J Francho

Lou, do a search for Chatillon spring scales. They NEVER fail. A bit pricey, though.

Based on our training, the unit is set up with defaults that suit most waters. The interface is simply a joystick and a dial. From what I saw, the OS was very easy to understand.

That GL2 would also make a great umbrella rig rod.

Yes, that would be a great reel for that rod. But, that setup would be too heavy for 4" soft body baits. That rod is designed for much heavier baits.

Catching fish. Learn to catch fish on the waters you fish. It's trial and error. No magic bullets, no tried and true program. It's an art. Go through each lure group, learn when that lure's strengths collide with the seasonal patterns on your water. Repeat.

What kind of swimbaits are you chucking with a short, MH rated rod? That rod is rated for 3 to 8 oz. baits. If you want to step up into bigger baits, that's a great price.

Time on the water, period.

Not for nothing, pretty much all the regular members are in my thoughts and prayers. I do hope for a speedy recovery, and perhaps this was a message to live healthier for your dad. Stress is a killer.

Change the battery in the scale, and see what it reports.

If I'm throwing a light jig, I won't use a heavy fluoro. That's sort of the opposite of what you asked.

They are for guys that like to swing hard on crankbait fish. Or lose their baits in brush, lol.

You guys need to get out of Wally World, and try a real tackle store. NOTHING's cheap anymore. The gear offered for sale now is LIGHT YEARS ahead in quality and performance of what was around 20 years ago. I remember paying over $100 for a Daiwa low pro baitcaster with 2 bearings. It wasn't even an aluminum frame. Now for just a few bucks more, you can get a reel that will last you years, is made of aluminum, and casts a ton easier than reels from days gone by. You like your old reels, that's cool, I've got a few I really like as well. But today, around $150 gets you a whole lot more quality and performance than years gone by.

I wouldn't go chunking a a monster umbrella rig with 3 oz. of swimbaits on it, but a lighter rig with 3-4" baits on 1/8 oz. heads should be fine. It's gonna be more a function of the rod, anyway. I wouldn't throw any umbrella rig with less than 40# braid.

As was posted, it's a better way to rig than Texas style.

If you're worried about lead exposure, go to the doctor and have a test done. It isn't very likely that incidental handling of lead tackle would cause a spike in your levels.

This unit is so well thought out, and feature packed. Can't wait to get on the water with it!

Other than, I like it better than Shooter, it's been so long since I had Shooter on a reel, and so many different fluoro's ago, I can't make a side by side for you.

If it's a Rapala with Sure Set hooks, they're gone before the bait hits the water.

Never, it seems.

Youtube's anti shake does weird things. Nice work Pesc!

Dude, that's a 5-14 smallie - no small feat. Beats my best smallie by two ounces.

The thing I found most interesting about Tatsu is that although there is quite a bit of initial stretch, it locks down, tight at a point. After that, there is a lot of headroom before it breaks, and it does not deform like over stretched mono or copoly. It also seems to be of a slightly smaller diameter than other equally rated lines. I found I jumped up to 12# where I'd normally use 10, and 15# when I'd normally throw 12.

Of all my rods, Legend Tournaments and Champ Extremes are the most sensitive. However, I find plenty of sensitivity in my Avids, Eyecons, and my Pinnacle Perfecta may be a little above those.

My confidence bait changes, sometimes throughout the day, over a a few weeks, or season. When I figure out what the fish are doing, and start getting bit, I develop confidence in a particular bait. Could be a jig, crankbait, soft plastic, frog, you name it. It really depends on the water and the fish. I have a ton of confidence in a frog on my noontime shore spots. But on Erie, I have another couple lures that are my go to - a frog is not one of them. I will say, I throw a jig just about anywhere I fish. So if you had to pin me down to just one, that's it.

Many pros speak about negative cues. Things like pulsing the trolling motor, noises in the boat, bumping into cover, etc. To a man, they say avoid this. I'm wondering whether this simply spooks the fish, or is this part of fishing pressure, or a little of both?