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Hope you had a good 4th! July 4 in TX is quite a different deal than NJ – amazing. More on that maybe later....
Need a little buying advice on 2 things, appreciate any help.
First is a new cranking/Talons (Poles)/electronics battery. My lead-acid battery is dead. If you know of a good battery for that, pls let me know. And yep, I'm aware a lot of guys are going with a separate battery for electronics but I don't want to do that right now – just want to replace the one I have.
Also need a house generator that can be wheeled out of the garage and powered up if there's an outage. Can't afford a permanent whole-home generator. If you know of a good one (or brand) that will power the important stuff for a bit, please let me know.
Thank you! Brown fish preview coming in the next one....
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If your email program cuts off the bottom of the email click "View this email in your browser" up top to see the whole thing. Sorry bout that – email programs keep changing stuff.
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Is the new Snag Proof Zoo Kick a better frog?
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Kinda sounds like it from talking to the guy behind it, Cali (now TX) frog legend Bobby Barrack. If you remember, the new Zoo Kick ^ is an upgraded version of the old Snag Proof Wobbletron:
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Let's get into it, here's 5 with Bobby:
1. Okay what's the deal with the Zoo Kick?
> "This is the greatest frog that no one knows about. It's a blueprinted Wobbletron, but it's got a better hook, the colors are different – but the most important part...the sound the legs make make it far superior to everything else.
> "The old Wobbletron was somewhat primitive. The link that attaches to the hook didn't have a collar on it, which is critical...keeps things stationary, keeps everything where it needs to be. 30-65 lb braid...can come undone without that link closed.
> "The link on the Zoo Kick, both ends are soldered so there's no way they can open it up. And it has a little mushroom collar on it – this is all internal, you can't see it. That is what holds onto the hook. So your braided line cannot cannot slip out, and your hook won't open up – ever. That's a humongous deal.
> "It's also got a good hook in it, which is an upgrade over the Wobbletron."
2. Why is it all that?
> "The sound of the feet is the key to the whole thing. The cadence and the sound of the feet.
> "A typical guy [will] throw it out and just reel it back like it's a buzzbait.... I highly suggest – I emphasize every time I get a chance to talk about it – throw it at a target and make short, sharp twitches: chrirp stop, chirp chirp stop, chirp chirp chirp stop.
> "When I first started messing around with this thing in 2006-08 until 2017, I didn't throw a regular frog. I threw the Wobbletron exclusively. If we go fishing – you're in the back and I'm in the front, and I'm throwing a regular frog and you're throwing the Zoo Kick. We both catch a limit – my 5 will weigh 15 lbs, and your 5 are going to weight 17+.
> "When I lived on the [Cali] Delta [guiding] we threw the frog a lot. Our frog season is like 7 months, and I got to see that difference 100s of times. The difference between that Wobbletron and your standard frog.
> "It generates bigger bites, it has a larger profile, a different sound.... Those fish can see that silhouette – I think they eat that thing because they think it's a bird, a critter...."
3. Are you fishing it your typical frogging areas?
> "I fish it from a foot to 12-15' [past targets].
> "I will paddle this bait [like a toad] if the water has jumped up Then it becomes a search bait...a stable Ribbit or Zoom Horny Toad. The biggest difference with this is if one misses it, you can pause it and it doesn't sink to the bottom of the lake.
> "Or if you can see one tracking it...it's almost like a glide bait...should I stop, should I pause, should I pop it and make it do a 180.
> "When this thing stops, it will actually rest at a 60-80 degree angle. The butt sinks [like a real frog]."
4. What are your must-have colors?
> "'Tweety', you can never go wrong with black, 'green pumpkin' in crystal-clear water.
> "...the 'purple blast.' I would never throw a purple frog – just not in my program. I couldn't open my mind to it, but it's become one of my top 3 favorite colors.
> "I started doing some research on bluegills, especially bull bream They keep that purple man – that good, nice purple...and I think that's got a lot to do with it. Because the size of fish I am catching with this thing...pre-spawn, post-spawn fish.
> "I either grab 'purple blast' or 'tweety'...."
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5. Anything else we need to know about it?
> "Guys need to put a little glue on each one of those legs – some need some glue. A drop of glue up inside where the legs connect to the bottom."
Any glue you recommend?
> "[Laughs] I use Harbor Freight – the red and white glue."
Bobby's frowgin' gear:
> 7' 9" iRod Bobby's Perfect Frog Rod – the 7' 2" version if the water is high and he's pitching the frog.
> 7.5-8.3 speed reel – "whatever's on sale."
> 80-lb FINS Infinity Black Braid if he's around wood, pads or grass. "If another 3 yards is real critical then I'll use 65."
Bobby has some good tips on his Insta and YouTube.
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Does your frog leave a scent trail??
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Kistler Jig Head Minnow Rod sets a new bar for pingin' rods?
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That's the opinion of college fisherman/BB intern Brett Jolley, who fishes a LOT of minnows. Because he pings a lot, I asked Trey Kistler if he would send Brett one of the new-ish 6' 9" Lite-Medium Kistler Jig Head Minnow Rods – to get an expert opinion.
Sounds like Brett loves it:
> To me, this is the best jighead rod I've ever had in my hands, I'm no pro, but I am a 22-year-old that spends most of my fishing time looking at FFS. I've gone through my share of jighead minnow rods and this one is just legit.
> The first time I really used it was in MT catching smallies. We used a minnow pretty much exclusively up there and it was absolutely incredible.
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> That rod is so light I was able to throw a minnow all day for a few days straight without getting fatigued or anything.
> The light weight of that rod really helps me get way more bites. I give it a lot of different twitches and hold it at different positions depending on what kind of minnow I'm using. The light weight just gives me so much control over my technique.
> You can make these micro shakes with your hand and that rod has such good action – it throws tons of slack in the line with those small movements and gives a bait a different action, without pulling the bait to away too fast.
> It has such a unique action too. A lot of jighead minnow rods I've used are either stiff all the way through or you can wrap 'em in a circle. This rod has the soft tip with a good backbone – it's just right.
> A huge deal for me is the action of it – its ability to load up on a cast and on fish is insane. Even though it's a light rod, it's still got that backbone to drive an exposed hook in. And that action helps so much with fighting fish. That action takes so much of those head shakes and runs.
> I can launch an 1/8-oz jighead as far as I want. Even with bigger baits – like a bigger jighead and a 5-7" minnow – it loads up just right to be able to put that minnow on target.
> The MT smallies were pre-spawn on shallow rock so we didn't even see 'em on FFS, but that rod was still key for loading up on those fish when they bit.
> And when those big 4-6 lb smallies came up and jumped, or pulled super hard, or made one of those last runs at the boat, that rod took all of that. I was never scared that I was gonna lose a fish because of it jumping or something.
> Since I've had this rod I've been using 10-lb Berkley Forward Braid, and with the combo of this rod and that line I can put lighter jigheads way out there with such little effort. That line really is the slickest braid I've ever had on a reel and it just launches stuff. You can tell just by the sound of it going through the rod eyes how slick it is.
> I was skeptical going to such a short rod for a minnow, but that it is so light and loads up so well on a cast I have zero issue getting minnows out to 100'+. It is absolutely my go-to rod for jighead minnows now.
> Here on my home lake – Sam Rayburn – it's been great giving fish a different look when everyone here is already throwing minnows. That's where I think the unique action of this rod really shines – places where everyone is throwing a minnow already.
> These big largemouth that see minnows every day can't stand it when they get a different look at a bait...that rod action is great.
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> Another deal is I've been using it a lot for crappie. On Sam Rayburn, TX I'm casting to crappie with a jig 99% of the time and that rod just get's 'em in the boat.
> You can give crappie jigs those little shakes to get 'em to commit when they're finicky, and that rod has enough play to not rip a hole in their mouth and keep 'em pinned until they're in the boat.
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2 new ploppers are coming
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Are you addicted to plopping? Will you throw the burble bait all day just to get 1-2 bites because you can fish and solve complex physics problems at the same time? 😆
I know some of you are addicted to 'em because they sell a bunch! So now along with the OG and the other best one – the Berkley Choppo – you've got these coming:
Rapala Claptail 110
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> ...a topwater bait with a metal prop and back blade that collide when retrieved, producing a unique 2-tone fish-attracting sound.
> Durable body and balanced weight ensure long casts and steady retrieves, while built-in belly swivel reduces leverage to keep fish pinned...also features a rotating hook hanger to prevent leverage by feisty fish....
> Bottom fin ensures lure remains stable...armed with 2 #3 VMC Hybrid Trebles and weighs 7/8-oz...8 colors.
2" Bill Lewis Baby Bubbler
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Top 4 FFS minnows fished in top pro events
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A bunch of companies ain't waitin' til ICAST (next week) to roll out their new stuff! Here's some of the announced stuff in no particular order:
1. Rapala CrushCity The Jerk
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Was available only in Canada – which might soon be a US state(s) 😁 – now being rolled out in the US. Gitcha another CrushCity pinging bait:
> ...tantalizing action from the fork-tail that produces an erratic, darting action.... The Jerk has a wider profile throughout the body and the tail than others on the market, making it adept at gliding and darting.
> Made with super TPE, which is built to sustain stretching, pulling, tugging, and biting without snapping or breaking [and floats].
2. VMC Minnow Shaker Jighead
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Guess you can expect folks like Wheeler and Connell to be pinging the CrushCity baits on this head now, along with their favored VMC Hybrid Swimbait Jighead which now comes in 1/8-oz (the lightest had been 3/16). More on the Minnow Shaker:
> Purpose-built for soft-plastic minnow baits like the CrushCity Freeloader and Mooch Minnow...features a unique 45-degree line tie – the only jighead on the market with this angle – which maximizes the rolling action of the minnow.
> Dual mono keepers lock the bait in place and keep it there....
Also a long-shank hook.
3. Yamamoto Hinge Minnow
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This is the bait Jake Lawrence couldn't show when he won the Chick-Nick MLF:
> Jake: "The Hinge Minnow is everything there is to love about Yamamoto plastic. This thing is super realistic, from the colors down to the rolling action.
> "It has a great slow roll, in large part due to the extended flanges on the sides. We wanted to make it durable while still providing the action needed, and the result is an incredibly versatile minnow that you'll be able to match the hatch with just about anywhere you go."
A durable Yamamoto bait! Will come in 3.5", 5", 6" and 7" and 10 colors. Here's a good little IG vid on it with Jake.
4. Yo-Zuri SuperBraid 9
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> Yo-Zuri's exclusive C.I.P. (Core Integration Process) makes SuperBraid 9 rounder, more durable and more resistant to fraying.
> 8 PE strands are braided with optimal tension and pitch around a super-strong core PE strand, and all strands are integrated 1 one line...more durable and abrasion-resistant, and gives it better sensitivity and handling than 8-strand braids.
> Cuts through the water...making it perfect for FFS techniques.
5. Lunkerhunt rolls out 2 Black HARD baits
Last week was 2 soft baits and they said more were coming so I assumed they would be soft-plastics too. But nope! Here they are – click the pics for a vid:
B.L.B FFS Minnow
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> ...a FFS optimized sinking jerkbait...it's made to show up loud and clear on your screen....
> With a tight, erratic action and a shimmering fall...cuts through the water column like a blade, staying in the zone longer....
Daggr Stick
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> ...a suspending finesse jerkbait with a compact profile that mimics natural prey to perfection. Its subtle rattle and tight, darting movement....
> Designed for control and precision, it excels with pause-and-twitch retrieves.... Outfitted with premium components and available in traditional and custom colors....
6. FishLab is upgrading their BioGill baits
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> The reinvented Bio Gill Pro lineup includes...a wake bait, a swimbait and a glide bait...featuring high-end JDM-inspired paint jobs, tighter swimming action and tournament-grade hardware...
> The [4"] Bio Gill Pro Wake Bait is a 3-piece, double-jointed, high-floating lure designed to push a wide, rolling wake at slow to medium speeds. ...clacking action...stop-and-go retrieves or steady pulls over shallow structure and vegetation.
> The Swimbait version [4"] features a natural tight kicking motion and excels at steady retrieves....
> ...the 5" Glide Bait delivers a slow-sinking, side-to-side S-pattern....
> ...5 high-quality colorways, including the brand-new 'bone white' developed to stand out in low-light or stained water conditions.
7. New high-end TITANIUM KastKing baitcaster 👀
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Called the Mg-Ti Elite, apparently "the world's first low-profile baitcast reel with a full titanium spool and shaft":
> After...success with 2 of the leading lightest baitcast reels in the world (Kestrel Elite and Mg12 Elite),...decided to take things 1 step further.
> Magnesium (Mg) gives all the advantages of light weight, but now [they have gone] even further by adding another element that not only has the advantage of weight savings, but also extreme durability: titanium (Ti).
> The new fully-titanium spool weighs only 1/10-oz, offering the castability of a wide range of lures from 0.05 oz - 1 oz. This makes the spool/shaft featherlight, has unmatched strength and durability, and gives it extremely low startup inertia for casting those ultralight baits.
> ...KastKing's new Halo Vortex Magnetic Brake. The HVB is a self-adaptive magnetic braking system that delivers adequate braking at the start of the cast to prevent backlash while automatically reducing braking force during the mid-to-late stages of the cast ensuring optimal casting distances.
> ...additional features of the Swing Wing side cover, Carbon Fiber Handle with TPE knobs, clicker tension knob for a crisp sound, LFTV tapered line guide, CNC machined X-shaped brake dial for ergonomic functionality, and 9+1 MaxiDur Double Shielded stainless steel ball bearings + 2 EZO bearings....
Comes in R and L hand, initially only in 7.2:1, MSRP $299.
8. Okuma is coming out with 2 new spin reels...
...available late summer, both reasonably-priced. One is the Safyre:
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> ...Okuma's oversized HDG+ high-density gearing, which provides extra torque and strength under heavy loads.
> A machine-cut brass pinion gear and the Gear Stabilizing System (GSS) ensure solid alignment and long-term durability.
> ...features a 7BB + 1RB stainless-steel bearing system for corrosion-resistant smoothness. Its multi-disc Carbonite drag system delivers consistent stopping power, while the Flite Drive system enhances gear stability under pressure.
> The rigid machined aluminum handle screws in directly for a solid, wobble-free feel during retrieves....
Comes in 1000 to 5000 with high-speed options in the 2500, 3000 and 4000 sizes. MSRP is $84.99-$94.99.
Okuma is also re-introing the Rox spin reel for $44.99:
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> ...multi-disc oiled felt drag system for smooth, consistent pressure, along with a 3BB + 1RB bearing system for effortless retrieves. A Quick-Set anti-reverse roller bearing...precision machine-cut brass pinion gear ensures clean, reliable rotation under load.
> ...corrosion-resistant frame, sideplate and rotor deliver long-lasting durability. A machined aluminum, 2-tone anodized spool adds strength and a sleek, modern finish.
> Available in 1000, 3000 and 4000 sizes.... Each reel includes a 1-year limited warranty and...MSRP of just $44.99.
9. New 4.25" Missile Baits Freedom Flyer
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Not sure if John Crews designed this in the dark or it's supposed to mimic a cave critter....😆 Just messin' John! Here's the deal accordin' to the Bassmasters:
> ...a unique soft plastic design that creates rolling and darting action better than any other minnow soft plastic bait. With a thicker front body for easy rigging, long casts, and durability, the Freedom Flyer features side up pitch elevators on the back half of the bait that cause it to roll very easily.
"Side up pitch elevators"?? No idea what those are, will find out!
10. Dirty Jigs Pure Tungsten Guppy Head
Basically a tungsten version of their well-liked Guppy head:
> ...30% smaller than lead for a compact, natural presentation. It features a premium Gamakatsu 604 hook (1/0 or 3/0), wire bait keeper, and a weight-forward design....
11. Tungsten Smeltinator Jighead
Just in time for Gussy to win next year's Classic on it...if he makes it (c'mon man!). Will be available in 3/16, 1/4 and 3/8, and 2/0 and 3/0 hook sizes.
12. Check the Gamakatsu Antenna Hook
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Maybe they should've named it the Plankton hook lol. Anyhow interesting:
> ...Tournament Grade Wire (TGW), Nano Smooth Coat, and the premium series G-Finesse Stinger hook design. The adjustable 90-degree fluorocarbon weed guard provides an extremely high ability to avoid snags.
> The Antenna Hook offers versatile protection and promotes "Shokkaku"– the Japanese concept of heightened perception or sense of touch.
Sizes #4, #2, #1.
13. Power-Pole made a stainless prop for the Move troller
Costs $549.99:
> ...delivers consistent thrust, superior weed-shedding performance, and ultra-quiet operation—all with the strength of solid stainless steel. Built to power through the thickest vegetation without losing an edge.
14. Garmin 16" EchoMap Ultra 2 unit
Muti-band GPS, HDMI output for screen mirroring, can be operated by voice. Comes with or without a GT56UHD transducer for $4,799.99 and $4,599.99.
15. Garmin Force Current kayak troller
> Use the power-steer footpedals, included on select bundles, for hands-free throttle and steering, or use the wireless handheld remote with point-and-go gesture steering.
MSRP of $3,599.99 for the motor and foot pedals, or without the pedals for $2,999.99.
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From Big Bite Baits:
> "A ton of my success over the years has come on a jig. I had always wanted to design a super-versatile jig that could cover many different techniques instead of having to have a bunch of different jigs tied on.
> "I had the head for the McMoney built in the mid-2000s [and] GSM and Big Bite took serious interest in it as of late and now we're bringing it to the masses.
> "It's an all-purpose jig. I've caught them from the bushes to offshore structure."
4. TX: Different FFS rule – Team Trail Outdoors
AFTER you have 5 in your well, THEN you can turn on FFS. Said tourney participation is down across the state and he thinks it's FFS. 3 polys (winner and 2 random) per tourney. Link ^ is a long IG vid.
5. VA: Near dirty 30 on Roanoke River
CATT tourney won by Austin Hughes and Holden Northcutt with 29.25, had a 7.21 kicker. Another 3/4 lbs and the trophy would've been delivered by a UFO lol.
6. Tackle Warehouse's 4th of July sale ends TOMORROW
Ends July 9th at 6:00 pm EST.
7. DC: Rec Boating and Fishing Foundation loses federal $$$
In this deal they make it sound like it's a bad deal, but this FOX article says:
> More than $26 mil has already been paid out – on top of $164 mil since 2012 – to the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF), based in Alexandria, VA.
> ...the grant's purpose highlights RBFF's "Take Me Fishing" consumer campaign that includes a social and digital media component, as well as ads on Walt Disney Co-branded streaming services and "mobile fishing units" that cater to urban communities and "underserved audiences."
If those #s are accurate, $190 mil in 14 years averages to $13.5 mil per year – of federal excise tax $$$ on fishing tackle that we pay. I'm sure promotion of fishing is a good thing for everyone, but is it me or does that sound like a crazy huge amount of money for that?
8. Coasties name their districts
USCG. Was numerical now have names.
Headline of the Day
Livewell temperature variations stress out largemouth bass, study finds
Literally zero new from that deal, which was paid for with our $$ via the USFWS and Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Program. Not sure why some biologists continue to saw sawdust?
Here's a good post by Mike Ike about hot-weather fish care. He mentions a livewell oxygenating tablet like an Alka-Seltzer called BuzzerRocks. Never heard of it but it's on TW. If you use it, pls lmk how you like it.
Lines of the Day
Experts are sounding the alarm after an invasive species of bass has bred with local fish to create a new, dangerous fish.
Guess what they're talking about...spotted bass. "A new, dangerous fish." 🙄
Chris Lane and I finally get out on Lake Guntersville to cast our reels!
Cast them reels lol! Also said:
> We're talking all things bait and buoys....
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Good Jason Christie Spook tips
Maybe you're like me and you have your favorite Spook (or other walker) in your fave color tied on and you just throw it. For me, pre-TX, that used to be a Spook Jr in in 'bone', 'bone silver' or 'Okie shad', and a Berkley Drift Walker in pretty much any color (it's about the subtle action).
Anyhow, Jason Christie is not like me/us! And he loves him some Spookin'. So here's a few tips from his YT video:
1. Sound vs silent and...
> "Do they want the rattle, do they not want the rattle. Do they want it fast, do they want it slow."
2. Have both silent and sound ready to go
> "Whenever I'm catching them on topwater, I always have both of 'em laid out just to be able to show them something different."
In the video he's switching between them and catching fish.
3. Don't work it robotically
> "...make it look alive. You don't want the same thing all the way back. You gotta picture that that fish at some point gets behind that bait so you gotta make that bait act like it's getting away or just doing something different."
Check all the Spooks on TW.
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Young man name of Kyle R smashed this 10-10 giant off a dock on Lake 4 of CA's Santee Lakes fishing a "big swimbait." Said his brother caight a DD there too 4 months ago. Sounds like a place to visit? WON post:
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Jay Kumar's BassBlaster is a daily-ish roundup of the best (sometimes worst) and funniest stuff in bassin', hand-picked by me – Jay Kumar. I started BassFan.com, co-hosted Loudmouth Bass with Zona, was a B.A.S.S. senior writer and a bunch more in bassin'. The Blaster is the #2 daily read on any given day in the wide world o' bass so thanks for readin'!
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Check out BassGold.com! It's FREE!
Sign up another bass-head!
If you're forwarding every Blaster to other bass crackheads, tx much – or you can email me the addys and we'll take care of it! We'll never send spam or whatever....
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GITCHA HANDS ON THE BEST STUFF!
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Gitcha BB social at these links
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