LootyDjibouti

The godawful Bradford Pears are blooming in NJ... bass are feeding up for sure. Every one I've caught is chunky. They're pretty trees but I hope every single one of them around here gets obliterated in a storm.

What a fish to clinch it near the buzzer!!!

Going above and beyond what’s necessary imo but I’m sure those bass fight another day. - Rubberized net - Wet ketch board before measuring - Never place a bass on the ground - Supporting bass’s weight if handling - Release back in water asap - Not letting bass “slide” through your hands on release (I have no data on this but I see it a lot and it seems like it could lead to a slime coat issue) I follow the above and I’d be surprised if these bass have a significant delayed mortality rate.

A lot of lost fish today. I think BP jinxed himself saying “this is a $100k fish” right before it came off 😓 And right as I say that he gets his 5th.

Well we got 40mph winds in my neck of the woods today so no fishing… who else is parked in front of the TV? McKinney with a nice one on the ball and chain. I should really learn how to fish it.

Shout out to South Jersey’s own GDP 😎 Shared a 30 acre pond one fall day with him. Since I’m kinda new to this I didn’t recognize him until I saw his wrapped truck and I bluntly/dumbly asked “hey are you a pro bass angler?” We had a laugh.

I try to balance my purchases between both. Our local tackle shop is relatively small. They pack a lot in but they can't possibly compete on price, sales, or inventory. I can get rods/reels for 30-40% less online if I'm patient and do some research. That said I love going to the tackle shop and physically checking out gear. And I will pay a "premium" at times to support them.

Bill Lowen comes off pretty likable. I’m rooting for him.

I actually like the “halftime show” idea. I appreciate experts breaking down the fishing during the tournament. I get what they’re trying to do with the humor… kinda following the NFL pregame/halftime shows and the hilarious Inside the NBA on TNT. Yesterday was too much though so maybe dial it back. Nice to engage with some of the anglers and get them more exposure with fans. Would be cool to really break down the top technique(s) they’re seeing out there and maybe even with a demonstration. Add some education. It adds a sponsored segment so that’s good for them. I do think it should be a little shorter.

"Got a 1.5 lber I'd really like to get rid of" :casually catches a 5.5lb 30 seconds later:

I'll take whichever one y'all don't pick.

I don't mind a grind of a tournament at all. It's fun to see who can separate when the bite is tough. I also watch golf and it's more fun to see the best players in the world struggle at Torrey Pines than it is to see them shoot -20 at the Rocket Mortgage Classic. Looking forward to tomorrow.

I'm watching it on a 30-second or so delay to deal with the buffering. Every so often it jumps back to live but I just scroll it backwards.

I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing... can't wait!

This code does stack onto already sale items. Just got 150 yds P-Line EndurX Zero Fade Braid for about $13.

Weighs 3/4oz. I think it's been available in Japan and through HUT but looks to be coming in force to the US now. I fish the 6" magdraft and caught a 20.5" for my final fish before ice out in the fall. Good fish for NJ. Got me itching to chuck it around again. Not sure this is something that's really needed though if you already have the 6". But it will get more people throwing the magdraft since one figures it can truly be used with any H powered rod.

Not trying to hijack the thread but help me understand the sinking braid thing... is the idea for a more direct connection to your lure? Improving the "angle" so to speak to your lure vs floating braid which almost creates a 90 degree angle from the surface of the water? I use very high-viz braid so the idea of that sinking into the water column scares me off.

I love my Bajios so much I have two pairs, but they're no less expensive than the other guys. However they're not Luxottica-owned so that's nice.

Ark Gravity's (3, 5, 7) come in a 5.4. I picked up a G5 in the 5-speed for mid-deep cranking but admittedly have not used it yet as I'm iced out.

I'm curious how they'll choose to restock all the inventory they previously used on Fenwick.

Gimmick: "a trick or device intended to attract attention, publicity, or business, often with little intrinsic value" I think some folks ITT are stretching the definition of "gimmick" ITT. I suck with a jerkbait, I know it's not a gimmick. I hate fishing a drop shot, but that's a proven technique for fresh and saltwater fish alike. JMO!

Calling DT's a gimmick are fighting words!

I have the 7'2 M/F which is all graphite. All I've thrown on it so far are small keitechs but it has quite a soft tip so I'm gonna mess around with some other moving baits.

Materials... lighter and stronger, or more rigid. Don't see this slowing down anytime soon. I also suspect we'll see continued improvements with digital assist, control.

Everything. And I could add additional items to the wishlist, then to cart, and it would receive the discount. THEN after messing around I realized that once the code was entered, anything I added straight to my cart would be discounted. Didn't even need the wishlist function. My email said the sale runs through Dec 24 so you might still have time to give it a shot.