K_Mac

A-Jay you are the man! I made the same commitment three years ago next month. I figure that if I stay focussed for another thirty-five years I will be able to post my videos on whatever is the YouTube of the time...of course I'll be ninety-three...

Hootie it sounds like you received one of those semi-spiral wrapped rods. It will probably work fine! Just kidding. Good luck with the replacement. Maybe it will be delivered Saturday?

I buy quite a bit of tackle from BPS, most of it online. I can't figure out how the catalogs have any value. They only give very limited information about products, with the constant admonition to go to the website. Other than a little tackle porn for those who like that sort of thing I don't know why they continue to send them out.

People try all sorts of hobbies along the way. That many fishermen come and go has little to do with money IMO. All I'm saying is for those of us who enjoy the challenges of bass fishing, money is not going to keep us off the water. I can't afford a high-end bass boat or house, yet I own an old tin boat and a basic old house. I complain regularly about the cost of many things, from fishing tackle to grocery prices, but still manage to eat and fish regularly.

0119 I think the likelihood of avid bass fishermen joining the "bucket brigade" due to cost is about the same as angry Floridians moving to New England to avoid the invading hoards of nasty snowbirds.

Well said John. It reflects what I was trying to say earlier. The idea that high-end or low-end gear somehow relects a persons skills is silly. There are guys at both end of the economic spectrum that will always catch fish. There are also guys who will never be very good regardless of equipment. It is the folks who make judgments about someone based on what they drive, the boat they own, or the gear they use that challenges me. Those are all incidental to skill and character, and you can't buy either one of those.

I have limited resources and have to carefully watch my budget. I fish for many reasons that have nothing to do with fish. It is important to me and my wife, and we sacrifice in other areas to have the money to fish. I try to make good choices in my purchases, always weighing cost versus value. I spend far more than some and far less than others on fishing. It is affordable because of its priority in my life. Many of us take great pride in how much or little we spend. Get over it!

The Patriots played well on both sides of the ball for 60 minutes. The Sea Hawks defense played well as expected allowing them to win a game they should have lost. It was not a good game for either team though. I expected to see two great teams at their best. The only great team playing Sunday was the Patriots.

I am not sure Seattle got the memo...

I am a fan. It works well for me. I use it on light mono to heavy fluorocarbon.

I have broken a few over the years. Almost all have been related to clumsiness or lack of attention. Just part of fishing IMO.

I completely agree. For pitching in moderate cover I use a MXF. In heavy cover a HM.

Thanks for the heads up. That is an amazing price for that reel. Are they discontinuing the reel for a new model?

We can always count on you to stir the pot a bit Red Earth.LOL How about "my Ugly Stik is just as good as your NRX".

Exactly. I am as confident with my mismatched combos as Roadwarrior is with his carefully coordinated ones. It's all good.

I fish alone often, though not as often in cold weather. Being prepared is absolutely critical. Unless your lake is about the same size as a bathtub fishing alone without wearing a pfd, especially in cold water, is just dumb. I lost a very good friend doing so a few years ago. Having a dry change of clothes in the boat could save you if things do go bad, and Murphy predicts things will go bad in direct proportion to how unprepared you are.

Looks are certainly important in many things. How a plastic is rigged matters. Lure color sometimes matters. How a crankbait moves matters. Line color may matter. Many things matter in fishing. The color of my rod or reel simply do not matter to me. Really. I am not kidding.

I don't give a rip about matching colors or colors in general when it comes to tackle (not including terminal tackle). If someone wants coordinated colors to match their fishing attire or anything else it is ok with me. Just don't try to explain it to me; I will not get it.

Some really good advice here. In, over and through grass or slow rolled can kill. As Bluebasser said sometimes it is very hard to know when you get bit, especially in grass. Other times you might get your arm broken. It is definitely a big fish bait for me. Finding the right speed, depth, and cadence is part of the fun. Enjoy!

Hootie I was a fan of Bilbo, Gollum, and the boys long before it was fashionable. I will explain: Gollum started life as Smeagle. Driven by his lust for the ring of power, he had to literally go under ground. He spent many generations there in isolation, just him and his "Precious" ring. As he transformed into Gollum he lost most of his social skills! Master's reference probably describes many of us who value our tackle and solitude more than is healthy. Hope this helps.

I will add my $.02 to the 'why a smallie' discussion. I am a big fan of RI Beavers in all sizes. I use them in many situations, from pitching in shallow heavy cover to deep water structure. While I do use them as jig trailers, I most often use them t-rigged. There are times when the smaller bait works better-for both size and numbers. Sometimes smaller is better!

As Roger says irregularities are the key. Bouncing a jig or t-rigged plastic down a bluff wall will often find shelves and fish. Focusing on transitions where shear rock turns to gravel or looking for patches of green areas where grass has taken root is another good bet. Large chunks of rock at the base of the wall is another. Some of my biggest fish have come by finding the sweet spots on bluffs.

I completely agree. I do not want to know. It is all relative to income, but a big number in any case.

I really don't care who wins this game. I am sure enjoying it though!

I am sorry to hear of Dave's death. He was a great help to many of us over the years. Yes he could be a little crusty; but his honesty, intelligence, outspokeness, and confidence far outweighed any lack of diplomatic skills. He spoke his mind and had the courage of his convictions. His input will be missed.