BassThumb

Big Game. A better line overall.

When I'm looking for bigger fish, I often move to deeper water and upsize my presentation. That's at least what works for me.

Good post, Fishing Rhino. Dink Whisperer, have you looked into Marine-Tex Epoxy Putty? I made a repair the size of a dime under my wheelwell bunk. It's not as pretty as a professional repair, but you can't see it while the boat is on the trailer. The only time I ever see it is when I swim, and but it is cheap and effective option. Had the damage been more visible, I would have gone with the professionals. It comes in white, which you can mix with dye, and a dark gray. You can also fill and retap a screwhole with this stuff if it is stripped. http://www.marinetex.com/marinetexepoxyputty.html

I'd say quality over quantity, because the quality stuff lasts if you take care of it, and you can keep accumulating it and eventually have the quantity as well. I think you're right on track with the Cumara/Curado level combos, but not every combo needs to be of this quality, and rarely does it need to be any better IMO. There are certain techniques where you can skimp on equipment. If you want to stick with Shimano, for example, with a topwater/jerkbait or a buzzbait combo you can use a Citica instead of the Curado, and a used Crucial or Compre instead of the Cumara. I do this for certain technique where I feel sensitivity or reel quality isn't as important. It allows me to save a few bucks that will likely be put toward more tackle anyway, but I try to spend it where it counts, where it will benefit me the most because I don't always have a lot to spend on fishing.

They're a good lure. I've had my best luck with them for river smallies and trout.

What is the best way to polish scratches and restore the windshield of a Stratos? There are a few nasty scuffs in it from before I bought it. Will the windshield still be clear after compounding and glazing with a buffer? I use 3M Marine Compound and Finesse-It 2 Glaze. What if I lightly wetsanded some of the rough patches before the compound and glaze? How would it look then? Thanks.

I made a thread on another site a while back asking people if they had ever fashioned a rope ladder to hang on their boat's cleats, and if they were worried that doing so might rip the cleats from the boat. They said that I shouldn't worry, that the force of the boat thats tied to a dock on a windy day puts more force on the cleats than a 200 lb person would. One guy said he had dragged a 30 ft tree into his lake by one cleat. If the cleats are that strong, then I don't see why the rear tie-down eyes wouldn't be. I haven't tried it yet, so I can't personally vouch for it.

my mistake then. What is it made of?

Now thats a good one. Cats gotta eat, too. The river channel cats around here get bunch up and get really aggressive at times. They'll race each other to hit just about anything that gets near them, but I've never seen them hit a topwater. That would be fun.

Slow rolling a heavy spinnerbait or dock skipping.

IMO, the Premier is one of the best $100 MSRP rods out there. I've owned numerous of them in the past. They are a great first step toward the higher end rods. It's awfully hard to beat used rods in the BR and other site's flea markets when it come to getting the most bang for your buck. You might be able to find a used Avid or Crucial for a little over a hundred bucks if you're patient. People are always selling off their stuff at 50 to 70% retail because they want to upgrade or because it doesn't suit their technique specific preferences. On another site, at least this morning, there were a pair of barely used Loomis Mossyback 804s that were available for $110 apiece, shipped. They appear to be sold now, but that just goes to show that $110 can get a lot more rod than what the Compre offers, if you're patient and persistent.

Depending on the values of those seized boats, that might not be much more than a slap on the wrist.

WOW, I mean, WHY? I think that guy deserves to get calls after 11.

It's probably safe to say we nailed down the main ingredient. I wonder how different KVD really is from competitors or from straight silicone? Regardless, I will be picking some up to give it a shot after all the rave reviews. I've only used Ardent, so I can't really compare it to anything. It works OK. I believe it reduced a few would-be backlashes, or at least made them easier to remove.

False. The thinner diameter of light braid will increase diving depth enough that it will offset the float of the line. I'm talking 15-20# braid on spinning tackle. I couldn't comment on 50#+, which is what I use on casting tackle. I have a ML/F multi-purpose spinning outfit with braid that tosses light cranks once in a while. If you compensate for the lack of stretch with a lighter rod than normal, you will do just fine. This goes both ways, with stiffer fast action rods and stretchy line, too. That said, I would never use braid on a setup specifically for cranking. I prefer to use limp mono.

I follow them to a T, but it's easily when you rarely keep fish. I wish they would actually penalize people more harshly than they do to discourage people from trying to pull a fast one on the wardens. There's just too many places to fish here for the game warden to be on top of it all, so people get away with a lot. More along the line of what they do to deer hunters, but not quite as strict. If you poach deer in MN, hunt from your vehicle, shoot the wrong gender and try to harvest it illegally, take them out of season, or even on the wrong side of the road from where your designated zone is, they take your truck and everything in it and they get auctioned off for 10 cents on the dollar, often right back to the former owner, and then there's a 5 figure fine and possible jail time. Now, THATS a deterent.

Keep your receipt and do a little research. You'll be glad you did.

Sounds like a nice little opportunity, but that's not the only good thing this recession has done for fishermen. Have you seen the prices on repossessed boats?!?

Yeah, thats it. I really encourage people give these a try. They are terrific rods and I have never been so impressed with a rod for that price, and I'm not the type to get attached to a brand really, although it is sometimes difficult not to with fishing tackle you like. Worst case scenario, if it's not for you, you have to sell it in the flea market. Lightly used should net you $150+ plus buyer pays the shipping. For that matter, they all have similar resale values. I don't have extensive experience with the Cumara or Loomis SB models, but I have fished with the Cumara and handled the Loomis SB in stores and they are nice rods, especially the Cumara. From G. Loomis, I own Mossyback, IMX, and GLX rods, and also own the Dobyns Champion 734 and 766. I'd say the Dobyns Champion ranks in between the $260 IMX and $360 GLX sensitivity-wise, leaning slightly towards GLX. The balance and feel is where they really shine IMO. My guess is that the Champ weighs a hair more, maybe quarter or half ounce more than the super light Cumara, but the Champ's balance is so nice you won't feel it. The Champ actually feels better to me. They are all nice rods, and they cost about the same. I think you more than likely will be happy with all 3, I would be. But dollars for donuts, I think the Champ is a better rod and a better value than the Cumara or the Loomis SB. Let us know what you decide. keep an eye out for Tackle Warehouse sales. When they have the next one, I'll be getting the 736.

Have you looked into the Dobyns 734?

A 75 on a 190? No offense, but I bet that thing is a dog. None taken. I bought it used and that was what was on it with only 11 hours. I'm planning on getting a bigger motor if I keep the boat but I just got laid off from work Friday so it's gonna have to wait either way. It does about 36 mph and gets me where I need to go so it's fine for now. There's nothing wrong with this at all. 36 mph is just fine for most lakes. This is a better combo than most peoples first boats, because you can actually stand and fish with it without distractions.

Had they bumrushed the kid and broken his arm or something and he was led off in agony in front of the cameras, there would've been a bigger backlash than had they quickly tased him. There's a video online of a naked streaker at a soccer match in Europe, where a player kinda just flailed himself into the runner and busted his jaw and some teeth. This really is a lose/lose situation for the security folks. Either they forcefully removed the clown and accept the possible bad press, or let them run circles around them and humiliate them. Personally, as a sports fan, I absolutely hate this kind of attention-whoring. Tasing is a good precedent to set IMO. Nobody wants to get tased in front of a jeering crowd.

Exactly how I feel. I have no issues with this. They did the bare minimum amount of damage, IMO. I've seen this once in person, and the cops were yelling at the guy that he was under arrest. By continuing to run, he was technically resisting arrest and fair game for the taser. On the flip side, remember Monica Seles? She was a German tennis star who was shanked a handful of times right on the court by some obsessed nutcase with a shrine of her in his home. This one incident alone should get a person over 15 y/o tased if they run onto the field.

For both pitching/flipping, a 7' 6" should work fine for a person 6' tall and up. Like Dan said, it's not optimal for pitching for a person of average height, but it's certainly not a significant disadvantage. IMO, the advantages of using a long rod in heavy cover outweighs the fact that it may be a few inches longer than you might find ideal, comfort-wise. I'm 6' 3" and a 7' 3" - 7' 6" rod is just about perfect for me for pitching. I also prefer an 8 footer for flipping.

Shimano 2500, and yes, 3000s are huge.