DaubsNU1

My Dad was smart...I wanted a truck so he found me a 1971 Chevy C-20 3/4 ton 2wd. It had a 250cid straight six and "three-on-the-tree" manual transmission. That thing was sooooooo slooooooow! But it was mine! Loved it! Brother in law helped me paint it. Drove it three years in HS, then my first year in college. Driving home from college one day and the engine grumbled...I stepped on the clutch and the tach went to zero...luckily I was right at en exit and coasted off the interstate. Valve in #2 cylinder broke, disintegrated the piston, rod punched hole through the block -- DONE! I talked Dad in to a new truck, 4x4 this time. He found a 250/6 used out of a Nova for $50...we transplanted it in to the old 1971 and got it running. My brother drove that truck for two more years! I always loved the 67-72 Chevy's...managed to find this one back in 2005...little bit better than my first -- 1972 K-20 3/4 ton 4x4, 350 v8, 4spd manual. I'm restoring... : )

First memories fishing was when my Dad took brother and me to stocked trout pond at Two Rivers SRA. We used Mepps and Rooster Tails on ultra-light spinning rigs. Great times, great memories!

Me as well...medium 6'6" spinning rod with 20lb braid.

Blue fleck Pumpkin Watermelon Black (I'm pretty standard and lame...I do love the rainbow trout colored Slug-go...been a constant producer for many years!)

Keep moving...my Dad is 79, three rotator cuff surgeries, then a complete shoulder replacement. He still walks 1-2 miles daily. Balance is not great, but he can still sit and fish in my boat. Pic from last Sunday.

I haven't fished out of a kayak, but did fish out of a canoe for a few years. Space was limited, couldn't stand up, always putting the rod down to position / maneuver, had to paddle to shore to tick (super small bladder...I tick at least once per hour). Getting a boat was a godsend for me -- I could stand, bring all my tackle boxes, bring 8-10 rods, cooler, bring another person to fish with me, outboard motor to get across the lake faster, foot controlled trolling motor, fish finder. Yes, I do have to license boat and trailer, store it, maintenance, and upkeep. But for me it's a no-brainer...I'm opting for a boat 100% of the time. Doesn't hurt that I found this for sale when we lived in rural Missouri 20 years ago...boat, 20hp Merc and trailer for $650. Easy to hitch, trailer, unload and load by myself (I've got a system). I added trolling motor, casting deck and two seats. It's a great for one or two people...I've taken three kids with me...little tight, but works. The Merc is from '74 and gets me 25MPH easy. It ain't pretty, but I never worry about scratching it up in the timber : )

Happens a lot...lots of shared parts...sometimes it's even a straight "re-brand." Some very good friends of mine have worked for big companies...it's amazing how much product is "shared," "knocked off," etc. It's all about making $$$ for the company. Remember, it is all about separating you from your $$$...

Loved learning about fishing from my Dad, Uncle and Grandpa. Watched Virgil Ward, and can probably still sing the entire song : ) Crazy how much fishing changes over the years...I haven't fished much in the past 15 years (family and kids stuff). Now just getting back in to it...and loving this forum! I've already placed two big orders from TW...I never heard of Senkos, Houdini shad, or whopper ploppers until recently. Glad that the old worms, spinner baits, jigs, Slug-Go, cranks still catch fish.

If you want something super cheap, look for an old Bottom Line Fishin Buddy.... https://www.ebay.com/itm/Bottom-Line-Fishin-Buddy-2-Portable-Fish-Finder-Depth-Locator-Canoes-Ice-Boat/324292235309?hash=item4b8152d02d:g:b4IAAOSwz~ZfW4eh I've been fishing one for 20+ years...it is still on my boat now. Gives me depth, a look at the bottom composition, and water temp. Doesn't really mark fish...but it does what I need it to do, and runs on 3 C batteries for months.

Love throwing a buzz-bait early and late. Blue-fleck power worm is the go-to. When all else fails, I tie on a lead-head and white twister tail and catch bass, crappie, bluegill and even pike : )

Just getting back in to fishing after 15+ year layoff. Finally got the boat all squared away and running right. Asked my Dad if he wanted to join me last Sunday. He's 79 years old, retired carpenter, taught me well (fishing, hunting, carpentry, electrical, plumbing, cars/trucks, etc., etc., etc.). My Mom passed away 7 years ago, and about four years ago Dad got himself a "girlfriend." He had shoulder replacement surgery last spring. He walks a mile every day, does his shoulder PT daily, and probably has a better social life than I do! : ) Picked him up at 8AM and headed to the lake. Temps have gone down in the past week...it rained for three straight days last Wed-Friday...water temps dropped from upper 70's the week before, down to upper 50's on Sunday. I figured it would be a tough bite. We worked top water buzz baits and spinner-bait, moved around hitting spots. Caught just a few on white twister tail / lead-head. I caught one on a blue-fleck senko. Slow. We tried for Crappie on a bridge support that produced just the day before...but they were not biting either. Think we finished with 5 small bass, two crappie and two bluegill. Of course Dad hooked us up with his homemade deviled eggs, hard salami and cheese! It was great to spend five hours with him...told me stories of fishing, family, working (owned his own company since 1966). Great times on the water!!!

Budget probably in the $750 range. (heck, I only paid $650 for the boat/motor/trailer back in 2000)

Currently have a Bottom Line Fishin Buddy...works good for a 20 year old unit, gives me depth, water temp and somewhat view of the bottom. Thinking about something new for this boat. Ideally I would like to set up both transom and trolling motor mount transducers, and move the head unit as needed. Garmin EchoMAP Plus? Suggestions?

I used to subscribe to BassMaster, In-fisherman, Field and Stream and pretty much anything else I could get my hands on...back in the 80-90's it was the only way to get information and broaden my perspective. Also subscribed to DU, 4Wheel and Off Road, 4x4 Magazine, PC Magazine, CPU Magazine, Truck Trend, Hot Rod, Super Chevy, Wildfowl, Men's Health, Maxim, etc., etc., etc. I would pour over the articles, then physically cut out the articles I liked and filed them away. I started seeing articles re-cycled over the course of years...and came to realize there really wasn't anything new in these magazines...just the same things recycled over and over...and some of the stuff was complete BS in there just to get me to buy things. One thing I have come to realize as I have grown older...pretty much everything out there on TV, magazines, newspapers, media, etc.....exists for one purpose and one purpose only...to separate you from your $$$. That is why I rely heavily these days on the following: 1. actual face to face conversations with real people. 2. message boards with no ties to businesses that are trying to sell me something. 3. FB groups again with no ties to business trying to sell things. I like to think the above are giving me true opinions and assistance as opposed to trying to sell me something.

Evolution / natural selection. LMBass have survived and thrived through the years because they can and DO eat pretty much anything they can get their mouth on. Sometimes we think too hard about WHY something happens vs. just appreciating THAT it happens, and using that to our advantage. Two weeks ago I couldn't keep bass off my line (1/4 oz lead-heat, white 3" twister tail). This Saturday caught just a few bass on that rig, but hammered the crappie Sunday couldn't catch either bass or crappie on that same rig... It is what it is...

Buddy of mine read an old-school fishing book back in the early 90's...author compared human, bird dog, and largemouth bass ability to smell... For comparison: A human can detect a drop of vinegar in a two liter bottle of water A bird dog in a 50 gallon drum of water And a largemouth bass can detect a drop of vinegar in an Olympic sized swimming pool! True? I dunno. Interesting bit of information... I don't use attractants, but do keep bar of soap in the boat to wash off gas / oil when I'm messing with the Merc.