padlin

It's like golf, one good hole keeps you coming back. Nice catch.

I use the tub. Guess if I got grubby enough where the water might turn to tepid filth I'd use the shower instead. I put in a deep tub to use it.

I changed from straight braid to a 15 lb leader earlier this year to try and stop all the bite offs from pickerel, it's worked. Not that I'm fishing for them, but using craws yesterday I'll bet I caught 20 piks to 10 bass. For the most [part in the ponds I fish the edges where it's shallow I get all smalls, out in 3' or deeper they get bigger. The biggest this year was 3.5 lb, on a spinnerbait. On something like that I don't need a leader as the wire takes care of the teeth. All that worked yesterday were the plastics.

My condolences.

For non fishing use... do these fit in a glove/mitten or do you have to hold them?

Last year I broke the tip on a 6' ML Premier, SC replaced it no problem. Broke the replacement tip about a month ago, they are sending out the new replacement tip for $25 shipping, no complaints from me. Got to come up with a different way to carry the rods in the canoe before spring..

What I love about fishing in MA is getting out on ponds with no homes on them and no power boats, which is a good thing as the bass size and population isn't worth bragging about.

I do the instant packets in cold weather, too lazy to do the hard core like you do. My sister on the other hand only does the cooked with fruit, day after day, year after year.

Just got an email to call and discuss options. Took 2 weeks as advertised.

I like the simplicity of using a charge card, only have 1, same Visa we got in 1980. Don't carry much cash, maybe between $20 and $40, for stuff like coffees and haircuts. My wife carries more, once in a while someone doesn't take plastic. I do take $500ish in cash for emergency use when traveling, by the time we get back weeks later we still have almost all of it.

If I kept one rod in my truck for general use whenever the mood struck it'd be a medium like the Loomis Escape, not that I'd spend that kind of $ to leave it in the truck 24/7.

I've read that kayakers, and I'd add canoeists, should never go out on the water unprepared to go in the water. The question FishTank's experience brings up is do we go by the fishfinders surface temp reading when determining what we need to be prepared for. Being prepared for 67 degree water is quite different from 50 degree.

Thanks for the lesson, glad of course that you made it out. Wish I had someone to fish with this time of year.

Got this from my claim. "We currently are experiencing longer than normal delays. A representative will contact you within 2 weeks of your submission." You haven't gotten to 2 weeks yet. I seem to get the "We currently are experiencing longer than normal delays" excuse on just about every call I make to any business.

43 this am, went out at 11 when it was 54, party sunny. Did pretty good 5' or 6' down but nothing near or at the surface.

I use a solo 14.6" cedar canoe and stick to waters that do not allow power boats. 2 anchors, both are 1.5" pvc filled with bird shot, lost 2 mushrooms to stumps/roots so I changed to these. Small fish finder which i use like you do. It only goes along once in a while when needled. Seat back added for the longer days, as well as a seat cushion. That's really it, I do like the idea of a 3 rod holder, broke a ML rod my last outting after dropping the anchor on it behind me. I did buy a Bass Raider 2 seater this year to take the grandkids out, works great but I still prefer the canoe.

Go to bed somewhere around 9, at half time if there's a football game on. I don't remember the last time I stayed up for a whole game. Up at 11,1,3,5,and finally at 6:30, unless it's earlier for fishing.

I know a few spots that were very good before Covid, not so anymore, now they are just mediocre. I read something about the PCB readings at the GE site in Pittsfield being the highest ever recorded. Supposed to clear itself up in some hundreds of years, guess I'll wait to fish it again.

You got that right, I'll bet mine is 25 years old and most of it is still there.

GE killed the Housatonic in southern MA and probably into CT. The only good side to it is that as you aren't supposed to eat any of it's fish it's pretty much an undeclared catch and release river.

Type stropping compound on Amazon. I use white (fine), but there is course and super fine too.

Used go in the top shelf like you do. At home I toss the beat up ones and just leave the rest in the top shelf for next trip. I do leave the last used on the rods unless I decide to change something the night before the next trip.

I use 15 lb and have not experienced the line digging in, its also not unruly. I do use a backer of mono.

I've gone thru many techniques over the years, for chisels, planes, and knives, kitchen and carving. I settled on a glass plate with wet/dry sandpaper in the higher grits with oil as a lube. Also diamond plates, mainly for knives. Final finish is a strop. I'm fairly good at it. For bad damage or outdoor tools I use a slow speed grinding wheel and a file if needed. I sharpen the kitchen and pocket knives before the holidays and use a diamond rod before each use. Never had much luck with the ceramic.

Guess they make up for the lack of sales tax one way or another.