J Francho

What the reporter said was that the Mayor shut the city down. The only people out were essential positions, like hospital workers, etc.

Slop? My three don't have any slop. Maybe take it back. Not sure that any spool bearing upgrade or handle is gonna fix it.

Since he said he's breaking off at the knots on the cast, I'd still say learn to tie better knots.

Never heard of a reel causing break offs at the knot. Most of my reels are magnetic brakes, no issues here...

I like Rage Chunks, Rage Craws, Zoom Chunks and Super Chunks, and twin tail grubs. But my all time favorite is a big bass. For best results, be sure to hook it through the top lip.

Congrats on another season, Mike!

For deep (15'+), open water, I prefer straight fluoro, in a lighter diameter. For fishing shallow (less than 10') weeds, I like 15 or 20# braid with a 4-6" leader of something really tough, like Seaguar fluoro leader material or P-Line CXX, in 8-12# diameter. If I'm bubba shotting, I'll use the straight 65# braid that's already on my flipping stick.

I use 20# Tatsu this past season. For years before, I used 12 or 15# P-Line CXX.

Sure you can. Chemically sharpened may be sharper, but you can put a sharp point on a dull hook with a hone. The chemical sharpening process doesn't change the fact that it's still metal, and can be filed to a point.

I saw on the Today Show some people from Boston crying about 15" of snow, and the city being shut down. I knocked that much off the hood of the truck this morning after shoveling and blowing two feet of snow last night. BAU up here by the lake.

If I had to use the same rod for jigs and topwater, fluoro wouldn't be on my list of "something different" to try. I'd try something like P-Line CXX. 12 or 15# should do.

I use 10 or 12# Tatsu or 8 or 10# P-Line CXX.

Unless I'm on the water, and a hook becomes dull, but nothing a quick sharpening can't fix, I replace them. Spinnerbaits and buzzbaits are an exception - they get sharpened until there is no hook left.

Cranks, spinners, buzzbaits, t-rigs, drop shot, grubs, jigs, swimbaits, jerkbaits....are a few.

I'm with Randy on this - it's the knots. Practice tying a few, and test them.

What ever rod I use to throw a jig or worm of that weight is what I use for a swim jig.

On a small club level, with money on the line, I don't see anything other than live weigh ever being 100% replaced.

Since you asked about hooks, I'll chime in with what I generally use, unless I'm fishing extremely weedy/snaggy water: I nose hook fluke baits on the same hook I use for wacky Senkos: Gamakatsu 1/0 Finesse Wide Gap. This saves me a ton of time, and keeps one less rig out on the deck when I'm fishing.

You don't need to go super high end to get good hooks. Baits from Spro, Rapala, Xcalibur, Daiwa, Yo-Zuri, Norman, and R2S, to name a few sub $10 baits I've used, all come with great hooks right out of the box. Anything north of the $12 mark, and I expect the very best in hooks.

Every spring I have to "knock the rust off" and work on casting accuracy. After a long winter of infrequent trout fishing trips, I lose my casting skills. Thankfully, they come back after a few trips.

I have the same shovels as you, JT, but I have two pushers. My son also has a plow on the lawn tractor that he made himself out of scrap metal - great for the sidewalks. I also have an old, 30" Toro snow blower affectionately called "the female dog," - you get the picture, lol. It has no safety devices, no brake, no shear pins, throttle cable long gone and held at full tilt with a bungee, - you basically just slam it in gear and you're off . It is however, electric start and always starts, and throws snow a mile. One of my favorite garbage finds. Had it for at least 15 years, and who knows how old it actually is. We got around 8" last night, and are due for another 18-24 through the weekend. Driving is no sweat with the truck...typical ride to work up here:

Tunnel hulls also create a mass of water between the pontoons that allow a prop or jet drive to work. One of the pics clearly shows a jet drive as well. There's usually a hydraulic jack plate on them too.

It's a jet drive. No prop. (null)

I'd trick that Cardiff out.... Swept Hawgtech handle, maybe some bling from Hedgehog Studios....

They were in a creek connected to smallie water, lol.