Marty

I never had a problem with leaving line on a reel (stored out of the elements) for long amounts of time. I change when the line is down to a point where it affects casting. Some people aren't comfortable with this. If you're one of them, then by all means change whenever you start losing confidence in the line you have on your spool. But I've had line on a reel for years with no problems. Of course, these are reels that I use for a certain application just a couple of times a year, otherwise the line would've been used up faster, but just the amount of time hadn't been a factor.

Yes, it'll work fine. I've caught pike in that range with 6'6" spinning rods rated M (don't know if the rod in question is spinning or baitcasting, but either one, doesn't matter). As long as your drag is set properly you shouldn't have a problem.

Well, if she does, you'd better be like the guy in the ad: "He went to Jared." ;D

This can be a vicious circle. No confidence because you don't get hit, so you don't use it enough, which increases the chances of not getting hit. Just force yourself to use them if you are determined enough to have success on them. Jitterbugs are my favorite lure by far and I never fish at night. They catch fish for me at various times, including more than a few on sunny afternoons. Except for cold water temps in the spring and fall, there is never a time when I'm not comfortable with topwaters. That doesn't mean that they always work, but they always get tried.

Never heard of the company or the products. But the market will ultimately answer the question. If they are as claimed, eventually they'll put Zoom, Yamamoto and others out of business.

I brought this up about a month ago. In recent days I've received a few timely messages (all from the same person), but today, February 23, I received one from someone else dated January 26. People must think I'm pretty rude for not replying to their messages!!

Another good source of books is www.half.com, which is owned by eBay.

Agree with Crestliner. Flukes are jerkbaits, Senkos are stick baits.

I don't think the line capacity (Daiwa) needs to be a major consideration as long as the reel is compatible with the rod, line and lures you're planning to use. My UL rods are 5'6", but if I were using them to strictly target bass, I'd go longer.

If you can increase your focus and pay attention to the reel setting, then you'll have far fewer backlashes to worry about. I think braid's a great line for lily pads.

I've fished 7" Power Worms for years, mostly black and pumpkinseed. These two color choices were originally arbitrary, but I stayed with them because I was pleased and had no reason to change color. But I've also used blue fleck and a greenish color whose name I can't think of and they've done just as well. As far as I'm concerned, choosing color is a crapshoot. Because I generally fish shallow, weedy water, I rarely go above 1/16 oz.

I don't know what Michigan's pre-season regulations are, but assuming it's legal to fish, and you really enjoy it, I'd get out as soon as there's open water. It's not a high percentage time, but as most of us have learned, you never know what might happen when you toss a lure into the water. I have the most confidence once the water hits the low to mid-50s.

I haven't seen the show recently and I have no idea. But I believe Pure Fishing was sold a few years ago and the new owners may feel--despite Lindner's fame and accomplishments--that they're just not getting a return on their investment. I don't think we'll be told what actually occurred.

I've caught plenty of fish with this type of lure on M and MH rods and 15# braid. Even though I've fished some thick weeds, I haven't had a problem. Go heavier if you think the cover is too heavy for what you're using. Both my partner and I generally fish these type lures like a buzzbait in water where a weedless presentation is needed. If the surface is non-weedy I'll use something else. My partner loves his Horny Toads so much that he'll often use them in open water. Whatever, these lures are great fish attractors.

Sorry, I don't mean to sound harsh, but I dislike these "teaser" subject lines. I'd appreciate it if subject lines actually include the subject so people can decide for themselves whether to open it. Descriptive subject lines are also part of standard "netiquette." Thank you.

Agree with a previous poster, the paddle feet are different, not necessarily an improvement. My partner fishes Horny Toads and I fish paddle feet. There have been times when one seems to outperform the other, but over the long run they've been about equal for us. Try some of each if you're unsure.

A quality ball-bearing swivel or snap swivel is your best bet.

I can't read Road Warrior's mind, but he might be asking what is the purpose of snelling a hook. They're widely used but I never figured out the purpose or advantage.

I think 50-60 yards is more than enough for bass fishing. I wouldn't use heavier equipment than I wanted to for bass just because of the small possibility of getting spooled by a carp. As many have mentioned, all other things being equal, a given line size performs better on a larger spool. I would not use 8# on a 750-1000 size reel.

Glad to hear it. Enjoy!!!

My weights are very close to those. May I suggest something to those folks who like to weigh soft plastics, as I do. Unless you have an extremely accurate scale, like a jeweler's scale, weigh a bunch and divide the weight by the number of units weighed. That way a small inaccuracy is spread over multiple baits and the error is greatly reduced.

Mine is a 14' Kevlar ultralight (36#) and 39" wide. I'm also retired (72) and light weight was a necessity. Everything about canoes is tradeoffs and I was willing to sacrifice paddling efficiency for the stability and the room to store all the stuff I take along. Besides, I didn't need paddling efficiency since everywhere I take it I don't need to take it more than about 1/2 mile from the launch point. I also reverse the thing and paddle from the bow seat. However, the front is still high. I carry a 5-gallon pail and put 20-30# of water in it and put it in the front and that keeps the boat reasonably level and makes it easier to paddle than with the bow out of the water. It looks like with your canoe, paddling from the bow seat will put you closer to the center of the boat than mine does.

There are two Speed Worms, the regular and the Ultra-Vibe. Bill is talking about the Ultra-Vibe. The latter, in modified form, is my favorite weedless topwater, which is used in lieu of the buzzing frogs and toads. The modification is fusing the tail section of the worm to the body section of a Fluke or Assassin. The tail creates quite a commotion on the surface which draws the fish's attention quite well, or so it seems. As has been mentioned, it's versatile, as you can just let it sink when you think that's what you need to do.

Here are a few reviews for you to ponder. http://www.paddling.net/Reviews/showReviews.html?prod=832 Mine's urging me to take them off!! (Actually, I don't use them. My canoe is wide and very stable by canoe standards).

Good luck. I bought a canoe three years ago and have no regrets. I have a couple of friends with boats and I get out with them fairly often, but still, it wasn't enough and it's great to have the ability to get out on the water when and where I want to, within the limitations of the canoe, of course. I have no motors, racks, or the like, so your experience will be different from mine.