Mobasser

I've never put any lures on sabbatical for the reason you mentioned Swamp Girl, but I've got a bunch of lures that I stopped using for various reasons.I also think in the type of waters you fish, bass won't learn to not strike the baits you throw. More remote backwoods swamps etc, don't see high fishing pressure.

Mine also. I think I remember one called Tennessee Shad which was good.

ol Crickety, your post are really good. I always enjoy them. Keep up the good work mam.

Last night's dinner: A piece of baked chicken a long with green beans cooked with some onion and small white potatoes. Really good.

Catt, I've had good luck on bright sunny days casting shallow around vegetation. The spook works. I like a clear or bone color.

They're probably my least favourite. My dad loved them, so I ate them as a kid. If probably like them grilled like you make them.

I'm a bean fan myself. Most any kind.

According to my doctor, I can eat as many steamed or boiled vegetables as I want. I grew up having vegetables as a kid, so I learned to like them. I always have veggies steamed or boiled, because my doctor recommended this way of cooking them. They're a regular part of my weight loss plan. Around my area, some restaurants serve broccoli, smothered in cheese sauce. I won't have this, and always order plain steamed broccoli, with no cheese sauce. Fried veggies are not great either. I've always liked corn on the cob, with plenty of butter, but rarely have it anymore, because the butter adds fat. My favourites are carrots, green beans, broccoli, and peas. A little salt and pepper are my only seasoning. Fresh asparagus cooked on a grill is really good also. I'm a big believer in having vegetables each day, and, I'm sure that eating plenty of veggies has helped me lose weight. My doctor told me that the average person doesn't eat enough vegetables, and should eat more. What are your favourite vegetables, and how do you like to cook them?

If you did everything you could to save the fish, you did the right thing. These things happen sometimes.

I really didn't spend much. I've already got so many baits. I did but new line.

Thanks J Francho. I'm pre diabetic, hence the weight loss program. I too limit carbs and overall portion sizes. I have to be careful eating sugar in any form. If I eat a brownie, piece of pie or other sweet, I'll feel slow and tired afterwards. So I lay off most sugars, and eat a little bit of things with Stevia. It's not the greatest, but I'm adapting.

I'm lucky because I fish a smaller lake with little fishing pressure. On busy lakes, the obvious spots get hammered a lot, especially on weekends. As a result, bass can become harder to catch.

Since I'm still on a regular weight loss plan, my wife has been baking things with Stevia, instead of sugar. So far, she's made oatmeal cookies, and banana walnut muffins. Both taste good, and I can't tell much if any difference in taste, compared to recipes which require sugar. Stevia is derived from a plant, has zero calories, and no sugar. There are all sorts of recipes you can make. You have to make your recipes from scratch, so you can't buy an off the shelf cake or brownie mix, which already has a high sugar content. I think it's a good product, and is safe to use. If your like me, and on a weight loss plan, Stevia may work well for you. You don't have to completely give up all baked goods. Using this product, along with regular exercise, is helping me take off the pounds. My weight started at 230, and is now at 197, which is seven pounds from my target goal of 190. And, like they always say, everything in moderation, especially as we get older.

If you do think that the bass are suspended offshore, rig a four inch plastic worm, and count it down for depth. I like to use an open hook jig worm, but you can go with a t rig if there's too much cover. I've done best with a 1/8 oz weight, a little more if there's some wind.

I love fall bass fishing. My favourite days are cloudy, slight wind. In these conditions I like traps and spinnerbaits. A light misting rain can be good also. We're not quite with you on our weather here in Missouri, but we're slowly getting there. Good luck on your trip ol Crickety, sounds like you've got a good game plan.

If your servicing a reel, and you hear a tiny part hit the floor, then have to crawl around for an hour trying to find it, servicing reels may not be your thing. I know from experience.

Catt, I agree. I'm still using the Phenom in motor oil. It's been one of my favorites forever.

Lots of times, depending on your fishing conditions, you may not need to completely disassemble your reels. If it feels smooth, oil all the visible moving parts and call it good. I've done this many times with spinning reels, and they work fine. At some point, you'll need a tear down and deep clean. When you do this is based on how much you use a reel, and your fishing conditions.

A- Jay, I chuckled a little at this post. Here I am still trying to beat my PB. And, it hasn't happened yet. Catching the huge bass is simply not an easy thing to do. I've caught a bunch of bass since I made these post, but the big one has eluded me. She's always on my mind though.

Mr. Twister Phenom is one of the best. Hard to go wrong.

There's been a couple of guys who report that this rod works well. I have handled one, but never fished one myself. Save your receipt and if it breaks or just doesn't work out, take it back.

I think my favourite bass that I didn't catch is Billy Westmorelands ten pound small mouth. I've only seen pictures. The fish is hanging on the wall at a restaurant in Tennessee. It's a beauty.

I'll say you can learn to do this yourself. It's really not hard. There's lots of good info on spooling line here on BR.

I have not. Looks like a good bait.

I liked the Critter Craw because it was as close as I could get to the Guido Bug. I wish we could still get the Guido Bug.