Darth-Baiter

What are the odds? Both warning light are starting to blink, letting me know an oil change is imminent. My new truck; it will be my first attempt. It is equipped with a new fangled type where I only need to change out the filter element. Looks like I’ll prob make a giant mess the first time. I ordered a special socket to remove the housing. I should get it Monday. I called my mechanic and he wants $130 for the job w fuel synthetic juice. NOPE! I’m not that lazy to overcome 130. The socket was $30, I still have to buy oil and filter, do the first attempt will probably get to $130 anyways. Haha. (Now that I think about it) my old truck, I have everything already. The right viscosity oil and filter. I got it down to a 10 minute job, including driving it up on ramps. I don’t love doing oil changes anymore.

Blockbuster will forever be the poster child for lack of foresight. hahah.. just the other day, I told management, "hey, lets not be Blockbuster". hahah. being "mag light flashlights" doesn't have the same ring.

I found one. looks like I will have to do some bouldering to get there. (Still need to verify if the area is surrounded by no-trepass signs) I see videos of guy crushing in spillways, but this will be my first visit. I will have my kayak with me for the lake, but I fully intend to stop and suss it out. I can bring ONE rod. what would be your first choice bait for a spillway? please don't say, live minnow!! hhahhahha

I don't need the pedestal when fishing for domestic bass. I can typically stand all day. my friend doesn't even know where his pedestals are.

I gotta try a NRX one day. but not at a cost of castibility and rod action. I have gotten to the point that I love a softer rod tip. helps me cast. and working a jig with a super stiff rod sucks in my hands. I imagine my jig doing big superman jumps underwater. hahah.. but I have to try one someday. for sure.

I can't figure out their rods. which one of the rods in this series is the standout, moving baits rod? square bills, chatter, lipless, etc. thanks. I have a spare Shimano 150MGL coming back from DVT that needs a home.

my feeble mind thinks". less water equals bigger fish concentrations. but I know this I not necessarily the case. yesterday, I drove and burned a tank of gas to find my launch was waterless. I rarely visit in November, so the conditions are now noted in my brain. I hatched a plan. I google earthed it, remembering a local told me of a natural kayak launch point near the dam. I found it. looks like a rutty jeep trail from way up (satellite) high, but I bet it is better than that. it goes right past the dam, and stops at a beach!! my plan is to launch and head towards the shallow end where my old ramp is. find weeds, in about 10 feet deep and probe them with various baits. then do the standard "ripping of cranks and lipless thing" oh, the road goes past the juiciest spillway!! I might stop and see if there are any no trespassing signs. but that is a discussion for another thread. drawdown tips? are the fish freaked out?

I am 11 skunk less per month for 2023. yesterday was close to resetting the clock on this one. but I got one to the boat!! one GLORIOUS bass. trying a new spot next Saturday. well same secret lake, but trying a new off road launch. I feel pretty good about it.

to be frank, the Hookup Tackle website is almost painful. hahah.. for such an online juggernaut, the website is embarrassing. but I even figured that thing out. you really have to rely on knowing the lure's name to find it. search something like, "Wakebait" and it is a bit of a hot mess. hahahaha..

I can't wait to hear your opinion on it. I like your insights. thanks.

consumers vote with their money. this won't even be a blip on TW sales, in my opinion. people eventually adapt.

You like it? Mine is paired with a Shimano Bantam. Yesterday I was feverishly trying to get a bass to eat my 1/2 jig with a beaver trailer. Call it 5/8th as a total guess. No bites, but I was stubborn. I thru it a lot. I feel the rod is really nose heavy. I am no where near as accurate right now. W experience, I know my mind and body will calibrate to it. it flings a 3.5 Coverscat like a trebuchet laying siege to a castle wall. Right now, that’s the most enjoyable thing I cast with it. The hook sets with the heavy rod is like hammer-time. Yesterday, I was not accurate with the jig. I could feel the jig on the bottom fine. Seems plenty sensitive for that at least. I got the rod just recently and I need more time. Tempted to try it with a heavier reel. im on the fence right now.

To illustrate the entire point of this thread. And bring it closer to home. in the Tackle forum. People are loosing their minds because Tackle Warehouse changed their website forum. Hahaha. Change is hard for some folks.

I think it’s perfectly navigable. It’s more inline with other major sites. ‘’try a JDM site if you want a challenge. I even have those down. Life is about adjusting to change.

I just fished my butt off. wait, not entirely true. I got to my secret lake at dark-thirty. when the sun crept up, I noticed a problem. the boat ramp was high and dry. haha.. they let water out of the lake to make storage room for the upcoming winter storms. it's an old practice that probably needs to be adjusted. but safety first. you don't want a dam-dam failure. so I laughed at myself and went to my nemesis lake. the DREADED LAKE SONOMA. it was beautiful, and glassy surfaced. I couldn't find bass to save my life. I talked to a deck out boat owner and he said even with LIVE SCOPE he is getting his butt kicked. he said he had to go into his kid's box to find a ned-rig to catch 3 fish. hahah..I asked, "are you throwing the Ned with the finesse TRD?". he replied, " I don't even know what you are saying, I don't fish Ned rigs very often". haha...I left it at that. ONE 12" fish!! ONE! I fished 7 hours, after u-turning from my secret lake. BRUTAL. I did enjoy the one fish, and it whispered to myself. "hey..no skunk." and uttered a quiet thanks. next month...DEADcember. hahaha...

I used to hunt Unit 33 near Tucson AZ every January for Couse deer. there was no cell service and our trips was essentially 10 days of busting butt in the winter desert. the only place I could get cell service was on top of this hill. there was a tiny goat trail going up, and we would hike up to glass for deer. sometimes I would drive up there. my tacoma has 4LO with a rear locker and it was a tank. one evening, three fully rigged jeeps with airdowned tires, full cages, bead lockers crept up that hill. they were up there drinking beers and high-fiving each other, speaking fantastic accolades for their 4x4 prowess... after dinner, I wanted to say hi to my wife. so I drove up there, sipping hot tea, in my bone stock Tacoma 4x4 on Michelin 4-season radials. I park next to them and called my wife. I like to believe I released some of the air out of their pride that evening. those Michilen LTX tires are insane on slick rock.

are you throwing a topwater frog because of the cover? or is it wide opened water and you are still throwing the frog.

the modern age, people cant handle inconviences anymore. for me, it isnt an ATM. its' a section of freeway, or OFFRAMP/OnRAMP. people loose their minds. when i have changed their habitual route. without doubt, when i close a route, there will be one or two people that still drive thru. had one idiot drop her harley into our wet concrete pour. hahaha.. i dont take any of it personally anymore. life is too precious to fill my mind with the thought of people i dont know.

that is so sad. i feel for the family and friends.

i do as well. i love em. Bulldogs are the best pics.

First and Foremost, Happy Veteran's day to all those that served or are serving. my gratitude has no limits. THANKS. i hope you all get to fish. ME? i am going with the full HAIL_MARY. i am filled with fresh gasoline, and will drive up into the mountains to lay eyes on my secret lake. it's been raining, so i will probably need to punch the 4x4 button on my new truck for the first time. my wife said, "hey honey, i have plans on Friday w...." i didnt hear the rest of the sentence because i ran out in the garage and put my fishfinder battery on the charger. hahaha... LETS GO!!

hahahahah..i love how Bulldog will post a pic with d**n near any response. LOVE IT. truly, i dont know the correct answer for myself. my gut says rod, to be safe, i swing for the fences within my budget on both fronts. i am not taking any chances.

i loved my Coops, but they wore out so quickly for me. and before i got rid of them, they did that cupping thing and had me thinking bearings and/or driveshafts going bad. i got me Michelins and it was like riding on glass. so smooth and quiet.

@FishTank those bibs wont save you if you go into icy water. dry suit helps. ocean dudes wear wet suits around here. my locals all wear wetsuits, in the ocean.

you all dont take batteries out and put them in the garage? on a battery tender?