Darth-Baiter

I got into a few fish. him and I were the only ones out on the lake. it was cold, drizzly, nasty. I really went to see the lake for the first time, 2025. water was 44-48. I went to my usual spot, and camped out. I just meandered a huge squiggly line in my GPS maps working the same area for hours. he fished around me and hit some other good spots. he knew the area, and I accidentally found the area just a couple years go. I still knew it less. kayak shallow, not so great for boats. we chatted out on the lake but he was dodged with details. I was super cool with that. I was not skunking. at the ramp we met. shook hands and he gave me the juice!! I was pretty happy about my 5lb, but really happy about the photo of the 10.7 he got. he broke down his strategy in detail. hahah..I cant afford, or won't pay for the bait he used, but I was on the right track. I did fight and lose a bigger feeling fish. never saw it. took my breath away the way it hit. I did hike the spot in the end of summer season when the lake was way receded and I took pics and GPS coordinates of stumps, and channels and drop offs. I need to do that again!! I want a double digit so bad I am losing all will to go to work.

I saw this and it was sobering. imagine being out on a lake and coming across an unmanned kayak with all the gear? life jacket on the kayak? I googled it to follow up and it appears they found the missing person. RIP fellow fisher person. RIP.

Blam. still can't figure what type of witchcraft Japan mail-order companies utilize, but it got to our post in 2 days.

CA, NM, OK, usually. probably add FL to the list soon

punching with a spinning rod would not be a pleasant experience for me. nope.

^^^ i think that describes all reels in general no? you tighten the drag?

hahah..I have a Jackall Bounty fish pile thanks to one of you all. I cannot catch a fish on it at all. hahha..

I'm like a miniature person of Asian decent. only smaller. I'm joking. I am a 5'10" and both my parents are full blooded Chinese. I can dunk on most of my cousins.

I like the chrome!! but honestly, looks/esthetics is way down the list on what and how I choose a tool. I dont need color coordination in my gear. I barely match with clothing!! but the chrome coating isn't robust. my first Zillion is fairly abraded from dirty boat decks in Mexico. but again..it still sends them, so I dont care.

its in Oakland, clearing Customs I think.

that thing looks great!! I've been trying to convince my wife that she needs a Hobie inflatable, but we have been married too long for her to not see thru my Wiley ways.

I felt the weight leave my body when I finally decided what hooks I like. I keep a small wallet like box with envelopes of hooks. I think I have 7 different hooks that covers all my moves. ahhhhhh... working on my sinkers now.

not including cooking, because I do have to eat. I have turkey hunting coming up. I have ocean rockfish kayak fishing coming up. I keep thinking of the bass fishing I will miss because of those two other less fun activities.. the turkey opener is the same day I usually sneak off to my secret bass lake. I just go radio silent with my friends. "what lake?" I wish there was two of me. or better yet, I was retired young. grrrrr... there is so much that is entertaining in the world. I wish I could do it all. my wife loves eating expensive rock fish. especially the lingcod. I gotta go. and I gotta go with the kayak. give the sharks a chance. my wife dropped the biggest hint. she bought me a dope Japanese fish butcher knife. hahahahah

I almost have to google how to get the Bantam side plate off every time. I think the Met has the same twist off thing right? how can it possible pop off unwanted. its tough when it is wanted.

true..but not cool poo-pooing my thunder. hahhahah... i think he is even less than half spool. i wind-knotted deep and it took major surgery to clear. i had less than half spool, and i casted..."nope". i put the combo away and fished other things.

I had a SLX DC. Wonderful reel. Casted far. Really far. I used it for huge striped bass. I felt the reel flex within the frame on occasion but never lost performance. I broke my brothers SLX rod and gave him the reel from guilt. The rod sucked imho, but the reel is legit.

Haha. I’m 50/50 Shimano Daiwa at this point. I like Toyota and Nissan I suppose.

They sound like bombs shaking off sleep and dropping from the trees. They never come down directly. They glide out about a 100 yards depending on the tree height.

What is that?

Ouch. Never considered it a competition. If I get one, I know I’m not gonna be a.....forgot how to use English about it. Haha. there is no right/wrong answer here that I can see. There’s a right one for each of us. We get to decide for ourselves.

half full spool. yup. culprit. not to brag, but that was my theory from the start. hahah..

oh man!!! glad you are okay. that story was horrific. as a non-boater, I am unclear to how you ended up in the water. I dont see barges often. and hats off to STEVE!!! I hope and pray there are threads like this on the tree-stand hunting forums about fall harnesses. that is another scary one for me.

I am ready to pepper spray the monkey of bait-spluging. thanks @FishTank

I try. I try hard to be sympathetic to the creature I just put a hole into its face. hard to walk back that hole, so I do my best from there.

I'm starting to like a V-110 on a stiff spinning rod, like a Powell Naked rod. casts great, and taps them in great. my mid cranks...my new Oricchi Bandersnatch is killing it. very fun rod to use. I dont see mid cranks and the vision 11o on the same rod.