T-Billy

Breaking News!!! 😂😂😂

Normally the wife makes pork and kraut. This year I changed the program and made a gumbo. This was my first time making Cajun Chili. Good stuff.

If I had to pay that, I'd eat everything I caught, even if it tasted bad!!! 😂

You're off to a solid start @Team9nine. Congrats. Your mention of lake fees, and others mentions of the same + seasons + restricted hours, has me feeling blessed to be fishing in OH. We only have a small number of fairly small, highly pressured lakes, along with a handful of rivers, but we can fish for anything in 'em anytime we want with just the purchase of an annual license. Shout out to the ODNR!!! Keep up the good work!!!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/355000533686 Since getting into muskie fishing, I've found getting good at sharpening hooks is a must do. I've tried several files starting with the Luhr Jensen, and settled on the one in the link. It's not nearly as aggressive as the Luhr Jensen, but get's them razor sharp with little effort. I've found it to be the perfect cut.

Thanks for the kind (and funny) words everyone. They only put ten fish pics in this catalog, so I thought it was kinda cool to get selected.

What a beautiful BEAST!!! Congrats on your hard earned catch!!!

Yeah, because YOU CAUGHT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM!!! 😂 Give 6# Yozuri Hybrid a try. It's good stuff, and inexpensive. I like it better than any straight mono or fluoro I've tried.

Thanks A-Jay. Your comment made me think of Molly Shannon's SNL skit. 😂

I didn't catch a big bass in 25, but I spent very little time bass fishing. That said, year after year, a beaver style bait and one of my homemade blades jigs consistently get the most big bites.

I'm officially a world famous muskie fisherman!!! 😂😂😂 Last year I was ordering some Musky Killers from Mepps and I noticed their page to submit photos. I thought what the heck, and submitted a pic of a 45" I'd caught on a Killer in summer 2024. They put it in the 2026 master catalog.

Funny you should mention her. My mom had surgery a couple weeks ago and my sister has been looking after her while she recovers. Guess what I've been calling my sister? 😂 Don't feel bad for her, it's the nicest thing I've called her in a long time. 😂😂😂

40# 832. Good to go until it runs too low.

We bid shifts annually. It took me 7 years to get my Wed-Sat shift, and now 9 years in, I have the seniority to be able to hang on to it for sure. It's the primo shift for me. Church then fishing on Sunday, then I have the two slowest days at the lake for more fishing. Monday and Tuesday at the lake are the best. Just me and a handful of retired guys. 😉👍

Thanks for posting that article. It was a good read. I've never fished a regular jig quite like he described, but that's almost exactly how I fish a bladed jig along the bottom. The only difference is, I move the bladed jig 2 or 3 full turns at a time.

Thanks Spankey, right back atcha. Prayers for your continued healing.

60 degrees and thunderstorms at midnight. 27 and snowing sideways now. Blowing 25-35 with occasional gusts near 50. The 30 day forecast looks like real January in OH. Mostly highs in the 20's and 30's. I missed my opportunity to get one last muskie trip in yesterday. 50's with light showers and light winds, but I'm battling a nasty head and chest cootie. Decided being out in the cool damp air might not be the best idea. Getting soft in my old age. 😂

I've caught a few mussels over the years. My #1 lake is loaded with large snails. I catch those on a regular basis.

Dang... Rest in peace Tom. We're gonna miss ya. Prayers for his loved ones. Well said @Glenn. Tom's kindness and generosity were attributes that always stood out to me in his posts.

Congrats on the Christmas fish @TnRiver46. I had to work or I'd have been out there also. We've had a thaw and the deeper lake basins are open. I'm hoping to get out Sunday. 🤞

Merry Christmas!!!

Merry Christmas to all my BR family!!!

I did just the opposite just last month. I got to the ramp and started jawing with a buddy who had just launched while I unstrapped the boat. I then proceeded to pull into a parking spot without launching. 🤦‍♂️😂 My buddy got a kick out of that one. I'll be hearing old and senile jokes from him for awhile. I've also forgot to put the plug in a couple times, and forgot to hook up the launch rope once. I got to go for a COLD skinny dip in the river that day.

@Team9nine, those crappie are lucky it's you catching them instead of @TnRiver46 and I. #RELEASETOTHEGREASE!!! 😋