Woody B

The first step for soldering a wire is to get a good mechanical connection. Solder alone is prone to problems from vibration as well as heat.

I'm a firm believer that what goes around comes around. Saturday when I was leaving there was a guy at the landing who's truck had a dead battery. I jumped him off. He offered to pay but I wouldn't accept anything. Sunday my wife and her sister were a few towns away in her sisters husbands truck. They had accidently left the interior light on, draining the battery. A stranger jumped them off, and wouldn't accept any pay.

Since you're buying wire I'd go with 6awg. If you already had 8 gauge ran I'd say try it with a 50 amp breaker. Has your battery shipped? I suspect Andy-Drewcraft could make you a couple wires with terminals.

Ask Drew which charger to use. I suspect the AGM setting will be good.

For my use it's not something I'd pay for. Obviously structure doesn't move, but bait moves, and fish move. I have no problem tracking bait/fish, or staying on structure with my trolling motor mounted turrent. (turns independently from the trolling motor)

I've tried frittsides twice. Last year I had one leg of a treble break of on a fairy new one. A couple weeks ago the eyelet came loose from the bill on my 3rd cast with one. I like the OG's, especially the 4's. Every now and then I get one with the bill glued in crooked. I've had no problems getting them replaced. (I usually buy them locally, they replace them for me and send them back) I love balsa baits. They're usually kinda fragile. The plastic frittsides should be tougher, but that's not the case with the ones I've tried. Rapala could do better with quality control. I had a DT6 yesterday new out of the box with hooks about as sharp as a ball point pen.

I've been pleased with my Ionics. Here's their warranty. Ionics warranty is clear and concise. Also if you have a problem they'll send you a shipping label. I've heard nightmares about Dakota's warranty process. I don't know if what I heard was true, but it was enough to keep me away from them. Call Lithium Hub (ionic), Impulse, or Drewcraft (ionic dealer) you get a real person on the phone. I called Dakota and got a call center. I considered Impulse and Ionic. I ended up going with Ionic because their location is less than 2 hours from me. The Impulse warranty is impressive. I haven't had any problems. I emailed Lithium Hub with a question, and got a quick answer. Google, and contact Drewcraft. They're in north eastern NC, probably not that far from you. Andy sells Ionic and Monster lithium batteries, as well as a bunch of other marine/fishing stuff.

I caught 9 yesterday (Saturday) in 3 hours......but I fished 7 hours. When it stopped raining I stopped catching bass. At a certain time I usually tell myself "I'm going home next bass". That way while waiting until I can fish again I caught a bass on my last cast. That didn't work out yesterday. Today I caught 8 in 3 1/2 hours. I caught one on my last cast, but didn't plan on that being my last cast. It was getting cloudy and windy. I landed a dink, then heard a big clap of thunder. I don't fear anything, but I respect lightening. When I was 6, (a couple days after my parents have gave me the lightening is dangerous speech) my best friend, his Grandfather and his dog were struck and killed by lightening. I'm not taking any chances on a lake. I lost a BIG one today right at the boat. I'm pretty sure it was a spot. If it was it would have been a new pb, and possibly a new NC state record. My pb spot is 4 pounds 15 ounces. The NC state record is 6 pounds 5 ounces. It might have been a largemouth but it fought like a spot, and what I seen of it looked like a spot. I lost a few more on that lure, then FINALLY decided to look at the hooks. They weren't sharp at all. It was a new DT6 out of the package. I usually look at stuff like that, but during my vacation I've been spending more time fishing and less time preparing. I sharpened the hooks then caught the fat Largemouth pictured on the next cast. The spot pictured is from Saturday. They were the biggest of both days. I didn't weigh or measure either one, just snapped a pic and put them back. Most of them both days were in the backs of creeks. Yesterday, when I wasn't catching any I was way up the South Fork river. I guess they liked the smaller creeks better.

Myself and Mrs B will have Mississippi in our prayers tonight. There was a tornado real close to a race track I was at years ago. Everyone ran to their motorhomes and trailers. I got in my racecar then put my helmet and belts on.

I'm not a tech expert. I don't post stuff directly from my phone. I prefer a real keyboard. There's probably an easier way, but to get the pictures from my phone to my computer I email them to myself. When I send the email "it" asks me what size I want it. There's small, medium, large, and original. I use medium. I "think" my medium pictures are the correct size for an internet forum. I fish alone most of the time. If someone is with me it's easier. I'll have them take a picture and text it to me. Mrs. B took the picture of this lunker. LOL

Carp, and Buffalo are a big deal around here. There's a bunch of pay lakes. I don't know how exactly it works but it's a contest. "Danny the Carp guy" here fishes for Carp, and Buffalo in the big lakes and sells them to the pay lakes. IIRC "Danny" (actually Ronnie) said they'd pay as much as $20 per pound for living Carp. I guess that's how the pay lake people stock their lakes. Ronnie also wins money at the pay lakes all the time. It would be pretty cool to get paid to catch fish you'd sold to a lake. He's got well guarded special bait recipes.

I'm not ashamed to post small fish pictures. The way I see it is, this isn't a contest. Also, if I only manage to catch one tiny fish, someone somewhere got skunked. OTOH, if I catch a BUNCH of really big fish, someone somewhere else caught more/bigger ones. I really enjoy seeing all of the fish pictures. No one has ever ridiculed me for posting pictures of dinks. Everyone, go ahead and post some fish pictures.

I caught 15 in 6 hours today. It was really windy. The wake boats are starting to come out too. I felt like I was in the ocean. Alex raved about a Shimano Armajoint so I shelled out $42 for one last week. I fished it a little bit today and caught a genuine dink on it. Little guy meant to have it. He came out of the water when he grabbed it. I would have took a picture with the huge bait in the little fishes mouth, but he came off when I boat flipped him. No big ones. The other one pictured "might" have been 16 inches. I caught a few like it. I saw an bald eagle today. I've seen a bunch over the years but this is the first I've seen on Lake Wylie.

I know who you're talking about. Don't remember his name, and haven't heard anything about him lately. He lived, or lives 1/2 mile or so from my Sister in Law. Bryan Thrift, 2023 Redcrest winner lives ~10 miles from me. I don't know him, but have talked to him a few times.

Be careful. You're showing too much background in your pictures. We might use those landmarks to figure out where you caught that bad boy. FWIW I always talk to the little ones.

The first thing I'd buy is a BIG heater so you can melt your lakes. Seriously though, I don't want Buffett's or anyone else's money. I learned when I was young to keep my "wants" in line with what I could afford. I work hard, but I get paid well. I'm enjoying my vacation this week, but working keeps me busy, and out of trouble. Myself and my family don't need anything. When we "want" something we work hard, save, and get it. I'm blessed to have a family that shares my work, and spending habits. Billions of dollars would ruin this. Good thread though.

12 pound mono for everything except my heavy stuff rod. I've got (gasp) braid on it. I reluctantly put braid on it after "launching" an alabama rig while casting into the wind. No weeds or pads in the lakes I fish. I do OK with mono around lay downs, stumps, docks and rocks. I use cheap mono (Trilene XL) and change it at least once a month. I normally get to fish 2 days a week. No toothy critters where I fish beyond a few longnose gar and a bowfin or 2. Never been bothered by them. I did catch a 53 pound flathead cat last year, as well as a 13 1/2 pound blue cat a few weeks ago. I had my hands full with them, especially the 53 pounder. I'll jinx myself saying this, but I can't remember the last time a fish broke my line. I had a 4 pound 15 ounce spotted bass get tangled up in a falling down dock in December. I managed to "lead" it out using patience, boat positioning, and luck. (probably mostly luck LOL)

The guy parked next to us at the campground(Lake Wylie) was leaving this morning to go to Douglas. He had a cool set up. He had a slide in camper in his truck, and had his boat behind it. He had been at Santee Cooper for several weeks. He was going to Douglas, then Dale Hollow before going back to snow country. (Minnesota) Most of the lakes I fish are Duke Energy/Catawba river lakes. Decades ago they would draw them down a bunch during Winter, but now the keep them pretty steady. They'll pull one down a little (10 feet or less) for hydro or dam maintenance but most of the time they're within a couple feet.

I'd "have" to buy line first. All of my tackle and pretty much all of my equipment (for bass fishing) is stored in my boat. I've probably got enough line (12 pound mono, LOL) for a few months.

I've been at a campground with no wifi access so I haven't posted. 1st, super nice bass.....everyone. Especially the cow pond bass. The NC state record largemouth came from a cow pond. My youngest grandson caught one last year that was 6lbs from a SC cow pond. Weather has been changing. Monday was a struggle. I ended up catching 5, all nubbins. (dinks) I fished 4 or 5 hours after getting the camper towed down there and set up. Tuesday was a struggle. I caught 9, fishing pretty much all day with 5 of the 9 coming in the last hour I fished. I caught 19 Wednesday, including one that was 19 5/8 inches and 4.69 lbs. (It's pictured) I also caught a goldish colored dink, that's pictured. Mrs B fished with me a couple hours and caught 3. Per her wishes no pictures posted. We were coming home this morning. I was planning on leaving my boat, bringing the camper home, and going back today. My plan didn't work out. (My Dad is OK) I got a phone call waking me up in the middle of the night. My 88 year old Dad had a terrible headache, the worst of his life, his nose was pouring and his hands were really shaky. He was really scared, and called 911. I left Mrs B, and the camper at the campground around midnight, and took my boat home, on the way to the hospital. (my house is between the campground and the emergency room). After an EKG and a bunch of blood work they determined my Dad had experienced a cluster headache. (his first ever) They recently changed his blood pressure meds, and believe that was the cause. (his blood pressure was OK) I got him back to his house around 3am. I slept a couple hours there, after getting him settled, then went back to get Mrs B, the camper, and our dog. (once again, my Dad is OK) We're tired today. I'll go back tomorrow, the last day of vacation. On a side note, Mrs B got me an inflatable life jacket for my birthday. I've been wearing it anytime the big motor is running. I've got it in my seat clipped to my kill switch lanyard.

Mrs B went to the casino yesterday and won $15K.

I had a better day today. I caught 13, including a 3.92 pound spot that pulled like a submarine. 36 degrees and windy when I got to the lake, but not raining like last week when it was also 36. 6 on cranks (DT6 and Bandit 300) 5 on a shakey head, 2 on an Alabama rig. I lost 2 big catfish, but I "think" I lost the same one twice. It or they weren't as big as the 13 1/2 pounder I caught a few weeks ago, but bigger than the average blue, and strong as an ox. The first one was on a DT6 off a brushpile at the end of a dock. I got it up next to the boat, and was fumbling to get my glove on. It done the catfish twist, and got off. The next cast, a shakey head to the same brushpile was one that looked just like the first one. (I've caught a bunch of cats on cranks, never on a worm). It was barely hooked in the edge of the bottom lip. It twisted off as I was reaching down to get it. I wonder if it was the same fish. I got a text from my wife between the 1st one and the 2nd one. I caught a little feller at the next dock. First cast I felt something hit my shakey head, I set the hook, and brought back a worm without a tail. I put another on. (7 inch, curly tail motoroil) Same thing again. Bite, set hook, worm broke off at hook. I changed to a 5 inch, with a plain/no tail and caught this little guy on the next cast. I wonder if he was the tail grabber. Water is 5 degrees colder than 2 weeks ago, and 2 degrees colder than last week. My boat is at the campground. Mrs. B and myself are taking the camper in the morning. I'm off work for a week so I'm going to get some fishing in, cold water or not.

When I eat chilli beans I "excrete" a smell, but it doesn't smell like chilli beans.

Regardless of their intent it was stupid. Were they trying to re create the Family Guy video? They were dressed like, and standing in the same positions as the Family Guy video.

I use mono for everything except really heavy baits. I would use mono for them too but I launched an Alabama rig into orbit with 12 pound mono. I've never used fluoro for anything....so I can't say anything good or bad about it. I believe "most" people use it for cranking. I don't know why. I'm happy with what I use, and not looking to learn anything. It would just cost money. The bait monkey sells line too. ?