SirSnookalot

Whether it was golf or fishing I take it as it comes, I buy what I want or need and make my decision at that time. I do seem to favor some brands over others but I'm always open to try something different. When I was an avid golfer I was always buying something, much more of a fanatic than I was with fishing gear. Not only was I always looking for that perfect driver, but probably bought or had custom made new irons every 2 years, I have 4 sets in my garage now, at least 10 drivers and all kinds of wedges, only 2 putters in 40 years, lol. Every single time I put my new irons down and go back to my Callaway s2hs irons I bought in 1988. I grew up with persimmon woods, forged irons, steel shafts and every balata ball I owned had a smile in it when I was a kid. Next time I play I may wear my plus 4's.

I'm not much of an elastic band user but I do a have few set ups with both mono and copoly, can't say I favor one over the other. I don't backlash as I don't use b/c but I will get line twist with spinning, trolling it out is an easy fix. Even nylon lines are strong today, strength isn't an issue I'm worried about, using my drag eliminates that concern. If consistently landing fish heavier than your pound test without line management problems, you got a winner. At present I'm using 14# Silver thread copoly, it meets my criteria.

The golf analogy is good but it isn't always the case. Many intermediate and advanced golfers do not always adhere to having one brand thru out the bag. Not uncommon to see a driver of 1 brand, couple of fairway woods from another, 3-9 irons from another brand and a set of wedges plus a putter. This scenario is 5 different brands, you never know what's under the head covers of a pro.lol. In fishing I have light, med 7', med 7'6, mh 7', mh 7'6 and boat rods from my favorite brand. I also have similar rods from a different brand that cover more of a lure range. I use both brands equally depending on the situation. It boils down to an individual choice.

IMO no. Sight fishing is seeing the fish or some kind of activity like a ripple then throwing your lure at, not too close as not to spook it. Casting at fish busting bait may or may not be considered sight casting, each has their own opinion. Mine would be no because I'm not casting at one specific fish. In the end all that matters is a fish on your hook.

I wonder how we caught so many nice fish 50 and 60 years ago with the junk we were using then. There is but 1 rule in fishing, that is to enjoy it. If it takes just a cane pole and bobber to make you happy so be it. Or 30 technique specific combos accompanied with 17 tackle bags jammed pack with nearly every conceivable lure know to man, fishing from a 100k boat, and that's just your freshwater set up.

I have a small arsenal of lures, putting my lure where I think the fish should be works best for me. I don't change too often and generally only have 2-4 with me. When I do get a hot bite I like to change lures after each fish, I find in those cases the lure makes no difference, they all work. On a hot bite you can fish on your mother's old garter belt. On a dead bite, go home and take your wife out to lunch.

Is there a rule book?

Echoing the previous posts 8.3 oz is not heavy, but if it you think it is I would suggest just checking every reel in your price range on the internet. I would not use a size 25 unless I was putting it on a light power rod. I have a set up like that and I use it as "toy", it's not suitable as an every day do it all set up.

I haven't seen a peacock in 3 days, last week I was catching them every day.

Some times it's amazing how a small fish can attack a larger lure, and the opposite happens all the time too, small lures catching big fish. Depending on the type of lure small can be defined by weight or profile. I use a lure that is about 2" in length with small trebles and weighs 1 oz, I consider it a small lure. I also use lures that weigh only 1/8 oz but have a profile of 4", my opinion is a medium sized lure, both lures have caught fish from 1# to much much larger. I guess I define small as profile as opposed to weight. I caught on the same day and same pond with 1/4 oz rattle trap blue gills and 6# bass.

I was in Puerto Vallarta about 12 years ago, actually was there to play golf. I took a day to go out on a charter, 3 of us on the boat all strangers. My first fish may have been the toughest fight I have ever had including billfish, a 100# amberjack that may have taken an hour or so to land. Through out the day myself and my companions were catching snapper nothing less than 20# and all kinds of dorado big and small, have no idea of the numbers. I gave all my fish away except a peanut (a reference for a small dolphin) that the hotel prepared for our dinner. I was so sore that I could not lift my arms to comb hair, I don't have to worry about hair anymore.......lol.

Having a fish miss the lure and get snagged in another part of the body is anything but unusual. A foul hooked fish can be and probably most of the time is more difficult to land. If I land a hard fighting fishing I'm always proud of that accomplishment. I lose track of how many fish I catch after about 1, whether they are 15 inches, 15#.

What does this have to with a foregrip preference? I do understand using heavy braid and winching a bass in, there isn't much need to "run em down".

Over the last couple of months I'm using nothing but home made streamers on a 1/8 oz jig head for bass and peacocks. Heavy lures means a heavy rod, don't care to fish that way. The heaviest I use are my home made barracuda tubes which weigh about 1.5 oz. used on a mh rod. Nothing quite beats catching a fish on a lure you made yourself, better yet watching some else do it.

For me the importance is a foregrip which I'm not seeing much of in newer freshwater rods, so I use light, ml a nd med sw inshore rods in freshwater. I cast with my hand just above the reel on the foregrip, it's the most comfortable for me.

How much does cork cost on a wholesale manufacturer's level bought in volume, probably not a lot. I would think a split grips are more fad orientated than a cost saving measure.

Spinning is very versatile, I feel I can do anything with one. A saltwater inshore fisherman does not even think about whether a jig can be used or not, they just do it. I don't even know any one that has a b/c. If I'm fishing water's edge like a beach med rod and 15# is my standard set up, fishing from height like a jettie or fast current I use a mh rod and 20# braid. Don't think it's all open water, at times the sea weed is very thick and matted.

No one knows for sure what happens to any fish after you lose site of it, fish can eaten by other fish all the time. I don't recall ever seeing a bass go belly up after landing them.

I don't understanding keeping track in the first place. If 100 fish caught over a paltry 99 greatly affects your life, then count it.

15?

Never hurts to check them, I never do. I've had 2 cracked inserts on the tip guide in 10 years, 1 each on a fresh and saltwater rods. I have replaced other guides, corrosion can be a problem here, a visual scan is all that I do.

Right I have a few reels spooled with mono or copoly in my hot Florida garage, they are just fine and have been there several years.

The weight difference between a 2500 and 3000 is nil so balance is not an issue for one reel over the other. Unless line capacity is needed there is no point to a 3000 size. Contrary to what I just said my 7' bass spinning rod has size 35 reel weighing 8.8 oz with a capacity way more than I need, it just feels great.

The only braided line I didn't care for was supercast, which I liked at first until the coating started to crack off. Other than that I don't care, don't see any advantage from 1 major brand to another. I buy what's on sale which is usually PP.

If it's any more than a spring a president is a disposable reel. IMO it doesn't pay to put too much effort into it, a new one is around 60 bucks.