mplspug wrote:

Dec 5 see you at Amelie.

I cant remember who it was, but recently someone was signed here and they talked about how the lightning had an advantage with no state tax.

It isn’t that much of an advantage anymore with the way that States tax the players. California started it when they saw all these high dollar football and basketball players come to their state and play in games without paying for the privilege. Illinois soon followed and now every state does.
When the players play a game, they pay tax based on their salary for that game to that state. So, when they play the Blackhawks, they pay IL state tax. Yes, that means that they get a “discount” on their home state’s tax, but for those living in low tax states (Florida, Texas, Carolina, etc.) they end up paying quite a bit more to the high tax states/provinces. The same goes for playing in Canada. When I was a Field Service Engineer, it was not uncommon for me to have to file in 15 different states and pay to a couple of other countries.

JoeMX1825 wrote:

I’m fine with the pick, but when your a team that can’t score goals, why pass on the consensus best pure goal scorer in the draft?

I would assume that the main reason for passing on Caufield was size. The Blues just showed the rest of the league that size and grit still matters in the Playoffs, especially if the refs are going to swallow their whistles as much as they did this year.

I am OK with the Boldy pick as he is known to be a guy who isn’t afraid to go to the dirty ice, which we will need as Parise can’t do it by himself anymore. In 2 years, when he is ready to play, Boldy and Greenway will be quite the tandem on the goal line during the PP.

I also like the fact that Boldy (and to a lesser extent Warren) came from the US NTDP. With Kunin, Greenway and Donato also having played for Team USA recently, they have a common thread that they can build on.

Finally, I wouldn’t be all that surprised to see him get moved to Center at Boston College due to his two-way game and bring that with him as well.

pass0047 wrote:

It’s 90 hp and a 2005 model 4 stroke. I have no problem buying a new neutral switch but not if it does not help. Was just checking if the way I bypassed switch should have worked
Thank for your relies

Only if the safety requires a closed circuit. It could be that the circuit opens when the shifter is in neutral and closes when it is not. If that is the case, then you can’t just remove it, it has to be replaced.

disco bobber wrote:

How many years of NHL Hockey in MN with no cup to show for it?

Less than the Blues, since we had a few years off between the North Stars and the Wild.

I live in St. Louis. As you can imagine, it was quite a party here last night!

So, what you are saying is that you can essentially get a Cabela’s gift card for 22% off, which means that you then buy the stuff you want for about the same price as Amazon, Sportsmans Warehouse, or FishUSA.com when you factor in that discount.

Great episode to finish the season!

I have to say that the Spot on the Spot segment of this episode was one of the best instructional segments I have ever seen on a fishing show. James did an excellent job showing how to ID fish and structure when using side imaging.

Thanks again for a great season!

I have a 2015 F-150 that I purchased new and I love it. I went with the 5.0 liter engine vs. the EcoBoost. I am averaging about 17.5 mpg at the 40000 mile point.
Before you pull the trigger on the EcoBoost, you really should read some of the reviews about towing with them. The newer F-150s are pretty light trucks, so if you pull a heavy load (like your boat) the engine ends up working pretty hard. The “boost” on the EcoBoost is essentially a turbo, so once you put a good load on it your mileage will drop much faster than it would with the 5.0 liter.

That being said, I love the cabs on the F-150s and having a flat back floor is great when you have to put things inside (like gun cases, etc.). They will slide right up under the seats and still leave foot space for passengers.

slipbob_nick wrote:

Do yourself a favor if it’s your first season and your hiring out the blowout schedule something way ahead of time. The switch flips and everyone is calling the places at the same time.

This is good advise as well. I live a bit more south than most of you, so our system has been on for a while now, but check with some of the local providers to see if they have a “turn on/turn off” deal. Our company will come out and start up our system and do the backflow preventer testing (required by our County) and then come back in the fall to do the winterization service as well. It costs us 15% less than doing the two separately, plus they give us a 10% discount on any parts that need to be replaced.

Honest John wrote:

Reef, Be sure to join us in Wakemup Bay for the evening bite.

The evening bite in Wakemup is an urban legend.

mplspug wrote:

I’m going to miss you Tortorella. I used to hate the guy, I like him now.

“Don’t even go there”

Yeah, he is pretty funny during press conferences. Did you see the one where he answered the phone of one of the reporters who forgot to turn his cell off? It is GOLD!

biggill wrote:

Zipper merge people!

Yes, please, for the love of all that is holy! Zipper merge!

Loved the episode, guys! It is fun to see other fish species on the show, especially when they are as healthy as the ones you guys pulled in!

As soon as the rivers go back down, I will be heading out for some giant blue and channels here in the STL area. I can’t wait!

Yep, that is good info.

I would love to get back to catching 1# plus gills on a regular basis in MN lakes.

I have Alphaburly Pros and I love them. They can be a bit tough to get on if they are cold, but once they are on, they stay on. They keep my feet warm when sitting in a tree-stand or while working around my BILs farm. I have big legs and they were the only style that fit my calves without pushing down or cutting off circulation. Mine are the 400 Thinsulate as well.

FYI, if you are going to use your phone for booking, then get the hotel’s app and install that. It makes booking much easier and you know you are booking directly with the hotel when using the app.

I travel all the time for work and I have found that most of the time, you get the best rates from the hotel itself as long as you have AAA, AARP, or are willing to prepay.

Ice Cap wrote:

Would Ovechkin be a 50 goal scorer with the Wild?

Yes. Ovi could have scored 50 with whatever team he played on. He finds a way. I love his enthusiasm and his drive. I know everyone says that Crosby was the face of the league until McDavid came along, but I honestly believe that Ovi was a better player and is doing more for the league than Crosby at this point.

jeff_huberty wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>deertracker wrote:</div>
Who’s this Charlie Coyle guy for Boston?
DT

Charlie 13 is having one heck of a playoffs.

Yeah, when he gave up the puck leading to the Blue Jacket’s first goal, I said to my wife, “There is the Coyle that we know and love!”. Then he redeemed himself in a big way. 5 goals in the playoffs this year. Where was that the last 4 years?

TheFamousGrouse wrote:

Can’t believe what happened in the 3rd in the Sharks game. The only thing I could figure out is that maybe Pavelski’s helmet got pushed such that the chin strap ear loop cut him behind the ear? Just guessing, but very hard to see how this happened.

If you watch the replay that mplspug posted (JM going off) it looks like Stastny’s skate actually cuts him just below the ear when he steps over him (0:14 of the video).

I agree that Vegas shouldn’t have let in 4 goals during a 5 minute penalty, but I also understand momentum and the Shark Tank is a pretty wild place when it gets rocking and once that first one went in, the crowd was pretty pumped and the Sharks fed on it.

It should not have been a penalty at all, or at best a 2 minute minor. After watching Big Buff, Orlov, Orpik and other defensemen absolutely maul various forwards in front of the nets with no calls during these playoffs, a quick cross-check during a face-off scrum doesn’t warrant a penalty in my book. Call them all or call none, but don’t give out a 5 minute major just because someone started bleeding. Especially if you didn’t see the event that caused it.

jeff_huberty wrote:

That kid is playing well, he would look good in a Wild Jersey

He is playing lights out. Everyone keeps talking about Jack Hughes, but I have watched all three games that the US has played in this tourney and I think that Caufield is the better player there. Jack seems to have a bit more grit in the corners, but Cole seems to always find quiet ice and his shot is amazing. He doesn’t miss the net much and he can hit some pretty small areas at full speed. He has some wheels for a small guy as well.

11 points (nine of them goals) and a +7 in 3 games is basically the same as Marion Gaborik had in 1999, total. Same with Jack Hughes last year. He already has more goals than McDavid did in this tourney and it is highly likely that he will meet or beat Ovechkin’s record for the most goals in the tournament (14).

I really like this kid and if he slips to #12 and the Wild pick him up, we will be in for a treat when he hits the ice.

Well, after watching the US/Sweden game in the U-18 tourney, I am pretty sure Cole Caufield is not going to be available at #12. That kid can score some goals!

I am pretty sure Jon is the “Prince who was promised” and he will end up on the throne while Daenerys heads back over to Essos to rebuild Valyria.

Sansa ends up as the Hand of the King or back in Winterfell. Arya ends up as the spymaster or back in Bravos at the temple of the Many Faced-God.
Brianne either dies while killing Jamie or she ends up as the Head of the Kingsguard.

The only other one I see surviving is Bronn. I say he either ends up in Essos with Daenerys or in Dorn.

TheFamousGrouse wrote:

Leafs vs Bruins. Probably the best series in the East. Anyone think this one is going to go less than 6?

My prediction is that this one goes to 7 again this year. I think that the Pens/Isles series goes 7 as well.

Not that I am a big Flames fan this year, but yeah, they are going to spank the Avs. Want to see the Preds beat the Stars, but their special teams is so shaky right now, I don’t know if they can do it. I would like to see Vegas pick it up a bit as I want to see them go deep again this year, but without Fleury being 100%, I don’t know if they can do it. As for the Blues, it is hard for me to see them do well (I am a Wild fan living in St. Louis, so I am subjected to a special kind of torture at my local) but they seem to be clicking. MN showed everyone how to beat the Jets. Not that I don’t like seeing the Jets get whooped up on, but if St. Louis gets by them, they are going to be hard to beat going forward.

Here is a question for you guys.

How about a trade with Vegas? Zucker and Pateryn for Tuch and Miller.

Vegas gets it’s hometown boy and some speed along with a stay-at-home third pairing defenseman and MN gets back Tuch, who would fit very well on a line with Staal or Ek and gives us right shot that doesn’t mind going to the dirty ice along with Miller, the better half of one of the best third pairings of defensemen in the league. MN would also gain about $1.5MM in cap space as well.

JoeMX1825 wrote:

Looking at teams with cap issues this summer, I wondered what it would take to get Nylander from the leafs? Our 1st round pick this season? (Toronto traded away theirs) Honestly, I think the Leafs would do just about anything to get out of that contract and for the Wild (who lack any right handed star power) the contract is an acceptable risk. For the Leafs, it’s all about clearing cap space for Mariner and resigning some of their defense. Wow, they will have 3 players making $11+ per season!

His right-hand shot would look really good for the next 5 seasons in green and at just under $7 million per…

I am not sure that Nylander would be a good fit here. He has some issues and I think that his numbers are bit inflated due to playing with Matthews and Marner who get a lot of attention from the oppositions shut-down players.

As for Spurgeon, I think he might be willing to take a bit less to stay with MN.

Great episode gents!

For those who might want to try something a bit different, there are quite a few places around the Galveston, TX and Corpus Christi, TX area where you can rent a kayak and fish the saltwater marshes. It is really fun to hook a bull in a kayak.

One thing to remember, and James did mention it on the episode, if you are going to use lighter tackle, make sure you are using a reel with enough line. I have had a bull get me to the mono backing on a size 2500 reel before (125 yards of line out). They pull extremely hard and when they go on a run there isn’t much you can do except hang on.
Also, if you do plan on taking your standard walleye/pike rods/reels, make sure you clean them off very good at the end of each day and do a deep clean on the reel at the end of the trip. Saltwater is really hard on tackle. Either that, or invest in inshore equipment.

Here is something that I do every once in a while instead of making tacos.

Heat the oven to 275. Spread your leftover fillets in a glass baking pan. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake for 10-15 minutes until reheated and crispy. Wipe the excess oil out of the dish with a paper towel. Spoon your favorite marinara sauce over the fish. Top with mozzarella cheese. Put it back in the oven until the cheese is melted and just starting to get brown spots.

Serve over angel hair pasta.

I think MN State might surprise you this year. They have some good talent and have shown that they can win even in tight spots.

The wife and I have been going to Ludlow’s (https://ludlowsresort.com/) in mid-May for 5 years in row now. We love Vermilion and love staying at Ludlow’s. It is super quiet, extremely family friendly, you have access to both sides of the lake and if you don’t want to drag your own boat up there, their rentals are reasonably priced.
As stated, it can be a tough lake to get tuned into, but if you don’t mind spending the money, going out with one of the local guides (they are all really great folks) will help you figure out the lake very quickly.

One of the reasons we like the lake so much is that there are very few lakes where you can spend the morning catching a limit of eater walleyes, head to a bay and pick up a limit of 12-15″ crappies, spend the afternoon casting or sucker fishing for big pike or casting for smallmouth around the many rocky islands and then spend the “magic hour” hauling in 20+” walleyes.

For those of you who want Koivu gone, can you please explain to me why we went from 2nd to 16th in the NHL on the PK since he has been out?
Koivu was never going to be a 40 goal scorer. He is a defensive center and is one of the best in the league. His defensive zone face-off numbers are always within the best in the league, which is huge on the kill (as our current numbers can attest to) and is almost always in the right position on the kill, which ensures that the other three guys don’t have to chase as much.
Should he be the Captain? I don’t know, but I don’t see anyone else who should be wearing the C either. I can see Kunin getting it in a couple of years, but he isn’t ready for it at this level yet.

I would say that each state is unique and it really depends on what type of hunting and fishing you like to do.
If you like pheasants and walleyes, then the Dakotas are the place to go.
If you like deer and cold water, then MN/WI/MI are pretty dang good choices.
In NW PA, you can duck hunt in the early morning, head out on Lake Erie for some great walleye fishing, and then head into the creeks for steelhead in the afternoon and finish with a deer hunt in the evening.
In TX and LA, you can hunt deer, hogs or exotics and then head to the saltwater marshes for some flounder, redfish and spotted trout and then finish the day fishing the rigs off-shore.
In CO, MT, ID, UT you can hunt pronghorn, elk or deer and fish some of the finest trout waters in the country.
In AK, you can hunt anything from ptarmigan to Kodiak bears and then fish for salmon or go into the bays for huge halibut.

I guess what I am getting at is that this is the greatest country in the world for opportunities to hunt and fish and no matter your destination, you can probably find a great combo.