A-Jay

Driving on ice is bad no matter where you live. Especially if & when the local road commission is not equipped to handle it. Sand & salt are spread here liberally from Nov thru Apr. There's an inch of both on the deck in my garage under my truck right now. #fallout And I don't drive that much in the winter. The biggest enemy even here is not the road conditions. It's other drivers. If you don't need to drive, my advice is don't. Stay Safe. A-Jay

At that price point - I highly recommend these ~ https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Lews_KVD_Composite_Cranking_Casting_Rods/descpage-LKVDCC.html And here's some supplemental info that might help you. https://youtu.be/zvzjcAI4Fxg A-Jay

When the body of water I am fishing is deeper than my canoe paddle length, then it really does help me to have some electronic assistance. And considering how I have spent the past several days, I will say no. Too much is never enough. ? A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

Cool ~ Enjoy the journey ! Congrats A-Jay

Sweet ~ Congrats on your new rig ! A-Jay

Total Body 1 this morning. And after a couple of off days, I was chomping at the bit to make it happen. Well, as much as a 63 year old guy can chomp anyway. Completed 3 working sets. Showing the last one of each performed here. #borninfiftynine A-Jay

Thank you for the support my friend, I truly appreciate it and can really use it. btw - the bold type is what my wife said to me yesterday. Almost verbatim. Been doing the R & D for two straight days. Going need a separate thread in the Marine Electronics forum so folks can follow the journey. Seems like it could be one wild ride. A-Jay

Had gutters when we lived in NJ. Giant PIA. We could never have gutters up here. They would fill with snow & ice and rip right off the house. Instead, everywhere there is run off, I buried 8 ft long 4x4's slightly above ground level. Water comes off the roof, hits the wood and disperses into the ground. Helps that the soil here is almost completely sand. Acorns roll off but I still need to blow the leaves off once or twice a year. A-Jay

@clemsondds I should be the one apologizing and I am sorry. I think the cold & snow has partial frozen what little brain I have left. Please just disregard my post above - it's mostly not applicable. Allow me to start again. . . . . . . I do Not crank with a TranX. My cranking reel of choice is a Shimano Calcutta 200D and has been for a while. I did a demo and a review from TW a while back. https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/106174-new-shimano-calcutta-series-d-casting-reel-demo-review/ Loved it. Bought one, and then promptly bought two more. The 5.7:1 ratio, smooth powerful gearing and large comfortable knobs make cranking big baits All Day actually pleasant. I could start a day with another reel, but an hour into it, I know I'd be back to the 200D. I would rather reel fast with a slow reel than reel slow with a fast one. TranX is still a killer reel but I only have the 300's and they are too big for my needs locally. Good Luck with your search. A-Jay

Can not comment on what other anglers perceive. My experience tells me these reels are very effective when utilized how, where and when I need them to. Any of my most recent Lake Baccarac reports threads can support that. A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

yes. A-Jay

Seems I live in a different world and deal with snow that comes in feet at a time. There's a loop type drive to clear as well as making 'path' through it all. Makes getting around (back & forth from the dog kennel) much easier. Terrain isn't all flat. This Honda 1332 is a beast and probably more than the OP needs. Either way two stage is my choice as well. https://youtu.be/zl0DDZEBbKk A-Jay

Love a good bald eagle photo. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act. A-Jay

For the coldest conditions, I wear an Under Armour Men's ColdGear Infrared Balaclava. Almost always top it off with a wool pull on cap. Besides early & late season fishing, I use it to blow snow when it's often below zero Fahrenheit. btw- I have found Nothing that prevents sunglasses/safety glasses from eventually fogging up. https://www.amazon.com/Under-Armour-Mens-ColdGear-Infrared/dp/B01C32ENW8/?tag=tripsavvy-onsite-prod-20&ascsubtag=4156578|nd2f87c947b554f28a4f9b37dac2f7c1119|&th=1&psc=1 A-Jay

I get it ~ But the time period lived while 'learning' the above, was totally different. And the actual spoonplug itself may be a prefect example of that. btw - and I think you know this but I ALWAYS look forward to & really enjoy reading your thoughts & responses on stuff like this. A-Jay

I get it ~ A different rig may offer safe access to waters previously unavailable as well. A-Jay

Fixed that one for you. The 75K difference has to be providing something. A-Jay

I try 'new stuff' when the mood strikes me. Part of what I might 'try' is at least having some idea of how and where I plan to use it. Sometimes it works out and sometimes it does not. Good deals I keep, others I re-home. Examples of recent (past 5 years) really good keepers include A-Rigs, Vibrating jigs, silent jerkbaits and some surface baits. Duds for me include glide baits and few different swimbaits. But I'd never know about any of this if I wasn't willing to 'try'. A-Jay

Really liking the Shimano Bantam MGL A Casting Reel BANTAM150A Have it on a MH/M St Croix Big Cranker rod A-Jay

I been keeping what works. So far so good. But it is very satisfying to hear that your dental hygienist and I are so high up on your list. Btw, there could be an unadvertised bait sale soon, but no worries mate. You're on speed dial. A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

Hello Tom G. and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

While much of my own gear comes in at a bit higher of a price point, My wife's been fishing a couple of these rods & reels a handful of times a summer for SEVERAL Years. They've held up well. https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/catpage-FENWIK.html?from=basres 30 size reel & 7' M rod A-Jay