Nitrofreak

I have 2 of them, I love them both for the money, my oldest one is about 2 or a little older, it's not one of the best reels in the world for casting a really long distance, all other areas of fishing though they have performed extremly well, both of them have never given me a moments trouble, I think you will enjoy them.

I usually give my wife the day, it's hers to do whatever she wants, I take care of everything else, the cooking....well wait she don't cook, the cleaning and all that other stuff though, I send her off for a day at the spa and splurge for a massage too.

Eric, First, you have our thoughts and prayers my friend for sure, we will also say a prayer for you guys in chuch. God bless you and your family big guy !!! What hospital are you in?

Thats pretty cool db, looks like we might be getting a look at a start to finish behind the scenes look at what it takes to put one of these events together, thanks for the video !!!!

I'm suprised you guys forgot how important the muffler bearings are in these cases !

Check engine light come on? is it flashing? Is it making any noises? How long has it been since you serviced the fuel filter? some models may be incorporated in the tank unit. Did you just stop and get gas from a station you normally dont use? fuel could be contaminated. Could be your catalytic converter is damaged. Wide open field of issues that it could be, on top of the timing chain issue.

You always have a way to make me laugh ghoti !!!!!!!!!

I think I may have an idea for the meet and greet this year too !!!

Cool !!! Thanks SPEED !!!

I love the Idea, I will go in also with a 4, but what about donations, where do we send the money too? I do not get the opportunity to fish that often anymore, I would like to donate as well as participate.

As for the first highlight in your post, You are correct in that statement for sure !!!!! As for the second highlighted statement, consider this for a moment, The name that is being pushed is the "Red Tails" are we or are we not going from one ethnic group to another ethnic group of people here? would it not give more ground for the racism card to be played, or at least just as much? If they want to change the name then it would have to be something on a level field that represents all in my opinion, so that it is not racist to anyone, as far as being derogatory, well, I don't think your going to please anyone with that one but non the less, I don't see the Redskins going anywhere anytime soon, or at least I hope not.

NASCAR has ruined it's racing, sports in general have gone down hill, including football, but it's really all I watch television for anymore, If they were to truly succeed, I would no longer be a fan, I said it before, I am a die hard Redskins fan, anything else won't be the same to me. I think I would have to take up a new hobbie....like fishing.....again...although I suck at that anymore too !! Ah what the crap, I just hope that when they put me in the ground that they put me upside down, that way the whole world can kiss my a## !! LOL !!

AWESOME JOB !!!! CONGRATS !!!!!! Nice story too, thanks for sharing !!!

You know, I did not mention exactly what I put in that letter, and yes I do feel America is very soft on a lot of issues we need to be really strong in, but this will turn into a political thread at that point, This is about a name, a team name, do I feel an injustice, NO ! but thats my opinion. Were we there to know exactly why the team got renamed in the first place, NO! am I against changing the name, HELL YES !!! as a fan I most certainly am, but at the same time No, and I mean that in the sense that everyone should have to follow suit, if it ends racism, if it ends hatred, then by all means change it !!!!! but you tell me exactly what you think it will change. I DO NOT see skin color, you are either an American who is willing to protect her freedoms or you can get the hell out, no other way to bread and butter it. Are you really going to tell me that the money spent on getting this name changed is going to have more meaning than our starving families here in the states, or our parents who cant afford school lunch for their children, you think our education system could not use all that money, what about our health care, our senior's who can't afford heating costs, our military families who need much more than even you and I realise, this battle to change a footballs team name is POINTLESS in the scope of what America really needs from their leaders.

Trust me, there is a 22 page letter that should have been placed in his lap about this very thing, it's not just about the name of my beloved football team, it's about the way things are going in this country and what some people are getting away with and why we put people in office, I could keep going but I think I would be beating a dead horse. If this happens, think of whats next, one could only imagine, and I don't think it will end with sports either.

So you are bringing the S.S. SPEEDBEAD ?

LOL !!! That name has been around for a long time bud !!

Ok, ok, as a die hard Redskins fan I will give you all a little history on the the skins. First of all, we started in Boston, as the Boston Braves in 1932, we did not become the Redskins until 1933 when the team was moved to Fenway park, yes the same Fenway park that the Boston Red sox are famous for, we were owned at that time by Mr. Marshall, it was at this time we picked up the name, The Boston Redskins, we were named "IN HONOR" of a Native American who coached our team at that time for Lone Star Dietz. What I dont get is where the racist card comes into play and why we need the name "Redtails" these were a group of African Americans that flew as fighter pilots in the war and did a country proud with their service, this is why I am confused, who is this racist against? We moved to Washington D.C. in 1937 and won our first championship as The Washington Redskins, since then we have gone on to play over 1000 games with 5 professional championships, 2 NFL championships, 3 super bowl wins, 10 NFL division titles, 6 NFL conference championships, 22 post season apperances, only 4 teams have appeared in more super bowls that the Redskins. That is some pretty proud history and me personally, I think we have represented a nation very well and have HONORED Mr.Dietz and his kind the best one team could. I can only imagine what would happen should something like this actually come too light, think about the money it would take to get something like this accomplished, money that our American families are in desperate need of, money that could be used for a lot more important things than the changing of a football teams name, not that it will ever happen, but it seems people have their money tied up in all the wrong places. It's time we get our act together and act like Americans, stop this hatred and be united as we are supposed to be !!! Dammit people this is not what our military and innocent have fought and died for, WAKE UP !!!!

My biggest fear in death...... there is no Budweiser in heaven.

Sorry Sam, I was not at the computer this past weekend and I missed wishing you a happy B-Day bud !! Happy belated birthday Sam !!!!!

No sport to me is more challenging than bass fishing, one good thing about it is that you can do this year round in most states, it's a huge learning curve once you get off the banks and actually start to put some work in it. Books upon books have been written about bass fishing, how, when, what, why, where are all covered in these paperbacks and CD's but the one thing it does not cover is the individual, no other sport allows a person to be more flexible and in control of his or her own little pocket of happiness, from the cheapest to the most expensive stuff you can buy, it always ends up with a smile when you land that first bass or the bass of a lifetime, or see your children enjoying the same thing you do. Bass fishing is not only a sport, but a brain stimulant, it wakes you up inside somehow and makes you feel alive, it's a feeling I think we all feel but there is not a word to put to it that really describes it. The one constant in bass fishing is change, it's rarely if ever the same, every new spot holds a different challenge, every new day delivers another chance to learn, there is not one single thing I can really pinpoint that said this is what I love to do, it's down right depressing and harsh sometimes, and others it's the best thing that ever happened, kinda remindes me of marriage actually, but man, standing on the front of that boat or sitting on a shoreline by yourself or with a friend, watching the sun come up or set, when you make that first cast and hear the wind rip by the rod as the line strips off the reel and that bait finally hits the water, it's then that everything else dissappears, no mortgage, no car payment due, no fighting the crowds at the grocery store, just the gental slapping of water against the hull of your little floating island, hoping for a chance to set the hook on the corner of your house just once and land the fish of your dreams.

If one is to force themselves to learn a new bait then the homework becomes the most important part imo, when is the right time to best learn a new technique and a new bait. For example, fish are suspended in 12 feet of water, and you want to learn how to be effective with a deep diving crank bait, this ain't gonna work to your advantage, you need to match your new bait to the conditions that best match the use for the bait, using a DD crank the fish should be in an area close to the depth you are effectivly fishing, more like 20 to 25 feet of water, fish like these are not always but for the most part related to some type of structure, like a hump for example, bringing that DD crank over the hump and nicking the top of the hump or making it appear injured should get a reaction from the fish, then you know your doing something right, and if you can duplicate it then yes, you are on to a working technique, if not then you need to change up and fish it from a little different angle or pause it or both, search out the fish that match the condition for the intended use of the bait. Most people who try to use a new bait or try a new technique often fail from not applying lessons, make the best of your time and use the right baits at the right times of year and conditions, this will maximise your efforts and build confidence so that the next time you run across the same condition you know in the back of your mind how you should approach an area and have a ton of confidence that this particular bait will give you the best results.

The lake I was fishing with my pics added, was gin clear to about 20 feet, both me and my fishing partner saw these fish, we both used the same identical bait, SP100 L/C pointers, he was first to cast to the area, he strictly uses clear lines, and he came up empty handed, my line was old enough that it has become a light green color instead of the deep grass green it is when its new, I could physically see my line all the way to the bait, the only difference between my friend and me was the line and the technique used, I ended up with the fish, he did not. I am not by any means saying that this is going to be true anywhere and everywhere, but I do fish some gin clear strip mines and old gravel pits with nothing but braid, the fish will focus on the bait not the line, I have never seen a fish come to the front of the bait to see what kind of line you are using or to see if there is even a line attached, to me it will always be in the presentation, at least for my areas of water, I have had them all different ways, with leaders and without, where I am located and the waters I fish, I have not noticed any significant positive to either. I have not tried all lines of braid but as mentioned, Spiderwire is all I have tried this with, 30lb with 8lb diameter, I have been just as successful with either.

This is always the key to being successful, find the fish first. Once you learn where the best places to look are during any given time of the year, then you can start to figure out what they are relating too, cover, structure, or both, use the right bait or the most lodgical approach first, it will not matter what bait you use if there are no fish around to strike the bait, if you are fishing a bait in an area abandoned of fish then your confidence in that bait and yourself will be zero.

Deep and still not at that magic number yet, I am looking for main and secondary points depending on how fast the water is warming, but channels with the most water in the east to west locations would be my first considerations. Deep is what the fish relate too for me, not how deep the lake itself is, so I am looking anywhere between 12 to 20 feet for some good vertical structure somewhere in that range with maybe a good channel bend in it somewhere or some good hump features with some good cover somewhere close. Jerk Baits, Spoons, Jigs, DD cranks, Swim Baits, without knowing anything other than its deep and 50 degree water there is a lot of guess work here.