u/Glad-Valuable1987

Hi Guys,

My kids have finally gotten big enough to go on Headboats. So I’m now looking for multi-piece airline-friendly travel rods to use bottom fishing. I need two recommendations: one for light spinning and one for heavier reef fishing:

1. travel spinning rods for Black Sea bass and flounder, up to 130 feet or so. Perhaps some tautog in DE, maybe some light mahi. Paired with a 3500 black gold reel and 20 lb braid. Need rod recommendations

2. conventional travel rods to match with some Torium 20/Tekota 600/Fathom 25N-sized reels for use in fishing deep reefs in NC and FL which might have bigger fish (Snappers, small and medium groupers, smaller amberjack), but mostly vermillion snapper, Black Sea bass, and triggers. We have family in CA, so perhaps also whatever they catch in Northern California. Also perhaps cod in NJ. Think 50 lb braid, 60 lb mono leaders, 12 and 16 oz weight fished 180 feet deep. Need rod recommendations.

Appreciate your thoughts.

Guys,

I’m thinking of getting a new reel for my kids to use while fishing on the Miss Hatteras, a Headboat out of Hatteras NC. They target Black Sea bass, vermillion snapper, and triggerfish off reefs from around 100 to 180 feet deep. There are also Jacks, cubera snapper, and various groupers on the reefs as well, although in smaller numbers.

Their standard rental equipment consists of 3/0 and 4/0 Senators dropping 12 and 16 oz sinkers on 80 lb braid. The outfits are too heavy for my 80 and 90 lb boys.

I’m considering getting a lighter outfit for the boys to use. Because the boat fishes reefs which are pretty deep (up to 180 feet), the reel needs to have a lot of line capacity using 50 lb braid. But it needs to be small enough for them to handle for six hours. Have been thinking the Torium 2000hg, the Fathom 2 25N, or the Tekota 600. Thinking of pairing it with a MH Ugly Stik Carbon jigging rod and that they grow into it. Thoughts?

Hi guys,

When I was a kid, I drove on Goodyear, Perilli, Firestone, and Dunlop. However, I’ve only bought Michelin for our cars for the last thirty years.

I’m looking for some replacements for the Michelin Latitude Tours on our daughter’s CRV. We want something reliable, grippy in wet weather, high quality, which lasts and goes a long way. Safety is a primary concern with a new driver. Costco also sells Bridgestone, Pirelli, Firestone, and Goodrich.

What are the best quality tires at Costco? Any particular models you’d consider?

Hi guys,

Ok, I’ve finally been able to accept the up front cost of a Toto bidet. The other question about cost is one I hadn’t considered.

It’s not just the upfront costs, it’s also the maintenance. How long do these Toto seats last? And How hard are the toilets to maintain? Will I have to call a plumber, and are the parts crazy expensive? I know that it’s a dad duty to change float balls on conventional toilets. Will I need a plumber? I was thinking about getting three of these. What can I reasonably expect to average a year in maintenance?

Hi guys,

We have a 10 year old Mitsubishi mini split which no longer cools as effectively as it did before.

We had it serviced and recharged about a year and a half ago. Anyway, we are doing a whole house remodel and had a tech look at it. He says he suspects a small leak somewhere in the coil.

Is that worth fixing? How long do mini splits usually last? And, if it’s not worth fixing for me, would it be worth selling for someone to refurbish?

Hey,

Total newbie here again. We are leaning towards either a Toto Washlet G5a from Costco or a Toto Nexus S7 from Lowe’s.

Our bathroom is small, as the house was built in the 60s. The toilet is near the shower. Dumb question: is the toilet going to open and close every time we get in and out of the shower?

Hi guys,

We will be transitioning to a Grand Highlander Max Hybrid from our Honda Odyssey.

What prices are you seeing for the Max Hybrid, excluding sales tax? We are in the Northern Virginia area, for purposes of reference. We are looking at both new and used, hoping that the price goes down when the 2027 models show up shortly…

Any idea on what is a good price?

Hi Guys,

About to buy a vent hood to match with our Wolf six burner dual fuel range. Decided to go a bit small. -/ I doubt we will have more than three burners going at maximum at once.

Considering the Zephyr Venezia. The brand is considered good, but there are a few negative reviews on Home Depot’s website. Chiefly, complaints center on the motherboard needing replacement.

Anybody had any experience with this model? Any inputs on the brand?

Hi,

I’m looking for a shelf-stable, non-salmonella bait for catfish for the kids to use. Has anyone used saltwater fish bites or fish gum on freshwater catfish? If so, what colors and flavors have worked?

Hi,

Looking for a bidet. As I’ve aged, the tender bits have gotten, well, tender. I’ve experienced way too much government-issued TP st this point, hence the bidet.

We are new to using bidets, although we both will benefit. Anyway, we are looking for a good, dependable model which isn’t too hard to clean. What manufacturer, features, and models do you guys recommend?

Costco currently has the Toto Washlet 5a on sale. Most reviews are good, although I do see some complaining about some pf the base being made of plastic? With no one having them on display, it’s hard to figure out what to believe.

Help, please?

We were just looking at a used X7 at Select Auto Imports in Alexandria. Anybody have any experience with that dealership?

Hi Guys,

We are looking for a recommendation on a Canadian fishing trip. We have two dads and three kids, aged 14, 14, and 12. We’re looking at catching Walleye, Pike, and Muskie if freshwater, and flexible on species for saltwater.

Both dads have some knowledge of fishing, but these aren’t species common to the central atlantic. So we will need a guide for at least a couple of the days. The kids would like a nice place to swim, we want some good camp food, and would be thrilled if we could fit a float plane ride in.

We don’t know what plane tickets will cost next summer, but we would like to keep total costs reasonable. Part of the difficulty is knowing where we could fly inexpensively in Canada. Right offhand, I’d set a budget of $2k-3k. I would expect that the kids will be at the lower end of that range.

Any recommendations on where to fly into, what species to target, and specific lodges?

Hi,

Our rising 6th grader plays both ASA Developmental program (IDP) and recreation soccer. He hasn’t made ASA travel, although he has tried out in the past.

He is about to age out of the ADP program, but some kids on his team are going to “travel” teams in McLean or Annandale. They have been recruiting him, but I’m leery. I wonder if some of these are just more pay-to-play, for-profit operations taking advantage of kids and parents desperate to get a jersey. Or maybe they’re legit?

Anybody have some insight which they can share anonymously, of course?

Hi Guys,

Got to decide between a 700 CFM zephyr and a 1000 CFM XO vent hood to go over a 36 inch six burner dual fuel Wolf range

https://www.ajmadison.com/cgi-bin/ajmadison/ZVEE36DS.html

https://www.ajmadison.com/cgi-bin/ajmadison/XOV36KSE.html

Besides the fact that the XO is more powerful, which would you prefer? Is one brand better than the other?

Hi guys,

There is a crazy difference in price between Morn priced at costco vs the specialty bath and kitchen shops. Like, costco costs about 10% as much.

Is there much of a difference, if any, between the models at costco vs the specialty shops?

Hi,

We are coming in this weekend for five days. The weather reports seem to indicate that’s it’s going to be windy and cooler than we expected. Our boys have asked if there’s a place to go shore fishing at the Beaches all inclusive resort.

I was thinking of brining some small 3 piece spinning rods and reels to bottom fish. Is this allowed? If so, is there a place to get some simple bait and rigs? I’m unsure what we would be permitted to fly with. We appreciate any intel on this…..

Hi guys,

Looking for a good cheap taco place or truck for a middle school boys soccer team event. Hopefully, there’s a place where middle schoolers won’t bust the bank.

Ideas?

Hey,

My 13 year old kid wants to have his birthday party at a Korean-style raymun restaurant. It’s a place which features instant Korean-style raymun, which is the instant stuff distinguishable from the more traditional Japanese style ramen. As I understand it, such places sell instant ramen in a cup, which folks can customize using add-ons (e.g, meatballs, soft boiled eggs, fish cake, etc.).

We are looking at doing a movie, followed by a late night snack at one of these places. Does anyone know of such a place near Arlington?

Hey

A friend’s elderly parents are moving to the area. His house has an elevator shaft already installed but no elevator

He’s looking for estimates to have someone install one soon. Does anyone have any recommendations on local companies or contractors?