scrutch

I wasn't offended. It's all good. Oh, did you hear tonight's latest update on the story? http://www.brobible.com/sports/article/manti-teo-tino-tuiasosopo-lennay-kekua

I guess my post makes be look like another naive country bumpkin but I stand by my opinion. If that ends up putting egg on my face, I can live with that. I just call them like I see them. I live 20 minutes from campus, I have read everything about this since it first broke and none of the other wild scenarios make any sense. As bizarre as this is, I refuse to believe anyone in Manti's shoes could pull this scam off for that long. It only makes sense for Tuiasosopo (and company) to be the perp. But this is ONLY my opinion and I'm sure it stinks just like everyone else's.

Ground control to Major Tom.... The worst thing about catching a 15 pound drum has got to be the letdown after the initial thought that you just hooked a world record smallmouth!

Ain't no way this Tuiasosopo character is telling the truth (hah! ya think!). I listened to those vmail messages. Thats a girl. Two possible scenarios in my book... 1. Tuiasosopo is lying to protect the real girl's identity in this scam. 2. If I'm wrong and the vmail IS Tuiasosopo, then HE is the pathological liar with a very unhealthy obsession for Manti. HE is the one lying to cover up his own deep dark obsessions. He is a very disturbed and twisted individual. Manti is telling the truth. He is NOT gay. He is the victim.

Is that 275 with or without the piercings?

Glenn, Will there be a "Guest Star" at the banquet this year or is that gonna be a surprise? It's gonna be pretty hard top yourself after last year!

One of my favorite ways to dropshot in mid summer deep water is to use a nose-hooked fluke. I cast out and let it go to the bottom near the structure I want to fish. I gently shake the bait as I raise the rod tip taking the slack out of the line. This produces a shimmy action on the fluke. Then I let it fall slowly on semi-tight line. This produces an action similar to a dying baitfish. Flutter, fall, flutter, fall. VERY SLOWLY. Practice in shallow water to get the action right. I got several good deep structure bass this summer using this technique. I can't wait to try the Rage Tail Shell Cracker using this technique. I wish it came in shad and bluegill colors though! (pssst, BIG O!)

Doug Vahrenberg is a Humminbird guru but he clearly hasn't mastered the art of the Terrova yet. I've had mine for three years and there are many more tricks and tips than what's shown in that video. The biggest that caught my eye was he didn't use the autopilot feature to choose a heading and stay on it. I fish a lake exactly like the one in the video and I typically "pick my line" through the trees and hit autopilot and motor right through with a tenth of course corrections that he made. I've fished in wind that nobody with a cable steer could hang with. The Spotlock is priceless. Period. I fished a bridge in a steady 15-20 mph wind on Guntersville last year that would have been nearly impossible with a cable steer. I set the Spotlock and forgot about it and just fished. There was no work to it. I pushed a button. We pulled several fish from that bridge that day. (and broke a few crankbaits!) If you still can't make up your mind, come fish with me someday and use my Terrova. Unlike Jeff (00mod), I would take $500 more than I paid for mine. But I'd have $500 in my pocket and a brand new Terrova iPilot on my boat the NEXT DAY!

Too many people are quick to judge based on their own assumed conclusion. I think I'll just let this play out a couple weeks and see what comes out then. I hope he's telling the truth. He's still a heck of a football player. The lower he goes in the draft, the better team he goes to.

I'd fish with Hank Parker and Big O and I'd record every minute on video so I could go back and watch "game film" on the trip. I think there is so much to learn from those guys! Oh, and one more, Jesus. Now THERE'S a guy that knew how to fish!

I sent the light back to them for analysis. They said their engineers wanted to examine it. And yes, I am really lucky I didn't plug it in inside my garage and go to bed. No boat AND no house (maybe no ME!). Then my attorney (who is also my WIFE) might have been involved!

A good idea Tom thanks. The jury is still out on whether to patch it or get new carpet in the entire boat. You've seen my boat and know that the carpeting looks pretty good but there are a couple areas (like under compartment lids) that it is getting worn. Between the seats on the cooler lid is the worst. it is getting brittle and beginning to come apart under the lid. I assume all the carpeting is getting brittle too and if I didn't replace it this year I might start to see some more spots appear. Maybe not though. It might make sense to wait. Like I said, the jury is still out.

After my last post I went to Cabelas website and put all the pictured products in my shopping cart just to see the value and I'm a little shocked to see its retail value is $504.84. I gave the Berkley rep a list to go from and told her that when she got to $350 to just stop. She sent me EVERYTHING on the list.

Well the quote was for replacing the carpeting in the entire boat. The damage is a two inch melted spot on the front deck. The carpet is not exactly brand new either. It looks new but it is used. I thought it was a good settlement considering those facts. Pushing for more money would have made me feel greedy.

It worked pretty good. I like the black light for summer. I think it would have helped keep the skeeters away. I never really got a chance to give it a real test though.

It didn't catch fire, but it probably would have if I would not have unplugged it right away. It has a melted spot on the top where it melted the hard plastic that was about 1/8 inch thick. I sent it back to Berkley for "forensic analysis".

Those are D&S cranks. They claim to go 20-28 ft. deep and I like the single hook design to reduce hangups (I hope). I have a few spots that are fish magnets but just eat up cranks because of the deep laydowns. These are all baits that I've wanted to try but just haven't yet. I've been pretty impressed with sebile's story and innovative design. We'll see how they perform. The other cranks are additions to my cold water arsenal. Flatt shads and spin shads. Oh, and Jeff, the boat carpet will probably get replaced this spring.

Last summer I bought a Berkley night fishing light from Walmart and took it to the lake that night. It was the fluorescent type that had a black light and a white light. It had two suction cups on the bottom for sticking it on the gunwales. I got to the lake, took it out of the box and plugged it in. It worked good and I used it for a couple minutes before we decided to motor to another spot. I turned it off, pulled it off the gunwale and laid it upside down on the front deck of my bassboat. After motoring about a quarter mile, we smelled that dreaded electrical fire smell! I stopped immediately to investigate and found that my brand new fishing light on the deck of the boat was in full meltdown mode It was laying upside down and when I turned it over there was a melted spot on the light and a two inch diameter melted hole in my boat carpet! I called Berkley the next day and after some time spent emailing pictures and getting estimates ($1300 to replace my carpeting), I accepted a reparation offer totaling $850. They mailed me a check for $500 and gave me $350 worth of product from any of their product lines. The pic shows the $350 worth of product I chose. So thanks to Pure Fishing for standing behind their product and not forgetting the "little guys" of the fishing world!

Sweet. Done. Wow am I glad Brian Kelly decided to return! Okeechobee here I come!

WIll you give me those odds on a $1 bet?

Don't panic. Be prudent. You'll be fine. Might be a good idea to take some spare trailer bearings and seals with you as we'll as the necessary tools to do a quick roadside trailer bearing repair. It's relatively easy and might add a few hours of fishing time to your trip if you are unlucky enough to have a bearing fail on the way. Rhino's advice to feel the hubs every stop is great advice. It's probably not gonna happen, but its always good to be prepared. One thing often overlooked on trailers is to check all your u-bolts and fasteners on the trailer suspension. Make sure they're tight. Also check the u-bolts at the winch stand at the bow (if you have them). It's a very bad day if they fail.

IF Brian Kelly stays, Notre Dame will win a national championship within the next three years. And it will probably be won over an SEC opponent.

That would make a great gift for my dad.

Love some of those reactions! It's always fun to watch someone flip out.

I had Clemson picked in my bowl pool, but I changed it at the last minute. Shoulda went with my gut feeling.