K_Mac

I will add one thing: Proper practice makes perfect. I thought I knew how to pitch before I started fishing with my current partner. I was pretty good, but he is more accurate than I could imagine, and it is only from watching and talking to him that my accuracy has improved. Use all the suggestions given here and practice religiously, and pay very close attention to those who really know what they are doing.

Your post caused me to do a brief search on the dangers of charcoal and wood smoke used to cook/prepare meat. I now am going to have to go entirely vegan, eating only raw vegetables and tree bark.

There are not enough bass, or a bass big enough to make me be blindfolded by a casual acquaintance and hauled into the woods. I have seen the movie Deliverance...

Snook it is impossible to comment much on your post without crossing the political line. I will say that it is the natural progression of empires to turn their focus to their own pleasure and interests while forgetting/ignoring the fundamentals on which they were built, leading to their ultimate failure...

Don't over think the answers-or the test! You've done the work, so just pass the thing and move on! Good luck.

I am not a pro, but the times I have fished from an electric steer boat have only reinforced my decision to buy a cable steer unit. I would agree that there are times when fishing off shore a Terrova might be handy, but the negatives outweigh the advantages IMO. Give me a Fortrex every time.

I am with most everyone else. Even if you're there most of the time you probably can't guarantee your stuff is safe, and not being there often the odds are very good some $!#@&/!* will eventually take it-no matter how hard you try to secure it. Take it home with you, or make sure it is well insured and don't get too fond of it.

With the choices given Justin Bieber would be my pick.

Some say it started back in Middle Earth: Glenn, Low_Budget_Hooker, Long Mike, RW and a few others were part of the Fellowship of the Bass; a small group on a quest to gather the timeless bass fishing wisdom of the elvish peoples...I do believe LBH may in fact be an elf. I could be wrong about some of this though. My memory isn't as good as it used to be.

Good story RW. I had a similar thing happen when a friend gave me a high-end combo filled with new fluorocarbon line to check out. Very embarrassing! Kent I'm not sure that that Fluffy works for you. It just seems a little too soft...

As Roger said when fishing alone I can focus only on what I want to do, and don't have to worry about anyone else. I may be technically better on those days. When fishing with someone who knows what their doing, they may figure it out first making me better for the day. "Fishing" with my grandkids is not really fishing as defined by a "serious" fisherman, but I get as much joy watching/helping one of them land a small fish as I would get landing the biggest bass in the lake. I have had days alone on the water that I would not trade, and days that are better forgotten. I have lost a brother and another fishing friend over the years, and would give much spend a day on the water with either of them. Fishing with an adult who doesn't really get it can be as challenging as fishing with a very skilled partner is fun. Fishing with my wife who has some serious physical limitations at this time is work, but I would not trade our time for anything. I guess what I'm trying to say is that 'doing well' when fishing is about much more than the size and numbers of fish caught IMO.

That may be the best response yet! ACG, I said earlier in this thread that the us versus them model no longer works. You have done your best over the course of this discussion to prove me right. I will tell you what I told a couple of guys who used to work for me, after listening to them #*&^% for weeks every evening when I started my shift: If you are that unhappy with your job and this company then you need to find something else to do. They became two of the guys I could most depend on, even though they were both really angry at the time. Your continued trashing of the company that writes your checks is no more acceptable than others trashing all unions because of your example. You are either part of the solution or the problem. You can't have it both ways.

Once in a former life, I decided I had to get one. In the hands of someone who knows what they are doing they are very cool. You can get beautiful results that really add character to your documents. I would usually get about 80% finished and make a big blot . Like .ghoti. I soon decided that life was too short to invest the time needed to master one. Good luck.

I wish you well in your training and your event. How many miles, and how many weekly hours riding will you do in training?

I worked as a union member for many years. I have also worked in management in union shops and spent years working as a non-union original equipment rep in union shops. I know how the system works. Those of you who are drawing conclusions about unions based on this member, and this situation do so based on a snap-shot that does not illustrate all unions.This "brotherhood" has let this guy, the membership and the company down by allowing him to continue putting everyone at risk. I think we all can agree on that. The shots at unions and their membership do not belong here IMO.

I think this is a reasonable approach. With reaction baits the rod quality is less important than the proper power and action. With bottom contact baits, I want the best rod I can afford. I am always amazed at the folks who think there is little difference in rod sensitivity from low-end to high. In my hands the difference between a heavy, dead, cheap rod and even a decent quality mid-level rod is huge. Yes, the gains become less as you move up the the price scale, but they are very real nevertheless.

I believe you will find 10# is too hard to manage on a spinning reel, even with L&L. 6# or 8# at the most should be plenty, esp with the hybrids greater than stated strength.

There are times when not splitting the tail is the best choice IMO. Many times, especially when using a smallie and the bite is slow, I do not split the tails. I recommend trying them both ways and let the fish decide.

ABG saying you do not want to make this into a union/non-union thing, and then justifying your pay and benefits based on the profits of your company are at odds IMO. Every job has a certain value. Once you go far beyond that value it is not in the interests of your company or its stockholders, and it is just a matter of time before you price yourself out of work. It is absolutely critical that your company make money on your labor, and most unions and union members know that they are in a partnership with the company. The notion of us versus them is no longer a working model. Back on topic, it is for this reason that you have to intervene with your troubled worker.

Rootbear some people hate unions for many reasons. There is no need to attack the OP or unions in general. I have been on both sides of the line, and there are plenty of morons in both camps.

I overlooked that. Thanks for pointing it out. As the steward you have a responsibility to everyone of the workers in your care IMO. That includes your drunken member. I think you have to tell him that unless he asks for help it is only a matter of time before management gets involved and you're unable to help him. That may not be comfortable, but what choice do you have?

Nice truck. I have been driving Dodge/Chrysler vehicles for years. Both of my current ones are getting a lot of miles on them, but replacement is not an option. I just keep fixing what breaks! Fortunately they have not needed too much. I do not want to hear any pinging from the transmissions...

I would take it to the union steward. He has the responsibility of getting this handled in a way that will protect all involved. ignoring it is not an option. It is only a matter of time before something serious happens and then the die may be cast...your co-worker needs help before it is too late. Good luck.

Several years ago I went on a spring weekend camping/fishing trip with some friends. I told them about the new technique I had been reading about (mostly on this site) that I thought might work well. You should have heard all the grief they gave me! By the end of the weekend most of the crew were believers. I have since caught many fish, including some very good ones using some variation of this technique. It is rare that I don't have one tied on. Welcome to the world of wacky!

As a Blues fan, the outcome of the series was not happy . The Hawks proved again that real champions know how to win. We have still not learned that lesson. Congratulations Chicago. I hope you win it all.