SirSnookalot

I live on a canal too, too many gnats out there this time of year, I don't fish canals usually until late October.

I agree, one of my favorite lures does only cost $3.00, 1 senko or jig alone isn't costly. Personally, I would not spend 20 bucks or more for a 5# fish, no bang for my buck.

Assuming it's a small reel as reel size wasn't mentioned, I'd be picking braid.

Most rods have the rating printed on them, but not all.

I don't think the issue here is solely based on how the the fish was hooked, but the size too. Had it been a 2 lb fish instead of a questionable PB that didn't appear to be weighed, doubtful the thread would have been started. The mere fact that the OP is looking for outside justification says it all. If one is recreational fishing what does it really matter. Not like it was a near world or state record.

What does the dollar buy today compared to 1980. That $3.00 lure of 1980 may be around 10 bucks today, look at wages now compared to 1980. Certain items can't be calculated using CPI, tobacco and gas because of taxes, state and federal. Last US gas tax hike in 1993, not the same for state and local. Foreign items have tax and tariffs added in also, not a bad guess the $ 3.00 item of 1980 may have been better quality than something costing more dollars today.

My wife was at he market yesterday, she said lot's of hurricane preppers, looks like it may break up but we still can get power outage. Best time of the year to be fishing down here.

Don't think the event is unique enough to question it 1 way or the other.

I'm in Florida too (South Florida) I walk the banks here and I use 10# braid most of the time on a 6'6 ml rod a med spinning once in a while, we don't have big fish down here. I don't require anything heavier or specialized with any bait or lure variety.

I like my Chinese made rods, the performance I look for is equal to or surpasses rods I've had from other countries or twice the price.

Baits or lures would depend on the condition of the water. I don't fish peacocks much different than bass, time of the year is a better measure, it's peacock time now, not bass.

Golf county club membership. Sailboating.

1 day last year I had 3 rods with me. Fishing on a jetty 2 of them were leaning up against the rail, a friend tripped over 1 and broke a reel, he had it fixed for me. That is a rare event, they do get stolen at times. When I'm boating, it's in a center console, Need room to fight a fish 360 degrees around the boat, especially if the boat is about 28' and under. The rods not being used are always in a rod holder as not to trip over them. If I were to buy another boat (I like my boat club membership) it would be a skiff or flats boat, to fish the mangroves in the ICW, with any rod not being used it would be out of the way. Most of what I do I only need 1 rod and reel, anything else is either for back up or changing my target species.

Shimano sojorn mh, about$30., plenty of backbone. I had a HVY I was using for 40" fish, too much rod for me, I gave it away and he loves it.

I have lots of rods and reels, I don't fish on a budget. I fish with 1 rod, may have 2-3 more in the car that usually don't get used.

That Nob Hill area can be pretty good, I prefer the feeder canals. Last time down that way I caught about a 4 lb peacock. NIce place to go if you live near there, almost 100 mile trip both ways 4me, too far for just a 4 pounder and there is no guarantee of that. Always worth the drive to catch something that you never caught before.

Dead sticking is a technique best used while playing a video game on your phone, or setting up your go pro.

If the higher priced spread catches more and better fish I don't see a reason to get cheap over a few buck, the intent is to catch fish. I'm not a fan of those kinds of baits, hardly ever use them, they all work about the same for me, I have the same confidence with all of them.

The wti closed up 8% today,41.95. Pump price only indicates what we pay for gas, pretty much all people care about. To know why it varies one has to be aware of gas futures, supply and demand(gloabal)currencie prices and current world events.

Dead stickiing requires skill and talent.

With the hurricane out in the Atlantic, the mutton snapper should be pushed in towards shore. I got the all clear from my doc to go fishing if I feel up to it, bass fishing in the hot summer when I got snook all over the place now. If I fish it's not gong to be for bass.

Crosslocks are good, some of the bigger ones are hard to open. I prefer the duolock style, they work very good too, I only use them in freshwater, they won't fail there. In saltwater I tie my leader directly to the lure.

I ilke the smokes a lot, my next reel most likely will be smoke inshore 40. Not quite as nice as my Cabo 40's, the smoke matches up better on some of my lighter 7'6 med and med/hvy rods.

Only your opinion counts. My opinion is I don't keep track of a personal best anyway, in your case the fish wasn't weighed, it's only a guess as to the size. If it isn't weighed it can't be a personal best for sure.

I don't notice noise or see enough significant casting distance to matter. Unless you are whacking out 10#+ hard driving fish everyday, 1 line vs another is much to do about nothing.