Mike L

Trip of a lifetime?? Over the years I've traveled too... Canada and Northern Wisc. for Musky and Pike. Alaska for Halibut and Salmon Atlantic for Shark and Sail's Gulf of Mexico for Goliath Grouper and Dolphin Now I.... Drive 2 hrs and I'm on the Big "O"! Drive 1 1/2 hrs I'm on Toho!! Drive 5 min. I'm in Charlotte Harbor looking for trout, reds and snook!!! Drive 15 min. I'm in Boca Grande Pass, "The Tarpon Capitol of the World" I'm a lucky man Mike

Thanks NBR I've done that and you're right, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Thats why I like the tape trick. That Invisx is too d**n expensive to keep cutting. Mike

OK I'm just an old fashioned kind of guy who sets by feel. Glad to see I'm not alone! Thanks Mike

Well I didn't say it was an intelligent question... Thanks Marty Mike

HiYa I notice here most of the time when you guys talk about drag it's always in term's of a specific amount of "pounds"... Case in point..I'm thinking of buying the Ardent F700 flipp/pitch reel. It's advertised that the line leveler is fixed [which makes sence] and the drag is pre set at 22# lbs and cannot be changed. If you have a star drag on your reel which they all have, how do you know how many pounds you're set at? I guess just adjusting by pulling, based on how I'm fishing, is showing my age...now we have number's! Thanks Mike

I tried about a 1" piece eletrical tape and it just won't stick on the 20 lb Invisix floro I use on my pitching reel. Do you wrap it around the entire spool? I tried masking tape also, and that worked ok, but it finnaly came off after 3 backlashes and when it did it left some of the glue on the line!! Thought's Mike

Finished 3rd as a co angler and 5th overall. Had a limit with total weight of 17.7 Started out with a Spo frog along a weed line...nothing Switched to a popping frog...nothing Decieded to pitch a blue/black beaver in about 2 ft of water over some grass that was just starting to come up...nothing. Switched to the same pumpkin bps paddle tail I used on Toho but moved about 50 yds and still nothing. As we were trolling around about 9:00 I noticed some dead reeds growing in a pocket surrounded by green milfoil that was about a foot above the water and "suggested" we move and try that. But he didn't want to move just yet. An hour later I "suggested" again, this time he finally did. My boater started with a watermelon super fluck unweighted, got a few but none over 2 lbs. I decieded to do the same but I put a nail weight in the belly, dead sticked it for about 10 seconds, twitched and BAM! We stayed in that spot all morning. I got 4 of the 5 there and my boater got his limit. Thanks for asking Mike

On my fresh water gear I rinse off the rod and handle after every trip but not the reel. I always thought if they wet better chance of rusting. True? Salt water gear everything gets drenched. Mike

%$##@#! Thats what I have to be doing wrong. For pitching, I have the brakes turned up all the way and knob loose also! As I said $=#@#$$#!!! Mike

I use 20# braid with a 15# floro leader for Bass on 2500 and 3000 spinning reels. When I lived "up north" I used the same for Pike and Walleye. A

I'll use a snap only for crank's. Never use swivel's. Mike

Last week on Toho in Fla I tried the white first, weightless...nothing Changed to a pumpkin with a nail weight in the belly and first cast in the same spot she hit it! Used up allmost the whole bag. I have a tourn tomorrow on Kissimmee, no messin around there! Mike

Yes, you get the speed clips at bps, or any other well stocked tackle shop should have them too... Word of caution...If you have fat fingers, use something else! Mike

Fresh water...9.75 / 6'6" MH spinning rod, watermelon brush hog, 20# power Pro with 20# floro leader. Salt water... 90 lb. Tarpon / Boca Grande Pass, Charlotte Harbor Fla Mike

The 2 biggest I've ever caught [both 9+] I used a watermelon, T rigged, unweigheted brush hog in 3 ft of water. Mike

Zoom Trick Worm Berkely ribbon tail power worm Mike

Welcome Fry I'm fairly new here myself, you've come to the right place. The best advise I can give you is to repeat what brad said. 2nd is PAY ATTENTION!! Don't look around at all the pretty bird's When they grab a frog, buzzbait, swim jig, spook or what ever you're useing, be ready!. Top water fishin to me is the best reason to buy a rod. Mike

Top water bite...Definatly Finese hook set...2nd Mike

Just take some time to navigate around and you'll get used to it. If you get confused which I did just ask a question. Mike

Sorry, I wasn't clear. I was asking what you use to tie tackle direct to the Yo Zuri Hybrid. I use the Palomar for braid, improved clinch for mono and also the uni to uni to join braid and floro. Thanks Mike

Thanks's... Good point, never thought of that. Mike

What knot are you guy's useing with the hybrid? Mike

The spinning rigs I use the most are both 6'6" mh/fast. One has 20# Power Pro with a 15# floro leader and the other 20#. I just respooled another with 12# Yo Zuri on my 7' med/fast for cranks and jerk's. [Never used it before. I have a tourn next Sunday on the Big O so we'll see.] Mike

Good Question! Never tried the KVD brand. Been useing the line butter the night before I go to the lake and yes, it is oily. Mike

Any top water at first light!! BAM!! Mike