Functional

Knowing what a bite doesn't feel like is just as important. 9/10 I can tell you if I'm hitting rock, wood or weeds and what type of weeds I'm coming through. Anything that feels different than what's expected gets lit up. Hard getting a feeling for falling baits. Need just the right amount of tension to feel a tic but not enough to hinder free fall. This is my take, if I'm doing it wrong tell me please. Finger on the line for casting setups and a finger on the line when not reeling on spinning, line watching and watching where the line enters the water for the slightest ripple or it start moving on its own. Beyond those its just time on the water and experiencing it. Pegged T-rig or Jig are going to be the better baits to practice. Moving baits shouldnt be hard to detect, most times they crush it or you suddenly get slack line, if you feel a bump they didnt get it. Repeated bumps and try a new trailer, different cadence, different color. Top water should be pretty obvious. Jerk baits I'll leave to @A-Jay

Little update on this after carrying it for nearly a year and putting quite a few rounds through it and "dry clearing" through some different lighting conditions. I've come to hate the holosun (clickbait). It works great, dot is clear, has held up and adjusts consistently. Battery seems to die faster than my RMRs but I just set the reminder every 6 months instead of my birthday (christmas and july now). What I cant stand is how the dot doesnt auto adjust the brightness like the RMR does. If I set it for inside my house or lower light conditions where odds are higher I'd need it the dot gets complete lost during the day or outside. If I adjust it for just barely being visible outside it completely blows out the window in low/no light situations. To my knowledge there is no small sized red dot optic with a good track record that auto adjusts except the RMRcc. For a pure range gun I'd have no problem using the Holosun. I've now decided to do what I should have and not cheaped out. Selling the Shield setup and starting fresh to go RMRcc. Pistol is fantastic though, shoot it nearly as good as my full size P07. Mag guts 13rd kits have become my preferred mag. The stock ones feed well but for some reason the mag guts 13rd kits feel better in my hand than the stock 13rd mag. Cant explain it.

Appreciate it guys, never ended up going with the expected conditions but I will be hitting one of those on my next visit.

@gimruis I think you might have taken that comment a bit different than what I meant. It wasnt a comment on the work ethic of gov employees or their dedication, there are certainly crap workers in any industry regardless of the employer. It was more to the fact that without the excellent benefits and retirement there would be a lot less keeping good employees from finding better employment elsewhere. Typically, in my experience, gov jobs pay less than private sector and the amount of political BS that effects its employees and how they do their job is quite a bit more than other employers. Enough, again in my experience, for those people who may love their job to look at other industries that give them the same job satisfaction with a much better work/pay structure. Getting into keeping employees there is certainly a lot more than just those things that keep people. Like you said, how the people feel about the satisfaction they get from doing their job, the people they work with, a good manager. All those things contribute and from knowing and being related to quite a few people in those fields you mentioned I can say I understand where you are coming from with your reply. My comment was broad and certainly didnt mean to diminish the dedication a lot of people put into their gov job.

yea I havent either lol. Most stay because of the good benefits/retirement and flexability. Otherwise the gov wouldnt have anyone working for them I can just about promise. @TnRiver46 its weird, we are a private company that works with the city (we get their benefits package in return) and somehow negotiated to get into the states retirement system. So not working for the gov but getting the benefits of it....a goldilocks fit...

Move on out to eastern NC, I got a position opened for that I've been trying to fill for over a year. State retirement and city benefits.

start hydrating a few days before you leave for the trip. Hydration starts before you do activity and for that long its possible you could fall behind quickly even if you start the first day. If you plan on drinking any add some extra water to your target. Add electrolytes to your drinking plans per day. I'm not sure how true it is but I've been told 1 gatorade a day should be enough unless you are dripping sweat all day.

@MediumMouthBass I didn't even think of podcasts. Got 45 minute commute each way. Any recommendations I can take a listen to?

@gimruis ahh yes that was it. I was drawing a blank when I was trying to type that. I was that way for a while also and then I needed a ansi rated set motorcycle riding and bought Oakley and it was a big difference. The clarity made almost as much of a difference as the polarizing.

@Jar11591 thank you I'll be looking to pick that up. The more scientific approach is what I was going to gain. Not to sell myself short but I can definitely cook like a normal person. I do 95% of my houses cooking because it works best for our schedules and I enjoy it. Also thanks @TnRiver46 now I have a new show to watch. My goal is to be able to 1) look at what we have on hand and use it to the best of my ability (makes picking an online recipe tough) and 2) being in the mood for say fish and habanero peppers and being able to come up with something good. @Catt going to have to save those cooks for a night the wife is out of the house 😂. She a bit more vanilla when it comes to food but I'm turning her around.

In my near mid life period I've really started enjoying cooking. My issue is I don't know anything other than some really basic stuff and following recipes. I can usually pull off what I find online but I don't know "why" certain things/flavors went together and what other methods are available to try stuff on my own. I looked into community classes and since its mostly lab stuff its all in person 1 full day a week. Having a full time job and 2 kids at home its not possible to do it that way. Any of you have better suggestions on how to get some guidance to learn more about all of this?

I keep going back to a polarized set of Oakley's every time and it can be night and day difference in what you can see under most conditions. Plenty of times I try to point something out to whoever is in my boat and if they dont have polarized glasses on they have no idea what I'm talking about until I hand mine over. Some argue different colors will cut better in certain water conditions but I've never tried anything like that yet. You can buy a cheap set of polarized sunglasses just to test the waters (hehe) and then invest in a decent pair if you think its worth it.

Its less about the Pro-v and mod v, I have no argument the Pro-V will do infinitely better running in water at speed than a mod v. Its the height of the boat out of the water. A sail 18" tall will catch a lot less wind than a sail 24+" tall. My point in less words were my mod-v which should be lower profile than a deep V like the Pro-V already catches wind like its its job. I really have nothing against the Lund, its an excellent boat. Just trying to make sure you are aware of some of the differences between an AL and fiberglass boat you should expect that are not a financial influence since it seems like its a tough decision...and it should be, your list of boats are really nice. If you look at the images, the Lund ProV 1875 vs the Skeeter 19'. If you took each person out of the boat and could stand them on the water next to the boat the Lund would come up to the guys thigh and the skeeter maybe his knee. Its less of an issue underway with the big motor but trying to work a bank slowly will make you feel it. Better in rough water though, no doubt.

My mod V aluminum boat blows around like a paper plane in the wind if I'm not on the trolling motor constantly. I'm not sure who you talked to but its pretty well known most (cant say all) aluminum boats get blown around much easier than the heavier and lower profile fiberglass bass boats. This issue is one of my top items on my list of reasons to get a glass boat.

A bottle cap and 2 minutes of knife work, some paracord and you can have a kill switch in a pinch. Whittle away 95% the thread part, cut a square out of the "top" part of the cap and tie the paracord on one end. You want some meat from the edge of the square cut to the outside of the cap so when it yanks off it flips the switch and can pivot unrestricted. Test it and it worked multiple times. I do carry a spare kill switch cord thats stowed away on the boat now.

Going to visit my parents/sister this weekend and if it doesn't downpour all week I'll likely take the boat to hit Badin, Tillery or High Rock with my Father/BIL (Twitty if people start complaining about the drive). Any insight on what's been going on at any of these or the better one to hit? Never been to any of them and not sure how different conditions are compared to Gaston and some lakes east of Raleigh. I'd assume they are confused with all the cold fronts like they are over here but thought I'd ask anyway.

For your quarry with weeds that go close to the top. Try a 1/16 or 1/32 belly weighted hook with a soft jerkbait in a shad color (or white). You could even try weightless if the weeds truly go up high. You just want to twitch it back skimming a hair above the tops of the weeds. I've had luck with this even in murky water.

@A-Jay might know better but I recall in a storm or emergency situation you are authorized to utilize the closest dock for shelter/etc. I'd imagine losing your main propulsion and needing to replace a prop to return home would qualify. I'll have to brush up on it but that is what I recall from the classes/trainings I've had to take. Overall, I'm with you, if I can avoid using someone's property I will but if I have to then so be it.

As above, trolling motor over to the shore or a dock, small piece of 2x4 and you can get the prop off fairly easily. Some of the lakes I fish its a good 30-45 minute run at WOT for me on days I feel adventurous. Some lakes I am confident I can TM my way back the ramp but not on all lakes.

On the boat: -First aid kit w/ tourniquet and super glue added. -PFDs for my max occupancy +1 -Spare kill switch lanyard -2 spare boat plugs (3rd spare in the truck) -Jumper pack -Spark plugs, filter jumper, tools to change (warranty wont help you stranded in the water) -Towel -Poncho (not really for rain, in case I'm stranded and end up spending any time somewhere). -Magnesium Fire Starter w/ petroleum jell cotton balls -Water bottles + long lasting snacks -Paracord -Anchor *knife of some kind if you dont carry one on you *need to add spare props for both electric and gas motor Truck -Spare trailer tire -Spare trailer bulbs -Spare boat plug -Tools to change a tire -Spare clothes

Nope, didnt know it was even a thing until last year from these forums. I like the texture as is and a quick rub down with a cloth has it looking brand new. By the time it gets worn down enough to make a difference I'm sure some rod company will convince me its not sensitive enough compared to the new rods and I cant catch fish with it. So far I'm over a decade on one rod and cork is still there.

I've narrowed down my options. Only 2 rods have braid and the rest are mono or hybrid with Hybrid on jerkbait and bottom contact. Mono covers everything else. Mono: Big Game Floro: ? I dont like any but I have a spool of Tatsu I'm giving a last try with. Hybrid: Yo-Zuri Braid: Power Pro Slick V2 (Yo Zuri braid if I need a color).

Since I go through this yearly everytime I get an itch for a new boat. 2013 BassTracker 175 TXW Pro Team w/ 60hp Merc Pluses -It's completely paid off (has been for years) -I have no fear of bumping the hull or beaching it -It's size fits great in my garage *BONUS* Extremely low maintenance and cost to operate Minuses -Not enough battery storage (lost a lot of tackle storage for a 4th battery) -Slightly under powered with any extra passengers -Gets blown around very easily It's a great boat, it's served me very well, I'm the original owner so I know its full history. Now that I fish much more frequently than I ever have I feel its pain points more but it's very hard to argue with a boat thats completely paid for and costs about $100 a year to maintain. Trying to hold on for a few years to see if my kids will want to come out with me often enough to really put the nail in the coffin and get a nice glass boat in 19 or 20ft.

and hit areas with rock from like noon to late afternoon. You want to target areas that will warm up and hold heat. You live in NC so you know weve had those same conditions mixed with heavy rains on and off over the last few weeks. The above with spinners/chatterbaits/swimjigs and T-rigs has worked best for me.

my luck lately has been chatterbaits and swimjigs near rocks and rip rap. We have also had swinging weather so I'm assuming I'm catching those who are looking to warm up on the rocks in the afternoon.