SirSnookalot

The question is, are the rattles a turnoff to you or the fish? I doubt it really makes any difference, just give you something to do until the ice thaws. I would just use another bait.

I own 4 soron stx, all used in saltwater. Except for the number of bearings the reels are identical, both have hpcr bearings with X-Craftic corrosion-resistant aluminum alloy, the max drag is the same. The stx is a terrific reel, I can't comment on the sx. I've owned a cardinal 804 and a cardinal 704 lx, not the same reel, that may be an indication, even though the specs were the same.

I have a tourney spinning rod 7' med 8/17 with a capitva reel, I used mine for bonita in the ocean. Handled the bonita ok, rod does have some spine, but it's too heavy for a bass rod imo, I get tired just looking at sit in the corner. This rod just collects dust now, I should just throw it out, for 50 bucks you can do a lot better.

Just a side bar to sintered metals. When I was in the scrap metal business I serviced an account for 25 years that made parts from powdered iron. The process mentioned is exactly correct. Powder metal, in my case iron, is blended with some elements like nickle and copper, very small amounts less than 1%, different parts require different blends. The blend is put into a press and pressed under pressure from 400 tons to 1000 tons, now you have part. This part can be crumbled in your hand or dropping it on the floor. The next step is heat treating. The parts are placed on nickle alloy "belts " 25/20 or 35/15 alloy and run thru a very hot furnace for a period of time, and out pops a very hard piece of metal that most would think is steel, but it isn't. What I found interesting when I first got this account was the use, parts go into automobile, transmission and rear end gears, clutch plates, and a few other things I can't remember. The powdered metal capital of North America is St Marys & Ridgway , Pennsylvania. I am totally unfamiliar with the process regarding tungsten sintering.

No, I believe the mountains there are above the snow line. http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-01-12/winter-storm-warning-posted-for-hawaii-as-most-of-u-s-sees-snow.html Yesterday one of the meteorologists from the weather channel said it did snow there.

I just bought a tierra to try for next year. I hope I don't have that same luck w/ them.

I'm no sturgeon expert, but I have caught my share of whaoo and other very fast larger fish that make long runs. Backreeling for those species probably gonna get you a few busted knuckles. That said may people use spinning offshore, a Stella SW 18000 holds about 800 yds of 50# braid with a rated drag over 50#, if price prohibitive the Shimano sargossa( low $200's) 18000 holds over 600 yds of line and about 50# of drag, wahoo, sailfish should pose no problem. Landing one of those fish with a smaller line capacity reel, whether spinning or conventional with a lesser drag, becomes teamwork between the angler and the captain, those fish are chased down.

Ugly sticks are probably the most popular rod I see for saltwater, with Penn spinning reels, used from shore, piers and offshore, they work great as I'm a constant witness. One of my neighbors ( snowbird) is a charter captain from New Jersey, tuna & stripers. One day he sees me catching bass in our pond, he had no idea of what a largemouth was, so he goes to Walmart and buys a cheap spinning combo. Buys a few cheap lures, bag of worms, and whatever and within minutes he's killing them. Is it the equipment or the man behind it? Nothing wrong with an Ugly Stick.

Yesterday the weather channel reported that 49 of 50 states had snow falling, which state didn't have snow? If you guessed Hawaii you lose, it's Florida, and yes I was fishing ;D

I don't use senkos often but they do work and work well. As far as I'm concerned the person catching the biggest or the most fish is the better angler, that said I'm a lousy fisherman, maybe i should use senkos more.

Hey nothing wrong with live bait, it's all a means to an end. Catching any species of fish that size on light equipment is a notable feat. I'm curious, being totally unfamiliar with a California striper, as to how long a fight those fish put up, can you exhaust them with only 2# or 3# of drag? Here in Florida many times catching comparable sized fish we have to chase them down with the boat or get spooled even using larger reels and rods with more line capacity, 100 yds of braid just isn't enough line. Just yesterday I caught tarpon about 25# with 20# class rod and stradic 4000, drag tightened to 10 or 15# and had trouble getting it in, fishing off a jetty I did not have the option of chasing it down. I commend you on this notable feat, I couldn't do it.

Goose, don't ever think because a spoon has a thin profile the fish don't see it, the do ! I may add that we use spoons in the middle of the night very effectively, an old wives tale about needing the " flash". If that were the case why would people use dark lures at night, seems like the same to me.

I love this guys sense of humor !

Short answer........doesn't make a bit of difference. Longer answer.....different spoon types have different actions in the water, my selections are based on the conditions being fished. Strong winds I prefer diamond jigs, tsunami or hopkins shorty, get maximum distance. Calmer weather I like flutter types and weedy conditions j-spoon. For freshwater I use lighter spoons 1/4-1/2oz max, one of my favorites for bass is a Wahoo redfish spoon. Saltwater I use 3/4 oz or 1 oz about 99% percent of the time. The same exact spoons are used for trolling offshore as well, sometimes I'll use a 2 oz out there. Bottom line IMO they all catch fish equally.

Almost any fish. fluke popper spoon Pretty much all I use and the same exact lures are used for snook, tarpon and cuda, as well as lmb.

I caught tarpon #1 and 2 this morning on the outgoing this morning. Healthy juvies about 25# a piece. The sea was dead flat and no wind, rest of the fishing was just that, dead. I was fishing with Stu Tinney this morning http://www.stutinney.com/author.cfm

Only appears to do the job, in reality it doesn't clean you out enough for an exam. My Doctor wouldn't let me use magnesium citrate, felt it wasn't thorough, $1 something over the counter compared to a script that was around $50.00

When I grew up in Detroit only the main streets were plowed, never the side streets. We walked to school and school was never closed, somehow the teachers always managed to drive to school. In suburban and rural areas kids were bused, I really don't remember if school was closed for them or not. Detroit has enormous salt mines underneath the city, salt no problem, but paying for it today is.

Nice fish !

I like Matt's idea of the friction tape, I too have been using blue painters tape which is nothing more than masking tape. For freshwater mono backing is not a bad idea, long runs are extremely rare. Fishing saltwater everyday the method that works the best for me is just to tape ( braid, no mono backing) my line to the spool, no slippage ever. True on average fish we catch run like 2-10# capable of making some longer runs, but the possibility of hooking a 20#-50# or larger fish off is always there and now you need line capacity. Have I ever been spooled.........many times.

Had my colonoscopy this past Wednesday, my prep was HALFLYTELY, which is drinking about 10oz of solution every 10 minutes over about a 90 minute period. Glad to report no cancer, no polyps. The hardest part is the prep and not being able to eat the day before and up to the time of the procedure. It really is no big deal and I felt terrific after the anesthetic, every muscle in my body totally relaxed.

I use masking tape instead of electrical with no mono backing, never a slippage.

I don't want to make you feel bad but it's 80 degree down here and the fish are on! ;D

Finally a good strong easterly wind with a significant groundswell, Jacks were strong and the snook were starting to stir. Caught 4 Jack( smallish 7# range), cut off twice, 1 flounder and a nice snook strike. Hot lure was a 1oz. diamond jig, really cuts thru heavy wind, lost it and switched to a gold tsumani 3/4oz, another great wind spoon.

If it were me I'd pay the extra and buy the fi, imo an excellent freshwater reel. As far as the fg goes $100 is more than it's worth to me, it's old technology and should be closed out at no than $75.00 I was eyeballing this Quantum Cabo at Sports Authority couple of years ago, (in the showcase on clearance for 6 months), $79 bucks, great deal. I went up to the manager and said " you really want to move this item, what's your best deal, I walked out paying $59.