K_Mac

I think Tracker has come a long way over the years and worth a serious look. As far as fishing in the wind from either an aluminum or glass boat there really is no comparison. I own an aluminum boat and have fished one for many years. For the restricted horsepower waters I fish most aluminum is great. I also regularly fish from a glass boat on larger lakes. You can make the case glass is not worth the extra cost of ownership, but when fishing in the wind glass is much more user friendly.

It appears the folks at Hi Point have a sense of humor. They also know their target demographic...

That's what I think also Slone. Being a little higher would take a little getting used to, but for the greater comfort and stability on rough water it might be worth the trade-off. We were beat up enough over the course of the week that a bigger boat sounded pretty good. Of course the sticker shock for the 522D would kill a normal fisherman. Dave is not a normal fisherman though...

Goose I have learned much on this thread, especially about old round reels. Like me and you, they show that a little millage doesn't mean they can't still get it done!

It sounds more like a reel adjustment than rod. If you swap reels, are the results the same? The rod does make a difference, but the way the reel is set and line used will make a huge difference when pitching.

Last week while banging around on a windy Kentucky Lake my friend Dave decided he wanted a big water rig for his retirement boat in a couple years. We were fishing from his Nitro Z8, which is a 20' boat. While that is a big boat by most standards, not so much on a big lake when the wind is howling. My question is how much more water will the Z522D draw than a traditional rig. I have not seen one other than pictures and videos. It appears that most of the depth difference is above the water line. Dave is a shallow water specialist and if it sets much deeper it would be a deal breaker. Has any of you guys seen this boat in the water or fished from one? Edit: You would think as long as I've been around this site I would post in the correct spot...evidently not. Mods please move this for me. Thanks.

If you can adjust in a couple of pitches you are better than average! Make your first couple to the outer edge. An extra couple of dozen pitches over the course of the day don't mean a thing, unless you're on the clock and fishing for the truck payment. Then it's more urgent, but relaxing and enjoying the process makes everything work better. And yes, a different action will change how the rod loads and make a difference in trajectory and accuracy. It is the reason many pros will have several identical combos on deck at times. They can change baits with little or no adjustment.

Nice fish!

Nitro I am impressed with your ability to translate unintelligible text. I have in the past received correspondence from the IRS that made about as much sense as the above. Anyone who has ever dealt with the IRS knows that talking to a living employee who is both willing and able to help is nearly impossible. Your skills would have been very valuable to me. Maybe you have a new sideline?

Done.

Just checking back to give a report on how this line performed during a week of fishing. I used it on my chatterbait rod for the entire trip. The fish would not cooperate, but the line did fine. I hadn't been fishing for an hour when I caught the handle of the net on a cast with a crankbait and got the opportunity to respool! While the line is a little harder than I like, it performed well throwing into and around wood and rock with good abrasion resistance. I think it is a good value, and will continue to use it.

There are many studies showing that under static pressure FC will stretch more than mono when dry. After they both have been in the water very long the differences are much less. The reason the pro's use fluorocarbon for many techniques is because it works. Some will insist that it only because of sponsorship, but I am not that cynical and have found it also works better for me. How fluorocarbon feels and handles when I use it are the only real characteristics that much matter to me. How much it stretches and whether it is worth the cost are secondary concerns. If I can't afford to buy it I'll use copolymer instead. If I can save my nickles for the occasional spool of FC, you can bet that's what I will have on a few of my rods. I have found that it lasts longer on my reels than mono or copolymer, which reduces the cost a bit. It's all good! Use what you like. It's just fishing.

It's a good thing it wasn't found by one of the other kids. Having the little guy asking who found his well hidden egg after the egg salad was eaten would be disgusting! Of course grandsons can be disgusting little creatures...I have three. The youngest would have no problem hiding his eggs in the septic tank if he could figure out how to get them in there. He wouldn't have any reluctance retrieving them either I afraid!

Line is like ammunition for guns; it is just a matter of time that the cost of either will exceed the price of the rod or gun. This happens quickly with budget rods or guns. Line is the link between you and your fish and is not the place to get too cheap IMO. There are many recommendations and reviews on this site and countless others online elsewhere. Buy a highly rated line that best fits your budget and enjoy.

I am not saying any such thing. Everyone of those guys uses fluorocarbon. I am not saying that mono or braid is not great for some applications either. Just that FOR ME fluorocarbon is a better choice for contact baits, unless cover is thick enough to require braid. I will not admit to any emotional attachment to fluorocarbon though. Unless treated carefully it will break your heart.

It may stretch more under static conditions, but it transmits vibration, has a smaller diameter to strength ratio, and is denser-causing it to sink with less felt resistance in the water. Fluorocarbon is superior to mono in all "contact" techniques in my opinion. I have done my testing on the water, and my choice will always be fluorocarbon with a good copolymer like P-Line CXX or YZ Hybrid a close second. Mono has its place but not on a jig or plastics rod. Catt and others will be along shortly to tell you that mono has been catching fish for a while now and skill, not line is what matters.

I handled one a couple of weeks ago. I did not have the chance to shoot it. I was impressed by how it compared to my SR9c. It is a little thicker, but not much. If I were going to buy a Glock for EDC it would either be a 26 or 30.

I wish him well. He is a funny guy.

I spent almost all of last week fishing shakeyheads. I used a variety of brands, sizes and weights. I probably had to touchup the points on half of them, either right out of the box or after using them for a while. Keeping a sharpener handy is something that most don't do anymore. I do not fish without a couple close at hand. I use light fluorocarbon, and razor sharp hooks are the difference in catching or losing fish.

Fishinfiend the boat owner is David, holding the smallie. He added the Talons this year. Fishing from a big heavy boat with brakes is a joy. I love fishing from a big performance boat, but the cost of ownership is too high for me. We burnt over $200 worth of gas and $65 of oil in the boat, plus a tank and a half of diesel in the truck! If I lived on a big body of water like Kentucky I guess I would have to sell a kidney to be able to fish...Dave's boat does spoil me. I will have to be happy with my old tin boat for the smaller lakes I usually fish.

Spent all of last week at Kentucky Lake. We caught bass every day with a few good ones. For some reason I can't access all the pictures. This is a few of the better fish. No really big fish this year. When it is windy, Kentucky Lake is not an easy place to fisH! Good trip though. Most of the better fish were caught on shakeyheads and finesse worms, with a few on Beavers. A few on crankbaits, traps and spinnerbaits. Nothing on chatterbait or A-rigs. Edit: I am the good looking young guy (in the Cablelas shirt).

Who is Zona?

I know RW speaks for a big percentage of good, experienced fishermen regarding FC as a leader using braid. On one hand it, probably does offer the best of each. On the other, it does not solve the handling issues of braid especially in windy conditions and it doesn't give the benefit of transferring vibration that makes FC desirable in my humble opinion. It also adds a knot to the mix. Knots are always the weakest link and less is better. Of course these are only my opinions and your milage may vary.

I agree the Cubs have a great team on paper. They are the prohibitive favorite in their division, but the Cards and Pirates will not go easy. It is what makes baseball such a great sport that it is impossible to know how a team will perform regardless of talent. The Cubs have a long history...

Livemusic I had a similar experience a number of years ago. I thought I knew how to pitch until I fished with a guy who grew up fishing a river system. It was a very humbling experience. Since then we have spent countless hours fishing together. I am much better now, but I will never be as good as he is getting a bait to nearly impossible spots. Like throwing darts or shooting a gun, focus is the key. Laser-like focus on the exact spot is key. Too often we throw to an area. This won't work. I know that sounds a simplistic, but it is the most important component IMO. Being able to generate enough speed to get to your spot while keeping the bait close to the water takes a lot of practice. It is not a simple movement. Most of the power is generated by your wrist. Dropping the rod tip, and follow though, and spool control take time to learn. Spend as much time with your friend as you can, and do what he does! Good luck.