solopaddler

Thanks guys, that's just what I was thinking this morning.

Naw, keep it up. I need something to keep me awake . (Just don't call me a steelheader. I hate being lumped in with (most) of those rubes).

It could be the fact I havn't slept a second since Sunday night and I'm starting to get twitchy .

Arrgh! More fodder for the dawg!!

Exactly why, when we were in the market last year we didn't buy a home in a newer subdivision. That and the tiny postage stamp sized lots, zero landscaping and zero privacy. We bought a house that's 35 years old with everything upgraded and done (and I mean everything ). 85X160' lot with mature landscaping and total privacy. As far as Mike Holmes goes, I think he's cool.

Interesting stuff Dave. I read a similar article recently where biologists were speculating that fish in a particularly popular lake were overall smaller 'cause they learned being bigger equated into being caught kept and killed. Basically the exact same theory: that because of mans predation nature has evolved at an alarming rate to cope with the problem. (I expect Lundboy will chime in on this one )

That is correct unless A: It's freezing cold and you don't want to get your hands wet, B: You're landing the fish alone from a high vantage point that makes tailing difficult, or C: You're landing the fish while standing in waist deep moving water with no place to beach them (tailing is difficult in those situations) and finally D: Shut yer pie hole ya putz!

I've still got a bunch of those in my arsenal from back in the day, not a bad spinner. Another popular one from the same era was the Veltic... Sold in many shops until roughly the mid-eighties. Cool find!

Okay your question was answered, now exactly what is a "noobi3" LOL!

Cooch? Really? The mystery of why the walleye crashed has been solved!

Pretty much any 9-12wt 4pc fly rod blank tied into a spinning rod would do the trick. (there's lots available) If you've got a deep wallet the ultimate would be a 9' 10wt Sage Z Axis.

Hey we've got two kids!! How do you figure they came to be? We didn't find them under the Christmas tree y'know .

Do you mean that literally? That could be fun!

(The monetary cost is minimal compared to the time spent trying to justify it to Joanne. I havn't crossed that bridge yet, but it will come......soon )

HAHA! (We'll work something out )

Thanks Wayne, just had my dad grab one for me from the Waterdown store this morning. (BTW, if I can make a suggestion. To those of you who've got a problem with CT and are looking for an outlet to vent your frustration.....send all your thoughts to Cliff (ccmt) via pm!! )

Yep!

For practically my entire life I've always wanted something but could never justify it's purchase: A handmade wooden steelhead net. There's plenty of occasions where beaching a fish is just not feasable and a net is needed though. Functionally a cheap aluminum version will work just as well, hence my 30 year hesitation. I finally took the plunge a while back contacting Lloyd Hautajarvi, an amazing craftsman who lives in northern Minnesota near the banks of the Brule river. The presentation quality net he built for me is in fact his "Brule" model. Made with a truly incredible marbled black ash, it's an absolute work of art! Check it out, and for those that truly appreciate a fine piece of wood check out the burl on this baby, it's unreal: It wasn't needed, but it sure is purty, and it'll look great in my steelhead pic's .

Great to see the old pic's bud, and hey put a little facial fuzz on your dad and it's you LOL! (Can definitely tell he was your dad )

Poor you, stuck there for a few more weeks are ya? Oh the inhumanity! Someone send a rescue team!! (lucky beggar )

Yeah, it's not really a bullhead right? Definitely nice to see some softwater!

Billy doesn't have that problem (yet). But for those that do, remember it's always easier to beg for forgiveness than to ask for permission .

Forgot to mention, but that reel will really balance that rod out nicely. With the reel seat set so far back the offset reel will balance better than your standard reel as it sits further forward... It's no wonder the guy had that rod/reel mated together...

I tip my micro jigs with them. Maggots work better though imo...

That's not what I said, but I will admit that the 10 plus years of ground in filth and roe goo had to go! I was surprised you didn't buy the reel right away when you picked up the rod. Even more amazed that it was still available (Bill stole it from the guy ). Good on ya brother, I'm sure you'll have a lot of fun with it!