Rule # 35.  Know the words to our national anthem and sing it loudly at every opportunity.

SO, IT'S SPRINGTIME.

The forsythia have bloomed, and that means the bluegill and bass have started nesting.  I told my late Great-Aunt Wilma that I could smell bluegill nesting, and she was certain I was continuing the family tradition of stretching the truth!  But I really can.  Really.  I can also smell Garter Snakes--but that one she just flat out refused to believe!!

I miss her so much.  Everyone needs someone who'll call them for bull shit--not that I was lying or exaggerating.

Not only do the forsythia signal the beginning of my heaviest fishing period, but because June 15 is Father's Day, and July 3 is my birthday, I'm looking forward to a new rod and reel this year!  Each year, for the last few, I have asked for a Pflueger reel and a Bass Pro Micro-Lite rod--one for Father's Day and the other for my birthday.  For Father's Day, I also ask if the kids and Peggy and I can go out for dinner--there's nothing I like more!!!

Last year, I asked for and received the Pflueger President Model 6925.  I've described this in previous entries, suffice it to say that I remain so very positive about this reel.  Today, as I was trying to wrestle in a 2-3 pound Channel Catfish, the drag actually engaged, and smoothly!

I paired this reel with a Bass Pro Micro-Lite rod: ML70LS2, a seven-foot Light weight rod, very sensitive and will cast a light weight lure a country mile!

The way I see it, that reel and rod constitute my mostly everyday, LIGHT WEIGHT, outfit.  I run 4 pound test on it, or the equivalent in different lines, and can cast lures weighing from 1/16 oz to 1/4 oz.  The catfish Carly and I wrestled in today give good evidence that the combination can take a large fish pretty easily.

This Father's Day/Birthday cycle, I'm working on creating an ULTRA-LIGHT outfit.  I looked throughout the Bass Pro Shops catalog for different makers of rods and reels, but in the end, I chose the lightest weight Pfleuger President reel, and the lightest weight Bass Pro Shops Micro-Lite 6' 6" rod.  I'll mostly use this outfit for river fishing, as I catch mostly smaller fish on the White.  I plan on spooling it with 2 pound test--probably braid.

I already have the makings of a MEDIUM-HEAVY rig, and I don't really want to spend much money on what will be my final outfit.  There are just so few times that I need to use more than 10 pound test.  The rod Peggy got for me from our bank's "Annual Value Points" is a wonderful MH weight rod, and I can slap just about any one of my extra reels on that and call it done.

I'm more interested in giving Carly some of my "hand me downs."  I want her to have a good rod and reel, because nothing is so frustrating as using inferior equipment when you know you could be catching fish!!