rps

Well done!

Everything pizza on the way.

Try this Ron.

About ten years? ago I built a light jig and worm rod on a Lamiglass blank. The copper color was different. I used Fuji guides. Two years ago one of those guides broke at the wrap. I took it to the house, promising myself I would rebuild it. In the meantime I replaced it, wrapping a new blank with Recoil guides. I recently used a razor blade to remove the wraps and epoxy. That was easier said than done. Took the paint off the blank in more than one area. I wrapped it without repainting the blank. This will be my backup rod and does not need to be pretty.

We had a bit of rice left in the refrigerator so I threw some other things we had together and made a fake fried rice.

I agree that many people fry fish so that it all tastes the same. I disagree that you must eat it raw to taste the fish. Search this site for fishburger. Find my post and recipe. It will change your mind. Oh, don't make it with talpia or swai. Use walleye, crappie, carefully trimmed white bass or hybrids, trout whose flesh has turned red, or cod. Better yet, use a combo.

When Lowrance puts the 60" shaft Ghost on the market I will buy it to replace the non working Ulterra I have now. Until then, I fish like I did in 1972 and 73. Big motor only. I had inherited an 18HP Evinrude that weighed in excess of 100 pounds. I carted it in the back of the car and rented boats to fish. I lugged it down to the dock, put it on the transom and took it off at the end of the trip. I fished trying to avoid or use the wind. I had forgotten what that was like. Fished today. Finished with six bass and one crappie. None of great size. The largest was a 14 inch smallmouth. None came early on top water. The best bite was a Keitech 3.8 fat impact in bluegill that I swam in 24 to 35 fow near timber where I found scattered shad. I wanted to fish a Ned but could not spot lock in the wind. I envy Babler his new Garmin combo. I considered going that direction, but the only sonar units compatible with the motor were thousands of dollar chartplotters.

Now everyone spatchcocks and the photos are incredible! BTW, tonight's baked chicken with roasted potatoes and mushrooms and a sauteed Brussels sprouts side.

Will S. I run a 90 horse on a heavy 16.5 Lund with dual wind shields. I cruise at 30. Top end, at 5800 rpm, is 37 mph. 90 hp will not get you fast. I had a Yammy two boats ago. Decent motor but the 4 stroke maintenance was expensive. Happily, I now have my second Etech and it is almost off warranty so I can have Wrench work on it. If I ever buy a new boat, I will buy it w/o motor and transfer. My two cents? If you like the boat, buy it. Sell the parts on the motor and have Wrench find you a used Etech and repower. If you do that, you will be much older before you need to buy a new boat.

True that, but only if you look.

I am stir crazy. I live in a retirement community at the most independent level. The suggested guidelines for activity in the world are designed to protect us old farts. I understand and agree. When I go to the lake to fish by myself, upon my return, I get the stink eye. Since the 1970's, I have built 30 to 40 rods for myself and others. Since March, I have built one rod and rebuilt another. I have the parts necessary to finish a third on the way. My rod box will be full and then some. Here is my idea. If a few of you regulars want a new rod, tell me what you want it to do and what materials you want - type of guides, cork or Winn handles, spiral wrap or regular, micro guides or not, that sort of thing. I will order the components at regular consumer prices, wrap the rod and mail it, all for the amount it costs me. No labor charges. I do not purport to be a professional, I do not do fancy wraps, I may even have a blemish in the product (although I do my best to avoid them). What I do wrap will be a functional, life long rod that does the job you had in mind exactly as you tell it to me. I am interested in 1 to three requests. DM me with details and a email address if you are interested. BTW, you can buy a really good rod for the same price. The difference will be that when I finish, the rod will perform better than one purchased at the same price point. That is why I learned to wrap in the first place.

My walleye mentor taught me that bluegills were not a pest. They meant the walleye are near.

Tomato mac and cheese with meatballs.

Sous vide the legs and wings. Pat the skin dry and semi-dry fry. The skin will crisp like a potato chip

Not an attractive picture but tasty. Kielbasa, peppers, onion, and tomato with kalamata olives and garbanzo beans.

If Stockton is high and dingy and the water is in the bushes/trees, do not be afraid to start in 10 feet of water and work your way out.

MHX from Mudhole. Batson sells excellent generic blanks too. Just can't see my way to pay the premium for St. Croix or North Fork.

The method developed on rods for huge ocean fish where the pull torqued the rod to the side. For my applications, I use the method because you can use fewer microguides and keep the line off the blank. Fewer guides equals less weight on the front of the rod and a balance point just in front of the reel. Fewer wraps also mean less effect on the rod action. Besides, it also shows off, and who doesn't love that in their tackle?

A spook, even more so than the sammy, will sometimes call them up.

That time of year is too early to fish the channel edges on my upper end. It is too late to find shallow fish after the morning feed, although there should still be a good morning top water spell. The big fish, for me, are out on the flat points near but not on the roll offs. Bo's Nutech jigs in pbj with a craw trailer would be my first try. A C rig with a floating lizard would be second. Some will also be hanging in tree tops, probably 15 to 25 feet down. Take lots of jig heads and swim a keitech through the tops of those trees. The real gem advice will be Babler if he chimes in.

To keep myself from going stir crazy I have completed two rods. The first was a finesse jig/spinner bait/small swim bait/scrub a grub rod. MHX High-Mod Gen II Mag Taper Rod Blank MB862, 7'2" | 8-15 lb. | 1/8 - 9/16 oz. | Extra Fast Action | Medium Power | 1 Piece | 5.0 Tip | 0.49 Butt The second one is a new top water and crank bait rod. MHX 6'6" Medium Popping Rod Blank - P783-MHX, 6'6" | 6-12 lb. | 1/8 - 1/2 oz. | Mod-Fast Action | Medium Power | 1 Piece | 4.0 Tip | 0.454 Butt | Slate Finish Both are spiral wrapped using Recoil titanium micro guides.

This time of year, look shallow first. They bed from late May into June. If they are done, they will still be somewhat shallow. Use a number 6 or 4 hook and put it through the end of the crawler about a quarter inch and pop the point out. Turn the point and put it back and not through the crawler. Put two, three, or four split shot about two feet up the line from the hook. The number of split shot depends on the depth. Drag it slowly (less than 1 mph) along the flat points. Start at five feet deep and work out. If the water is in the trees, do the same just outside the trees. You will catch bass, walleye, and bluegill.

Thank you. Good report.