vernon

Aww, now that's just mean. I think the new boats and the funny looking motors are kind of a "late life" crisis coping mechanism. Especially when you're a guy that somehow completely skipped over the mid life crisis stage. I never got around to obtaining my Vette convertible and leisure suits in my 40's so now I'm doomed to double down on the really old man stuff. I've got about thirty "Keep Off The Lawn" signs scattered around my yard and I turn on the irrigation system whenever a Girl Scout shows up to sell cookies. The paperboy gets no Christmas tip from me either - he's getting paid to do that job by God and nobody ever gave me a danged thing in my entire overworked/under appreciated life! As for golf, I have a complete set of Perfect Clubs for woods (except for my 56" Hammer driver of course). Irons are all custom made Stan Thompson Ginty models (with a proprietary space age shaft that's WAY better than graphite) and my putter is a replica of the one that Rodney Dangerfield used in Caddy Shack (I used to use a Billy Baroo but just outgrew it I guess). I also possess a lifetime supply of Condor golf balls which, as everyone knows, are still the finest ever made. As for the reference to broomstick putter's and "Miracle Wedges" I, sir, am a purest and not one to submit to gimmicks and trickery regardless of circumstances! And in regards to the aging process, you should be so lucky as to feel this old! Thanks for the kind words though!

Zona or the size of the fish?

All of this photo analysis is like something out of an episode of CSI Branson!

Woke up (briefly) to -8 actual temperature this morning. Didn't see much point in staying up until I could get the house warmed up at least a little. That being said, they showed on the news a couple of hours ago cars lined up to get into Arrowhead for the Chiefs game at noon! It's almost too cold to even watch it on TV if you ask me! Al Gore needs to hold a press conference official declaring the end of Global Warming!

Hats or GoPro's?!? I've been coveting one of those GoPro's ever since they first came out but just can't get the actual purchase out of the thinking stage. I saw a couple of weeks ago that they actually have some models marked down a hundred bucks which I've never noticed before. Seems like such a great idea - we used to take pictures and videos galore years ago and that was way less convenient than these babies. We don't do it nearly as much now due primarily to laziness which seems to get worse and worse every year too! Fine job on the fish catchin' as well as the video makin'!

I stuck a post in here somewhere earlier about the Lexa. Super Dave recommended them to me last spring for Ned fishing. Picked up one on his advice and ended up buying two more and my brother got two as well after trying mine. I might get killed for this but I actually prefer them over my Stradics (5 or 6 year old models). They seem equally smooth on the retrieve but the larger diameter spool seems to do a much better job of eliminating line twist which is one of the features that Dave pointed out at the time. I also think that they add a few yards to casting distance as well for the same reason. Again, per his advice, I went with the 3000 series which I would have thought was oversized for the Ned and 6 lb. line but it really does work extremely well. I also pointed out the sale price as those are cheaper than what I got mine for after doing some considerable shopping around on eBay.

Man, that's some good stuff right there! At this point though I definitely prefer to look at the pictures as opposed to actually taking them. Of course, that's only because taking them would require me to actually be out there in the cold! I can remember fishing in that kind of weather but it becomes more and more of a distant memory every year that goes by. I'm glad you guys still venture out there from time to time just to rekindle my memories! Way to go.

About ten minutes NW of Kansas City here. The ice build up on my 5X8' American flag was sufficient to snap the rope this morning! Snowing now. Supposed to get 3-4" on top of the ice with a low of -5 tonight and 10 tomorrow. This global warming stuff is about to kill me! No way I'm trading with Macsimus and Minnesota though!

Aw, I know - I actually really do get. I just like starting bonfires across the way and then sitting back to observe the carnage! I do it to my little brother all the time - poor guy can't even let the dogs out without permission so you can only imagine how I torment him all the time. What's the point of having achieved such an enviable place in life if you're not gonna reap the benefits of rubbing it in every chance you get? Good thing I'm not rich - I'd probably make fun of the poor people too! Not having kids provides me with another wonderfully mischievous past time - get somebody else's kids all fired up with crazy ideas and then send them home! A couple of luxuries that you just can't buy but rather have to earn over the course of an entire lifetime! That being said - go buy the danged reel or you'll hate yourself for the rest of your life! If she REALLY loved you and REALY cared about you wouldn't she want you to have it and to be happy? See? I hate me sometimes.

I don't understand. My financial advisor works for ME! Just kidding. But get the Daiwa. How much trouble can a lousy $20 cause? Look at it this way, you know the curiosity is gonna kill you and you're eventually gonna have to have it anyway. By then the price will have gone up and you'll probably end up having to rob a liquor store to get the money to pay for it. You'll get busted, end up in the joint for 5 or 6 years and then what? See, you're actually doing her and yourself a HUGE favor! You're welcome and congratulations on the new reel!

I must be WAY better at this than you guys - I have honestly NEVER had to actually try or resort to trickery to NOT catch a fish. If I can ever help you guys out in any way with this deal just let me know! I ain't braggin' when I say it's a gift I was born with.

Matching buff?

Bo As a big fan of not only your insightful fishing reports but also your lure products, I would hate to see you driven away by the few uninformed and uneducated morons that occasionally litter up the forum. I've gotten dragged into a couple of online insult battles myself (one on here in fact) and it's crazy how much it can effect you emotionally to get into an invisible spittin' contest with someone you don't even now. No matter how rational one might be (or irrational depending on which side of the argument) it's near impossible to not try and defend yourself and that usually just makes it worse. It's as though you've been attacked personally and, I guess when you get right down to it, you have. I know I've been told many times before, "I don't know why you let it bother you." or, "Why can't you just let it go and move on." but it just ain't that easy sometimes. Nonetheless, losing your expertise and input would certainly be a blow and a loss to those of us that really look forward to hearing your perspective and how you go about finding and catching fish. While I greatly enjoy pretty much everything that this site has to offer, there are a handful of guys that really stand out and you're one of them. I read everyone's posts but when I see something that was put up by you, Bill Babler, Champ 188, Wrench, Plug, Alex and a couple of others I definitely perk up and pay attention, often reading each one numerous times and even returning to them to review at certain times of the year. If walking away is what you ultimately choose to do, I completely understand - no one should have to defend themselves for only trying to help others. However, from a purely selfish perspective, I would hate to see it and all of us would be significantly diminished because of it. Thanks for all of your great contributions and for producing some of the finest fishing lures that I've ever used. Here's wishing a most Merry Christmas to you and Linda.

You can't overstate the value of having not only a BFF but also a DSF (Dock Skipping Friend) during one's "Golden Years". You two will likely become poster children for the cause!

I sincerely believe that possessing the capacity to "artificially care" is perhaps the single most important characteristic when attempting to deal with this awful affliction. Most of the research to date strongly indicates that "over caring" and even "genuine caring" can, in fact, worsen the symptoms and lead to extended recovery expectations and even permanent tissue damage and/or chronic behavior patterns. Avoid at all costs. Well played sir - a significant observation to say the least.

On the recommendation of Super Dave I picked up a Daiwa Lexa last spring for Ned use and really liked it. So much in fact I ended up with two more. Cabelas's has them on sale for $69-$79.

Never heard of that - sounds like a pretty cool idea though.

For $1700 that baby should be unbreakable and un-losable!

Man, that's no kidding. One of the reasons I took early retirement was that Obama froze all federal salaries (except his and congress' of course) his first year in office. Said we "all need to do our share" for the economy. Well, they're still frozen (except for his and congress' of course). I figured my "high three" salary years were as high as they were gonna get so why hang around when there wasn't so much as a cost of living increase anywhere on the horizon. Glad I did too! Good for your dad as well.

OK then. Just make sure you keep paying into social security!

You didn't say you got a government job!

Doesn't anybody work anymore? Now, don't get me wrong here - I certainly don't mean me but the rest of you guys need to get off that dang lake and get a job! I'm gettin' worried about my social security goin' broke and y'all ain't helpin'!

Pretty profound stuff that. As a guy on a "fixed income" I just can't relate. Every day I wonder if I'll be able to scrape together enough to eat! Actually, I've just always wanted to pull out that fixed income line. I heard it for so dang many years before I retired. As best I could tell though, my income was pretty "fixed" even when I was working! For $1700 that frog needs to be able to generate some significant income as well.

That's pretty good stuff right there. I think he must work at it a little harder than I do though. Right away I noticed that he's not holding a beer - wonder if that's part of the secret?

Around 18%?