RoLo

Medium Heavy / Extra-fast

I suppose it depends on what you prefer, both will work. On the Triton I'm now running, the pedal is mounted in a recess, and that works out real nice. In an aluminum Tracker I once owned, I left the treadle unbolted on a flat deck, and that wasn't too bad either. T9 makes a good point about the pedal bouncing in heavy seas, but in the main the cable dampens the movement What I did like about a free pedal was the ability to kick it into the most comfortable spot to suit body contortions. Roger

Very true, Florida is a melting pot that stretches clear into Canada (many Ontarions in our community) Roger

She's a BIG girl, Kyle! Roger

If it were me, a Dobyns Fury rod and a Shimano reel Roger

My favorite overhead spinner is the War Eagle 1/2 oz Indiana/Colorado. BTW I've fished a great deal in NJ, NY and PA (Delaware Bay to the Thousand Islands) My best advice Dave is to get back slowly and buildup gradually, otherwise you'll end up like the rest of us Roger

i'm definitely not laughing. It could've been a lot worse, and I'm happy you are home safe. Just chalk it up to a learning experience, there will be more to come Roger

I used to see otters quite regularly on Lake Tohopekaliga, FL, but haven't seen one in many years. Differently put, I'm envious of the OP and would happily share my lunch with his otters. Roger

Me too Raul, but I was afraid no one heard of it Roger

Between the years 2005 and 2010 I used 'only' spinning tackle and braided line (both my wife & I). During that 5-yr period, the number of guide inserts we lost probably outnumbered our noteworthy "wind-knots". Though I'd like to contribute to this topic, I simply lack the experience with wind-knots (whatever they are) Roger

Here's a novel approach: why not use a Rebel Pop-R for popping, and a Lucky Craft Sammy for walking? If zigzag walking is your thing, ANY topwater with a weighted tail will be a cakewalk to walk Roger

With regard to telemetry studies pertaining to smallmouth bass, those I've read have documented year-round home ranges as small as a quarter of a mile, just as you stated. With respect to the home range of smallies, it seems that erring on the short side is the most profitable. Roger

There's no denying the time-honored popularity of the Pop-R. (The Pop-R was discontinued, then reintroduced due to popular demand) I can't help but think that its remarkable success is related to its diminutive size (intimidates NO bass) Roger

Funny isn't it, some anglers are looking for tournaments while I'm doing my level best to avoid tournaments (We never fish on Saturdays anymore) Roger

So now we have farmers building dams and river otters terrorizing fishermen. Rough Neighborhood Roger

Spro Bronzeye Poppin' Frog Not the best, but one I really like Roger

You're afraid of river otters? Hmm, I'm more afraid of the postman

I'm not aware of otters building a first-generation dam. Crafty devils that they are, they will occupy an abandoned beaver dam Roger

Bank fishing around heavy brush with an 8-foot rod sounds like a Horror Show to me! If you want more casting distance then switch to lighter line, a heavier lure or maybe practice casting. Roger

Very nice post Turkey sandwich

After dark I'll use the same lure types as during the daytime, but with a leaning toward louder, larger & darker. I'll work all the same holding sites as during the daytime, but with a leaning to shallower water and farther from cover Roger

In most cases, no management is the best management because 'man' is the spoiler, not Mother Nature. Having otters is a natural indication of a good fish supply. If the fish population became depleted, the otters would have no choice but to move on. Simply put, a high otter population indicates a high fish population. On a low note though, the problem with the Wallkill River is not the fish population but the health of the fish. By all accounts, the Wallkill is sky high in phosphorus as well as fecal coliform, which are both man-induced. One can only feel sorry for the otters. Roger

I can relate to most of the descriptions here, but have a different perception as to 'why'. In my opinion, the holding interval for a mouthed Soft-Plastic and a mouthed Jig are the same. If you believe that bait hardness will alter the holding period, be reminded that soft-plastics are frequently rigged on a hard jighead, and skirted jigs are typically accompanied by a soft plastic. Although the holding interval may be the same at the fish’s end, a soft-plastic and a jig are not seized in the same way, which makes a big difference in the reaction time at the angler's end. Soft-plastics spend a lot of time gliding off bottom, while jigs spend a lot of time on the bottom. A gliding lure that's intercepted in flight will generally produce a ‘tap’ or ‘peck’ sensation. On the other hand, a jig that's vacuumed off the bottom tends to produce a feeling of weightlessness...that is...until the fish moves. The time lost between the pickup and sensing the fish will create the illusion of a short mouthing interval, which in my opinion explains why jigs are routinely touted as the hardest lures for detecting a strike. BTW, that same nothingness feeling will also be experienced with Soft Plastics, whenever a bass picks up the lure while moving toward the angler. Roger

http://www.wfmj.com/story/35413134/new-owner-to-change-name-of-gander-mountain This website suggests that Gander Mountain filed for bankruptcy under Chapter 11, which grants reorganization. A company in Chapter 11 is protected from creditors while selling off its least profitable outlets. Although their blowout sales are designed to express urgency, it takes many years to complete a bankruptcy. Kmart (Kresge) filed bankruptcy under Chapter 11 in the late 1990s, before the turn of the century. Just last year a Kmart in Winter Haven, FL was finally shuttered, 20 years after filing Chapter 11. Roger

I'd have to go with the Bomber 6A (citruse) followed by the Rapala DT 7 (parrot) Roger