Raf

if it's spinning, focus on the rod if it's baitcasting, focus on the reel get a long rod either way for the long bombs (ie. 7-8'6" )

paul, mine's a lefty too. i still use it for light pike fishing & flipping switch is great for bottom bouncing walleye in the spring too. was thinking of trying it on the ice as well. still works great. only downside compared to todays reels, no instant reverse but that's not as big an issue for this kind of reel

well, my thinking is two-fold; 1) once you master baitcasters, you'll never go back to spinning reels when using lures / in situations they are designed for. might as well spend more once instead of buying twice. 2) typically the better reels are easier to learn on; smoother brakes, spools etc. learning to use one can be frustrating and the cheaper ones can make it even harder.

i'm not a big fan of their spinning reels but have used their baitcasters for a long time 7001 c3s, 6501 c3s, and an old Ultra Mag XL Plus that has to be about 25 years old and still tickin' . I think it may have been one of the first reels with a flipping switch. ultra mag 7000c3 series 6500c3 series good quality and cost effective reels that have been around a long time. i am not familiar with the black max. just remember, especially with baitcasters, you get what you pay for.. and for someone just learning to use one, i'd recommend spending a little more ie. $80+

did i mention it's a uni knot?

i think there's peopel here who havent been out in 20 yrs much less to Port Hope

you're kidding right? you are naming the uni after yourself and claim to have 'come up' with it? have a look at the insert in a box of powerpro and see what they call this exact knot - WITH twice through the eye and 7 or 8 wraps. if you're serious, you've really earned your name.

same here, whenever a clinch type knot is needed. this one works great for braid or mono. when a loop knot is needed (ie. to form a loop on a leader), google perfection loop

What is new? Skin looks same to me.

You could also mask off the item in the foreground, invert the selection and use a blur (I use gaussian blur) to simulate depth of field on photos already taken in photoshop. As usual though, the real deal is better than a simulation and the best way is to get it right the 1st time like Brandon mentioned.

nice, you actually caught a bufflehead. buggers are always too fast for me haha

the fisheye lenses are really popular with the skate video/pic crowd. nice shots brandon

i cross the credit daily up on creditview past britannia and man, she was raging today and overflowed the banks. hope people are smart enough to stay away.

NEXUS is great for frequent travellers. I will likely be applying for a card since I cross quite often. For Canucks trying to get into the US, I don't believe we have the Enhanced License available to us in Ontario just yet although there is talk of it. Right now we need a passport to enter the US.. be it land, sea or air.

you're gonna wish you have something more than 12lb mono if you tangle with a fish over 40" however, if all you're catching are snot rockets less than 8-10lbs than it'll be jsut fine. steel leaders a must. i use 30lb braid + wire leaders on my spinning pike rod. back when i used mono, 17lb on a baitcaster.

sounds familiar doug

yup or a fork/sharp object where the tail meets the body immobilizes them.

pics of said scenery? otherwise, i don't believe you!

steve, for me, lifting weights 3 times a week helped a lot. while i was never really overweight, i was what you'd call skinny fat or out of shape. my energy level's improved, strength obviously but most importantly, i've been able to get my body fat % down. i don't do cardio - i'd rather poke my eyes with a rusty screwdriver than sit on a stationary bike for 40mins. nothing extreme - goo a doogle for mark rippetoe's strength training - i basically do his routine. 30-40mins every two days. don't make the mistake of thinking more is better with weights - you body needs time to rest and regenerate. don't do it every day!! muscle burns calories even when you are sitting on the couch. by increasing your muscle mass, you are speeding up your metabolism.. making it easier to lose weight. in terms of diet, i've cut down on "bad" carbs - no white bread, white rice, potatoes etc. whole wheat and brown rice are ok. someone mentioned fruit juices and tehy are absolutely right - loaded with sugars.. they are NOT the health drink some make them out to be. meat and veggies are the staple here with more frequent, smaller meals. i do supplement my protein intake with shakes. I think people get hung up on weight when they should be more concerned with BF%.

ohh my.. i just about fell of my chair bly. i will resist.

ohh boi. that looks like fun. i think it's time to start leavin the rod in the truck too.

DBA & SAP B.I. "guy" - not to be confused with a bi-guy. Work for a company that keeps you safe - we're in the narcotic and explosive, biochemical, nuclear threat detection business. Sadly, business is good.

congrats benny!

i heart my o|||||o

mmmust rrressist.. police.. donut.. coffee.. argh. congrats marcus! my first job was delivering flyers (junk mail) to homes so I know all about irate people!