Olebiker

You know the best thing about this post? It goes to show that you don't need a Ranger, Triton, Bass Cat, or even a Bass Tracker to catch fish. Congratulations guys!

"Whatever Happened to Rosemary's Baby?" The fact that Mia Farrow was in it and Roman Polanski directed it was enough to scare the bejeebus out of me in the first place, but that flick was really hard to watch.

I've only broken one while fishing in 45 years. That was a Shimano Bantam back in the mid 80s. It just snapped when casting a spinnerbait. I have broken one of two other through clumsiness or just plain dumbness.

We ate at Chili's Saturday night and I was amazed at what a slim beer selection they had: Bud, Bud Light, Miller, Miller Light, Yuengling, and Shock Top. I took a chance on Shock Top. It tasted nothing like beer. All I could taste was citrus. It wasn't an unpleasant drink, it just didn't taste like beer, not that any wheat beer does.

Back in the 70s I was paired with the late Billy Westmoreland in a bass tournament. When my name was drawn to be Billy's non-boater the organizer told me, "Now Dick, don't say nothin' about Billy's hair. It got blowed off in the war and he's kinda sensitive about it."

I saw one on another site the other day that I had to look up. Someone had posted a politcal rant on a site that, like BR, does not allow political posts. The first response was IBTL. I looked it up and found that it means "In Before The Lock." I sometimes refer to my wife as SWMBO - She Who Must Be Obeyed. Fans of Rumpole of the Bailey or H. Rider Haggard will appreciate that one.

My 3 year old grandson is going to start chemotherapy next week. Maybe I'll shave my head in solidarity with him. . . Maybe not.

As my wife would say, "Prayers in progress." We have been on the receiving end of prayers for the last ten days or so. My three year old grandson has been diagnosed with a stage 3 neuroblastoma (cancer). We are waiting to find out when they will start the chemotherapy.

Offense taken. Anyone who can choke down an IPA or a wheat beer should not be questioning the taste of other drinkers. You're overthinking the whole beer thing. When you grow up you will understand.

Offense taken. Anyone who can choke down an IPA or a wheat beer should not be questioning the taste of other drinkers.

I drink Amber Bock or Shiner Bock all year round. Can't see any reason to change during the summer. I really don't see any reason to drink wheat beer when real beer is no more expensive and actually tastes good.

As Flechero said, towing won't be a problem. You mentioned traveling down the interstate at 75. Keep in mind that trailers to handle a boat this small will have very small wheels that turn at very high RPMs. Make sure your trailer bearings are in good shape before towing at that speed.

If I am fun fishing I don't shave and wear one of my old faded World Wide Sportsman (Columbia knockoff) shirts and an old pair of shorts. I don't want SWMBO to think that I am really just out tomcattin' around so I don't want to look too spiffy. Tournament day is another story. I shave and I wear a good Columbia shirt and, depending on the weather, a pair of clean jeans or khaki shorts. I want to look good (well, as good as I look) in the pictures. One fashion thing I have found among the members of my bass club is that most of us will wear a floppy hat of some sort while fishing. I wear a Tilley hat. Once we get off the water, however, it's back to the ball cap. I will always have a clean shirt to put on when I come off the water.

The first real bass lure I ever bought, way back in 1964, was an original Rapala. I still have that first one. I bet I have caught literally hundreds of fish on it. I have bought others and lost them over the years, but that first one is now in a drawer in the garage waiting for me to make a display frame for it. If I were stuck with one bait today it would be a shakey head with a black Zoom Trick Worm.

I have seen a lot of buyer's remorse in Carrot Stix owners. There are a lot of lightly used ones out there for sale.

Skeet finished pretty high up in the standings at Kentucky Lake last weekend. When asked about what equipment he was using he would not say the name of the rod. That makes me wonder if he was using Eagle Claw rods and was unwilling to say so because he is still under contract to Lamiglas or if he was using Lamiglas rods and did not want to give them credit.

A friend of mine was transferred from one government agency to another. Dreading having to learn the initials for all the new technical terms he moaned, "Man, I have to learn a whole new set of anachronisms." BASS used to have a series of tournaments they called Mega Bucks. My Dad never could get that straight and always called the tournaments "Mini Bucks." He used to get the great-grandchildren riled up when he would, in all seriousness, refer to "Squarebob Spongepants."

Kinda makes those MREs a little more appealing.

I just got the depthfinder installed on it last night, so I don't know if that will be a problem. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

That was at the Cafe Risque off I-75 down around Ocala.

I just replaced my 40# Minn Kota Edge trolling motor with a 55# Maxxum with the digital maximizer. What a difference the variable speed control makes! I can dial the speed back to exactly where I want it. With the old Edge it seemed like I always needed to be somewhere in between 4 and 5. The Edge motor has 5 speeds and, if you start out on the highest speed, it will just about throw you out of the boat. The digital speed control has a soft start so you don't get that jerk when taking off at 100%. I installed the motor yesterday and went fishing late yesterday afternoon. The Maxxum motor is so quiet that there were times I could not hear it running. The only problem is that the direction indicator does not work. I will attempt to address that this evening.

Burley, I installed the same unit on my boat a few weeks ago I couldn't spend the money on a second unit, so I just got the trolling motor setup with plans to just move it back and forth. It only takes seconds.

Minn Kota used to sell a device called (if I recall correctly) a digital maximizer that did what you want. They discontinued it several years ago and started including the technology in some of the Maxxum line of trolling motors. I am getting a 55 Maxxum digital Tuesday. Anyone want to come help me install it?

Don't worry. I got your back on this one. I keep a net in the boat but usually only use it when I hang a pike or musky that would take my bait if I tried to grab it even though I have not used it to often. If you play out a good essox, you can easily grad it under the gill plate. But rest assured if I hang a 50+ incher or a really huge bass, I will definitely consider the net. After getting a Gamakatsu hook embedded in my hand last year while trying to lip a bass on a lipless crankbait, I have swallowed my pride and started using a rubber net. I also use it in tournaments.

I have no problem with Spro frogs. They seems to be heavy enough. Buzz frogs, on the other hand, have been a real pain in the butt casting. I don't have as much trouble if I am using monofilament, but braid just gives me fits. I have used both PowerPro and Sufix.