huZZah

I also worked at Academy and it was insinuated to me that it wasn’t shimano or any other company keeping from advertising sales. Academy was pushing their own brand. When I worked there they were doing all their Tournaments Choice rods that were “ripoffs” of other brands using blanks and such acquired from these well-known manufacturers. We were heavily encouraged to push the TC stuff. It was magically always “on sale.” But nothing else was advertised. You just got lucky.

Yesterday my 10 year old caught a 5+Lb largemouth with a weightless Texas rig 5” yum dinger. Watermelon red flake. This is a few casts after he got a little under 2lb largemouth. I had a beast break my line off but otherwise caught nothing. Same setup. If the catching fish itself isn’t enough I think you’re going to be disappointed a lot. Those monsters you see people with aren’t “consistent.”

I do it all the time. Catches fish. Just like right side up. Usually I do it when I’m not paying attention, then I notice it when I caught something and am re-rigging.

Zoom ultravibe hold together really well for me. Lasts multiple catches.

I also go smaller wacky. It’s interesting everyone saying you get snagged more cause I feel like the EWG helps me stay free. Although I only throw the wacky rig where there’s nothing to get caught on. Same with shaky.

I really like my shimano slx 150. I use it on a 7’ mh fast with 12lb mono for spinner baits/buzzbaits and it’s fantastic. Got it on sale at academy if I remember correctly. My favorite reel by far. It’s just so smooth to cast.

Was sonic youth a Seattle band? Portland? I remember I loved them as well. Foo Foghter songs always sounded inspired by sonic youth to me. And yeah soundgarden. Nice. I really liked Tad, which was no small feet pre-internet radio. A friend found them on Napster. Yeah, totally a friend.

My 90s. Waiting for songs to come on the radio so I could record them on tape. And then make a mix tape.

Not that you come to fish and they’re already there? Shucks.

Spinner baits are good to throw into wind, especially beetle spins and similar for kids. That’s what mine have. I also have started Trigging a swim bait with 1/8 or 3/16 weight if the spins get snagged a lot. Swim baits are great for kids in wind since it’s active like a spinner but still heavy enough to throw and doesn’t get caught as easily. It’s just not great conditions for kids. But honestly when it’s really windy, my kids (10 and 7) typically end up sitting and reading or exploring. Or we go to the park. It’s just frustrating for them to deal with all that wind.

When they replace your hip, can they make a cool bionic one that a rifle comes out of for turkey? Or at least a compartment like a ram box to hold your ammo/fishing lures? Save you some space carrying stuff. But seriously hope it comes out well and you heal fast.

I have/had a friend that is/was a lawyer. Works very hard for his clients. I joked with him a lot that I can’t be seen with him cause he’s a lawyer. But he has done a lot of good in my eyes for peoples families, working hard to keep kids out of foster care and with parents, etc. coaches little league. His office pays for 2 teams of kids that parents can’t afford it. That kinda stuff. Then it all came out a couple years ago that he was cheating on his wife, had a whole separate family, a drug problem, and 2 illegitimate children with college girls that had worked in his office and he still kept them as mistresses. And none of these people knew about any of the others. So he is/was a very ethical lawyer. But turned out to be a total scum bag to his family. Families? But he never overcharged his clients and worked long and hard for THEIR families ?. Never stole money. He still practices family law, and he still works very hard for those other peoples kids. So there’s that...

I have my drag cranked down for jigs on braid. Baitcasters. Spinning I have it set pretty tight for 15# mono but working softer as the lb test of line gets lower. No clue what weight it is but it’s a lot easier to pull my 6lb test out than the 15 ?. Works for me. My Trig is set pretty tight with 12lb floro, but it will still move if the fish pulls hard enough. On bait caster.

I don’t know anyone that does it, but it’s pretty easy to do yourself if you’re into that. I’m not, but I did a few and it’s just dipping/brushing/spraying lightly and drying. They work just fine. (I say all 3 cause I did 6, 2 each way to see which worked better. No difference other than the first I dipped is a little thick.) I used component systems fish and jig paint.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2021-03-25/container-ship-ever-given-stuck-suez-canal-stuck-blocked%3f_amp=true Just read the stats on the ship. It’s ridiculous we have things like this lol. It’s 1300 feet long...that’s the Empire State Building moving through the ocean.

According to news.

Yeah like 20k containers to offload. Mind blowing.

My son asked me to Texas rig a swim bait for him because he kept getting caught on rocks. Ok, which one. What weight would you like? 1/8? Cool. Done. First cast “Dad I’m caught.” No. There’s no way. Son, only can get hooked on a rock when the hook point isn’t even there. Figure it out. 20 minutes later: “Dad I got it, I think the hook is bent and that’s why I got caught.” Give me that. I cast. Got caught immediately. Fight it loose. Look at it. I put the weight on backwards. Sorry kid.

I like zoom 4.5 or 5” white paddle tails T rigged. Also the big bite dean rojas paddle tail 4 or 5” in green pumpkin or tilapia. They’re not expensive and they produce for me consistently. Hold up pretty well too.

I saw something in passing that the metal blade that makes it “chatter” can get in the way of a good hook set, but also make it easier for the bait to push itself out of the fishes lip. Something with how the fishes mouth goes on when you set the hook but also while reeling in. ?‍♂️ Couldn’t find it again but I feel like it was a Roland Martin video. Not a dedicated chatter bait one but just randomly talking while he was fishing. Maybe.

If the closed-face spinning cover isn’t on straight your line will have some drag coming out, shortening your cast. My older son has a bad habit of throwing more up than out. Spins a crap ton of line out to throw the lure 15ft. Younger son gets hurried and throws right down at the water. Length of rods matters some as well; longer rods should let you cast further easier. Of course casting into wind. Braid is not the answer on a closed face spinner. As stated above it will shred your guides, and coming out of the cover tends to fray it/tear it up eventually. It could also just be related to the reel itself. I started on a zebco 33. I don’t remember how far I could cast, but it’s nothing compared to what my open spinning reels will do now. I do know that. But it was mostly metal. Now they seem mostly plastic.

I fish mostly windy banks and you get used to the wind. Not sure if it’s “better” than opposite conditions but it does seem that fish are more aggressively searching for food.

? ?. Love it. I rarely change reel/rod once I’ve decided I like the way they are. I have 7 rigs + my kids 2 setups. Once I get them set that’s it.

? ? ?

Things will take a while to catch up, especially if companies were shuttered for a while. I was astounded reading about how much production it takes to meet demand of any product on a statewide basis, let alone national/global. I bet it’s years.