Darren.

Asking a girl out is easy for some guys, but excruciatingly painful and difficult for others. I was not very good at it in high school, so I just avoided asking any girls out. I was pretty confident in other areas of life, just not *that* area. Confidence developed after high school for me, and ultimately, having graduated college, etc., I found the best woman ever - for me. And she said "yes". Don't overthink it. Don't try to "make it happen" - just let it happen. Strike up a conversation about the class you share. You might scare her off by telling her how pretty she is. That can be said later, once the ice is broken. Be friendly, be a friend, first and foremost.

Nope.

I use 10# braid mainline for spinning and always tie on a leader from 4# to 15# depending on what my plan of the day is.

What JFrancho said. For me that'd be a pretty short leader... I sometimes make my leaders a couple arm lengths (spread apart), sometimes as long as the tip of the rod to the rod's hook holder so the leader doesn't past the first guide when I'm done for the day... Really depends.

All hail the wife! Happy B-day!

I think your setup is good. But for lighter line techniques. If you want to go jigs, use "micro" "bitsy" style jigs. Me? I'd use it for soft plastics -- wacky rigs, mojo rigs, light Texas rigs, light cranks, etc. Here's an excellent read on catching bass with "light" tackle. Highly recommend it to you. http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/light_line.html FWIW, I use Medium rods all the time, and I just "upgraded" one of my casting rods from Medium to ML so I could actually cast lighter lures better. I've not been disappointed whatsoever. And welcome to the forums!

Welcome to the forums, first of all! If your choices are those two Shimanos, I'd take the Stradic FJ, hands-down. And if for bass fishing, no bigger than 2500 is needed unless you absolutely need the deeper spool of the 3000 size. I use 1000 size Stradics with no problems handling big bass.

Oh that is priceless!! Love it!

Caught several, and if I can - like you - I'll free them and release them. I mostly catch mud turtles if I'm using a live worm though, and on docks. If the hook is lodged and nothing I do can set it "free" from the snapper, I cut the line as close to the hook eye as is safe and let it go. That's been only one instance that I can recall. The rest were set free sans hook. My brother and I have tried to catch some - for "fun" - not for eats. Always catch, photo, release. Strong interest in herpetology, soooooo.....

Hiya Danny, welcome aboard!

Ah yes, that is the question! How far! Well, I don't get identical casts over and over. Sometimes I get the perfect trajectory and can cast it from 35-40 feet. Keep in mind i'm not trying to win any casting contests here. Using the Zoom Finesse worms usually in tight areas via kayak... The distance I get is acceptable to me, maybe not for others. I'm just happy to be able to use my fav outfit (50e + ML Carbonlite) for stuff I had to use spinning for previously (still use spinning, though). Using 20 lb braid + 8 lb leader. I even went out the other day and for fun tied on a 1/32 oz Fin-S jig head with a 1.5" little minnow. That cast maybe 15 feet, but I didn't make any alterations to the reel.

Just ask FishChris (where is he lately, by the way?) about using live worms, craws and catching monster bass. Dude's a master at it. While I use artificial 98% of the time these days, I absolutely will use night crawlers if I have them around. The biggest problem is not so much the mess (to me), but the durability. Ya think GYCB Senkos don't last long, LOL. Nibblers destroy the worm quickly, and you can't just chuck a night crawler wacky rigged very far without weight otherwise it'll tear up and be a free meal to those you're trying to catch.

I usually tie 5-7 on the braid, and depending on the diameter of the leader, 5-7. The thicker, the lesser...

I like to use Zoom Tiny Flukes with split shot rigs - on a 1 or 1/0 offset worm hook. Also like Yamamoto's Shad Shaped Worms. And like JFrancho suggested, Water Gremlin's Bull-Shot weights. They are crimp-on bullet weights, come thru cover better. Here ya go: http://www.watergremlin.com/my-tacklebox/bull-shot-bullet-shaped-split-shot/

Agree re: Cronarch 50e. I just replaced (under warranty) my Carbonlite 6'6" M for a 6'6" ML and holy cow what a difference. I could already cast weightless Zoom Finesse worms on a wacky hook, now I can go lighter because the ML loads up so much better. But the 50e can cast some seriously light baits -- when done right

Welp... Broncs are moving the chains and adding to the scoreboard rather well at this point.

Indeed!! Congrats!

This is gonna get old... Power Pro.

I just gotta say, go BILLS! Upset Da Bears today. Hey, a guy can dream, can't he?! Like Boomer said on ESPN today, there are 86 years left this century for the Bills to win!

Very nice kayak! But DUDE! What's with the garage?! So clean one could eat off the floors!! LOL. I feel ashamed....

Welcome aboard, Steve!

Welcome to the forums. You realize ALL CAPS is considered yelling, right?

Welcome to the forums!

Wish I could agree Junebug works everywhere. Several years back, son #2 caught his (then) PB of 4 pounds on a 4" slider worm junebug with chartreuse tip drop shot. I've only caught a few fish on junebug since then. Been throwing a junebug Trickworm these days. Caught only 1 bass. Guess it just isn't a killer in the reservoirs I fish. Will give it more time, but it is a color I will "seldom" use.

Good question. I guess I don't have a "kit" in particular, but I do carry a knife. Two, in fact. Within reach, for whatever may come. Never needed to use them, thankfully. S'pose I could use and actual kit....