JackstrawIII

I too am happily married and super grateful that my "first date" days are far in the rearview mirror. Don't miss those days at all. With that said, my wife was this girl because she didn't know any better. She grew up eating burned meat that needed ketchup because it was dry as a bone. My FIL still grills that way, though I'm slowly convincing him that meat doesn't have to resemble a charcoal briquette in order to be safe to eat. My wife has come a long way and actually does 90% of the grilling now... and does an amazing job. Glad I didn't miss out on all the stuff (she's pretty, fun, gentle, generous, responsible, godly, etc.) just because she didn't know the right way to eat a steak!

Hey, I set the hook the other day (on a rock, incidentally) and ended up with my rod in my right hand and my reel in my left hand. This was a medium action rod with 10 pound test line... and somehow the reel foot broke first. A bit of a head scratcher there, but Lew's says they'll replace it, which is nice. In the meantime, is there any use for this? Any sense in keeping it for parts or anything? Overall it's a decent reel. It's very heavy compared to my nicer reels, but at least it's smooth. I'm not a hoarder by nature, just trying to think if I can use it for anything before throwing it away. Thoughts?

10-12 pound YoZuri.

I still wouldn't consider myself an amazing frog fisherman, but I did start seeing much better results when I changed my hook set. These are the keys: 1. Count to 3 seconds after the frog disappears (do nothing during this time) 2. Reel down until you feel the fish. 3. Set the hook. Hard. I'm not a big "hard hookset" guy, but with frogs you have to.

I think you could simplify further honestly, by using 15lb YoZuri for the first two categories. I never use heavier than 15lb hybrid and have NEVER broken it off. Literally, I can't think of a single time a fish has broken 15lb line on me. I actually use 12lb YoZuri for most techniques. I only step up to 15lb for really heavy spinnerbaits and jigs. Everything else gets 12lb YoZuri, which is very manageable. To summarize: I could get by with casting gear using only: 15lb hybrid for the heavy stuff 10-12lb hybrid for almost everything 40lb braid for topwaters

I like rods in that range for spinnerbaits and treble hook topwaters.

You guys are awesome. I agree with Tennessee Boy, the extent of my adventures is that one time I helped a buddy launch his boat at a really decrepit launch without a ramp. That's about it.

Hey, lots of options here. I love fishing ponds, so I’ll give it a shot. I feel like a broken record on this, but my favorite lure for pressured bodies of water is a Keitech Swing Impact fished on some sort of underspin. It’s subtle but very effective. Go with the chartreuse or bluegill colors. This will catch size and numbers. If you’re just trying to weed out small fish, try a big spinnerbait or chatterbait with a large trailer.

I’ve always been very pleased with the St Croix Premier 7’ MF that I use for weightless (and some Texas rigged) plastics. As far as breaking rods… I’m pretty surprised at your experience. Sorry man.

Haha, touche.

I realize you're far from Lake Superior, but I wonder if your drought is affecting the water levels here on Lake Ontario. They're really, really low despite the fact that we've been getting the normal amount of rain we're used to here. Our water levels are controlled by two factors: 1. How much water flows in from Erie (which gets water from the other Great Lakes) 2. How much water they drain out into the St. Lawerence River. I know they've been letting more water into the St. Lawerence this year, but I wonder if we're also not getting as much water flowing into Ontario this year compared to normal. Could be due to drought conditions in the midwest?

Yes, I also have 3 of their Premier spinning rods. They're amazing, not gonna lie. But, I believe the Triumph model uses the same blank and if that's true, it is arguably a better value. I also have two of their BassX casting rods. They're good and I use the 7'1" MHF to throw heavy spinnerbaits, but they're heavier power rods, and I always gravitate to lighter rods when I can get away with it, so I honestly use my 6'6" MF Triumph way more often. As far as quality between the two... I can't tell a difference honestly.

I was salmon fishing in the Oswego river up near the first dam (in Oswego). Most guys fish from the sidewalk area along the river, but a friend and I put on our waders and crossed the river so we could fish the calm water by the dam. We caught many salmon, it was great... Then the alarm started ringing, meaning they were going to open the dam. My buddy says, "We should cross back over the river now." So, like idiots, we started rushing back across the river so we didn't get stranded over there. They opened the dam up when I was halfway back across the river. My waders filled with water and I was gone downriver. Eventually, I got to the surface, rolled over onto my back, feet facing downriver. Somehow, I managed to swim sideways and reach the bank before being dumped out into the Lake (Ontario). Gear was gone, but I was alive. Scary moment for sure. Genuinely glad to be alive.

My favorite rod to use (obviously can't use it for everything) is that exact same rod, 6.6" medium fast St. Croix Triumph casting rod. It's super accurate, which I believe is a mix of shorter length and more bend towards the tip. Stiffer, longer rods are harder to cast accurately.

Absolutely. Sometimes I'm just in the mood to fish a certain technique. I'll start there. If it doesn't work and I get bored, then I switch to what I think will work best.

Same here. I prefer to fish smaller/lighter plastics (with buried hooks) on a medium power, fast action rod. I love my medium light rods, but I only use them for exposed hook applications (Ned rig, small treble hook lures, etc.)

Nope.

I was forced to change my diet due to some other health concerns. Honestly, it's one of the best things I've ever done. Unfortunately the dietary changes didn't totally remedy my situation, but it's helped mitigate my symptoms a lot and I know my body appreciates the better food. Eating well is like any other habit, it gets easier with time. I haven't had ice-cream, pizza, brownies, etc. in like 3 years. Believe me, it gets easier. The hardest thing to do is "only have a little." You have to go all in (or "all out" technically). Foods can be addictive, so cold turkey is a better idea than trying moderation. For me at least. I've found healthy foods that I love: - wild game meat (grilled) - fish (grilled) - sweet potatoes - rice-based pastas and such - oatmeal (see the recent thread) - I've even learned to love veggies like brussel sprouts, artichoke hearts, broccoli, etc. Put them on a cookie sheet, drizzle them with just a little olive oil and sea salt, and bake until they crisp. It's genuinely delicious. Basically you just have to lie to yourself (at first) and say, "I like this." After a while you will. Before long you'll start judging people who still eat garbage... and then you'll know you've arrived haha.

I'd take a 3.8" Swing Impact FAT and throw it on an 3/0 underspin (Owner Flashy Swimmer is my favorite). It's a light enough setup that you can fish the Keitech fairly slow. Just cast it out and reel it back in. Try different speeds. It's also a relatively weedless setup, so you can fish it lower in the water column without snagging too bad. An open hook jighead might increase your hookup chances slightly, but from your pictures it looks like you'd be snagging weeds and leaves constantly, so I'd go with the flashy swimmer type hook (it's basically a glorified texas rig with a blade). Start quicker and higher in the water, and slow down if you don't get bit. If you can drag it down along the bottom without getting hung up, that's often a great way to fish it.

I bought a shredded memory foam pillow on Amazon that was like $40 or so. The zippered ones that let you add/remove filling. It's been great.

Great post and interesting topic. I grew up in an "old school" family and didn't get told "I love you" much, though I know my folks do in fact love me. I try to tell my girls (I have three daughters) that I love them all the time, multiple times a day to give them what I never got. As far as saying it to my friends... that's a great challenge. I do have a couple close friends that I love and I should tell them. I'm trying to get more bold with my words, this would be a great place to start.

I'm so sorry. I just lost my uncle recently, we were very close and it was really hard. These things are really tough, but God is with us through it.

That is very kind. I’d love to get up there someday. Thank you.

That torpedo looks great. I’ll have to try it!

Yup. I’d be throwing: 1. Frog 2. Keitech 3. Senko In that order. If you don’t get bit on that combo after 3-4 trips… probably not worth fishing there.