Aeronikl

Leonard, of course I liked the sticks. The only problem I have with them is getting them at my local wal-monster after kids go through the display and bend them all while still inside the packaging. I take mine to the cashier at the sporting goods counter and open them up with them looking to verify they haven't been messed with. As I said, they are real bright, good for fast water right at the outlet, but I'm starting them off early, and that works better, when drifting in slow water. I'll try the black marker trick next time. Can't wait to get back there and fish with the rest of the night crew. Gary

After several tries, I found a good glow in the dark paint to put on floats. Once painted, they can sit in the sun or under an incandescent light for a while and they aren't bad, but lose their useful glow in a couple of hours. Haven't tried the flash trick to recharge them on the river, but will. If it works with this paint, I will try the painted ones some more. I've been using the light sticks that Leonard first gave me, and they are great, but a little bright for me in calm water, so I start them before I fish, since they do last a long time, and they are very visible in calmer water. I'm inclined to keep using them, because it takes time to apply and dry several coats of paint to get the right effect. The longest lasting stuff is green/yellow, which coats white indicators very well. You also have to spray clear Krylon or the equal on top to make it waterproof.

My appreciation to Phil or anyone else that keeps this Forum going in the right direction. It's great that we don't have to put up with all the spam and other crap you can get into on most sites. Oh...Terry....you wouldn't happen to have Dawg's email address? He may like to fish.

Yes, if you get one now, in person or on-line, it is still the old price and good until the usual month in '08. I just got mine in the mail yesterday, ordered it to beat the increase after hearing about it on the Forum. The real bargain was for anyone from out of state who didn't have one for '06, if they bought it in December when the '07s went on sale, it was good for like 15 months.

Got mine in the mail yesterday. Looks great. Thanks again Phil for making it happen.

I called and ordered one today since this first batch will be gone before I can get back. I ordered black, for night missions. Thanks, Phil, for doing this. Gary

Bill, My wife and I are professional photographers - mostly doing sports action with fast telephoto lenses. We have used Nikon for 25 years, switching from film to digital 5 years ago. All of our lenses, even the old ones, work with the digital bodies, but not always in all modes. If any of your lenses are the latest for film bodies with program modes, TTL flash capabilities, autofocus, etc., then they will do it all with whatever a D50,D70, D80, D100 or D200 or better will do. Our first digitals were D100's and they did just fine, but we recently upgraded to D200's, which are great to use in the field. Without getting too technical, there will be a difference in the field of view and/or apparent magnification of any of your film camera leses vs. the lenses specified by Nikon for use with D bodies, when you use them on the D bodies. A 300 or 400 mm lens, which we use all the time, formats to more like 350+mm or nearly 500mm when used on the D's. If you have an 85-200mm zoom now, it would look more like a 100-250 when looking through the digital camera viewfinder. If you are considering buying a digital body, you could buy a used D100 for about the same price as buying a new D50 body. I know we still have a couple that we are just keeping as back-ups. If you decide to buy a body, let me know, we can get you a price. As for new equipment, while we have purchased several items on eBay over the years, the majority of the equipment over the last 10+ yrs. came from B&H. They have always been good on price, delivery and support. Hope this was helpful.

When you get it all figured out, make sure to announce it somehow on the Forum, so I can get my order in. Hats are a great idea.

Mine came yesterday, looks great, proud to stick it on. Thanks, Phil.

I have an F250 4x4 HD that came with Firestones and had nothing but trouble with the originals and the replacements, as far as keeping them in balance, uneven wear and noisy ride, even with regular balancing and alignment. I switched to Michelins, and paid a little more, but they drive like a dream and have shown good life (wear) and stay in balance. They are much quieter - with a less agressive tread pattern - but still can drive OK around my pastures. Good traction and ride when towing my trailers.

Hats would be a great idea. I'd buy/pay for some up-front. I use an embroidery place for shirts, hats & jackets here, but I'm sure someone else is using someone in Branson or Springfield. How about a patch that we we could put on our vests or gear bags?

No, they aren't agressive, but the tail slap can be interesting, when it is close. They fight pretty hard when you hook one. I know I've foul hooked 2 of them while stripping at night, but when I put some pressure on them, the streamer has always pulled right out with some loose fur attached to it. I think Leonard told me he has hooked one too. The first time, I thought I had hooked "Nessie". I'd be more concerned about the Great Blue Herons at night. I've had more close calls with them, and was grazed by one flying by. It was quite a surprise to both of us. Fortunately I was in very shallow water, or I wouldn't have been able to re-gain my balance and not fall in the water. The heron did land with quite a splash.

BTW is the acronym for "by the way", one of many you may find used by even us old folks on the forum. This is a good source for a current list accepted by most people. http://www.namastecafe.com/computer/abbreviation.htm You can also Google for computer acronyms or abbreviations. There are some sites that also talk about etiquette, etc., not that we have problems with this forum. Regarding the picture posting, one thing that helps, even if you use Photobucket or another site to route the viewers to, I recommend that you "resize" your image files by saving the image in your photo viewing program using "save as" and just add "a" or another digit to the end of the file name, before the extension, saving the file as a lower quality file, which shrinks the file size and makes the pictures load faster on the page when they are viewed. Most software gives you an option somewhere in the window to change the quality, usually with 4 -8 options from low to best. Even Microsoft using Windows Explorer to view/save using "MS Photo Editor" allows for changing the JPEG quality in a range from 0 - 100. You have to click "More" at the bottom of the save as... window to get there. This is usually easier than photo software, and going to 50% or less still provides a very good image for viewing. Making the file size smaller is more important than ever, since even the most economical point and shoot digital cameras are now 5 megapixels or better. File sizes in normal shooting modes are 1 - 3 megs with many of these cameras, and that means very slow file transfers, loading on the page for viewing, etc., especially if you don't have high speed internet all the time. Try saving an image this way and see if it helps.

I thought you were talking about high capacity marine batteries. When it comes to charging batteries, especially with solar panels, it's all about the numbers. There's no way to beat physics. Economy of scale permits reasonable prices for small sytems, since they have so many uses. My motorhome has a panel on the roof that is suppossed to provide a trickle charge for the batteries...and that's all it will do, to make up for minor leakage and the drain of sensors and detectors that are always on. If you're looking at charging deep cycle marine or RV batteries, it would take a very large, custom system, complete with controller, etc. Rather than consider a battery charger system, you should look at what they sell for remote cabins. Systems, including panels, batteries (usually golf cart 6V), inverter and controller go for $1000 to $4000, depending on the power requirements and if a generator is used. I saw a website that shows how you can build a good system like this yourself for around $700. Since all these systems provide 110V with the inverter, all the fixtures and appliances you want to use are cheaper than low voltage RV type stuff. Anything you can use at home and pack to take with you would plug right in. If it was me, I would spend the money on a panel/battery/inverter system to get a good source of 110. You can even get a system that would allow you to add a generator later. Good luck.

Phil, What kind of batteries? 12V auto/marine or small batteries like cell phones, AA's or AAA's for cameras, flashlights, etc.? I have some experience with charging both kinds. The small batteries are easy, and with some modification, you can use your existing or commercially available chargers that have 12V auto/lighter adapters, if you buy a 12V solar panel charger kit...the 12V batteries are more of a challenge, since most people use them heavy, and that will determine how many watts the charger system has to be to fully recover the battery. A typical small panel that only puts out 10 watts, for example, will charge at .6 amps under optimum conditions. That will give 3 amp/hrs to the battery in 5 hrs of charging (under optimum conditions - light intensity and direct exposure) and is obviously not very much. A 100 watt system, however, can give 6 amps, more like the 110V battery charger. Most advertised, affordable, ready to use charger systems are small, however, usually only 2 - 5 watts, usually marketed for trickle-charge applications, to keep batteries full, for electric gate openers, etc. It can cost upwards of $1000 or more for the components to make a larger (100 watt) system. Not cheap. If you let me know more details, I'll see what I can do to help.

This particular reel is a Bauer, and they say to use their drag lube, which I hear from other sources is neatsfoot oil, which most mfgs. recommend for cork drag components. I have heard about an oil with graphite particles that is suppossed to be better. Probably what you use. Thanks Gavin.

What does everyone else use to lube their cork drag material? Anyone find anything better than neatsfoot oil? Just wondering. Thanks.

I'm coming down a week earlier than I planned, or I would have responded sooner. I will be fishing 12th - 14th at night, for sure. Usually down there by 9 pm. Looking forward to meeting you. I'll be in a red Ford Contour with OK plates. Gary

I know what kind of line he uses. I snuck a peek one time when he left the river and the crowd was attacking him. He uses 50 lb. Spider Wire for tippet, and 120 lb. mono for a shock tippet. Never loses a fish. I am suprised he didn't mention the explosives he uses when the snagging is slow. Boy I love when he uses the dynamite. You have to be careful not to get it too close to the material salvaged from Area 51, though. Hey, I'll be back in a few weeks. We can meet up and fish.

This is a good forum...and something that makes a forum good is that it's in a constant state of flux. Sure, it has changed, but I think it has only gotten better. I have a low number, which I guess makes me an early member, and the forum has changed since it started, but I believe it is better. I don't post much, because I don't fish regularly. But..reading everyone else makes the time away bearible, and I can look forward with anticipation of my next trip. Like anyone else who posts here, no matter how I may try to help by sharing experiences, good or bad, I always end up learning more than I can ever give back. This thread is a good example of how the forum has changed. This latest controversy has all happened since my last visit this afternoon. I've seen topics take off before, like shuffling, or when a developer is poluting the White below Norfolk, etc. The quick and sometimes incredible response to a topic is wonderful. There is no double in my mind that in addition to helping people catch fish, we have saved lives and property with timely advice or warnings. I don't have any trouble finding the things I need, and I can ignore the other threads or topics on lakes or other rivers that I'm not interested in. The diversity is what makes it so good, as well as entertaining. It certainly cuts down the number of sites I go to for information. Don't forget that it's the people that really make the forum come alive. I've only met a few of the people who post here, and putting a face to a "handle" is great, but being able to share with all those I don't know, whether or not we ever meet on the water, is still very rewarding. I must say I usually appreciate their attempts at humor. Phil, keep up the good work, and remember Jimmy Dugan once said: "It's suppossed to be hard. If it was easy, everyone would do it".

Came up last week with another couple to night fish for browns. We fished Sunday night with Leonard and had a great time swapping flies, stories, and good information, not to mention we caught fish. We really appreciated the guidance of someone who knows the area below the dam. Everyone knows that it is slower this year, and nights are no exception. Five years ago, when I started fishing at night here, the action was almost non-stop. Catching 50 or more fish in 2-4 hours was normal. My first trip this year I was forced to fish somewhere other than at the KOA access, and thought that maybe it was because I didn't know the water up closer to the dam. Then, I started to read the posts about drought, lack of food, slow fishing, etc., and that it has been going down hill for the past several years. I can only comment that it has been that way for me too. Don't get me wrong, it is still a very good fishery, but I hope that it can be back to where it was 5-10 years ago, and soon. Mother nature will eventually cooperate with some wet years, and things should improve, as long as man doesn't screw it up, somehow. Anyway, back to fishing. We only caught 6-10 fish apiece each night, fishing 2-4 hours, but they were mostly browns and mostly big, 15-18". I broke off one very big fish, but did land a large, 22" male, on the last night of the trip. He was jumping about 20' out from outlet 1, every few minutes for about an hour. I hadn't had any luck casting to jumping fish all week, but I tried him, anyway. I moved up to where I could strip a fly through the area. He took the third cast, and I was able to get him in quickly, less than 5 minutes, and he revived very nicely, when held in the outflow. Even though the fishing was tough and the weather was worse most of last week, we all had a great time. It is still a special place to visit and fish, especially for the fellowship of the people we meet and fish with.

Incredible fish! He won't be getting any sleep the week I'm there, if I can help it.

Great fish, Leonard! Still plan to be there starting the 15th. Hoping to hit the river by 10 pm. I'll get back to you before then to confirm. Maybe we can catch something bigger! Gary

Thanks, everyone, for the encouragement. Still looking forward for my next trip. If they are still there, I'll ignore them. Does anyone tie a "sucker" streamer. I've use mouse and lemming flies, but never a sucker immitation.LOL

Thanks, Leonard. I know they affected the fishing below Beaver, since they literally covered up the runs where I usually caught fish. My number of hook-ups was probably 10% of what I would normally experience. I plan to fish every night, starting Sunday, through Thursday, as long as the weather is not horrible any given night. I'll contact you as we get closer. Gary