Further North

I'm on my first boat with aluminum decking...there really is no comparison...too bad it's such a PITA for most folks to work with.

Yep. Try pushing a string...

It'll be interesting to see what others say...but I'll never own another carbureted outboard unless something really bad happens and it's all I can afford.

OK, I think I might be on to something...in another topic here, Daiwa J braid is discussed...I looked at it and said, "Hey! The 'hook' on the J goes to the left and I reel with my right hand...those two things might offset each other... So...I quickly jumped on the internet and ordered some Daiwa J braid in 40 pound from a company on the other side of the international date line for next day delivery. Should be here tomorrow (or yesterday, I get confused about this). If it doesn't work, or makes the problem worse, I'll try putting it on backwards...but I am worried about the line causing backlashes if the "hook" is at the top.

I tried Gliss on both a spinning reel and a baitcaster this year. I am definitely underwhelmed with Gliss for baitcasters...it is already off the reel and the reel has been re-spooled with Sufix 832. It it still on the spinning reel and doing just fine there. It does tend to fray.

Can you imagine the bruised/broken knuckles? I don't think a bass would break much...but a pike pike, musky or a steelehead? OW! That'll work out - I can stay at a Holiday in while they build the wave pool.

That'd be fun. I got to test drive an HP Scitex 7600 a few years ago....

Great thinking! I just called in a special order to St. Croix for 32 counter-wrapped rods to replace my 4 crankbait rods and 7 backups for each one.

There's a lot to be said for be loyal to a brand because they've treated you well over the years...but there's a downside as well: You might miss out on a genuinely innovative new technology, superior value or change in business practices that changes how a company does business that benefits their customers. Lotta folks missed the boat in the 70s by being loyal to Chevy/Ford/Chrysler...and then a lotta other folks missed the boat in 2000s when the tide turned back the other way and American brands were/are better deals for the same quality.... Refusing to consider a company based on something that happened years ago limits your choices...that's OK if it works for you...but poisoning others really isn't right. I had a Chevy Tahoe that was the biggest POS you can imagine back in the very early 2000s...dunno if it was built on a Monday or early AM on a Thursday after the GM Wednesday night bowling league won the championship...but it had serious problems with every major system inside 18 months of the day I bought it. Does that mean I disregard all the positive experiences of thousands of other GM owners? Heck no. That'd be dumb, IMO. I think it's far, far more important that you try different things and buy what you like that works best - for you - in your application than to stay with one brand...unless that's what works for you...then go for it.

And Uranus... I rensent the implication that it ever had one!

What kind of heathen vomits Scotch? One grits one's teeth, thinks of Scotland and holds it down...but you may be right on the rest of it. I'll send a couple baitcasters to be modified to reel backwards. Shouldn't cost mare than a few hundred dollars and maybe I'll have true-running crank-baits! That's the guy I need! Can I hire him? Or is he dead? He doesn't look healthy.

If they ever grow hands...we're all dead...

I think you're on to something here...I just ordered an Australian toilet (The water swirls the opposite direction!) on Amazon to test the effect of the reverse Coralis effect on my southern hemisphere crankbaits...with Prime it should be here Monday! I'm having a heated wave pool installed out back and there's a john boat on the way to check the rest of your ideas. I'll need something to do once the lakes freeze, that should do it. I'm considering building a dome to control temp. and humidity...but am still looking for a way to create artificial wind.

Yeah...not a lotta Scandahoovian guys named Jesus around here. Hey! How'd you know that? That was supposed to be a secret. I don't wan the government knowing about by muffler bearings.

Hmmm....Dude:

Good thought. Should I hold the glass in my right hand or my left hand? Thinking about that for a moment...that's gonna be a moot point after a while as I'll need both hands...

OK... I just looked that up...it really exists. I thought for sure I'd find that next to the left handed screw drivers and just down from the striped ink... You could be right Scott...when I turn my right handed rods around to try to use them left handed...I can't get past the rod sticking out behind me instead of in front...it's too hard for me to cast that way, despite my ambidexterity. It took me a while to learn how to reel backwards with my spinning reels too...but I eventually got a handle on that.

I've got a couple of Shimanos...a couple Daiwas...several Quantums...a few Pfluger (all spinning) and a bunch of Abu Garcias...which covers the Lew's... Toss in a couple Nautilus, a dozen Lamson, 3 or 4 Orvis, and I begin to realize that they're all good at the price they were purchased and if I Understand what they're for and use them that way, and Take care of them I'll see value in all of them. I've never been one to get caught up in the Ford/Chevy/Toyota wars. I don't get it why someone else's choice can ever be a problem to me... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Mmmmm...noooo.... I have, but I can't figure out what note to tune it to. I did figure out that I can't B-Sharp... The shaft in the middle of the reel is spinning...I wonder if the problem is that it is spinning almost 90° to the direction of the line? Maybe my issue is more gyroscopic than torque realted? You may be onto something here! Or maybe that's just the Cragganmore talking...

I don't do golf any more...silly game, takes time away from fishing and hunting... I could also consider a nice glass of wine, perhaps a nice chianti with fava beans...though my personal taste runs more to Argentine Malbecs ...but given the amazing number of trophy bass coming out of west coast lakes...perhaps a rich, lusty California Cab would be be best? Perhaps I can pick up a little west coast mojo by slurping sipping some tenuous link at a natural level? Problem is...my crankbaits are still running off center...or maybe it's me?

OK...but dark (like Founder's Russian Imperial Stout), or light (like Dogfish Head 120 triple IPA)? Blended or single malt? Islay, Speyside, Highlands or Lowlands? I favor Speyside...but that may be part of the problem. It causes my axis to tilt off to one side...

My therapist is a fly fisherman...a purist...can't come to terms with the idea that anyone would ever use a spinning reel...much less a baitcaster... ...my therapist also wears tweed and smokes a pipe. You can't really trust a woman that does that.

I am in a quandary. I cannot decide if a left handed or right handed bait casting reel is best to get crank baits to run genuinely true - absolutely, objectively, measurably at a 90° angle to the plane defined by the axis of my reel. I am naturally right handed, but am gifted with the ability to be ambidextrous with many things. I can bat, cast a fly rod, shoot both handguns and shotguns...and um...at least one other ...um...activity...equally well with both hands. Looking at the formula for torque: T = F * r * sin(theta) Where: T = torque F = linear force r = distance measured from the axis of rotation to where the linear force is applied theta = the angle between F and r ...I am concerned that as a natural right hander, I am applying force to the rod, the reel handle and the axis of the crank that will cause crank-baits to run off center. Looking at this animation: ...makes me virtually certain that I am indeed doing something wrong and that continuing to do so will cost me thousands of fish per year...or worse, have me only catching dinks. Keeping in mind that I am ignoring the effects or weather, the solunar tables, and it I had a dark beer or an IPA the evening before...what does this august body of bass fishing expertise think is the best solution to my problem?

All of J Franco's stuff...plus a set of Allen wrenches and a dead blow hammer.

You know...it's too bad that so many of us have to learn the same things, the same ways... I am 100% certain that if I had a pick-up instead of an SUV, I would be able to show off a similar dent.