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I have been having a very slow year so far. I have landed 10 to 12 fish the biggest one 1.5 at best until this evening when I landed my new PB a 22 inch 5.9 on a Dawa 7' MH rod lure was a green pumpkin/purple flake zoom fluke stick the same lure I caught my previous PB on.

I've read all the post here and it seems to me a majority of the members that answered your question did so with valid reasons why they choose to use heavier line. I see very few "Keyboard Warriors" on this site, and I'm on here a lot. Best to ignore the answers that rubbed you the wrong way instead of going on the defensive, internet arguments rarely accomplish anything. There is endless amounts of knowledge to take in from all the great members on this site, I think if you stick around for very long you will learn that It's all about line diameter for me. The heavier sizes fish easier on casting gear. There have been occasions in heavy grass that I had to have 65lb braid just to drag even a keeper sized fish out, let alone a big fish.

Time to start searching for Dick's... Wait, that doesn't sound right

I'm sure your right but I've never seen anything like them. It also doesn't help someone a few miles away just died from a Brain Eating Ameba (true story)

That is about as well said as I've heard. Getting and staying fit is not as complicated as we try to make it. It really is pretty simple-just not easy. With better eating habits, walking, strength training and core work I've gone from 335 to 200# over the last couple of years. I can do everything better now , including fishing!

KVD 1.5 in sexy sunfish. Not that I lose very many, just want to make sure I have that bait for the rest of my life

I hate these Pflueger reels...everytime I pick one up....I end up buying another one! First I bought a president and I really liked it! I put it on a Berkley Lightning Rod and that little rig makes a great inexpensive spinning setup. Next I bought a purist reel to put on good Bass Pro rod and that is one of my favorite rigs. I bought a new Berkley Cherrywood spinning rod for my son (I love these Berkley rods they are great values!) I went in to Bass Pro to look for a reasonably priced reel for this rod and picked up a Pflueger Trion. It felt just as smooth as the other two I own. I would be hard pressed to say this one is a "cheaper" reel...even though it cost less money. I need to stop looking at Pflueger spinning reels, as I don't need any more spinning reels.

So I've been fishing as a co-angler for a few years now and thought I'd share a few tips for those who fish as co-anglers or may be thinking of doing so. I've seen some discouraging things posted about getting into BFL's as a co-angler in the past. Things such as if you don't have a boater to link with your chances of getting in are low. I do not link with a boater and I get into every one I register for. So here is my advice on that register early don't wait til the last minute. I register for every one online and usually do it like 4 weeks or so before the tournament I always start on the waiting list but I'm always confirmed a couple of weeks before the tournament. No worries this way. If you insist on registering the Friday before the tournament get there early. Registration typically runs from 4-6 followed by pairings and a meeting at 6:30. Don't show up at 6 and expect to get a boater. I see people do this at almost every tournament. The early bird gets the worm. When you meet with your boater, here is what I suggest first give him money for fuel. It is costly to tow a boat and to run the boat, do your part to help him. Also I always offer to bring ice and ask if there is anything else he needs. You're going to be on the water with this guy in his boat for 8 plus hours make sure you do your part so he's not upset with you for not doing so. Find out what his game plan is for the tournament and prepare your rods and takcle accordingly. I do have my own boat and I do prefish however if you do this understand you are more or less just getting a feel for what's going on in the lake and the layout of the lake if you haven't been there before. You will be fishing his spots. I always let my boater know I have prefished and what I found. I have yet had a boater want to go to my spots which is what I expect but I always offer the info. An example of this is a few months back my boater and I both prefished but found fish at the opposite end of the lake. I found them cranking rocks and he found them flipping reeds. We flipped reeds all day. If you are meeting your boater at the lake be there before him to help him launch the boat and hopefully you know how to back a trailor. You have to be versatile as a co-angler. We all have our own styles and our own strengths but be prepared his may not be what yours are. Do not fish with the exact same thing he is. I suggest the same type of bait but a different presentation. If he's good he's gonna pick off the easy fish. Also pay attention to how he's fish and adjust accordingly. An example of this in the last tournament I fished my boater pitched a brush hog 90% of the day. I fished behind him with a jig and a senko. Just my 2 cents hope it helps someone.

Its so nobody fishes around their dock. I've seen it quite a few times. They don't want people throwing around their dock/boat so they install the bars. I don't mean to stereotype but it usually happens around the really large houses with fancy pleasure boats on the docks. These are typically the same people that are known to yell at fishermen that are around their property.

It's cool man. This is just something that hits home for me. I've got a sperm donor that I haven't seen in 25 something years (I'm 34). The man that stepped in and raised me has been "Dad" for as long as I can remember. I have no interest in ever seeing him again.

Exactly!! Thanks for the responses all. Meeting him outside of the reunion would require more effort, time and money that I really want to put into it. If it weren't for this, it's doubtful I would ever see him in person. So far, it's been nothing more than getting to know complete strangers. While he's not much of a talker, his caregiver and family are a hoot. LOL I'm mainly maintaining contact with that side of the family to gather medical histories and get some answers to other 1/2 siblings I might have. Plus, for good or bad, he is also a part of my mother's history. I have to think at some point they loved each other as they were married for several years before I came along. Growing up, mom never hid anything from me. As a matter of fact she saved all the scrapbook stuff from those early years saying this was my history. Maybe this is a way of getting some closure as I have no desire to form a relationship with him or any of my new found cousins.

I think the politically correct name for them is Roach Coach

I 100% disagree with the first part. He's his father. The man that stepped up, adopted and raised him is Dad. I 100% agree with the second though. To the OP, I'd only follow through with it if it's for YOUR peace of mind. You don't owe him anything at this point. If it helps you with some sort of closure, then go for it.

If it were me, I'd go. You owe him nothing but I think you owe it to yourself to meet him at least once so you won't spend the rest of your life wondering.

Beetle spins and Mepp's spinners. They're cheap, they come in a variety of colors, they're easy to just cast out and reel in for kids not patient enough to watch a bobber, and they catch fish

On our last trip south of the border, The Scounga Club discussed this situation at length - It was then that the term FECALLEPSY was coined. A-Jay

You think that's a stumper, I'm still working on SMB But I'm pretty sure it means 'Steve Miller Band' Roger

It's about time that record was moved up for a Great Lakes smallie.

5" GYCB senko's, Green pumpkin/w black flake. Endless fish catching possibilities.

If you can't cast accurately with a spinning reel, it's not the reel. You can feather the line coming off the spool just like your thumb on a baitcaster. It's not difficult to place 10 casts within a few inches of eachother.

OK, we are way off topic and going in the wrong direction. Good Night Irene Jeff

You can even save a few bucks by buying jig heads and skirts to put together on your own. Either way it is totally worth it!

First off, I didn't say anything was "unethical" or "unjustifiable". I even opened stating that nobody says you shouldn't do it. I'll break this down very simply for you. Nobody is arguing your admirable loyalty to a company. I really don't understand the heaven reference...I mean I get it, but nobody said bob's not going to heaven because he shouldn't have warrantied a fishing rod.... Bob loves St. Croix and cannot see himself using a different rod. They make everything he wants in a rod so naturally he would want this company to thrive and be around for his grandkids. Bob buys rod in 1990 for 200$ Bob breaks rod in 2005 (this is after 15 years) Bob asks for rod to be warrantied to which St. Croix obliges to the sum or 70$ even those it was his fault. Bob then sends in a 15 year old broken rod that is promptly thrown away and receives a brand new one that has been updated X amount of times over the course of 15 years. Instead of just buying a new one and supporting a company he wants to be around for a long time, he costs to company more than the price of the rod. (your 15 year old broken rod holds 0$ valu-this figure can be attained by looking up your serial number /w the rod value system they provide via their website. you were given a free 200$ rod + the labor) Now I'm not saying what you, or anybody for that matter, did was "wrong" or "unethical". I mean you get a new rod for next to nothing...that's great. I'm simply saying as a WHOLE, when people do this, they are costing a company money after X amount of years that does play a part in price increases. Now what the set amount of years should be, I don't know. But I believe you can unarguably say that if you break a rod after 15 years of ownership, you should chalk that one up to a solid 15 years and not expect anything in return; even if they will replace it being 100% your fault and not their responsibility.

My Brother in Law likes that bait quite a bit. btw - does fishing without pants allow you to get better action out of the worm ? A-Jay

Classic case of the crabs.

From today.... Jeff

No one is bashing you young man. It's just that us old guys are envious. I am 6' tall and when I was your age I weighed 127#. How do I remember? It's on my old draft card. Betcha never seen one of those...lol. So enjoy your youth, and your weight. Look at my avatar and some of the other older guys, because this is what happens next. Hootie

One of my best days fishing Oneida Lake was a Take a Soldier Fishing events. My guys threw black Yum Dingers and each caught three limits of smallies, many that were over 3 lbs. why black? It's what I had a lot of. I don't think color mattered so much as the location. Many fished deep shoals and sunken barges and blanked. We fished shallow shorelines near spawning flats for active prespawn fish. Location trumps color every time.

you won't lose weight or get in shape by fishing, it just isn't enough of a cardio or a strength training workout to change your physiology. I would go get a pull up bar that goes over the door and if it's in your budget, some selectable dumbbells. With those two items, a chair, some ab work and push ups you can do pretty much anything you want to get back into shape. Add in some walking/jogging and that will help too. The most important thing, even more so than working out is nutrition. I keep mine pretty simple, lots of lean protein and as many fruits and vegetables and water as i want. I limit carbs for the most part but with my cycling ramping up i am adding more carbs into my diet. The best workout in the world means nothing if you are fueling your body with junk.

Because you never know when you're going to catch that 50 pound bass.

I am a Pfleuger Phreak. I have owned Trions, Presidents, and Patriarchs. The Patriarch is very light weight and is a sweetheart of a reel. All of the aforementioned reels perform admirably, but I think the best bang for the buck is the President.

Do you like Chinese food? Mexican? Italian? I rest my case.

Mike - you should do a jig calendar for 2015 using suitable jigs , trailers and colors good for that particular month ... Heck , in Dec. you could even include a glossy jig fold out

you start punching through heavy slop and you will be glad you have a "heavy". Learn how to punch, it is one of the funnest ways to fish for me and this time of year it may be the only way to get to the big ones in some waters.

Prespawn & again in the fall as water temps approach spring prespawn temperatures the suspending jerkbait rules. You can cover water depths from 6 fow to 30 fow based on water clarity.

1/2oz double willow white chartruse with one gold blade one silver blade

I usually fillet them alive and twitching. call it cruel, but they certainly die pretty quick without their meat!

Tell him you'll be there and never show up.

me 2!!!! Had the GM of the Milford CT store do a full search in system none of the stores have em neither does the main warehouse of their .com orders. Only ones you will be able to find are the worm and jig, crank rod, and spinner bait. All in bait casting. Unless someone returns one were s.o.l

When I looked into it, it seemed cheaper to by them at a store.

I don't tournament fish but always finesse fished unless it was for money, like I had to do when I was running Charters. I never cared for dragging and horsing fish to the boat, and prefered feeling the bite and playing the fish with as little on the line as possible, I like the lightest rod capable for the job, on the lightest line (leader) and the smallest reel capable of holding enough line and drag to get em stopped before I get spooled. Then use the lightest lure, bait, or rigging to get"r"done! If you aint getting paid to do it, it should be fun, and I like given em a chance, even when it's frustrating and their winning!! Enjoy sounds like you got that down though!!

Flyfisher is dead on about nutrition, I was 2 lbs from obesity before I woke up. I didn't eat much until I got home from work and had a big meal. Kept my body in a catatonic state all the time. Now I eat 5 times a day, protein, fruits, vegetables and select fats. I run and do body weight exercises In Tabata protocol and have lost 27 lbs. I'm about 9 lbs from my goal weight and feel absolutely great. Today I turned 48 and have not been at this weight in 15 years. Google body weight exercises and you'll find a ton of 411 on it and it doesn't break the bank!

I don't see how people would have the gall to return a rod after 10 or more years of use lol. Maybe it is just me, but I couldn't. I have only ever had to use a warranty because of my stupidity. If a rod doesn't break In a year of good use, then the manufacturer has done a good job. Yes I understand that the warranty has been built into the rod BUT I look at it like this. I have several $300 rods. If those rods last me 10 years and break, that's 30 bucks a year and that is more than adequate for me.

Just learn to tie a double uni or a blood knot! Practice until your fingers hurt and you can tie it in a dimly lit room. I assure you itshould alot faster than you think.

Exactly, this is a HUGE part of the reason prices keep going up.

No Mexican restaurants in Alabama? Next time you pass thru Chicago, stop at Taco Burrito King or TBK as we call it. out Never fell asleep on the pooper with burrito in hand but in a former life I had passed out at the kitchen table with 1/2 eaten burrito in hand only to wake up 5 hours later to finish my dinner, still in hand.

Who said I was using the restroom!?! I was sitting on the toilet lid. I like the fuzzy cover on it. Sheesh. Just jump to conclusions why don't ya!?!

Its my once weekly cheat day, granted in the body for life diet. I try to eat foods I enjoy that run right thru me. Not constipated. However, I have had 7 hours sleep in the last 71 hours. I still haven't gone to bed from when I woke up 23 hours ago. However, I will admit about 20 minutes ago I fell asleep on the toilet and smacked my head on the wall, so now I'm wide dang awake again.

I use 10lb braid with 6lb flouro leader.