A-Jay

Agreed ~ My default line is; "Habitat trumps genetic almost every time." Clearly whatever 'genetics' are needed to grow healthy bass is a great starting point. But a simple way to support this is just looking back at the Hay Day of the west coast trout eaters. They didn't start getting crazy big until the trout stocking started. Might be a somewhat extreme example, but I'm not sure those fish had special genetic to start with. Since the stocking has stopped, the giants routinely caught there are few and far between. Also, insert the Goby. Caused a brown bass explosion in size up this way. I won't even talk about a particular lake in Mexico. So I'm good with, "Feed Them and They Will Grow". A-Jay

My friend, there were many times we wished everyone could exercise your level of common sense. Apparently it's somewhat rare. But I guess that's job security for the first responders. A-Jay

No Doubt @Catt - However heading out into perilous conditions when we were called to do so, is the very essence of the job description. (depending on your rating of course, and my wife and I were both Boatswain Mates. Some light reading. A-Jay

Fish it and find out. A-Jay

I can see that - especially in a bog. But it's a little different out on the open ocean where there a chance one might get run over by a 900 ft container ship that wouldn't even know it hit anything. A-Jay

Can't comment on the OP. However on the subject of fog. I've been there and done that. In a professional and recreational capacity. Professionally, we would train for it by placing blankets on all the windows of the small boats/cutters we were working with to simulate ZERO visibility. Then using Dead Reckoning (Stop watch, a paper chart, dividers & compass) NO GPS in those days. We would 'navigate' to our destination; hopefully not running aground or worse. This was training so there was never any worse, which can not be said for actual rescues. We called it 'Fog Nav training" and doing it in rivers was particularly nerve racking - #movingmedium However it did prepare us for worse case scenarios of night time and or fog rescue evolutions. Recreationally, I like fishing in the fog, as there's rarely anyone else on the water here and the fishing's usually pretty good. https://youtu.be/S_Owp6ZVN0U?feature=shared&t=78 A-Jay

In my mind, sort of a perfect storm of events occurred. First, the 'problematic zebra mussels' ended up cleaning up the water quite a bit. Then, 'the problematic' goby ended up becoming a readily available, super high protein food source for just about every fish in the ecosystem that could choke one down: Including walleye & trout. The round goby usually grow three to six inches long but can grow up to ten inches and are egg eaters. But game fish reproduction seems OK to me at least. Either way they are apparently pretty easy bottom dwelling prey. I'm sure the experts, will identify some down sides to their presence, but I'm a fan. Every lake I fish that has them, the larger game fish I catch all seem 'very healthy'. Not saying, Just saying. A-Jay

The Gobified Brown Bass up this way are really freaky big and getting bigger. Only a matter of time before the next 'record' size fish is landed. If by some crazy twist of fate it happen In my Lund, you might see me catch it, might see me weigh it, and if you do, you'll also definitely see me release it. A-Jay

Workout Day 1 and it had to be a late afternoon affair, not my favorite. I sucked it up and blasted through this one best I could. Pretty sure there will be some residual effects for the next day or so. But I wouldn't have it any other way. #borninfiftynine A-Jay

LOL !! No Worries there. At this point I'm about to become a seller to help offset that last Monkey Mauling. A-Jay

A friend of mine followed a Chinese Balloon for almost 200 miles. Turns out it was just bird **it on the windshield 🤪 A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

I suppose it would. Got a Book Title in mind yet ? 🤓 A-Jay

Thanks ~ Miss Fenway certainly loved the snow. But it was in her DNA. Stay Safe in the canoe my friend. A-Jay

Please remember to take care of your pets during this cold snap. A-Jay

Good Luck on your writing venture. btw- publishing all kinds of assorted info regarding "places no one's ever heard of that still has good fishing" is probably going to change why they are on your list in the first place. Just Saying. A-Jay

Got some new sticks but mostly replaced reels on rods I have. Selling those replaced reels here shortly. A-Jay

I got the bait monkey a little bomber hat for Christmas and was rewarded handsomely. A-Jay

Started the new year off the way I've started the previous 46. Workout Day 5 this time. Staying on track with everything needed when I'm NOT in the gym, seems to get more and more important the further down the road I get. #borninfiftynine A-Jay

Come on @Glenn don't sugar coat it. Tell us how you really feel ! A-Jay

I'm a point and shoot type of guy. The less I mess with the settings, the happier I am with the results. That includes most underwater uses. I do set it up to the widest view so I get the fish. That's Superview on my unit. A-Jay

@Crow Horse I do not have a kayak so I can not add anything in the way of under water mounting advice. However I have and still do record with the GoPro subsurface. Usually fish release shots. Clear water is pretty much a must. Point of interest is, although most all GoPros are rugged and waterproof right out of the box, I have drown a couple of different units the past few years. Used them at arms length underwater boat side. One minute they worked, the next - toast. So while nothing is fool proof, all my future underwater deals now include a GoPRO branded waterproof protective housing made for the model cameras I'm using. Adds an extra layer of protection for H2O intrusion. https://gopro.com/en/us/shop/mounts-accessories/protective-housing-plus-waterproof-case/ADDIV-001.html If something like this is available for your unit, I'd recommend considering it. also You might want to designate a water only camera. Good Luck A-Jay

Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow ~ Happy New Year A-Jay

Me too . . . btw- you're probably gonna need some help pulling my chain. A-Jay

2024 Workout year in review ~ This one was a big time challenge for 12 straight months pretty much. Ended up going another 12 rounds with Covid while my wife was really hurting and needed 6 weeks of hospitalization 5 hours away. Once she was finally home, scheduling my training around her much needed and frequent treatments was tricky. As was keeping my head in the game so I could train at all. Completing one more workout for this year than last, shows me something I wasn't sure I had in me. Either way, plan is to keep grinding away. It never gets any easier and that's what keeps bringing me back. It's New Years Resolution time . . . I say make at least one. Don't wait until you're 65 like me . . . . . . A-Jay