J Francho

Savings accounts? LOL, I can do 1.3% blindly picking out stock. Really, how much liquidity do you need when you have that much money?

Yep, I only use mono for bigger gamefish.

What is comfortable about it? How do you hold the reel? Palm it, two or three fingers ahead of the trigger? Two handed casts - where are your hands? Those are the inferred questions. I have two fingers ahead of the trigger with my thumb and index finger on the reel. I make two handed casts most of the time with my right hand on the reel and my left holding the rod where the handle splits. I feel like I have more control of the cast with a split grip for some reason. So, you're holding the blank? If so, that's weird. And by weird, I don't mean its wrong or bad. Just different. Never seen that, even from the n00bs in my kayak classes.

You swearing off mono? You must mean nylon. Fluoro is a mono. So is copoly. I'd use 50# Power Pro or 12# P-Line CXX. The CXX is going to be more resistant to abrasion than braid or fluoro or braid.

Close minded is the in thing in winter, LOL.

If you use dual brakes (DBS) with one or five pins "on" you can only choose prime numbers for setting the magnetics. ;D

What is comfortable about it? How do you hold the reel? Palm it, two or three fingers ahead of the trigger? Two handed casts - where are your hands? Those are the inferred questions.

I'm not going to say this is a 100% truth, but its something I noticed after teaching fishing for a season. Guys that use braid, use their tip to "feel" bites. That's why they like an x-fast action, that soft tip telegraphs the bite. To me a light, well balanced rig does it just as well, regardless of line. The x-fast tip is for getting into the backbone faster, for quicker hooksets.

LOL, you guys are so spoiled by modern gear. That's the kind of junk I grew up using. You can fish a t-rig worm or jig with whippy rod just fine. But with what's out today, its so much better. Oh, for the OP: skip the Skeet Reese rod, and get something HD.

Its for UV protection, not warmth.

I use 8, 10, and 12 lb. P-Line CXX for just about all of my treble hook baits. Fluoro bogs down as it sinks, braid just isn't right for this, and fouls easily - which is weird to me, since it doesn't with mouse/frog baits - and nylon mono is...well...that works too, but it isn't strong enough compared to CXX.

Thats what I thought J. You know the lakes I'll be fishing. I grew up on Owasco and fish the fingerlakes, Oneida Sandy Pond, and some smaller reservoirs like Whitney Point and as you have already directed me....Deruyter. I am leaning toward the Eagle fish elite 480 with the GPS and dual beam but that down immaging is sweet. I really don't want to spend $500 on one when I only spent $300 on the boat motor and trailer. Thanks for the response I have a HB 383 combo and a Fish Elite 502 combo. They are both fine units in that $$$ range.

Once I am 30 yards off shore, GPS becomes crucial.

Like Raul, I got some experience here.....my son doesn't really like to fish.

I like to set them in pairs, but it won't so imbalanced you'll notice.

When I need to break off on braid I'll just wrap the line around the handle of my pliers a couple times and give a nice pull. A lot of times I will just straighten the hook or uproot whatever I'm stuck on. A couple of times I've wrapped it around a mooring cleat and backed up with the tm. Works every time I tried doing the same thing with 15 lb. CXX once. The boat lost, LOL.

Pelican are older versions of WS boats. They reuse the molds, and typically have thinner hulls.

If you think that YOUR fishing time is limited when you take you boy out, then I suggest you completely change your attitude and expectations about the day. Keep it short and easy. You're not out there with him to fish, you're there to teach him how. Make sure that there are other things that will entertain him when he's bored of fishing. BTW, fishing is boring, he's right. Catching is where the fun is at.

Jig.

I was asleep by 10 PM, LOL. Got up at 3 AM to drive to the Salmon River. Didn't catch much, but was totally worth it.

A GPS/Sonar unit will be fine.

Cracking means its getting thicker, which is good.

LOL, weirdest quote trail ever.

Honestly, any decent SOT will work. i don't think you'll find anything new in the $250 range that is really any better than a toy. Used, that's another story. Primarily lake fishing, and want the ability to stand, then a WS Commander 12, OK Prowler Big Game, FreedomHawk 12, WS Ride 135, all would suit you well.

Sure, you can start with the fact that they are two entirely different casts, that often get lumped into the same phrase referring to heavy cover fishing, which is a mistake. Flip: short range, covers many short distance targets quickly, easy to master. Pitch: long range, pinpoint targets, low trajectory, quiet presentation, gets baits under overhanging cover.