BrianMDTX

95% of my hooks are Gamakatsu. I’ll be more than happy to try these.

@Pat Brown I’m with you. I’d use a Texas rig (a Zoom Trick in watermelon red is one of my favorites) and never look back. Either weightless on a MF spinning rig or with a 3/16 or 1/4 oz. tungsten bullet weight on a MHF baitcaster. If I don’t catch a bass on a TR, I’m doing something wrong. Having said that, I think it’s my crutch at times. But as it’s my favorite way to fish, so be it.

It’s why I love braid-to-leader on a spinning rig. No worries about line twisting.

Could I? Yes. If it came to that, yes. I can also hunt squirrels with my .338 Win Mag. 😂

I have neither of those, but I do have a Procyon M/XF and I really like that rod. Might be a little stout for dropshots but it’s a great WR or weightless TR rod for sure. Procyons are decent sticks.

I would never have tried the Lefty Kreh knot (leader knot) if I was averse to trying new knots. Especially as it appears so simple that it must be weak or too big. It’s easy, and it’s not too big. It can be rather safe to continue with the “tried and true” and never try a new knot. But you might find it’s better than your current knot.

Last day of a mini-vacation. Went back home to Maryland for my daughter’s birthday and got back late last night. Decided to fish this morning as a cold front was due in today. Woke up and it was 72° and calm. Decided to fish the shore due to wind. Good choice. By 9:30 it was 60° and gusty. Got a lot of light strikes and caught three. Two were 1 lb’ers but the second one was nice. Almost 3-1/2 lbs. Nice fight on M/XF spinning rig. All on a watermelon red Zoom Trick TR. Most bites were in deeper water.

Arbor knot: line to spool Uni-to-Uni knot: backing to main line on spool Improved Clinch knot: terminal tackle Lefty Kreh knot: braid-to-leader I may tie a Palomar once in a blue moon, but not often. I’ve never had an issue with the IC as far as strength or breakage, and I can tie it in my sleep. And the same applies to the Lefty Kreh knot.

Lately I have been drinking jalapeño cocktails. They are so good! I make a double batch to save time, but for one cocktail it’s: Muddle one slice of jalapeño (about 1/4” thick)- add to shaker. To that, add to shaker two jiggers vodka one jigger simple syrup (made with Sugar in the Raw, not white sugar) juice of one lemon Shake well and pour over ice in an Old Fashioned glass. Garnish with thin slice of jalapeño (remove seeds) and thin slice of lemon.

@Catt That’s what I use for baitcasters. Easy, inexpensive and works well.

Today was my first wet line since October. Either no time or rain. Rain started this morning as well, but I was adamant. Just fished the bank. It was pretty dead. One light strike and finally this one. First bass of 2024 and no skunk! Thank you, Zoom Trick!

@Eric 26 Who says I’m dumb? 😂

If you gotta go during a road trip, you can’t beat their restrooms. Hands down the best. Every urinal has hand sanitizer lol. But the crowds can be crazy.

@Bluebasser86 For spinning reels, agree 100% on the Daiwa Revros. I have a LT2000 and LT2500 and both are great reels. Especially for the price.

I have two. No issues with either of them. I think they outcast my Fuegos.

To be truthful, I have loved the smell of new tires since I was a boy. When I retire, I should get a PT job at a tire shop. I’d be happy.

I got 117,000 miles out of my first set of BFG 285/70R17 TA/KO’s on my ‘05 Ram. Got 75,000 on the current set.

I have braid to leader on all my spinning rigs. I love braid on a spinning reel. I have braid on my frog rig. All my other baitcasters have Big Game, or Sunline Defier.

I really like my 705CB for squarebills and Whopper Ploppers (and other topwater poppers). Redundancy can be good if you have several rigs ready to go with different baits.

@LrgmouthShad Yep, everything’s still green here! 88° right now.

Slow morning. Caught four, missed one. Everything on a blue/black laminate 5” Senko WR. Did have one start to take a Whopper Plopper but other than that, no bites on anything else. Three were like the one in the first pic. One was decent.

@TnRiver46 I am the same. Spinning is reel left-only. Baitcasting I can do both equally well (have both left and right reels).

No experience with Lews. But I have two Aird-X baitcasting rods (M/H & MH/F) and truth be told, they are darned hard to beat for $49.99.

Lessee, the last time I watched the Baltimore Orioles in the World Series was in 1983. Against the Philadelphia Phillies. I was a strapping young man of 23. Now I’m 63. Man, that’s a long stretch! Can they make it to the Fall Classic? After forty years? Can the Phillies with the NL Pennant and and meet Baltimore for a 40-year reunion? I can only hope. ALDS begins in a few hours. I’m waiting with bated breath.

Three AL East ballclubs in the post-season. Only one remains. Tampa crapped the bed in the Trop and the Twins took it to Toronto. Always like the Twins. Had some good years decades ago when I was young and during the Kirby Puckett era. Twins-Astros. Rangers-Astros. Going to be a good ALDS.