Ham

I really don't think I'm going to tweek anything. I'm good with my hole shot and happy with the fuel consumption on an average days running. We fished 5 days at Toledo Bend and because we trailered close onl used 11 gallons all together. However, most of my trips I use more like 5-8 gallons of gasoline.

So my Cougar going 72 MPH at WOT isn't doing too bad ? I'm running a Fury 26 pitch and my analog Tach is saying 5800 ish. I'm usually running at 45-50 mph and the boat is a lot more stable at 70 mph, but I have seen a GPS 72.something, Lots of folks saying upper 70's etc for that boat and motor, but that's what I have seen.

so what is theoretical max on a 26 pitch with 5800 rpm's ? if you did 26 inches per revolution x 5800 rpm x 60 min = max possible inches per hour divided by 63360 inches per mile ? that isn't giving me a likely number. Hmmm gear reduction???

It has been a few years, but the last time I fished as a co-angler in a BASS event, The Nitros were a SLOW boat. Guys would leave out in a Nitro and lots of boats were catching them from behind even if they left a few minutes later than the Nitro. It was very noticable.

I think I''m carrying about 8 spinning combos these days. I'm trying to offset those that don't carry any. Lol.

I like the TM and the electronics.

I was thinking about playing ping pong with a beer bottle instead of a paddle. I'm leaning towards using a 40 oz bottle unless someone can sway me to a 12 or 16 oz size. Maybe a growler?

I actually love spinning reels and find myself using them more and more. Of course, more and more and more, they spining reels have a Ned rig attached to them.

The dragging behind the boat is absolutely the best way to get twist out of mono, fluro, or copoly that is on a spinning reel. ALAS, it doesn't seem to remove twist from nanofil. I don't think the nano has enough body and it is too "slick" for the water to grab and work the twist out of it. I pull the last 4 feet thru my thumb and forefinger (Mr Pointer to his friends) pressed as hard as I can together. Then I go back and pull the last 8 feet thru them, and then I go back and ppull the last 12 feet thru them. This gets the twist down to a managable level in Nanofil. IF you make the mistake of trying to pull all the twist from 12 feet of Nano at once, it will sometimes knot up on you. Hey, I said it wasn't perfect.

I have actually thrown a fair amount of "C" cell batteries and a more than few "D" cell batteries. They go a LONG ways and have a good payload at impact. I will hold off on saying much more even though I'm pretty sure the statuet of limitations must have expired by now. Compact, heavy for its size, and minimal wind resistence. I've never thrown one on a rod and reel, but bass casting sinkers would be close.

I think I should change my moniker to "Nanofil Ham". I am an absolute believer that the advantages of Nanofil vastly outweigh the disadvantages. It isn't a perfect line, but it's pretty darn close. I throw the Ned on 6 lb or 8 lb Nanofil with a 6 lb or 8 lb leader. Everyone says fluro, but no one says why they use fluro as a leader, they just do. Sometimes I use fluro and sometimes I use P Line CX Premium. I think a good starting point for some folks wiould be a drop shot rod. I have a GYCB 6'8" Dropshot Rod that was my go to grub rod back before Ned Rigs ruined my grub fishing. Soft tip that loads and throws well as well as a little load on the bite. Plenty of backbone later. If not a drop shot rod, then use your grub rod. The 1/16 oz head with the extra weight of the Zinker chunk throws like a "c" cell battery so don't worry about having a rod rated for 1/16 oz.. I've used the Ned successfully on a wide variety of rods. I have a few others that I will be trying out, but so far the GYCB seems to do the best for me.

2014 was a great year of fishing for me, but I see no reason that 2015 won't be every bit as good. I fished in 4 states last year. I'm hoping to expend that out to at least 5 this year, but maybe I get that number up to 6.

I think I know that spot.

It's funny, but a "Onioneaque" parody of dumb pushback from likely a handful of locals SOMEBODY ran info. All the guys from MI are welcome to come down and spend a lot of money sore mouthing some Big Browns in the White. There are Plenty for everybody. WOW so many typos

Not stocking Rainbows in Bull Shoals anymore ??? But what will the walleye eat now?

I have a couple of the TFO fly rods. You really should try to make it by a shop and cast the rod before you buy it. You may like a less expensive rod more than a pricey one. I went expecting to buy a more expensive one, but I liked the way the Pro series felt better.

I'm pulling for Kevin Short. I'd love for him to win it, but honestly I have NO clue who has the best chance. Somebody with catch em.

Lane would be perfectly served by a TFO 4 weight 8'6" if they make one in the Professional Series or Finesse series, but you sir being a man of distinction and discernment could enjoy the subtle nature of a fiberglass fly rod.

Getting spooled is a great concept and a terrible reality. I came within inches of being spooled by a accidentily hooke Spoonbill on Table Rock up the James Creek arm. We chased him with the TM and I got line back. That was close enough for me.

Taney is a different game than the White River below BSL. I can catch them at Taney, but Phil is the Man up there. I have put a lot more time in on the White from BSL to Mountain View.

Oh Rick I'm sure that he could always build you one.

Well, I prefer Nanofil because it out throws mono and it has almost no stretch so it is super sensitive and I get great hook sets and any distance. I use the White, but I would be comfortable using the chartreuse as well. The opaque colors don't bother the fish when I use a leader and they I also help you detect strikes. I use the leader because I am concerned that the Nanofil might reduce my number of bites and I want to extend the life of my Nanofil. It also doesn't hurt to have a leak link when you get hung up and WANT to break off. I use mono under the Nanofil and I am able to get two or three reels spooled with one 150 yard spool of Nanofil. I have used one spooling of nano for over a year w/o any problems. I use an Alberto knot to join my line to the leader. I tie in a piece of leader just long enough that the knot is not on the reel. I re tie when needed. I will use it until the leader length is down to 18 inches or so. I have used just the P Line CX or Silver Thread AN 40 as the main line and I caught fish just fine, but Nanofil has flat out made me a better fisherman. I think I have been using for about 18 months and I am an absolute believer in it. I also used braid for a while, but I lost casting distance using it. I dropped down to 4/15 and still struggled to throw it 2/3's the distance of mono, but I liked the lack of stretch. Nanofil is strong for its diameter, but it is thicker than braid on a per pound basis. Nanofil is thinner than mono on a pound per pound basis. Nanofil isn't perfect. It catches the wind a little bit more than mono and it gets twist in it and it is a little more difficult to de twist than mono is, but I have just about switched all my spinning gear over to Nanofil. Ham

Lol. That's how it was for me in Viriginia on the New River. I had a light tap and set the hook into a large powerful fish that stayed down and stayed down and stayed down. Our guide started to wonder if it was a Musky. I've never caught a musky and quickly warmed to the idea. So I was a little disappointed when a fat 20 inch smallie finally came to the surface. Disappointed by a 20 ich smallie. Lol.

You did very well for yourself.

Was he a floater?