BrettD

Like I tell everyone make sure you get one with variable speed the 5 speed trolling motors can be a pain getting the right speed 4 is to slow and 5 is to much.

This happened to me last weekend on lake Okeechobee. The manatee snuck under the boat and started scratching his back on the bottom of the boat.

sac au lait if your in Lousiana

This is the exact reason I have a few loaner rods.

Pull the prop off and make sure there is no line wrapped around the shaft behind the prop.

specks

Different gears the tournament has brass gears and the pro has duralumin gears which saves most of the weight.

I definitely think he should have lost his fishing and hunting license for life.

I don't think it makes any difference at all personally but some people swear by red hooks. Its what ever makes you feel confident.

Like others said a 6.4 or 7:1 I prefer the 6.4 gear ratio because I have hard time slowing down and the 6.4 keeps me from retrieving the bait to fast. Some people like the 7:1 and they just slow there reeling down to control the retrieval speed.

I use a dobyns 766 its a 7'6" heavy fast rod 65# braid 1.5oz tungsten weight 80% of the time sometimes a 1oz sometimes 2oz. I use the 6th sense bobbers tops I have tried the cheaper ones and didn't have good luck. I use a 4/0 straight shank mustad Denny Brauer flipping hook with a beaver or craw type bait.

I have both and like the pro more the only real notable difference is the weight.

Braid: 40# or 65# power pro slick 8 or diawa samurai braid. Mono 12# big game I only have one rod with mono on it. Flouro and leaders: Don't use them.

Lamiglass, castaway, st.croix, and falcon are American made rods. Well actually assembled in the USA. Most of the components are Fuji and from Japan.

What crank baits are planning on using?