SirSnookalot

I have had reels spooled up at the tackle shop, it hasn't been unusual for the store's line counter to disagree with the printed numbers on the spool, both more and less. I look at those numbers as a guideline, I don't take them all that serious, if my spool is filled to about an 1/8" from the lip I know have more than enough. On my spinning reels I stick with the same # test, on my convention reel I will vary what line I'm using, as I don't have a level wind I can stack up a little more line, just have to make sure there is clearance on the side of the spool.

Being a native Detroiter I'll be rooting for my home team. As somewhat of an old timer, my mind always go back to 68', Tiger Stadium, Lolich winning 3 games, Stanley coming in to play short stop and Northrup hitting the game and series winning triple on the road. As I recall the final game was on a Thursday evening, we went downtown and joined the festivities, what a great memory.

We had 4 kings and 1 dolphin, several cut offs, 125' seemed to have the most activity. We came in early at 10:30.

For the most part freshwater casting rods are heavier rods for heavier baits, I do see the point for using them. To match up an inshore spinning rod and reel for freshwater use the overall weight of the combo is going to be heavier, open water with little vegetation, a light spinning outfit is very comfortable, thick stuff it's a different story. That still is not a deterrent for me, I'm a 100% spinning for all freshwater and inshore fishing, I can do whatever I need to, I much prefer the reel on the bottom of the rod, no rod twist with a larger fish on. I do use conventional reels for offshore use, many reels do not have a level wind, that does take a little time to get used to. Even offshore I use them sparingly, with a good fish on that reel and rod is twisting pretty good in your hands.

The northern strain of blues are different than mid Atlantic or southern as they run much bigger and can really put on a fight. Bluefish run in schools and will hit anything! From my own experience, I would not use any kind of treble hook, either a single hook or trailers (we call them king rigs down here) or a feather tipped with bait. Blues will tangle lines for sure, so no braid, the cheapest mono is the best way to go. If you do not own appropriate gear, use theirs. Contrary to what many people think, the majority of fish caught on a drift boat is in the middle because that is where the largest concentration of bait in the water, I know guys are always fighting for the aft or bow. Sure these mates work hard, but don't think for a second their income is based solely on your tip. Every fish you don't keep, they sell either for bait or food, they make more on that than they do on your tip. Let's say you give them 25# of fish, that's at least $50. I have been out on boats where the customers have let the mates and captain have 30 kings, like 1 fish a person at average of 10#, that's 300# of kings worth about $600- $900 depending on the market price.

Too many material items to even start listing, some well worth it and others not. Without question my best investment is my wife, I'd probably call it a life change rather than an investment. Earning a nice living was hollow and superficial until I had someone to share it with, that said the road is not always smooth but seems to work out in the long run.

Taking advice from a non professional is probably not the best course of action, this appears to be both a medical and a family sociological problem. What someone else has done may or may not be pertinent to your situation, a professional hearing both sides of story would be my option, that is if I cared.

Earlier in the week dolphin have been caught in 200' at the blue water color change off Boynton. Fairly stiff NE breeze and 3-5 waves, today is a NW 7-12 and 2-3 waves, I'm not real confident on dolphin close in given the forecast, but I'll have a spinning rod ready with a feather just in case. FYI dolphin have blue lips and we call the small ones peanuts. As far as electronics, we pretty use the depth finder to know our depth, marking fish sometimes means nothing. 200 fow does not mean you are fishing at the bottom (not that you can't), but it's more of a measure of distance from the shore. Not that catching a 20 or 30# king isn't fun, but if I had my choice (it's his boat) I'd be fishing in 20' looking for mullet pods for tarpon and bluefish, it's that time of year.

MY HOA is no different, not only are there ridiculous items but the board members are a lot to be desired, that said no wants those jobs so it's the same people year after year.

I concur......I fish mainly saltwater, there are quite a few rods that fit the bill. I don't recommend anything, but this is what I use for snook and tarpon and have used them for bass on occasion. Not only are these rods excellent but they are not pricey. Hurricane Redbones, I have 6 of them in a different lengths med and mh, very good for lures up to 1 oz.,$89. For heavier lures I use a Star steller lite, mh 10/20 rod, max lure wt 2 oz $99, all these rods have 4000 reels with only 1 being a 2000. Just a countless number of fish up to 40# caught on these rods. But as SoFlaBass, says any decent saltwater inshore rod will work well, there are many choices. If it were a Shimano pick, a clarus or teramer are both good rods, I have used both.

Nice fish..........I have a good buddy that's a charter capt out of Cape May, NJ, charters mainly stripers and yellowfins. I met him about 10 years ago, his sister lives in my community, my wife and I traveled up there several times and I fished with him. As things would have it he and his wife purchased a home where I live, so he's a neighbor and brings his boat down in the winter...............he loves fishing for big jacks now.

It boils down to what your target preference is. Of the places I have been, I'm excluding places like Cabo, have a time share there and have fished it many times, I prefer to fish more inshore and flats fishing these days, I don't care for those 1 and 2 hour or more fights anymore. 1. Xcalak, Mexico...........not well known, world class bonefishing, snook and tarpon. 2. Islamorado , Fl...........backwater as well as offshore, can be fished without a guide, permit is a great target. 3. East coast Fl.............like right now during the fall mullet run.

Whether it's a Roostertail or some other inline spinner brand, I use them only with ul or light rod, in my ponds they attract too many bluegills. We do however have some mayan cichlids and they are a ball on real light gear.

Rooster tails have a thin spindle that the blade spins on, it doesn't take much for it to bend out of shape and affecting the spin, try straightening it out. You may also try slowing it down a bit. IMO for a couple of dollars more a Mepps or Panther-Martin works better, is made better and more durable.

@ South Fla, I can show you a similar looking canal that runs for miles, snook, tarpon, jacks LMB, peacocks at one time before the freeze, public boat ramp and hardly ever see anyone fishing. Not lip service, I have caught all those from shore, a boat would be a killer.

IMO this reel should be used for saltwater bait fishing, trolling, drifting and could be used for catfish or carp too. For a reel of this size even 65lb braid would require (without doing the math) somewhere around 650 yds., that said I would top shot, in other words put on mono backing, then spool the rest with your braid. There are many saltwater people that have formulas posted on the net for that, I do not know them off hand. For the most part 300 yds of 65# braid is plenty, it's unlikely you will get down to the backing, a simple albright knot is a good choice for joining those lines. As important as the line and probably more so is your rod and that is dependent on what you are going to do with it and whether you are fishing from boat, shore or a pier, but now we are complicating the issue a bit. For general purpose a 7' for boat or a 9 or 10' from a pier. That said use what you have for the moment until you know where you are going with this set up and what you will be catching. 40# is a big fish and don't think for second you are going to hook one every time out, but can you land one with a 30# rod, absolutely, however for a reel that size I'd prefer a 40# rod. Reason's quote is 100% correct, IMO setting your drag isn't too hard, batten it down all the way then back off until you can pull line out with some effort, then tweek it once you are getting fish, after that it becomes second nature to set it. Your reel has 22# max drag, you may not be able to pull that out, but a good fish can. Bear in mind this reel and rod is not a repetitive cast and retrieve combo like one would use for bass or inshore type fishing.

For the record that quote is from the Declaration of Independence, not the 1st amendment of the Constitution. The 1 st amendment: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances". In many of the HOA's in my area, restrictions can be made against certain types of vehicles, boats or campers being parked anywhere on private or common areas in the community, additionally any flag or banner other than the American flag is in violation as well. Noncompliance may result in a fine, an unpaid fine will result in a lien on the property and a lien results in a cloudy title..........not good to have.

You're both right and wrong. I can go out and catch anything I want on a $2.00 bucktail and I quite often do, there are times I like to do something different. We have the fall mullet run going on now, that means lots of action. I start off yesterday 5:00 am morning on the beach with a bucktail, it's a lady fish on every cast, these are 3-5# fish that can strip out 30 yds of line in an eye blink, tons of fun, no wonder they call them the "poor mans tarpon". After catching some I decided to fish for snook, my mistake was not waiting until the ladyfish cleared the area and other fish come in. I put on an xrap #12, 1 cast and I was cut off by a lady, put another on and it didn't last real long either. Now the sun is up and blue fish are in and I'm using a gotcha which is a metal cylinder, after a few fish the gotcha is crushed and hooks ripped off. Total was 2 lost xraps, 3 or 4 buckktails, and a gotcha, cost about $40.00 and worth every penny, not even mentioning the amount of braided line I replace getting cut off on coral and barnacles...............cheap out here.......I don't think so.

I can see spending a healthy buck on a rod for quality fish or tournament action where you can make some serious money. My expense is in direct relationship to the fish I catch and what I target. I don't know about any one else but I have no problem in detecting bites, either by line feel or line watching, logs don't swim unless they are floating downstream. I grew up fishing in Michigan, bass, smallmouth, walleyes and perch, my opinion is a whole different as to what I need to catch those fish.

It really helps to have the hook perfectly centered, I seem to have less of a roll over problem using a worm hook vs a ewg.

Been spooled by boats quite a few times, common here. Usually happens predawn on the outgoing tide when we are floating out lures and jigs for snook and tarpon. Boaters pay little attention and cut in front of the jetties. More fun being spooled by a fish.

I have used the 5000 fj and it is a very good reel, as are my stradics fi. The improvement I like is the fact the the 5000 is the same reel as the 4000 with more line capacity and a different handle, weighing the same. A good choice for inshore or freshwater use, for me it's a purchase on a whim, all of my inshore reels are working superbly.

I'd go with a light or ml, either a 4-10 or 6-12 line rating rod. For a 1000 size spinning reel I myself would use 10 lb braid, if I were a mono user probably 4 lb.

You ought to fish with me, lol. I don't think I have a lure, spoon or jig that lasts a couple of days, except when there are no fish around, then some just rust. I get cut off, lures bitten rendering them uselss, jigs pulled apart, gill plates cutting leaders......nature of the game, can be pricey but wouldn't want to do anything else.

I agree about the arrogance towards smaller fish, much of it has to do with the waters you are fishing. As many are aware I fish saltwater 7 days a week in the mornings, and do my bass fishing in the afternoons. Wintertime is not the best time to be fishing inshore, I can go many days without even getting a strike, or may catch but 1 fish, usually pleased with size. So when I do go bass fishing I'm real happy just to be getting a tug on my line, I'm there for the enjoyment. My average bass is probably no more than 15" at best, sure I get some bigger ones but a lot of smaller ones too. If 3# or less was too much of dink for me, I'd probably forgo bass altogether and fish for a larger species. Looking at some of the PB's that are but 4 or 5#, whether some realize it or not they have been catching dinks with the rest of us.