VolFan

It certainly has significant stretch but it's a great line at a great value. It is the best "all purpose" line I've used.

In the magazine.

Fish that big main lake point and the brush on either side and off of it. There's more brush and stumps as you back away into deeper water. Jigs if it stays hot, spinnerbaits if we get the cold snap.

Dodge guy - where's your 832 pic? You can't dodgeguy pimp it without the pic!

My wife has the same problem on occasion.... ;-) You need to get the lightest combo you can for the fall bite, so that you don't exacerbate the problem.

Are there rocks around? Braid + rocks = what's happening to you, especially light braids. Also, depending on the rod you have, some of these drop shot rods aren't so much made for casting and retrieving as much as short casts for fairly vertical presentations and line management. You could try a 1500 size reel, but i still doubt you're going to get epic distance out of it, no matter the line.

It has been my experience that the fish are still there, they're just in different spots this year. We've had some extremely high water in the last 12 months that moved the river bottom around. Also, the grass/weeds are different this year. I'm actually catching more big fish and less of the "Potomac Deuces" this year.

You sure it wasn't a beaver? Sometimes those things aren't the expected color.

Washing, febreeze, odor eaters, and an deodorizing/antibacterial powder all help some. But they still tend to smell, especially if you regularly get them wet.

I'm on my 5 th or 6 th pair. Like Raider, I wear them for everything, especially running and lifting. Make sure they fit and you slowly work yourself into them or you won't like them. Take walks in them at first, then wear for a few hours a day, then some light running. They have to adequately mold to your feet.

While MCS could've said it better, his sentiments are right. I am a dog lover who grew up on a farm. If the dog is lame, the dog's got to go, don't let it suffer. If your kid swallowed a hook, would you be asking about it on a fishing forum?

10 lbs 5 oz, assuming you are 30 ft tall and have 24 inch hands. And that's the 22 oz inline spinner.

Probably a species of eel. They're around. Catch it on a worm?

Speed - What line are you throwing yours on (baits in the 1-4 oz range)? The Yz hybrid is cheap and it works, but I'm always open to something better. The stretch is great for casting but less so at distance with larger single hooks. Regarding the distance casting - it's not that I can't, I can sling it when I need to; I just try to avoid it with positioning if possible.

My rod is plenty heavy, but light enough that my wife still likes to use it a lot. As far as spinning gear for Swimbaits, I also have a light 8' surf rod and 4000 size reel from ll bean that do a great job and let me use braid without worrying. It's mostly a loaner/back up, but it gets it's use. It does a great job with frogs as well and I think the whole outfit was $150ish on sale.

That was the answer I was looking for regarding the internals...i think I got some water in the brake races, it's making a little noise. I can see the spool if I really try with the 68s, but rare is it that I need to cast that far, and setting that big hook at that distance can be iffy... J - that Slammer you sold me got WORN OUT this morning...probably 30 or so fish between 5 and 8....am. I have a raging case of bass thumb.

Ok, I'm not having a capacity issue using 15 lb yozuri hybrid, do there's that...

I fish a Cardiff 200 for SwimbaitsI, mainly Punkers, Slammers, Slammer jr' and 68 specials in rate of fall 12. Do the brakes/spool tensioner wear worse using what some would consider a smaller reel for these baits?

15 lb yozuri hybrid and a 6'6" MH Baitcaster are what you seek. I would do it with a Cardiff 100A, but that's just me.

RW hit the nail on the head...you can have it both ways and not hurt yourself down the road in retirement. Don't touch that 401K unless you absolutely have to.

I'd take him up on that, back in college I used to catch tons of smallies right in Sevierville, just find a bridge and fish.

Rocky areas with some current and/or depth are where you want to be. A little logjam in the creeks all the more better. PS- Isn't Benton's Smokehouse in Madisonville? That's some good stuff. I used to work with their daughter.

You're in a great area for smallies. The Ocoee, the Hiwassee, and their tributaries are all good for smallies. Upper Ft Loudon Lake and above that Chilhowee Lake have some great smallie action. Abrams creek where it empties into Chilhowee and then upstream I great as well, some bigger-than-you'd-ever-believe fish up there. Small jigs, rebel craws, spooks and trick woms or soft jerk baits were all I ever needed.

I have Salomon water shoes and also the vibram Five Finger Bikilas. I love both. The Five Fingers pick up less sand/gravel than the Salomons, but it's not really a problem with either. I like the Salomons better if it's a long walk over rocky terrain.

I forgot - pain is subjective.