volzfan59

I know! Other than bass fishing and scale model building, my other hobby is driving down country roads just to see where they go. If I drive by a mom and pop shop, I can't help but stop. If I stop, I'm buying something. My wife collects old cookbooks and cookware so she never says anything about my addiction. She's one heck of a cook! I went to Monroe, LA to get a new tattoo yesterday. Did I go straight home? Only after stopping by the Honey Hole tackle shop for some Booyah One Knockers! We're going to Little Rock next weekend. I already know that I'll be stopping at BPS. I don't even try to fight it anymore, is what it is.

Assuming no broken rods or reel failure, two to three years easy.

Like @Mobasser, it's a Texas rigged, Zoom Baby Brush Hog for me too. I have been looking at the Big Bite Baits "BFE" at the tackle shop, haven't pulled the trigger yet.

Fill it up every time.

I used to fish year round years ago, not anymore. As I've gotten older, I just don't like the cold and I live in the deep south. Put everything up around Thanksgiving (give or take) and get everything out in late February to mid March depending on our temps.

I throw lizards spring, summer and fall. Usually on a Carolina rig, always Zoom green pumpkin unless the water is ultra clear. Then it's still Zoom, but in cotton candy with a chartreuse tail.

I've noticed a definite slow down with some of the stuff I order from Amazon. Bass Pro Shops are still lightening fast. Place an order and have it within two to three days. One of FedEx's gorilla's did bust up and rod tube this week. Thankfully the rod wasn't hurt at all.

I agree with @airshot and @WIGuide. I didn't buy my first boat until I was in my 20's. I'm 63 now and wouldn't even dream about not owning a rig of some sort!

Two cups in the morning. Sometimes I'll drink a cup in the afternoon.

Excellent advice right there. While I personally love Tracker Boats, if it's not what you want you'll always regret the purchase. Best thing that you can do with your credit card's is to cut them up and pay them off.

Straight green pumpkin for me. If throwing a craw type bait, sometimes I dye the pinchers orange.

Personally, I don't have FFS, don't care to spend the money on it as I don't see the benefit for me. I enjoy shallow water junk fishing. "Against it", I'm not really against anything that's not illegal. For bass anglers, the vast majority return their catch (no, I'm not against people keeping a few bass for the table if that's what they want). That being the case, FFS really is really no big deal. Around where I live there are crappie and bluegill angler's using FFS. The majority of those fish are going to the freezer. On our big lake's and river's where the spawn is more prolific, it might not be a big deal. Could FFS have an impact on our smaller lake's and river's? Yes I think that it could, but the juries still out. As more data comes out, the truth will be told. Are angler's using FFS on smaller bodies breaking the law, no they're not. Therefore, until I see some numbers I'm not really "against it", just a little apprehensive. As far as Randy's numbers and/or percentages, I think that he's talking about his viewership not the entire angling community. Also, I don't believe in this "mysteries and magic" b/s at all. While I have been a fan of Randy's since the mid 80's, the more I listen to his opinion pieces the more I think that he is a little bit off plumb.

@Koz, Thank you for taking the time to write these recaps. I caught a big turtle once during a team tournament on Ft. Loudon Lake in east TN. Before I could see it, I thought that I had caught a good 'un and was wondering how much the big bass pot was. My buddy came back with the net about the time we saw that it was a turtle. Talk about disappointment mixed in with a lot of laughter ?

I sent you a PM.

HA, have to watch my spelling! ? Ordered two lights today.

I am an extremely detail oriented person, extremely. My best friend in this world used to call me "Hawkeye" because very little ever got passed me. He shortened it to "Hawk" which he still calls me to this day. It never offended me at all, heck I know that I'm OCD to a fault. ?

Like my friend @MN Fisher, I've been at this for a while. For me, 57 years. After selling and giving away most of my rod and reels, I've got six baitcaster's, four spinning set ups for bass and two for panfish. As any good angler should be, I'm very comfortable using both, for any techniques that I employ. Spinning gear will never, ever go out of style. Like casting gear, it will only improve.

Thank you for your reply. Sounds like the rod has fairly high end components, but I was wondering about the rod itself. I've been toying with the idea of trying them. I'm also looking at the BPS Panfish Elite rod at half the price. Thanks again!

I used the BPS trade in promotion numerous times through the years, even while I was working there part time. It used to be a great way to save some money on a new rod and/or reel. We would box up the trade in's and send them to Springfield where the stuff was cleaned up and lubed to later be distributed to various charities. At least that's what we were told at the store level. I do know that some of the reels that were traded in were absolutely garbage. The people at customer service were "supposed" to make sure the reel handles would at least turn. We'd get reels that were locked up, rods with the majority of the guides missing, etc. I don't know what happened to the junk once it hit Springfield. Some of the earlier poster's are correct, sometimes we would get some nice stuff (Shimano, Diawa, etc) traded in buy customer's that wanted to upgrade.

He could have purchased the best boat in the world, the results would have been the same. That's nuts.

I would suggest a fish and ski boat. All bass boat companies used to make one, not sure who still does. Ranger makes a really nice one, pretty sure Nitro still does. With a $10K budget, it would an older boat of any type.

Amen! Amen X 2!

I agree with @Bassbum1016. I would do the entire first season as a non boater. You could always use your boat on practice days, assuming that is allowed.

#borninfiftynine! I love it. I've always enjoyed the Linder's and Babe Winkleman. Back in the day, one of the TV stations in Knoxville, TN carried Babe's show for a while.

Is anyone using this rod? I've been debating about purchasing two of the 6'9' light action rods for panfishing. Thanks for looking.