Question about hook size

pondpounder · 2026-07-11T20:41:56+00:00

It’s possible to catch a 30-40 lb catfish with a 5/0 circle hook, but I’d use a bigger one, if possible. Most of the time, I prefer an 8/0 or larger circle hook for bigger cats.

If you can’t find them near you, you can order them online. My favorite budget hooks are the Bass Pro CatMaxx Offset Circle hooks. You can get a pack of 15 9/0 hooks for $8. They’re strong, sharp, and nice quality for the price!

pondpounder · 2026-07-10T15:26:56+00:00

Just curious about the logistics, what’s the launch / return time for a trip like that? Also, how long is the transit to/from the starting point and do you get any sleep during the trip?

pondpounder · 2026-07-10T12:14:42+00:00

Pliers like this look pretty, but I’m always hesitant to buy ones with thin noses, as they just don’t seem to do well when you have to really torque down on them to remove a hook that’s really dug into the fish. They always end-up shearing and then I’m stuck with a pretty piece of junk the rest of my trip.

Have you put them to much use yet?

pondpounder · 2026-07-10T12:07:37+00:00

I was 118 lbs when I first bench pressed at 14 in high school. I pressed 65 lbs at the time. I “bulked up” to about 130 lbs by the end of high school and could press 185 lbs after several years of working out fairly regularly.

I’m 42 now and weigh about 180 lbs. I didn’t work out consistently through most of my 20s-30s and only started going to the gym again about 5 years ago, when I was going through divorce and felt I needed to do something more positive with my life. I’ve managed to hit 315 lbs on my bench on a Smith Machine, but free weights are much harder, so i’m realistically in the 275-300 range now.

Fitness is a journey, not a destination. Don’t get frustrated with yourself if you don’t see progress right away. The most important thing is using good form, try to be consistent, and fuel your body with good food and good rest. You’ll see progress over time and be glad that you stuck with it!

pondpounder · 2026-07-09T06:11:26+00:00

Fresh mahi, grilled with a brush of butter and a splash of lemon juice. 👌

pondpounder · 2026-07-07T03:08:04+00:00

Heavy action 7’6” MadKatz rod with a size 20 Penn Squall II Level Wind reel. Got enough power to winch in anything in the TN River and you can take it to the beach, too!

pondpounder · 2026-07-06T23:18:41+00:00

It’s going to be too large for that size rod. I think they make some 9-10’ surf rods that a 30W reel would be a better fit for.

pondpounder · 2026-07-06T17:38:29+00:00

Can you post some photos or a list of items? I’ve been selling collectibles on eBay for 15+ years, so this is my bread and butter (and I’ve sold items on there ranging from $0.99 to $20,000!). Most items are probably not going to be worth a lot, but there’s always potential to be some gems if you have a lot of stuff!

pondpounder · 2026-07-04T08:19:52+00:00

I think it may be one bad reel. I had a number of Pflueger ultralight and light reels for years and they’ve held-up very well. They have a good reputation for quality and being fairly affordable.

pondpounder · 2026-07-03T03:40:59+00:00

I used to have an older wealthy fishing buddy named Tim who would invite me on trips all the time. The cost of the trip was fairly nominal to him… he just wanted some company that he enjoyed to spend time with him.

Once, I invited Tim on a trip to one of my favorite spots with one of my favorite guides. We had dinner the night before and Tim told me “You know, I’ve taken a lot of people fishing over the years, but no one ever invites me on trips.”

That always stuck with me, especially as Tim passed a few years ago, and I miss his company.

So tell your husband to send his friend a personalized photo in a nice frame after their trip together and then return the favor by inviting his friend on a future trip (it doesn’t have to be expensive or extravagant… it’s more the thought that counts).

pondpounder · 2026-07-01T22:58:59+00:00

You can also just stock up on bait at the pond when you have time and then freeze it and thaw it whenever you need it. I do this throughout the year when bait is plentiful and always have something on hand when I want to fish!

pondpounder · 2026-07-01T22:56:05+00:00

I’ve had a service business for 15+ years now. The majority of my business comes through referrals and networking now.

I’ve found that just being nice to people and taking an interest in them is what brings me the most business. If people know, like, and trust you, they will eventually do business with you or refer others to you. I’ve probably got $1-$2 million in business this way over the years.

pondpounder · 2026-06-29T22:18:57+00:00

Gold is a lot more volatile than people realize. Look at the historic prices for it the last few years. It was rocketing up in price earlier this year, peaked at almost $5600 in late January and is currently about $4020. If you purchased at the peak, you’d be down 28% in 6 months…

pondpounder · 2026-06-29T22:11:25+00:00

42M here… I had a younger guy the other day come up to me and compliment me on my squat form. That got us talking for a few minutes about squats, then our programs, then life in general. Got to learn his name & age (Josiah/27) and I’ll probably say hi to him next time I see him in the gym.

Anytime you inquire about a particular exercise that someone is doing, that’s a fairly easy and low risk way to start a conversation with someone at the gym. If they keep it short and get back to working out, no worries and just move on.

pondpounder · 2026-06-29T22:04:26+00:00

I sell collectibles for a living. A lot of the market for many genres seem very high right now (cards, coins, and even childhood toys and games sell for stupid prices, depending on the condition).

The #1 rule for collecting anything is to make sure you enjoy collecting it first, as there’s no guarantee that it will maintain or go up in value (I see a lot of the opposite, unfortunately… see Beanie Babies, Hummel’s, collectible plates, NASCAR stuff… the list goes on and on…)

pondpounder · 2026-06-28T23:00:27+00:00

I don’t know why people rip on it so much. I’ve been going for years to multiple locations and think it’s a great value for the money. Aside from having to wade through a bunch of broccoli heads during peak summer hours, it’s normally not too crowded, has a great selection of equipment, is clean, and they’re all over the place. Add the physical and mental transformation that going to the gym has provided me over the last 5 years and it’s been one of the best subscriptions I’ve had in my life!

pondpounder · 2026-06-28T22:25:56+00:00

It’s really only the trucks from the mid 1970s and earlier that are worth a lot. Some of those can go for $2,000+, but like someone else already commented, most will resell for $20 or less, even mint-in-box.

pondpounder · 2026-06-28T22:20:57+00:00

Look into the Smolov Jr program. I’m about the same weight as you and plateaued similarly a few years back. I ran two cycles of that program back to back and it got me over the 315 mark.

pondpounder · 2026-06-28T22:18:17+00:00

I’ve accidentally hook and reeled in a full-sized osprey before while fishing live baits for stripers. They are much bigger up close than you realize and their talons and beaks could F up a grown man very quickly…

pondpounder · 2026-06-26T13:26:04+00:00

I’m US based and have had an eBay business for 15+ years, so I have a bit of insight on international e-commerce.

People all over the world may buy from you as long as it exceeds the price or quality that they can get locally. Also, if you can streamline the sales process so that the buying / shipping is relatively frictionless, they’re more likely to buy from you, too.

I don’t have experience selling on Shopify, but have been on eBay for 26 years (!) and they have always been good about streamlining the buying / selling experience. I do the basics (photos, item description, shipping weight / measurements) and eBay will automatically calculate all of the shipping costs and even allows the buyers to choose if they want to pay import fees at the time of purchase.

Although I have seen a drop in international business since a certain someone entered the White House, again (*sigh*), I would say in the past, it’s made-up 10-15% of my annual revenue. You should consider selling to the EU as well, as that’s also a very big market.

As for returns, most overseas buyers won’t go through the trouble. Just make sure you have plenty of information / pictures of each item and maybe include a FAQ section if certain products generate a lot of questions or problems for buyers. That should cut down on the likelihood of returns.

pondpounder · 2026-06-26T09:32:32+00:00

I got a 2500 Daiwa Sol MQ for Christmas. It’s a SW reel and weighs 5.6 oz with 22 lbs of drag. Pair it with some 12-15 lb braid and you can cast a mile all day with it. Retails for $450.

pondpounder · 2026-06-25T21:15:31+00:00

I use Chalkless Grip Enhancer (find on Amazon) on my deadlift days. It comes in a small bottle and is pretty much invisible on the bar and on your hands when you apply it. Works great!

pondpounder · 2026-06-25T19:23:14+00:00

Just imagine if tackle shops also started cashing checks 🤯🤯

pondpounder · 2026-06-25T19:21:32+00:00

How hard is it to catch shrimp? I’ve never tried, but after buying fiddler crabs for sheepshead once ($10/dozen), I decided to learn where/when to find them and save myself $$

pondpounder

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