J Francho

I am a rockstar, LOL.

"Fan" is short for fanatic. Just because you enjoy sports doesn't necessarily mean you are a fan. Many of us are fans, however.

I just about fell out of my chair laughing at that one!!!!!!!

A little weeding for a friend. All dinks.

Bucket.

Why would you compare this to a Zill Type R? That reel is 40% heavier. Wouldn't you line it up against the Steez or Core? Or maybe something that looks a lot like the JDM PX68......ahem.

I have nothing against senkos. Blindly tossing one into the abyss, and waiting for a bite? Well, sometimes a blind squirrel finds a nut, LOL.

I use braid if there's vegetation. It seems to be easier to lightly "pop" an open hook bait free from weeds with braid. If I'm bubba shotting, braid makes hooksets easier as well.

Anything that can be counted down to the depth the fish are feed in, and retrieved. Heavier weight/smaller profile = faster retrieve, if necessary. Think scroungers, countdown minnow baits, weighted hook swimbaits, scroungers, even big grubs.

Give it a few years....we'll be touting the new Japanese Short Rod technique, LOL.

Nice!

I didn't have to do anything other than wait a couple days.

Depends on what mono and fluoro you're comparing. Seaguar Invizx has less stretch than Suffix Siege in similar diameters. A lot less stretch. The reason I use straight fluoro now, and for years I was a braid with long fluoro leader (still am in some situations), is because of what I saw in a Bass Pro tank when a local was presenting some baits and techniques. There was a HUGE bow in his line, and two, yes two different 10 lb.+ steel head bit his bait, and he didn't feel it. Braid transfers NOTHING on a slack line, and this presentation can have quite a bit of slack line. Fluorocarbon is dense, and transmits subtle bites on a slack line. It also sinks rather quickly, eliminating the bow in the line, giving you a more direct connection between the rod and the hook.

Drum, sheephead. They get big, and put up a fight.

The fish in my avatar was caught using a hook attached with a PROPERLY tied Palomar.

Try fishing Senkos. Even more boring.

Yeah, ours are no "human contact" as well. Hip boots for launching, and nets for landing, etc. Oh, and the ubiquitous "wide mouthed P-jar," LOL.

They are a dime a dozen on ebay.

That picture is awesome, LOL. Here's a video shot and edited by my friend Jack that pretty much sums up Great Lakes Tributary steelhead fishing. It's work, but the payoff can be big, big fish. The net below is 24" wide, for reference:

Get a Mattlures Hard Gill, and hang on.

I was in VA this past Saturday, and it was HOT on the water. Still was better than any steelhead trip up here in January, LOL.

Drinking water reservoirs are the bomb, if you know where and how. Shhhh!!!!!! I noticed you were in your G3, no HP restrictions I take it? Ours are very restrictive, sometimes "oars only."

Good tip on the canvas bungee, Tom. I keep a dozen or so in the boat and truck - 1001 uses.

No need to switch brands. Just apply KVD Line & Lure to fresh line, and after every trip. A few casts usually works out the coils. I'm using 25# CXX on a swimbait rig, and that line has to be 9 mos. old and it's still as fresh as day 1.

I hate blaming gear, unless it breaks, but to me that seems like a rod better suited for traps in shallow grass and not x-deep divers.