Darren.

Welcome aboard, Scott!

Well that can explain a lot. Very tough to deal with suicides and keep feelings inside, wondering all along about if you are prone to it, too. Glad he's looking for help from a doc, too. And good you're there for him, also!

First, welcome to the forums! Second, it is hard to go wrong (IMHO) with Shimano. I absolutely love my Chronarch 50e reels. But there are plenty here that will sound off in the positive about Diawa's Tatula reels, Lew's reels, Quantum, and others. So my best advice, if it is possible for you, is to head to your local Bass Pro -- or if other sporting goods store call and ask if they do this -- and take your rod(s) in and ask to try several different reels on them to see how they balance out and "feel" to your hands. I may love Shimano and sing their praises, but you might take a deeper liking to a Pflueger, or a Diawa.

I've only crushed barbs a few times. Fortunately, I haven't yet been stuck past the barb on treble hooks, maybe because I don't fish lures as often as soft plastics.

Agree with professional help suggestions. I applaud you wanting to take him to your church for help, but sometimes the best "medicine" is real medicine to get his head straight, or at least to a place where he can think more clearly.

Good luck. What Shimano rod was it?

I think the difference between the two is enough to make the jump to glass. But this is MY feeling having had poly style lenses and dealing with scratches and such. My Costas with 580G lenses have been the best glasses I've ever owned. After 3 or 4 years now, no scratches. I do take better care of them which is probably a byproduct of their cost! Which could be the same if I had expensive poly glasses. But I'd still pick glass if I were to buy another pair...

Welcome to the forums!

Welcome aboard, Bobby!

Wow, that looks sweet! Nice job!

Assume you mean for bait casting? There is digging in from time to time, but I often check the line if I've had a tough fight, or a big snag. Honestly, it doesn't bother me if/when it does happen since it isn't too frequent. No problems on spinning with the 10.

I like and use regular PP ... regularly. 10# Yellow for spinning 20# Yellow for bait casting I always use a leader. Braid's expensive to try out, so A-Jay's suggestion of a small spool is good. I'm getting low in my supply of PP, and always question whether I want to try something new or not. Most of the time I return to PP. Guess I'm just comfortable with it.

We're down to one dog that jumps up and does things like this. Unspeakable horror of the loss of good meat. Oakley is the black lab miscreant. Jake can't jump with two blown out knees, but Kobe, the little monster, finds ways to jump on things in order to make it up to the counter tops and eat. So often he and Oakley team up. One knocks something off the counter and the three dogs dine in glory. We know what happens with Kobe, because 9 times out of 10 he can't make it back down and has to wait for us to get him off the counter. I wouldn't trade anything for my pups. Love 'em!!

I'm not sure to your answer, but I'm going to keep an eye on the answers. I run a TM on my yak, too, no kill switch.

Hi Bill, welcome aboard!

Welcome aboard. Get ready for the Shimano posse, the Daiwa posse, the Quantum posse, etc! Me? I'm pretty much aboard the Shimano bandwagon but own the other two. Can't go wrong with the Curado I, or Tat's, but if I had to choose, it'd be the Curado's.

Wow, that's a hoss of a bass! Well done!

I'm with fly. I don't flip 'em in unless we're talking ½ pound and under, and even then not much. I normally lip the bass, or I'll land them with a net.

Welcome aboard!

Welcome aboard!

That's a beast! Hearty congrats!

Welcome aboard!

Haven't fished it yet, but plan to get there some day. Here's something to hold you over until Wayne chimes in. http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/fishing/waterbodies/display.asp?id=21

Hey Steven, welcome aboard!

Same thing here in VA for kayaks and canoes. Once you stick a motor, be it electric or gas, you have to register it. It should come with a cert. of origins, but if for some reason it doesn't, the manufacturer can send you one based on the serial number.