Functional

Picked up a RAM mount and made a little kydex cover plate for all the old crap. I drilled the RAM mounting holes through both Kydex and console plastic. I dressed it up with some rivets. Bored out the stock cable pass through and made an insert to secure some wire loom to for the new transducer and power cables to the unit. Looks pretty classy in my opinion.

I put my garmin Sv transducer on the starboard side in line with the trailer bunk. No issues at all. I have a 175 txw as well.

I've "retired" rods only to find a different use or dedicate them to specific baits. Not sure there is a true retirement until they break lol.

I dont know about the new Bass X but St. Croix rods are typically under rated. A M is more a MH and MH is more like an H. They do make 7'1" MH rods in both new and old Bass X.

Its all a persons attitude, I view people who can retire and be comfortable as people who won a part of life. Only sore "losers" dont congratulate and acknowledge what it likely took for them to get to that point in life. Do I wish I was at that point where I had an income and didnt have to work? Absolutely but I want to earn it and really feel the benefit and reward. I truly feel happy for anyone who can and does retire. What I cant fully understand is people who can retire but dont. I get to some that work is their hobby but I almost feel (in some cases wrongly) they might have focused too much on work and neglected building a great life with wife/kids/etc. Also keeps those under those people from being able to move up in their careers. I've seen that plenty to the point their "successor" was at retirement age by the time they either let go and retired or passed away. Cant imagine any job being worth sacrificing more time then necessary with my family and preventing those trying to get to that position/job themselves. Might be way off there but just a bit of my thoughts.

I have an Ike delay 6'8" medium for cranks but I would not throw a spinner on it. Way too slow of an action for a single hook and I wasnt a fan of it. I cant comment much on the ARK speed...feels the same maybe a little slower than my Dobyns Sierra and never fished a regular action ARK. In general the slower I've gone on action the less sensitive i've found the rod, at least in the $150 and below range.

very possible he sucked it in while it was sinking and you never knew. Probably swam a few feet before you settled in and just hung out until your wife said something. If I need to cast and have the bait drop straight down I need to pay particular attention to how long it drops and think if it matches the time id expect it to take to sink to the bottom at that depth. If that checks out or is close the first thing I do is get a tight enough line to see if I feel or see the line do something funky...may give it a smidge of a drag or hop before i start whatever retrieve I'm doing.

Pretty much dedicated a ARK Tharp 7' mh/xf as my spinnerbait rod. Nothing excessive but I can feel the blades thumping and handles my small spinners fine. $130 I snagged on sale for $95.

I feel the fish are more active up north and easier to catch through the summer than the south. The south I get to fish year round though, may be tough in 90deg water temps but you can still coax some bites. Unless you are fine with sitting on a giant ice cube up north that isnt happening in the winter though. Both have their strong points. Coming from 30 years up north to my 3 years down here...i find it much harder to fish in the south.

Glad you are enjoying it. Once you get used to handling it things will get even more fun. I've been doing a lot of boat fishing lately with the heat here but i do miss some of the angles and nooks and crannies I can get into with the yak I wouldnt necessarily try with a boat.

Yum Christie Craw

something to look into besides JB Weld is Marine Tex or Devcon. Both are very good materials and strong as hell. Can get both at amazon in varying quantities.

I think I have that trailer based on the claw patterns. once I get home this evening I'll take a look and see if it matches.

I gotta say I'm really shocked none have cut me off...yet...I'm thinking since its mostly been on a spinner that bit of wire frame separating the hook from line is helping. I'll have to find something thinner and sharper. Seems to be the common theme between treble hook baits and those Tiemco hooks. I'll also try running a trailer hook on the spinner, see if a double hook lasts long enough to boat it. Anyone eat these things?

i've been convinced its usually because its stuff the fish have never seen before...as you say it was a kids set. I'd just about put money on the fact that few of us would ever throw things like that because its not a color that goes with water clarity, the hatch or its too small. Happens to me too and it drives me nuts lol.

For fishing that area is a nice central spot. As mentioned you have Falls, Jordan and Shearon Harris all fairly close. You also have plenty of other fishing lakes in a 1-3 hour drive that can get you just about anything the state has to offer. As for living I would personally not live in Durham but the surrounding areas can be good. Chapel hill can be pricey as can Cary and anywhere in Wake county. You will have some of the best medical facilities the state has to offer at Duke in Durham and righ by RDU airport if you travel at all. Bass Pro and Cabelas are also 30-45 min from that location.

Might have to try out some jerkbaits and see how it goes. I've seen the ropes work really well, like I mentioned just trying to avoid the "unhooking" process that goes with it. They are at least filling the void in my heart having no musky/pike close by!

Spinnerbait. As mentioned above you can fish it through the whole water column and change up retrieve speed. My second is a shaky head if they refuse the spinner. Best way I found to learn something well is leave EVERYTHING behind except one technique so you are forced. Accidentally did that with spinners and was the best thing for me. Also how I learned baitcasters.

Never had experience hooking into Gar up in NY but down in NC its become a thing every trip. I'm usually good for hooking into 1-2 a trip and lately they have been at the upper range for their size from what I can tell 5' away. Fun fight but typically 5 feet or less from the boat they come undone. I know they are difficult to catch on traditional hook lures but is there anything I can do to increase my chances of landing one long enough to get her to/in the boat? I dont want to use anything that will leave lasting damage or be a nightmare to untangle (rope lures). I'd really like to start documenting length/girth since this is becoming common. Gear typically in hand when hooking into one: 7' ARK Tharp MH/XF Daiwa Fuego 12lb trilene XL Most success has been a 3/8 double willow spinner in shad colors.

Congrats! always loved the looks/features of the SS line. not sure where SE NC is for you but I'm above Wilson, might see you out there.

Not sure where in New England you are but if you are familiar with the stripers running up the Hudson River there is a river like that in the north east part of NC. Not sure on SC and lower portion of NC but I'd surprised if there werent any others. There are also quite a few lakes with stripers of good size to fish for. Southern fishing and many other things are very different than up there (coming from a X new yorker).

Check out the CZ P07. Da/sa, better trigger, safety or decocker in the same gun. Overall I feel it's a better pistol and you won't spend h&k money.

I found this out about 3 weeks ago and I'm 34. God forbid they ever taught me that useful piece of knowledge in school (of any level).

carried a sig 938 for about 6 or 7 years both 4/5 oclock position and appendix with a spare mag in the pocket. Recently switched to a CZ P07 with RMR and have been carrying it appendix only. Believe it or not the CZ is more comfortable to carry than the smaller sig. With the sig being full metal but compact the weight always had a tendency to screw with the belt and pants and put unnecessary pressure on the pelvis. The P07 weighs a tad more but is spread across a larger area and just carries better and more comfortable. I also wanted something I could decock for safety and just draw and pull the trigger, no other thought or mechanics needed. I carry for so many reasons. I've had 4 heart surgeries and an experimental device on top of other issues, I can physically fight and am fairly decent but no matter how much I train my stamina will never be more than a healthy person...pistol is to level that playing field. Aside from nut job people and protecting my wife/daughter/myself you never know around loose animals (domestic or wild). Was at a camp ground when a dog attacked a person and would not let go despite people having to resort to beating it with a wrench in the head. I always carry...if I'm leaving the house even on my property it comes...if im in the house its either on me or nearby. How many videos and stories have you seen someone posing as a salesman or delivery driver and breaking in day or night. Crazy world we live in, I dont want to hurt/shoot anyone but if you open that "door" you better be committed because there is no limit to the level and intensity of violence I'll bring to protect my family and myself.

Thanks guys, didnt want to show off, just wanted to provide him with the option before he cuts a hole in his deck and its harder to go back! Agreed 100% though, worth every effort to do a recessed box. Fishing has been significantly more comfortable. Do it and dont look back.