T-Billy

Won't leave much meat on the bone for the reel, but the BPS Panfish Elite is a LOT of rod for $79.99.

Welcome aboard Frank.

What's with all this cold air? Did the cows stop farting?

Absolutely. 832 is outstanding. Go with the 40#. It's only .002 thicker than the 30#, and there's no noticeable difference in casting distance or visibility.

This screams flippin stick and shoreline cover to me. Creek mouths and cuts that still have water running in are prime targets. If the water's 50ish or higher, I'll have a spinnerbait rod handy too.

No storms, but it was pouring rain and low 40's all day up here. My muskie guide friend was out in it all day with a couple clients. They hammered 'em. They ended up with seven. Six over 40", with the big fish being 47" and the smallest 39".

LOL. I'll drag a light swim jig with a skirt similar to the one in the OP's pic, and a big action trailer over pads. It's a great alternative to a frog as you can let it fall down into holes.

Shallow sunbaked laydowns with deep water close by are my #1 cover choice for LM when the water's cold. Needs to be sunny and not too windy, but a little wind helps. They'll be shallow and super spooky if it's slick calm. Just like the rest of the year smallies can be anywhere, usually on schools of shad in my area. I can't catch them as consistently as LM in frigid water. It's usually feast or famine with them.

If it's putting fish in the boat for ya, it ain't wrong. I use straight braid for pretty much everything but finesse and deep bottom contact. I seem to do ok with it.

I've seen herons spear carp up to about 3#, and throw 'em up on the bank. They eat the eyeballs and leave the rest to rot.

I share info on baits and techniques all the time. 1. I'm gonna catch mine whether they're throwing it or not. 2. Sometimes sharing info gets you quality info in return.

It was an 8hr grind for one bite today, but was an absulutely gorgeous day on the lake. Family stuff tomorrow, and it'll be feeling like December by the time my days off roll around next week. Today marks the end of Muskiepalooza 2022, and wraps up what has been an outstanding year. Looking through the pics, I caught 24 muskie between 31" and 45" from Nov. 9th to Dec. 9th, and a total of 30 for the year, plus the wifes 44". FAR AND AWAY my best muskie year ever. Best year ever for big largemouth and saugeye too. Time to put a couple deer in the freezer, hibernate for a couple months, and catch up on some stuff around the house I've been putting off. Come ice out, I'll be tossing some truly muskie worthy A-rigs from the T-Billy tackle shop. Today's skinny 40". Beautifully colored fish, and a gorgeous December day.

Any "dingus" can luck into a biggin now and then, but not with the regularity that you catch 'em. You know what your doing, and you're only gonna get better.

Welcome aboard.

For sure. @A-Jay and I have this thing pretty well dialed in. Red plaid with fleece lining for big brown bass, brown plaid and fur for muskie. ?

It was a weird day on the water. Cloudy and slick calm all day. I was around lots of muskie. Probably saw two dozen surface, but getting them to eat was a different story. Had a three footer follow early, and follow the figure eight round and round, but it wouldn't commit. Spent the next four hours around fish without even a follow, then caught a 42" and 43" off the same point within five minutes of each other. Then, right back to nothing for another three hours until I called it a day. Supposed to have some wind tomorrow. Hopefully that'll get 'em chewing. I also caught my first double on the A-rig today!!! LOL.

Largely dependent on the mold. More intricate designs, with small appendages, or long thin tails require hotter plastic for both hand pour and injection. You can use any hardness plastisol with either. Softer plastisol formulas are generally more bouyant. A trick I use for adding bouyancy if I want it is to put a SMALL cup of water in the microwave with the plastisol during initial heating. The humidity will cause lots of microbubbles in the plastisol. Not good if you're looking for clear baits, but works great for opaque baits.

My wife and I went through a really rough patch a few years ago. The commitment we made to each other was the first to go. The commitment we made to the kids was the second. Thankfully, neither of us was willing to back out on the commitment we made at the alter to our Lord and Savior. We both clung to that through the darkest times, and kept talking and working out our differences. It didn't happen overnight, but we came out the other side closer and more commited to each other than ever before. It takes two. You both have to want it. If that's the case, your marriage is worth the effort required to save it. 33 years is a lot to throw away. I hope you two can work things out.

Kudos to you and Lynn for your work with the dogs A-Jay. My compliments also for your taste in hats. I'm a fan of the red plaid.

Sorry to hear.

Depending on the day... season, species, conditions, temp, proximity, potential for large or tasty bycatch... Been wanting to get down to my #2 lake to get one last crack at some late season smallies, but muskiepalooza has been going on for a few weeks 15 minutes from the house. Sooo... Going after them big toothy buggers again tomorrow. When they hit an A-rig, they try to take your arm off. Just about the most fun you can have with your clothes on.

Don't sweat it. This applies to life in general. Be grateful for the hard times. That's when we grow, mature, and gain strength and wisdom. The good times are the icing on the cake.

I can't wait to look in the mirror, cause I get better lookin each day...

He's not wrong about that. I use VMC's regular flippin hooks for worms, snelled. Not the HD's, those are heavier wire. Very few get away.