BigAngus752

I don't think it's really a tough decision. Which is cheaper to replace? The boat or the accessories? Buy the best boat you can buy (Ranger) and upgrade the accessories. You'll be happier in the long run.

Yup. Just as I figured. Oh well, at least it's a win-win! I've got an HMX and an Elite Tech and I love them both so I'm leaning Fenwick. Wish I could handle a Dobyns but there's no place close.

I picked up a Lady President for my wife during Pflueger's ridiculous sale. I want her to have a nice, sensitive rod to go with it. I need help deciding between a Dobyns Fury or Fenwick HMG (both in medium). She already fishes with my finesse set-up so this will be a Texas-rig rod. I'll tell you in advance I love Fenwick rods (and the warranty) so I'm leaning that way but I've never handled a Dobyns Fury and I hear great things about them. Plus I can get one for about $100 right now which is the same price as the HMG. If you have some experience with these rods please let me know what you think.

Went to Meijer for stuff not even remotely related to fishing and found a fishing clearance aisle cap at the back of the automotive section. WTH? Rapala jerks, KVD jerks, and Sizmic Shad all for less than $3 each (I bought all of them). They had a full peg of smoke/purple Senkos for $3.59 so I bought one to give them a try. Not too sure about that color around here.

I am a big fan of the Daiwa Fuego as a great reel for the price. My Ned rig rod has a KastKing Sharky II size 2000 on it and it's very nice for being so inexpensive. I will probably give the new Sharky III a try.

Ok, new rule on the boards. Guys from Florida are no longer allowed to post pics wearing shorts when I am chipping ice off everything that I own.

The decision is easy for all my reels with braid. Every two years I buy a new 150yd roll of Sufix 832. Year one I put it on my reel with no backer. Turns out I can't yet cast 150 yards so year two I pull it off the spool and reverse it. I haven't gotten into fluoro yet so all of my other reels are Yo-Zuri hybrid or Big Game (with Trilene on two spinning reels). All those are so cheap that replacing it causes no stress. @J Francho is giving good advice again. I use electrical tape under the braid on a couple spools and it works beautifully to prevent slipping, but my Daiwa spools don't need it because they have holes in them so you can tie the braid through the middle of the spool = no slipping.

Yup, I have this exact one. Works just fine. You are correct that it tends to run a tad tight for larger spinners but nothing troublesome. I can tell you, however. that the ad photo you've posted definitely had someone paid to use a comb on the skirts! LOL My box looks like it's full of chartruese and white hairballs.

Three words for you, brother...Betty Ford Center.

I stock my box just like @J Francho . But a 4/0 EWG rarely lets me down. In fact, if it's a smallish worm I will just switch to a 4/0 offset shank round bend hook.

Slow is smooth and smooth is fast!

The only thing that aggravates me is stupid people (in or out of a kayak). If you aren't one of them, then enjoy! I only have two issues: 1. I've only been a boater for two years. I worry about hitting or swamping a kayaker that I don't see in time, but that just makes me more careful which is a good thing. 2. I run a Ranger aluminum that drafts very shallow and yet YOU can get into a million places that I cannot...so I'm jealous. P.S. Thanks for the info about the "throttling down". I'll remember that it's better for you if I stay up on plane.

Ohio Pro Lure Company of Medina, OH. Chris Verbosky and David Moss are the owners and merged their businesses in 2014. No ratings on Better Business Bureau but there's a few online retailers that sell their stuff. Looks like you will be our guinea pig! Let us know!

Keep in mind that each rod model (not just manufacturer) will determine what a "medium" or "medium-light" feels like in real life. I use a medium/extra fast Powell rod for Ned Rigs and really small stuff and I absolutely love it. It's 1/8-1/2oz but it fishes much more like a ML than a M. It's quite a learning curve to learn to throw a 1/15 Shroomz with a TRD using an XF tip, but the sensitivity and feel was worth the practice. The odd thing is, I have a Powell MH/F that is in no way, shape, or form a MH. That sucker is a H or Mag H but it's spectacular for frogs. So one Powell fishes a little lighter than it's rating and the other Powell fishes much heavier.

I could see how this would change my mind also. Very interesting.

It's because it's the topic of the day. Just look through these responses. There is even someone comparing his wife to a bass! It's popular now to anthropomorphize animals, that is to attribute human characteristics to them. Cruelty to animals is one thing but trying to attribute emotion, intellect, and/or a "soul" to lower life forms is inappropriate and, to be honest, I believe it is blasphemy. I don't believe in hurting any living creature for no purpose, but if you believe it's cruel to pull a bass briefly off of a bed then you had better be a vegan living off the grid and eating only the food that you grow yourself. The world is a hard place. Nature is cruel. Man is the ONLY creature on the planet that has the ability to show mercy. If you want to show mercy to the bedding bass then that is your right and I applaud you for it. I applaud (and defend) anyone who will stand up for what they believe in, whether I agree or not. In this case, I will bed fish (and release). My personal choice.

The attention span of young people has shortened dramatically since any of us were young. There are a number of factors that play into this and I'm sure we can all list them. My son is almost 16yrs old and I've been taking him fishing a few times a year since he was about 5yrs old. I bought my first boat two years ago and he has less interest in going fishing on the boat with me than going to a nearby pond to bank fish. Why? Because the bank fishing will be much less time investment. The closest lake for the boat is a very small one that's 30 minutes away. I'm willing to drive there for only an hour on the water. My main lakes are a hour away and I never drive there for less then four hours on the water. Usually six or eight. He gets bored. We can drive somewhere and bank fish and be back in less than an hour. Is it because of TV/smartphones/video games? I know that has something to do with the shortened attention span, but I also know he's 15yrs old so his life revolves around high school basketball, friends, girls, driving, etc. I don't push him. That will just make it less appealing to him. But it's like an Xmas gift for me when he wants to go!

My go-to is a Zoom Trick Worm on a pegged Texas rig with the lightest weight I can get away with. That's the worm rig that I fish the most. I was wondering if the Neko might work better in the brush but it sounds like maybe not. Thanks

I love the action of a shaky head (especially the stand-up) with a worm or a Ned rig with a ZinkerZ on it. The "head down/tail up" thing is just killer for the bass around here. What I'm struggling with is the lakes that I fish the most are all man-made and the majority is covered with either standing timber or fallen timber/brush at all depths. Rarely do I run across sand or gravel and the only rock is where they've put in riprap. I have much difficulty with hanging up Ned rigs and even Tex-posed shaky heads. Is the Neko the answer to this? I bought some "weedless" Owner Neko hooks but didn't get a chance to try them before the hard water. Watching Neko videos it seems like the Neko would come through brush better even with the exposed hook since the hook is coming up sideways with the weighted end of the worm pulling it that way. Does anyone fish them in wood? Am I on the right track or do you have other suggestions?

This advice about colors seems like extremely sound advice. Currently, we (depending upon who is fishing with me wife/son) only put the PFDs on when we are going to go up on plane. Mine is a cheap, camo fishing PFD. My wife and son wear their brightly-colored ski vest which are not comfortable. I would like to have a bright-colored auto-inflating PFD for each of us but the only place near us that sells them is Field and Stream and everything there is way overpriced. Does anyone have a recommendation for finding a reputable inflatable online? And recommendations for what is "reputable"?

Are you self-diagnosing? I've been an avid (non-competitive) bodybuilder for 27 years and my strongest suggestion is to visit a respected sports therapist and get an eval. Even if you are correct in your diagnosis, you can greatly increase your turn-around time by getting a pros help. Otherwise you can find some appropriate exercises online. I generally trust some of the articles found on this website if you want to take a look here: https://squatuniversity.com/2018/09/27/strengthening-the-serratus-anterior/ Good luck!

I bought one at the same time you did. I asked my wife if she wanted it and she jumped at the offer. When my wife isn't with me, will it be rigged and sitting on deck ready to go? Heck yes! I don't care if it's pink. It's a good reel. In the words of Homer Simpson, "Just because I'm wearing a pink shirt doesn't mean that I'm some kind of a pink donut eater!"

Most chest exercises will work the serratus anterior to some extent. The more important question is why you need to work that muscle directly. Do you have shoulder issues? Or stabilization problems while doing heavy overhead work?

This has always been a very interesting statement to me (and I use it sometimes myself) but it distinctly implies that we do not intend to keep the item we are referring to. The market value of an item we already own makes no difference at all unless we are going to sell it or use it as collateral. I think sometimes when we are buying something we really want and we talk about how well "they hold their value" we are, at least subconsciously, admitting that we probably aren't going to keep it forever. I know that when I'm looking at an expensive toy like a Jeep or a Harley and I start talking about "how well they hold their value" my wife looks at me sideways because she can see I'm about to throw away a couple grand! LOL I've grown to prefer to buy the things I'll keep forever. I've had a few Harleys come and go, but I have one that bought in 2002 that I will eventually give to my son. I've had more vehicles than I can count, but I've had my Mustang for 29 years. I still waste some money on "stuff", but when you find just the right thing it can become something more than "stuff" and, at that point, market value doesn't matter. One man's trash is another man's treasure!

Your favorite pro doesn't use the best available equipment. He uses what his sponsor gives him and then he tells you it's the best available equipment. It's not nefarious, it's just the way capitalism works. Fortunately you have the common sense to figure out what the best stuff is for you!