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Not hating the human that invented the Jet Ski ~ A-Jay

Getting out of bed at 330 am, that sucks.

I got zero percent. Paid in full with cash.

Today was the worst day ever And don’t try to convince me that There’s something good in every day Because, when you take a closer look, This world is a pretty evil place. Even if some goodness does shine through once in a while Satisfaction and Happiness do not last. And it’s not true that It’s all in the mind and heart Because True happiness can be obtained Only if one’s surroundings are good It’s not true that good exists I’m sure you can agree that The reality Creates My attitude It’s all beyond my control And you’ll never in a million years hear me say that Today was a good day. Now read it from the bottom to the top. A-Jay

First fish on the new rod came from the pond! Was supposed to be a dedicated crankbait rod, but the Dobyns Champion 703 Glass is SWEEEET with the bladed jigs!! This 2lb10ozer choked the black and blue rage blade on the fall. The combo didn't let me down as I felt the subtle "tick" of the line from the sensitivity of the rod and the 30lb power pro with 12lb invisx leader thrown on the curado 51e. The rod felt great while fighting the fish to the bank, plenty of backbone to set the hook too.

Today I was interviewed at the local foundry and my orientation is Friday and I start Tuesday. I can finally get back to bass fishing for the pure joy of it and not just trying to catch as many panfish and catfish as I can to feed my family. It's hard dirty dangerous work in 130 to 140 degree temps but the pay and benefits are solid. Now if I go fishing and don't catch anything I still had fun and don't feel like a failure. I just wanted to share the good news with y'all.

Most every time I'm at Wal-Mart . . . . A-Jay

Been around long enough that I enjoy all teqniques but in thinking bout things I really don't enjoy people leaving their headlights on when launching in the dark.

You might want to set the hook next time if you've lost feel of your crankbait and it's not running left, right, or spiraling. A lot of times fish will "slack line" me, when they eat the bait coming straight towards the boat and it just feels like my bait is gone all the sudden.

A good portion of those questions can be answered by utilizing the forum search option in the correct forum. If you don't find the answer to what you're looking for, post a question. I like helping people with their questions but quite honestly, your post is overwhelming with the amount of information you're looking for in a single post. It's much easier to digest broken down into 1 or 2 question post and doesn't feel as much like a homework assignment for anyone looking to help you out

In case you haven't seen it...

The other day, my friend and I went to a lake around the metro here, Chisago. It was a hot, sunny day with less than 4 mph winds. We started with the typical lures, until I noticed a pattern forming. The reeds that protrude into the water would collect a thin layer of algae or slime around it, which in turn would provide shade and oxygen. Within those areas, I would hear frogs chirping and sunnies pecking at little bugs on the surface, and every now and again there'd be a giant splash. Presumably those were bass coming up on sunnies from below. I knew I had to put on a scum frog, which is a generic hollow body frog. What followed was one of the best top water days of my life. There was almost always an explosion somewhere around me and my friend. A few nice sized fish were caught, but most of the fish were nothing special. However, I think any fish caught topwater is 50x better than a fish caught subsurface. Excuse my Gopro microphone, sometimes it would connect and disconnect, causing a cracking sound. I'm in the sandy/dark camo kayak with the head mount on, my buddy has the chest mount on. https://youtu.be/mn5gRq6k0t8 By the way, does anyone really think colors on a frog matter? In slop, all bass see is an object or silhouette above.

https://www.bostonherald.com/news_opinion/national/2015/07/feds_wicked_tuna_tv_fisherman_claimed_to_be_disabled Unbelievable, the guy is reportedly on fed disability ,goes on public tv to reel in 200 to 300 lb tunas. [ duh,no one will recognize me] Who does he think he is, a politician? C22

My friend Bill and I floated 3 days on a river in the Southern Upper Peninsula in my personal pontoons. Day, 1 we floated a 3 mile section of the river that we'd never been on before. The first mile was beautiful. Lots of current, rocks and fish. The last 2 miles the river went mainly to sand, and grass flats with little action. We might have caught more fish there but a strong wind against us meant if you stopped rowing, you drifted upstream. Day 2, was hot and sunny. For me, the pattern was senkos in the shade. A stick worm drifted along the shaded bank, was just what the smallies wanted. Unlike my float trip in the DuPage on Saturday, there were almost no dinks. Most of the bass were 14-15 inches with many 16's, and 17's with a bonus couple of 18's thrown in. There is just no quit in those river fish. Day 3, not as hot and overcast most of the day. There was no shade line today and my pattern from yesterday wasn't happening. I switched to a #4 Mepps and concentrated on the fish that were off the bank near faster water. Those fish ran a little smaller overall but I got more of them. I'm exhausted but extremely happy. Lots of good sized, hard fighting smallies, a beautiful river and beautiful scenery. 4 weeks from now I get to come back and do it again. an 18 incher Bill Chase The River Another 18

So far I've sent my business to Mike at DVT, and Siebert Outdoors.. All great folks who provide super service and quality products. Thank You to our sponsors! Wayne

I just need some contrast so I can see the frog. Frog disappears, I set the hook.

I see where you're coming from. I could honestly do 90% of the fishing I do with one rod.

Grubs with 1/32 to 1/4 oz jigs just catch smallies. Once you find them, there's no simpler way to catch them.

If actively feeding on top try a small popper. If actively feeding on bottom use a grub as a search bait. I once upon a time went on a guided trip on the John Day. We swam grubs the entire time and caught so many smallies my forearm was sore the next day.

I suggest breaking those into 11 different threads, as there's a ton of responses you're going to get, all in random order and therefore, hard-to-follow.

check out the Browning worm binders at BP , ive had mine for years and have that thing packed !!! it is very well made and has stayed in great condition . i keep my soft baits in there and trust me when i say i have a lot in there !!! buy some extra '' pages'' added to it , the thing will hold a lot and the zipper is heavy duty with finger tabs on them that make it very easy to open and close if you put 30-40 bags of plastics in there ....

Clearly it was a mental disability.

I got the Browning Worm Binder from Bass PRO. I have had it for three years now still like new and holds 20 sum packs. I keep them in the package and put them in the binder pages. Would not be with out it.

It's normal. Beside, it's never a bad idea to clip off 6" or more of line when retying just because that last little bit gets most of the stress and damage. You're probably helping yourself by doing it that way. -T9

http://www.bostonherald.com/sites/default/files/media/2015/07/28/07282015%20--%20FINAL%20Decision%20Tom%20Brady%20Appeal.pdf 20 pages....lol....the only part anyone cares about is the first sentence of the last paragraph: "The four-game suspension is confirmed." Groundhog Goodell saw his shadow and now we get six new weeks of New Englanders whining about how much the whole world is biased against them.

Siebert's and Megastrike

Trailers lights only work in the driveway

Well done A-Jay! When read correctly (from bottom up) it reminds us that attitude is the key. Your attitude inspires me. Thanks man. Edit: After reading it again, it reminds that attitude is key whether read from the top or the bottom!

Maybe he Mis-remembered the disability part . . . A-Jay

I think Alabama is the only state legal to bury survivors.

Whew, sorry so long winded. Like said, I'll be at Fin and Feather Friday thru Sunday. Would love to meet anybody around buy em a coffee, drink, lunch whatever. I'd be honored to do that to show my appreciation for all I've learned from y'all.

Sometimes you just have to let it go, most people are just idiots I was bank fishing a local pond this past Saturday. At the entrance to this pond, there is a corner where you can fish to the left or right, that is just where the walkway dead-ends. I had arrived well before sunrise and been fishing for around an hour or so all alone, and I had covered the whole section of bank to the left and I was back at the corner. About that time, another guy arrives coming in down the walkway. I said hello, and he just ignored me and made a hard left...Basically, he thought I had just gotten there too, it was sunrise and he wanted to get to a certain spot about 50 yards down the bank before I did, even though if that was his thought process, he should have asked me which way I was going since I was there first, and at the least he should have responded to my greeting. About 10 minutes later, another guy shows up. By this time I'm working my way down the right bank, and the new guy sets all of his stuff on a bench at the corner and starts working down the bank behind me. We talk a little, and then he just cuts right in front of me and starts casting a topwater plug and fishing ahead of me. Keep in mind, I'm throwing a Chatterbait at this point and covering water down the bank, not set up on a spot, the only reason I was even still close to him was because he was talking to me. I just left, I had to be home anyway but I had planned on spending another 30 minutes or so fishing down that bank until the dumb*ss cut in front of me. I truly don't think he had any clue how rude that was either, one of those "here's your sign" moments Now the first guy, he was intentionally being VERY rude. It's OK though, because he was fishing for some sore-lipped fish I'd already caught off of the bank he chose, I'd already fished that section coming and going! Sorry for the rant.

Same here. Local biologist invited me to come over next time I see them electrofishing. I spoke with him about the Striper I caught in a local reservoir and he was full of great information. Loved talking "shop" with him.

Try out the- through the eye twice 6 turn uni knot. Tag can be very minimal around 1/4". This knot beat the palomar knot head-to-head. I tried both with 6#nanofil small dia and the uni held 50% more weight.

I've had some very interesting conversations with some of the biologists in this area as well. It's always good to get their perspective and compare it to your own experiences when you get a chance, and they usually seem to be just as interested in talking to the fishermen as we are to them, in most of my experiences. Seems like most of those guys got into their careers because they love fishing or hunting, and then they started their career and now spend all of their time in the outdoors (or at least researching it) but don't have time to hunt or fish

Or the ursine fertlity clinic.

Well that's boring. Why not try the local Chinese food joints and report back?

I've had even worse happen but I don't even want to get into it. People are selfish, inconsiderate and ignorant to a point where you have to wonder if it's malicious intent or just Olympic-level extreme ignorance. I don't even care which, but I have been practicing a look/stare that will drill a hole through their hull- haven't gotten it down pat just yet but I feel like I'm almost there. I'll let you know when I master it.

If I were a believer of match the hatch those would be my first choice, that's exactly how "minnows" look like in most of the lakes I fish down here.

buzz frogs will give a similar affect and no snags.

Stopped by an Academy Sports on the way back from out of town. Wish we had one much closer to my house!

I know what you mean. I ate a burnt orange once and I puked. Hootie

This sounds like one of those alcohol induced dares . . . . . "OK - You shoot me with your bird shot and then I'll shoot you with this Slug, and we'll see what happens. Here, I'll hold your beer . . . . ." A-Jay

14'

Reason It Was Tacky , 1. Not A Equal Amount Of Both Parts , 2. Did Not Mix Long Enough. Glad To Hear It Worked On Your Second Coat. Mike

I am seriously eating Frosted Flakes while reading this. lol

Just because they scroll some adds on their youtube videos doesn't make them sponsored. I have a jersery (from BR) that has about 14 different companies on it, I'm sponsored by none of them. We aren't being negative, we are trying to give you constructive criticism. Understanding the difference between the two is very important. What we are saying is that (insert name here) company get's hundreds and possibly thousands of sponsorship letters, request, whatever you want to call it a year. You want to go in with your ducks in a row. You are trying to get into something that probably 95% of the other anglers are trying at as well... that's pretty prestigious... so far you aren't showing any more ambition than the kid down the street that works at Mcdonalds. You may be a great angler, you may be a wiz at marketing, and might even be able to brain wash thousands into buying product, BUT, you aren't showing that. Put something together, (exactly what you would send a company) outline what you can do for them and have evidence to back it up. Then come back for advice. Again, this isn't being negative, I truly hope you can make it, and at your age, you have a better shot than most of us by having the opportunity to go to a college with a fishing team and starting there.

Turn ceiling fans off before any movement with rods in house

I have a feeling more rods are broken by loading/unloading them into a car/truck, than they are fighting a fish or snag.