Functional

My ability to find the loudest dock or pontoon and hit it with a jig at 630am. That and making areas work that other people dont bother with. I hate competing for water and wondering if my lure, presentation or timing is wrong or if its just been beat to death by 5 anglers before me in the last hour.

We've had nice weather here but my lake temp is just above freezing. All the ice from our recent cold snap melted (yea, ice, first time i've seen my lake iced over in 5 years!). Might be hitting the water late February or early March when water warms up a bit. Historically when our water gets in the bottom 40s and 30s I dont catch anything unless I foul hook a fish.

I've wanted to try some high end stuff mainly to stay slim. I primarily bow hunt and drawing in bulky clothing quietly is not something has gone well for me. Getting hands on a lot of the Sitka stuff seems like its going to tear at the first pricker that snags it and the stuff that seems more durable is puffy and noisy. Ended up (currently) with some Academy stuff and a heated vest. I'll slip some fleece pajama pants on over my long johns and just got a muff to try next year to keep my hands and hand heaters in and warm. Not that we get really cold here but urban archery in January can have the mornings down in the teens sitting in a tree.

I like bass personally, but for fish that have little flavor for me I typically use in fish tacos. A lot of seasoning and then mixed with the other stuff you put in a fish taco blends well. You dont need a particularly strong flavor for them. Pull the filets for eating and the rest mix in with your garden.

This made me go down a worm hole of looking up current teen slang. Why was it so much simpler when I was young? At least our slang was similar or opposite (sick=cool) to what we were trying to say. Skibidi?? I'm not sure that's a word in any language.

All the years growing up in NY and fishing lakes with SM I have never caught a SM with a jitterbug. Not sure why, its always been largemouth, cats, pike, perch and bluegill....and my father has one snapping turtle on his lol.

5/8oz double jointed in Batman's favorite color. Absolute killer at night for bass and some daytime as well if conditions are right.

Hard for me to find a tournament (as in I have no idea where to look) and I'm not interested in waking up at 3 in the morning to make it to launch time for the lakes I know hold tournaments. I did try to join a reputable online tournament. They give you challenges and timeframes you can fish and its like the Kayak tournament submission with a board and ID tag. Website wouldn't take my email address to register, reached out to their support and was basically told "oh well"...so that was that.

might not be possible/legal but could you dam up that wet weather creek to divert the water and prevent it from reaching near your place?

Pretty sure my father has one of these up in his barn still. I never used it aside from a few casts in the driveway before I really switch to baitcasters. Going to have to dig it out and maybe see what it does.

Welcome! I'm also a NY transplant but from "central" NY...depends on where you live in NY depends on what you call me haha (hudson valley). Living out in Eastern NC, you have a decent group of members out your way for sure.

Glad to hear and "minor" for everything you guys have been through. Hoping all goes well! My mother had something similar out of her upper chest for dialysis before she got her kidney transplant. Still remember driving her 3 times a week...

havent lost anything important yet. A few times though I'll "retie" and put a new plastic on the hook and toss it overboard but forget I never actually retied. I do remember when I was younger my sister threw over a little mini mouse zebco rod on her cast. Well a year later my dad and I were fishing the same spot and I hooked into what I thought was a tree branch. Up comes mini mouse! My dad was actually super excited about that one! He cleaned it up and I believe still has it somewhere in his barn.

At my home lake people are fairly clean and despite everything running off into the lake/river it stays pretty clean after a storm since most of it is farm land around our area and up stream. What kills me though is the amount of broken off lures and line. I swear some guys break off from the other side of the lake and just leave the line. At least if I get hung up I get as close as I can and break the least amount of line off. My inlaw's lake has a lot of party and wake boats so naturally its a lot more littered. I don't go nuts but I try and pull out the larger stuff that would really ruin someone's day. I got 2 free life jackets (new), a few squirt toys, few cooler tops and about half dozen 5gallon buckets. As mentioned people are disgusting and I have enough health problem to be touching other peoples stuff.

Guess I'll be further ahead in my Alone reruns than I expected later this week.

In agreement with everyone here. I get the anger when you have the whole lake open and someone plops down right beside you...however the only time a gun should be pulled is when a life needs protecting. This wasn't even close to justifiable and brandishing for intimidation is worse than if he just tried to fight the guy.

I Get upset when people pull up next to me or cut me off so I get it but I'd never even get close to this level. I usually just move but I guess with the elaborate ice fishing setups it's hard to do. I come across stuff all the time I wish I could share with you guys so screen shot will have to do.

let me know how it is. I've debated it for a while.

I have a boat but I do bank fish a few times a year at some ponds or my inlaws when I dont haul the boat up. It reminds me of kayak fishing to a more extreme level. I really spend my time and pick apart the areas I'm able to get to, I fish slower and I really select my lures/gear for the trip. It's fun but I do still prefer the boat or even a kayak.

@TnRiver46 Katz Deli? No where better in NYC than Katz for pastrami/corned beef sandwich. So famous they will actually ship their meats out now. From what I saw over Christmas everyone pees in the alleyways now.... @wdp for the options we have here I like Jersey Mikes. Doesnt compare to a NY deli but for a "fast food" deli its my usual go to here. @Smirak Never been to Chicago but I've heard good things about their food as well. I dont think I could get on board with their deep dish pizza though. Aside from a sicilian pie the Chicago deep dish is the complete opposite of a ny style slice.

Well talk when yall can get a good italian deli and bagel shop down here 😂, jersey mikes and subway don't count. @casts_by_fly that's my litmus test also lol, that and testing how hardi could hit the brakesbefore it gives. My younger days i spent in snow covered parking lots screwing around. Really helped honestly.

I've showed up to my house in wet boxers before and no boat to manhandle a kayak in my truck. I too, know the look a wife will give when she sees that sight. It's a not surprised but "wonder what happened this time" look.

I always made fun of southerners and how they cant drive in the snow until I moved down here. My first winter in the south we got 5 inches (a LOT for the area I'm at) in one night. They just plain dont have the equipment or road prep like northern states do. It was actually easier to drive in the fresh snow (my job requires I go in during those events) but the next evening when some of it melted and everything became a sheet of ice for 4 days was crazy. So now wiser, I take it all back lol.

Late to the party but #2 for sure. 2 lines always better than 1, you can set him up in a different part of the column or technique than you to get on a bit faster. Its much less mentally draining for me to talk to someone for 5 minutes to teach him something than to regulate another adults emotions during any type of competition. Personally, not something I'd want or need in any competition. Also, from the few posts about #1 I feel like its a attitude that will only get worse unless he hits a come to Jesus moment in his life.