I took my 8 year old granddaughter hunting today, and this was the first deer she’s ever seen harvested. I’ll never forget the excitement she expressed when it went down. I know it’s not the biggest buck around but today to her it’s a good buck she couldn’t wait to call her mom and dad and tell them.
Before anyone says to much, I need to explain I’m a non ambulatory hunter therefore I hunt from a vehicle. she was inside my truck until we drove up and looked it over. All I have to say is I’ll never forget this day and I’m pretty sure she won’t either

I think that it was in the 1970's when Popiel advertised the heck out of their "Pocket Fisherman". We all thought that it was a joke of an idea, although the concept of having tackle under the car seat just in case you saw some water and had a few spare minutes might not be such a bad thing.

I saw this at a yard sale and bought it for $1, it was such a memory jog that I couldn't pass it up. I took it apart and cleaned and oiled it. Inside the case, it's a spincast mechanism as you'd expect. There's some clever engineering inside, and it's not the worst quality reel I've ever seen. Certainly, it's better quality than the Daiwa AC80 that I just threw out. (I'm not putting Daiwa down, they make some good reels - but the AC80 isn't one of them. I took it out on the front lawn to try it, if functions smoothly and well - although it isn't a rig you'd choose for casting accuracy. I think I'll hang it on the garage wall.

I'm curious though - has anyone here ever used one of these, and what was your experience with it?

I am not a fan, and honestly, I judge people that do it a bit. Knowing what, say, a huge marlin had to overcome to get truly massive, only to die so some goon on a boat can stroke himself off about his conquest is just sad. Especially when everyone and their grandmother has a camera and camcorder in their pockets.

If you like to eat fish, I get it. But keep something more average, for the species' sake and yours. Big specimens typically do not taste very good, and are better utilized by the fishery making more big fish.

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by J0hnnyHammerst1cks

This fishing trip to Steamboat Lake, CO was a real leap of faith, given all the conditions created by Covid-19.

Every year for the past 15+ years my Best Friend and I make a pilgrimage to Steamboat Lake, CO. This is no easy task as I live in San Diego and he lives in Salinas, KS. In the past I always flew from SD to Denver where he would drive from Kansas (6 hours) to the Denver airport and pick me up and then together we drive another 4 hours to Steamboat Lake.....This was the easy way for all these past years.

Now Covid-19 rasises it's ugly head and everything must change. I can't get on a plane...better yet, I won't get on a plane! So now this is where the Leap Of Faith comes in. My usual 1 hour & 40 minute plane ride turns into a 19+ hour drive which has to be done over two days. First leg, San Diego to Grand Junction, CO (11+ hours). Next morning a 8 hour drive to Ft Collins, CO. where we finally meet at my friends nephews house. Overnight again and take off the following morning for Lake Steamboat (4 hour drive)...Never have so few done so much for so little!, but we're old friends and this is Tradition! You don't mess with tradition!

Was it worth it? If catching your limit (4 trout) every day for five days means anything, then the fishing was just a bonus on top of the quality time I got to spend swapping lies & fish stories with my lifelong best friend. I honestly believe that fishing brings people together and keeps people together. Back in HS we used to compete against each other in track. Now 60+ years later it's all about catching the biggest or most fish.

So, as you can see Friendships & Traditions are to be kept at all costs. We're already planning our trip for next year!

Warning! It has just come to our attention that because of electronic eavesdropping by the Chinese Communist Government, they have learned of the heavy and increasing demand for the Electric Mobile Worm.

Not wanting to be left behind in this landslide development, they have commanded a number of their leading engineering firms and manufacturers to start an emergency production of several millions of fake Electronic Mobile Worms.

Our intelligence sources have discovered the first few shipments have already been air freighted to the West Coast of the United States.

Be Warned! You will not be acquiring a genuine Electric Mobile Worm if you buy one of these Chinese knock offs. Do not be fooled, the only real Electric Mobile Worm is an imaginary one and cannot be duplicated.

Just Sayin...RJS

Well,,,,,,,,,,, not really, but I was sitting on the throne the other day, thought you needed to know that, and I picked up my latest edition of the "In-Fisherman" and there in the Adventures Features was a little quip about fishing the Clinton Reservoir. They said that it was a good place to catch walleye, wipers, and white bass. Thought you needed to know that too.

Are wipers and white bass the same fish? Maybe the editor wanted the fish caught to start with a "w".

The guide's name is Brian Ondrejka, 913-484-9055, kansasanglingexperience.com. I didn't book him for the week of May 9th, 2021. Should I? (LOL)