Alpster

One of my best buddies got a new (used) boat today. 22' ProLine Walk. Took her out for sea trials on Lake Griffin. It;s very nice. Ronnnie

Wanted to bang out an inexpensive rod to throw heavier swimbaits and do some night time catfishing. I bought this blank so long ago, I forgot who makes it. I do remember it was about $50. 8' 1-5 oz lure weight 20-40lb line. Plain cork & cheap reel seat & Fuji sic guides spiral wrapped.

This isn't true for everyone. I for one, like the feel of a stout recoil. The model 629 44 magnum is a favorite shooter of mine. I did my instructor training with a 1911 45 ACP. My wife will sometimes flinch a little with the big bore handguns, but she can print a tight group with all 3 of my 9mms.

Keep in mind the contours are not water depth. They are bottom elevations. Depth will change with conditions, drought, heavy rain, snow melt, etc.

Culprit black shad. The 4" make great spinner bait and jig trailers. 7.5" most of the time, 12" when the conditions are right. Caught more bass on this than all other baits combined.

Quite hard to choose just 3, but if I had to today, probably... Lamiglas MGX844: You can throw nearly any bait with it. My go to for T-Rigs & Jigs. I would have put the Loomis GLX MB844, but I didn't build it, I just replaced the guides and re-wrapped them in a spiral fashion. I thing this is the 'Gold Standard' G-Loomis Slate (IMX) 904 7'6" "Flippin Stik": Awesome for flipping in heavy cover, can throw frogs and small swim baits and umbrella rigs. G-Loomis Slate (IMX) SJ722 6' Med Fast spinning rod for light baits, finesse worms & shakey heads. 9 thousand may have been an exaggeration, but there's a bunch and I have sold and given away many.

5'6" Lamiglas MH w/pistol grip for pinnpoint casting 7'6" Loomis flippin stick for grass & upright timber 3- 7' Loomis GLX MH 2-Loomis 6'6" Med spinning I'm pretty sure every rod I have has had a worm or jig tied on at one time or other. I keep a couple on the deck pretty much all the time.

I always think of it as the "Keystone Cops" went bass fishing. Great memories there.

Of the 9 or 7 thousand rods I have, they are my own builds except for one drop shot and one fly rod. I have nothing against factory made rods, I just like to make my own.

Here's the latest, I am downsizing my collections trying to stick to what I really use in my old age. LOL I intend to sell/give away more than half of this stuff so I don't have to maintain it. The plano boxes on the shelves are packed full. I consider myself a recovering Bait Monkeyholic.

I was going to write something mushy and heart felt, until I figured out he's not dead. LOL I have had the pleasure of fishing with Kent on several occasions and he is the real deal. On the first road trip to Lake Fork, I enjoyed generous hospitality at his home for an overnight stay and some fantastic BBQ ribs. I was also a part of the famous 5 person, two boats and a dock team that helped land his 8+ bass that won the pool at Guntersville (see MAD magazine for details) LOL. He is a best friend the first time you meet him and I hope to see/hang/fish with him again one day. God bless you and your retirement. Ronnie

Shimano MG50. I have a half dozen of these. I have bought much more expensive reels, but nothing that out performs them.

I used to have several "Snagless Sallys" they were killer along grass lines parallel to the bank. Haven't seen one in years.

I must say that I can't count the # of birds nests I have skillfully constructed over the years, but I will take advantage of the opportunity to pick on a Moderator. On one of the Guntersville road trips while fishing with "Roadwarrior" I was sporting my new Calcutta DC reel. Kent said "let me give it a try, these reels are supposed to be backlash proof". He took a MLB backswing and with no thumb at all launched a Rattle trap into the mother of all birds nests. I had to laugh and I set it aside to cut it off later. Great memories! LOL

I bought one of the first DC reels, a round Calcutta TE. I paid a small fortune at the time. Although it's a fine reel and performs well, I've never bought another DC. Its best attribute is casting light baits and windy conditions, but no real magic IME. I still use it quite a bit.