vernon

I LOVE that response! That's good stuff right there and I don't care who you are! Believe it or not, I honestly wish we would still play each other in basketball AND football. The unbelievable thrill of the "upset" some of the times when we won in football made the other beatdowns all worthwhile. I gotta think there were a few times that MU felt the same in basketball. Winning when you're not supposed to have much of a chance is one of the greatest feelings there is in sports if you ask me. And that last KU-MU game in Allen Fieldhouse when KU was heavily favored and down to you guys by about 20 with under ten minutes to go only to barely come back and win is one I'll NEVER forget. Just one of many classics. I still think that MU would have won more games in basketball in the Big 12 this year than they will in the SEC even though the Big 12 is probably a tougher conference top to bottom. The reason is simply the old rivalries. When the students, fans and alumni care the players tend to care more too and it shows in their performance. Who cares when y'all play Mississippi State or South Carolina? Which is why MU - KU was always great - stats, records and talent just didn't matter. If people think that desperate times don't make you think weird, my brother and I have talked for the last few weeks about "what if" KU had scheduled another Rhode Island or two (think Delaware State!) instead of Memphis and Ohio how much better things might be looking right now. Of course we'd still suck but it would look so much better to have maybe won four games including the win over Texas (which we DO realize wasn't really THAT big of a deal - unless of course you're us). I, too, "understand" the move south but still think in the long run it's been and always will be a mistake. They might be making more bucks so far as conference payouts go but the loss of notoriety and relevance in Kansas City and throughout the midwest has to be hurting them in a lot of less tangible ways. In the Big 12 they always were and always would be SOMEBODY but in the SEC they're kind of Texas Tech. At least that's kind of the impression around these parts now. I mean even big, bad Nebraska is pretty much nobody in the Big 10 and everybody thought Colorado disbanded until this year. Nobody in the Big 10 cares what Nebraska "was" and the Big 12 folks care even less. Unfortunately, Oklahoma and Texas are probably going to keep screwing around until they destroy the Big 12 in a couple of years and then everybody's gonna look a whole lot smarter for bailing I guess but we'll all be less for it.

Ah, c'mon, don't get down. There's always basketball season! I did NOT really say that. I KNOW I did NOT really say that!

Good for you! Don't get overly excited about the chip deal though. I was told by a pretty well networked and high level IT guy that, like with most technoligies, the bad guys had em' (and had already figured out how to compromise them) well before we did. If I recall correctly, prior to my retirement the military was working on a card that utilized an imbedded "wire" of some sorts that was supposed to be the new cat's behind. The chip stuff that the credit card companies are using was prominent throughout the military quite some time ago and was already being phased out. Problem is, the public sector has to commit many millions of dollars in advance to whatever is the latest and greatest that's available to them but by the time it's all actually implemented it's way obsolete. Think GPS and night vision optics. They were around and in use for many years in the military before they were made available to the consumer. I think cyber security is pretty similar. Either way, it seems like the bad guys are tuff to stay ahead of.

Good deal! That has to make you feel a lot better. "Losing" money is a really crappy feeling. Ask anyone who's had a 401K over the last 20-25 years! You're right too about "Scam Pal" - have had some unpleasant experiences with them and they are about the least cooperative and almost "secretive" bunch I've ever seen. I avoid them whenever possible. Glad this thing won't cost you.

That's it Phil. I'm done with this crap. I demand my money back! You may refund me in full by crediting my original method of payment!

I've got a good friend that's a bank vice-president and has been for almost twenty years (darn president refuses to die!). He told me quite some time ago to NEVER use a debit card. He tried to explain all the reasons to me that credit cards were the way to go but, quite honestly, I didn't care about all the details. I trust his judgement enough to just take his word for it and have never possessed a debit card. My wife and I have had our credit cards hacked at least a half dozen times between the two of us - most recent was a $8700 spending spree in Europe in June - and like Micropterus we have never paid a penny toward the fraudulent charges. I also like the 3% - 5% cash back that most cards provide. In fact, when I bought my new Ranger in March I charged $20000 of it to one of my credit cards and received over $700 in cash back. We pay them all off at the end of each month so interest is not a factor for us. Like with debit cards, if we ain't got the money to spend, we don't spend it. However, my brother insisted on using debit cards and learned his lesson the hard way. His card was compromised earlier this past year and I believe it ended up costing him around $400. Needless to say, he ain't got one no more either.

I have a head like that. I actually prefer that it be cut off in photos when not covered! If the flash were to accidentally go off who knows what the collateral damage might be! Way to stay after em'. Glad you got rewarded even if minimally.

And without cocktails?

Wow! Hope one them babies don't latch on to my toes someday!

I have two of them and actually thought that they worked pretty well once you get the hang of it. However, I can't keep track of em' and never know what I did with them. Too lazy to look so usually end up retreating to the old fashioned method. Reading glasses are always in hand as I'd likely fall out of the boat without em' so I never have to look for those!

Been using Bass Boat Saver for as long as I can remember. Also use it on my Tahoe! Occasionally use a little CLR on the motor and jack plate after a week at Table Rock but really need to get on that vinegar/water deal. Recently started using the Lucas spray Speed Wax that came with the new Z521 and it's actually some pretty amazing stuff. Not quite as fast and easy as Bass Boat Saver but leaves a better shine and it really helps keep the scum line to a minimum. I've been using the Lucas stuff at home and continue to use the Bass Boat Saver at the ramp. Really good combination as the Lucas wax seems to make the BBS even more effective. The bucket of Lucas promotional items that came with the boat also included a spray for tires and trim that is fantastic. By far the best I've used. Water based and doesn't mess up rims and wheels. It doesn't leave that super shiny, glossy, fake plastic look that I've never cared for personally - I've always thought that just a plain, clean, black tire looked best and this stuff provides that look. Seems to last as well. I spray it on the tires and any excess wipes right off with a rag or towel. Also will spray it on a clean towel and apply to rub rail, keel protector and any other black vinyl and it leaves them looking showroom new. Highly recommend!

Ahhh. Never thought of that! The air flow thing is what got my attention initially. Never mind........

I was meaning to ask earlier in the year but kept forgetting - is running around the lake with the hood cover on your motor part of the "cool" deal now too? Probably couldn't even count the number of boats that I saw doing this and they all had the Power Poles and appropriate wardrobe accessories so............... Again, just wondering. As I don't have a cowling cover for my G2, I guess I can never hope to catch up even if I were to acquire poles and buffs and jerseys and........

Man, does that look familiar! I kept checking my settings thinking something had to be wrong with the electronics. Unfortunately, not the case.

"They're killin' me Whitey, they're killin' me." Way to go - that's outstanding for a bunch of fun lovin' beer drinkers! I shall now return to my rightful place on the suicide watch list.

PLAYS the whole course with a five iron Wrench, PLAYS! "Shoots", geez............ You non-Yuppie types are really something!

What hill? They look pretty darn good right where they are if you ask me!

Extremely cool! Wish I lived nearby (for numerous obvious reasons) as my old retired butt would be the perfect volunteer camera lens cleaner for the area! Keep up the good work Ben!

Exactly how we feel. We've had many trips where we didn't do very well so far as catching fish but we've NEVER had a bad trip. Not one. And that includes boat problems, vehicle breakdowns, tackle thefts, you name it. Love looking back on all of them and love looking forward to however many are left. Knock em' dead!

Cheese, you need to say your name every now and then when having your picture taken! Great fish.

Good luck! Don't let our mediocre results influence you one bit. Sometimes us fishin' is like Ray Charles given' Stevie Wonder driving lessons! This cooler weather has got to have a positive impact. A few years back, my brother and his neighbor came down with me about this time of the year. They had to come back to work after a few days so we drove separately. Anyway, the first four days were warm and sunny just like this year and we didn't catch squat. Had one small school of whites come up in the back of a cove the first day for about 30 seconds and that was it other than the usual dock dinks. Well, the next morning they left for home and a cold front blew threw an hour or so after. I didn't even venture out that afternoon as the wind was roaring 30 mph plus out of the north and the lake was like the Atlantic Ocean after a bad night. In fact, I drove over to PB #2 where a BASS event was weighing in instead of fishing. Fire trucks and ambulances passed me on the road in leaving me wondering what the heck was going on. Turns out, the water was so rough that guys were returning with serious back injuries from bouncing on the waves. One guy actually was thrown up in the air and came down on the gunnel and broke his back. That boat ramp looked like a MASH unit. Well, the next morning I get up and the temperature is 34 with a forecast high of 45. I look out the patio windows and the whites and hybrids are schooling EVERYWHERE in the cove (we were in a condo in the back of Jennings Branch cove down by the dam). I hustled up and got dressed but as it turned out there was no hurry. It continued off and on the the next two days. Three, four and sometimes five surfacing schools of thousands of fish at a time. One would go down and another two would come up. Never seen anything like it before or since. One afternoon when I went in for lunch they were thrashing in the boat slips of the dock! I honestly was tired of catching them when I decided to head home myself. Had a full freezer that winter for sure! I guess sometimes everybody goes from being the windshield to being bug a few times! Anxious to hear how you did.

Yeah, I think you're right. I alluded to this very thing a couple of weeks ago when we left Table Rock. Sometimes it's like the street fighter who decides he wants to learn karate or some other self defense deal. He goes to a couple of weeks of classes and then ends up in a bar fight. Trouble is, his street fighting instincts have been dulled by the weeks of instruction and he hasn't become nearly proficient at the new stuff. Consequently, he gets his butt handed to him and can't figure out why! Nonetheless, I sincerely appreciate your generosity and attempts to help make our week more successful - worst case scenario it gave us new ideas and locations for next time that we might not have considered otherwise. And, more importantly, even WE might be able to get em' to work eventually! We're gonna keep on pluggin' regardless and will do our best to also help others whenever the opportunity arises. Thanks again! Last day of fishing was Thursday - loaded the boat and headed home Friday morning. Not much more to report. Took Tuesday off and headed to Kinderhook for a day of golf as the great weather continued. Fishing never really varied much even after the rain and cool down. Looked and looked and looked for whites and hybrids but you woulda thought the electronics was malfunctioning. Never saw such a blank screen in what should have been likely places. Ended up taking the insanity route - doing the same thing over and over but hoping for a different result. Didn't happen though. Continued to catch skinny largemouths around docks and brush on spinnerbaits, jigs and Ned. Lots of skinny crappie as well - many of them were "legal" but just not enough there to warrant keeping them. As said before, shad were everywhere but most of the fish we caught apparently hadn't been taking advantage. My brother had a nice keeper largemouth on a swimbait the first day that was fat as a beachball but after that they all looked like Jenny Craig followers. In six days on the water we never saw any surfacing fish and after the Spanish Armada cleared out, we went as far as the dam, Gravois arm and up into the Glaize. Conditions just seemed to scream great fishing but it never happened for us. We talked to several dock owners and a few other guys in boats and they all pretty much concurred with our report. I know somebody somewhere was knocking em' dead (

Last day of fishing was Thursday - loaded the boat and headed home Friday morning. Unfortunately, not much more to report. Took Tuesday off and headed to Kinderhook for a day of golf as the great weather continued. Fishing never really varied much even after the rain and cool down. Looked and looked and looked for whites and hybrids but you woulda thought the electronics was malfunctioning. Never saw such a blank screen in what should have been likely places. Ended up taking the insanity route - doing the same thing over and over but hoping for a different result. Didn't happen though. Continued to catch skinny largemouths around docks and brush on spinnerbaits, jigs and Ned. Lots of skinny crappie as well - many of them were "legal" but just not enough there to warrant keeping them. As said before, shad were everywhere but most of the fish we caught apparently hadn't been taking advantage. My brother had a nice keeper largemouth on a swimbait the first day that was fat as a beachball but after that they all looked like Jenny Craig fans. In six days on the water we never saw any surfacing fish and after the Spanish Armada cleared out, we went as far as the dam, Gravois arm and up into the Glaize. Conditions just seemed to scream great fishing but it never happened for us. We talked to several dock owners and a few other guys in boats and they all pretty much concurred with our report. I know somebody somewhere was knocking em' dead (Wrench for one!) but we had to settle for enjoying the unbelievable weather. Great time and no regrets on our part. Thanks to all of you that tried to help us out throughout the week. We really appreciate your generosity and taking the time to share helpful information. Best of luck as well for the remainder of the year - I doubt we'll make it back that way before spring but are already looking forward to it. If my math is correct, only 46 days until the days start getting longer!

Don't know if this has anything to do with it but that's the area where we saw lots of dead keeper and larger bass back in mid September. The floaters were out from the docks at the Kimberling Inn a little more in the direction of the main lake. It was posted here at the time as there was a pretty good sized tournament out of that ramp a day or two before. A couple of OA members fished the event and posted comments as well. If I remember correctly, a release boat was used to return the fish to the water but the surface temps were in the 80's so it "seemed" that heat and stress might have been a factor. Again, I have no idea if the two or related but thought it was worth mentioning.

Good for you Wrench! Man, that's great. We on the other hand didn't get much done at all. My brother had to run back home Saturday afternoon for a semi emergency and didn't get back until 300 Sunday. I didn't stray far as I wanted to be here to pick him up when he got back. Was just a little later than we had hoped. Fished docks all afternoon with similar results. A few crappie and lots of short bass (10-12" short). This general area currently seems to be sort of a Dead Sea. Lots of shad in coves here too but scant little activity and nothing significant on the electronics either. Have yet to see any surface activity although we have spent quite a bit of time during "prime time" both evenings idling around typically likely areas. Don't know if all the boats tend to push them deeper and tighter to cover like docks? Heavy boat traffic is so common though I wouldn't think it would matter. While the boat traffic subsided significantly as y'all predicted, I've now developed a motor problem and again am reluctant to travel very far. Might revert to my previous plan of trailering elsewhere. Kind of aggravating though with a six month old boat! Again, congrats on your great day and continued thanks for trying to help out us hacks!