Thornback

Mr. McMahon set an example for all of us. We should emulate him to the extent of our blessings.

Real world advice from mrmacwvu1. He's also an excellent writer

To save money just take a correspondent course in ambulance chasing and how to sue insurance companies On the serious side -- call your local college and talk to an admissions officer or counselor. Better yet just ask the question on Google. Now where do I send the bill for my advice. Signed, Self-made Lawyer (I read a lot on my own)

My wife and I both have an iPhone which has an app that can locate either of us on a satellite view. When I return from fishing she can show me on her iPhone exactly where I was fishing. So there are several ways to capture a guide's spots. People can use a camera and shoot the area, shoot channel markers, use a GPS, or use an iPhone, when fishing with a guide. Some people will use their boat to follow a guide. I was fishing with a friend when a guide I had booked a year earlier came by and asked how we were doing. I told him no bites. Then he suggested a spot about 50 yards away and when we tried it we started catching bass. He was a real sportsman, he set an example for me, so I will now do the same thing.

Important for me is color monitor, GPS, and side imaging.

How do you think I found it -- I saw you pull in a dozen there

Years ago a buddy and I had been fishing a river in my bass boat and as we were re-loading the boat on the trailer a guy walks over to inquire how we did. We told him we had caught one bass. He said he had 15 acres with an old flooded lime pit that had been stocked with bass by the university and we were welcomed to fish it. He said we would need a small jon boat to carry 50 feet to the water's edge. My buddy had such a boat. Naturally I was suspicious and my buddy came right out and asked why he would let two strangers fish his pit. He said he just wanted to share the spot, that some of his neighbors fished there and even kept the bass to eat. He gave us his phone number and said call before hand so he could unlock the gate and show us the pit. A few days later we called and all went well. My buddy caught his PB there that morning.

I know a bass guide who will not charge if you don't catch a bass. He books trips way in advance and has no idea what the weather will be like on a future day. Cold, hot, fronts, muddied water, windy, full moon, you name it he takes clients out. I say this about fishing days -- they are either good, better, or best. Yep, go fishing when you can. Fish are like people, they have to keep eating or they die

Some folks don't mind telling and some folks won't. Human nature at it's finest. I know I have returned to producing spots and never get a bite. I once fished the same spot six times, first time we got 12 bass and released them all, next time we got six and released them, next time we got skunked, next time we got two, next time we got five with one weighing over 10 pounds, we kept two smaller ones. Next time we got skunked. Anyone want a map on how to find that spot I'll draw them one . I'm planning a trip on Tuesday and I'm going to a different body of water. Without knowing it I'll probably be fishing someone's secret spot

When I found my fuel line deteriorating I called Mercury and the lady said my warranty was up. I told the lady they should not have used a fuel line that could not hold up to ethanol and how about sending me one as a courtesy. She said again my warranty was up!!! I replied, "I guess that's why so many people are buying Honda motors." All I got back was silence. I then said, "Did you hear what I said." She replied, "I heard you." Why would a company spend millions on advertising but refuse to send a customer a $20 fuel line?

Part of the fun of fishing is finding new spots that produce a bass or two.

I have a 2005 60 hp Merc 4-stroke and had a similar problem. I could pump the bulb and it would fire up and run like crazy again, then die. I saw flakes in my fuel filter, changed it and changed my fuel line because the inside lining was deteriorating. I still had the problem. Even tried a portable gas tank and still had the problem. Finally discovered the problem was the connection between the motor and the gas line. I changed the snap-in connection and went about a month before the problem came up again. I then put a layer of grease on the connection, snapped it into the motor and now no problem for over a year. I was sucking air around the connection. Probably because (guessing) the motor was made in Mexico and the connection was made in China -- thus not a tight connection.

Look at it this way -- you were a good sport and you made a few fishermen happy. You did the right thing when you shared. I bet your parents are proud of you. Those who share will be rewarded in many ways. I'm always up front when asked about any spot that I had good luck at.

X2. Interstate batteries have a great reputation.

Not sure of your size or the size of your hands, so I'll say you are an average man in build, then comparing your hand to the bass' mouth, then looking at the belly on the bass, I will say it weighs 7 pounds 1 ounce.

Can I fish with you Suggestion guys, anytime you are hassled in a boat or at a ramp ignore the guy, then get on your cell phone and call 911 or call a park ranger. I keep both phone numbers in my cell phone. There are a lot of nuts out there. I once had a young guy drive up to me on an ATV as I was fastening down my boat to the trailer. He got off and came up to me, said he wanted my opinion, pulled out a big knife and showed me the engraving on it. He wanted to know if I liked it. I said it looked good, I started walking around to the other side of the boat and began dialing 911. He left.

Thanks for your six points.

I now understand. But when me and a buddy put 40 bass in the boat in one hour, and I have put 7's, 8's, 9's and 10 pounders in the boat using #40 braid tied with a palomar knot and no line failures I see no reason for a leader. But if you want a leader, go with a leader.

You may have been a kid but you solved the problem

Freak accident for sure. I never heard of that happening. I have thought about it once when the wind bumped me into a dead tree. Glad the guys made it back to the ramp in one piece.

I don't understand why any bass fisherman needs to tie on a leader. The weakest point in your line is the knot. I only want one knot in my line and that is at the hook, which I retie every time I go out. I have never seen a pro use a leader. Maybe I'm wrong so what am I missing?

I'm 75 and most of my fishing buddies are my age. I do all the backing in. There are two buddies I let drive the boat up on the trailer. There is one buddy I let pull me out when I drive up on the trailer cause he can't handle a boat. I warn him to keep his left foot on the brake and after adding a little gas slowly release the brake and pull me out very slowly. I once had two different guys pull me out on two different times and they didn't have a clue. One almost threw the boat off the trailer and the other would give the truck gas, then let off, then give it gas. He was bucking me back and forth. The boat ramp is a good place to have a mishap. Backing the trailer is easy if you back it all the time. I once had an old timer ask me to back his truck and trailer down the ramp for him. It was a stick shift which is no problem for an old timer like me but the trailer didn't respond exactly like my trailer. I just backed very slowly so I could correct the direction quickly.

Learn by practice and experience. No matter which technique works for you, you will soon instinctively know which way to turn the steering wheel without thinking. I bet you presently don't have to think when backing up without a trailer.

Live within your means, pay your bills on time, spend some for enjoyment, and save some for the future. Just that simple and it allowed me to retire at age 55 which allows for a lot of fishing.

You're trying to swap a jaybird for a turkey.