J Francho

Sufix Elite for spinning and Siege for casting. Pretreat with KVD L&L.

I personally don't like actual flipping with braid. I use heavy fluoro or copoly, like 20# CXX. Any other heavy weed cover presentation, it's usually braid.

Berkley 10" Powerworms and Ragetail Recon and Anaconda are my favorite choices.

I like a heavier rod for bass, an 8 wt is suited to dropping topwater mice and frogs in the pads. It's really the only way to present a bait in a spot, take it away, and drop right back there. It's one place where a fly rod beats conventional gear. Look up Wild Water Flyrods. They have good gear, great prices, and a great warranty. I've been friends with the owner since the third grade.

I like a weighted swim bait hook as well. I rig it side ways. I'll also cut them in half, and nose hook them on a drop shot.

YUM Money Minnow is a popular bait.

Probably.

They're designed for soft boot tail swim baits, but they can be use with any plastic bait that fits.

I keep a legal limit sometimes. They get released after the photo session. If I'm on a hot bite, legal fish go onto the well, especially if they are big.

Generally, entry fee, payout, location, and date, in no particular order. I prefer team format.

I have two, and paired with TD-X pitching reels, they balance out nicely. Funny, heavier reels, like a Zillion didn't feel too great. I use mine for frogs, toads, t-rigs, heavy spinner baits/buzz baits, and jigs.

I retie after catching.

http://images.boats.com/resize/1/94/95/129495_0_070320092056_0.jpg

Does Lund still make the Mr. Pike? Those were cool multi species boat.

Sometimes just five. Five good ones is all it takes.

Ok? Nice rig, though. Had a similar rig a decade ago. Was a great for chasing smallies on Lake Ontario.

Been using fluoro leaders for steelhead long before I tried it for bass. Never really had an issue other than hating to tie a connection knot. To me, it's either a bad leader, bad knot, or some part of the system is unbalanced. 20# rod, 50# main line, drag cinched down, and a 10# leader…leader will break first. Doesn't matter how good a knot is. Not saying this is what you did, but you have to look at the break as the weakest part of the system, and determine why it failed.

I had a safety bag in the hull if my SOT, but slid way to the back, our if the way. I tied a parachute cord to it, and put a slip knot to the battery tray so I could get it easily. Maybe you could try something similar with you plastics storage.

Looking at your hull, I will say I added the side rail type on my old deep v rig. They really helped in windy days. I'm thinking that may be the better choice, after looking up your boat. Very similar to my old Sea Nymph.

They almost never come into play. The boat centers on the bunks pretty easily, if you don't dip the trailer too deep. Also, the rollers are noisy on the road.

One is an 18' aluminum, the other a 22' Bullet. I'd like something in between, maybe a 20' Bullet or Stroker.

I think we've made our points here. What someone uses their savings and/or credit for is their business, so long they do not live beyond their means. Then it's the lender's business.

I roll with two boats and a kayak. Would not want to give up any of them, but might sell both boats. Always got to have a way to get off the bank.

All time? Acme Lil' Cleo Culprit Ribbon Tail Zara Spook I still throw all these, except the worms are a newer plastic now.

I chase a few other species. I don't care what others think of my stuff or what I use. If they have questions, I help them out. As for competition, they are welcome to donate their entry fee to me. Let me know the time and place, lol.