is powered by me. i need to really strategize where to launch, because i am pretty much commited. there is always that nagging and exciting element of danger (minor) in a kayak. i assume it is amplified in the ocean. it's difficult. a boat can race off to way far away..i cant. i have to decode the area i am in. i love the thing. i have fished a lot. a lot a lot. boat free lakes, and rivers. skinny waters, and all with stuff i am powereing around with my own juice. storage is cake. no tow vehicle needed. almost zero maintenence. and again. i find it d**n challenging. wind blowing me around, no spot lock, etc. crappy fish finder. SO MUCH FUN. profound level of fun. which brings me to fun. Steven Rinella put into words how i thought for decades. from my backpacking days. there is two types of fun. IMMEDIATE fun. example. like a roller coaster. you "WEEEEE" have fun and it is over. fleeting. then there is the LONG TERM/SLOW fun. it might not even be fun while it is happeing. you might in fact be suffering some. uncomfy, tired, hot, hungry...but you do it. and when you are home and thinking about your adventure. you smile and relish in the fun. the fun is lasting, in your thoughts and memory. you actually forget some of the hardships. Kayak fishing is the second type of fun for me. hahha..

i'm taking a break this season. we grew stuff at my office, so i can get tomatos from there. last two seasons, i grew the full spectrum of tomatoes i like and tried growing a "smoking product" for the first time. i dont smoke at all due to my asthma, but it was fun as heck to grow (legally). trimming wasnt so fun. i gave it all away for free. some random rogue tomato popped up a month ago and right when was going to yank it out, my wife blocked me and put a cage over it. so we do have one.

2 yay. 0 nay. this is looking fairly one sided. haha..thanks you two. both of you. good think i bought a quality tether for my new iphone.

i have a regular inexpensive fish finder. its a lowrance, so i think i have to buy Navionics for it. on a whim, i loaded up the app on my phone. it was a free 20 day trial. maybe 30 days. now it is expired. i used it on the last few trips and it was kinda cool looking at my phone and noting things nearby, like islands and river channels. depths was all over the place because of historic data and recent droughts..but the formations were accurate. it says it cost $20.99 but it is silent on duration. i assume that is for the year? anyone using it? you love it? you find value?

i'll try this weekend. i'll pay attention. i dont think i touch the spool, but i might. thanks!!! i usually accompany the move with a statement. "whoa, where do you think you're going?".

i dont think i am touching the lip of the spool. i think i am brushing the line as it peels off the spool. if i need a hard stop, i put my other hand into the flailing line.

I knew I've seen them before! a-hah!! thanks.

i was cursing my current pliers. some inexpensive pair. they pinch fine, but the side cutters are goners. my old boss is a fly fisherman. he said to go with Manley fishing pliers. they look way different for sure. stubby almost. not the ones to reach behind the gills to grab a deeply hooked bass, but they do look intriging. anyone?

sorry. maybe this was just "Monday blues"? i apoligize in advance if i post the same thread every monday for the next 7 years.

i had the truck prior to even considering a kayak. i went with the option i already have. kayak in back, rods and gear inside the truck. if i wanted a rod full time in my truck, i would use my travel rod. as it stands, i dont stop to fish on a whim anymore. life gets in the way and crushes spontaneous fishing. A Pro-Angler will fit in a long bed tacoma. i've done it. with carefull strapping, you dont even need the bed extender. with my camper shell, i do. i am not crab crawling inside every time. if i had a long bed 2 wheel drive tacoma, with the 2.7L. not the prerunner, but the lower street truck version that gets better MPG, it would be sick.

i wouldnt over think stuff i write bud. not on a forum.

gah. i think about it all the time now. i am 55 now, and i have a successful career. i promoted and now i think stress levels are greater. i want to retire young, but it isnt in the cards. i didnt plan that well. i want to retire, but i dont want to be old. haha. but dang it if i dont want to jump ship tomorrow. if it all plays out right, i have anywhere between 5 and 7 years left. i might try to promote one more time. i really truely believe i will have plenty to do in in retirement. i might take piano lessons or yoga. stay active, mentally and physically. maaaayyybeee buy a bass boat. at least my California home will be paid off. which felt like an impossiblity when i bought it.