NBR

Since I'm in the Gezzer class and have fly fished for over 60 years i can relate some experiences. First whaen I started fly fishing the only tapered leaders were hand tied and to expensive so we just used a piece of mono. We used 10# as I recall but any from 8 to 12# should be OK. Don't worry about the cheap reel. Except for ocassionally fighting a really big fish from the reel the fly reel's purpose is to store your line. I attach the leader to the line with a nail knot. This keeps a solid nonhinged connection between the line and leader. With a fly out fit you are casting the line and the leader and fly go along for the ride. Albeit the leader and fly must turn over for the best casting. I can't remember the name of the knot I use to attach the fly to the leader but you put the line through the eye of the lure. Tie a slip knot loop and put the fly through the noose. Chince down and trim the tag end. This leaves a compact knot that works with all fly sizes. The biggest bigginer and old hand problem is starting the forward cast too soon. Good luck it is great fun and at times highly effective. While I don't use it often there is always a fly rod in my boats rod locker.

Because shipping costs for rods is so high I'd go to a BPS store or a Dick's Sporting Goods or similar but unless there was no other choice not to a Wal-Mart type. I'd pick some thing in graphite with a medum action and quick taper in the 6'6" or 7' range. My absolute minimum would be 6" and then only is accuracy is much more iportant than distance.

Btech, Stren and Berkley are both good lines. With all due respect if you are having trouble the problem is either you, your rod or your reel. Most likely you. By there nature spinng reels twist line so you must put it on twist free. It actually twists one direction on the cast and untwists on the retreive. Net effect nothing. I don't use the clockwise counter clockwise method. Put the line through a few or all the guides. Fasten to the reel. Be sure your drag is very tight. Put the spool of line on the floor with the label up. Crank on a bit. Put some slack in the line to check for twist. If no twist continue to fill. If the line twists flip the line spool over and then fill. If you crank against the drag you line will twist terribly. Also a bait that spins can/will cause twist. If I use a straigh line spinner I have a swivel on either the lure or the line. I watch soft plastics carefully to be sure they are not spinning be cause of poorly rigging them up. Be sure they are rigged straight. If you want them to twist for a reason use a swivel. I am retired and fish several days a week and I can't remember the last time I had line twist. I admit that I back reel instead of relying on the drag so slipping drag is not an issue with me.

Item 1. If you were pulling in over drive that is a reason for the transmission going. Never pull in O.D. Check the GVW rating for the vehicule you are considering. If the GVW is higher than your load you will be okay. Remember it is not just the boat and trailer but the passengers as well. Heat is the enemy of automatic transmissionss so a tranny cooler is a plus if not a requirement.

If I remember correctly you have a small boat. You need to consider the weight limits on your boat.

I have a hand held version. The range is pretty short but you don't need to contend with an antenna which can cause some pretty terrible backlashes. It takes up almost no space. Weather reports are regular and on many waters you can communicate okay.

I have two or three ultralights but I only use them for crappies, blue gills and perch. Taking a long time to get a fish in the boat really stresses the fish and reduces the probability of a successful long term release. If I remember correctly it builds up lactic acid to levels that are harmful. My only personal experience seeing this was three years ago. We were in Canada and my buddy hooked a very decent northern on a light spinning outfit with as I recall 6# line. He battled that fish for a long time. When we got it into the boat it was weighed (16#) and returned to the water. After working on the fish for quite a while it finally swam away. Probably a half an hour later I saw something on the surface. We went to look and it was the northern we had released in a near belly up condition. We worked with that fish for nearly an hour and it finally swam away. Although we are proud that we spent the time I am not confident the fish did not became turtle food regardless of our efforts.

When the craze hit you coouldn't find one so I never used one. These many many years of fishing and I finally beat the monkey!

I have an old BPS reel that I bought in the range of 25 or more years ago as a spare to take with me to Canada for a weeks trip. It became my favorite and remained so until summer before last when it crapped out and no parts are available. There is nothing special about the reel it just fits my needs very well. I haven't dumped it yet as I have this hope I'll find a part I can use from another reel. I have a Curado, Pflueger's, Qunatum's, BPS, Daiwas, BPS' and like them all, some just better than others. My oldest rod is a Lew's Speed Stick that goes back to the orginal Lew's company. It is about 30 years old and needs a new guide which maybe I'll replace this winter. At my age almost all of my tackle is old.

Fluoro sinks quickly mono with a specific gravity of only slightly over 1.0 sinks much much slower. Want to get deeper use fluoro. I don't crank deep all that much but I use fluoro on jigs and soft plastics with no more backlash issues than mono

I have never had a trolling motor that was too big but I have had one that was too small. I didn't make the same mistake twice. As big as you can afford.

I find it very convenient and not messy!

I don't use them often any more but on ocassion on a trip where I might run into a severe cold front or two I'll take a dozen or so along. Usually they get dumped before I head home. I'm too lazy to use them and most of the time artificials do the trick. A great book is Lunkers Love Nightcrawlers by I think Spence Petros

I wouldn't use a lure at all. I'd get a practice plug or plugs from 3/8 to 5/6 ounce. The heavier the easier to start off and you can drop down to 1/4 oz. as you develop skill. I'd go to Reel Mechanic's web site and review his tutorial on set up and getting started with a bait caster. There is nothing majic about bait casting success is spelled practice.

You pay a prep and destination charge on any vehicule you buy!

Jig Man is right on. Parrallel extends hours at the same voltage, series of 12v to 12 v makes the voltage additive. 12v to 12v = 24v baaad for a 12v motor. You don't say how old the battery is. Most autoshops, including Wal-Mart, can run a load test on the battery right in the boat. Don't hook a new battery in parrallel or series with an old one. Assuming the load test showed a good battery, I'd buy a new battery and if it gave out in 5 hours then I'd immediately get a second one of exactly the same brand and size. It might be that

Considering your budget and preferred package you need to save a lot longer.

If you are on an inland lake in New Hampshire and use the redrightreturn rule you are apt to end up sitting on a pile of rocks.

I don't retie very often and I don't even respool annually. I do check for nicks any time I bump cover, some times when I don't bump cover and I am very, very, very careful with my knots. I can't remember the last time I broke off on a fish except at the knot when I must have been only very careful with the knot

According to what I read many years ago the smallies in the very northern lakes were brought in by buckets carried on the logging railroads. I suspect a small number but the area has for years been a mecca for smallmouth anglers. Some 40 years ago I was told a lake I fish often had no smallmouth. Today it is a great smallie fishery. It may take time but I believe there is a good chance they will establish a fishable population.

Yes you will damage your line. I don't think you can get a seperate insert. If you are talking the very tip guide it is very easy to replace. Most tackle shops have kits as does BPS.

Since I have a + 35 years on you I don't think you have reached late in life. I'd say not even middle aged. Back to the topic, most of my fishing is done with bait casters because I am very conmfortable with them, I think BC's cast much more accurately and you have better control over the lure and the fish. I fish weightless plastics of all types on BC'ers. Senkos and their knockoffs cast like rockets with them. The lakes I fish are pretty void of cover except for rocks and they are very clear. For the most part I use a limp mono in 10 to 12# and fluorocarbon in 12#. From ice out to mid post spawn I have 4 baitcasters and 1 spinning outfit on the deck and then I have 3 bait casters and 2 spinning out fits on the deck. The spinning outfits are used for any bait under 1/8 ounce with 6# maybe 8# line and for drop shotting usually with 8#.

I palm the reel which is the reason I cast right retrieve left. If I'm trying to keep a buzz bait or frog on top the water I might make the switch before the bait hits the water.

Different tour different rules! No science behind my opinion but I suspect a rubber net is easier on the fish than bouncing them off of and letting them flop around on the carpet.

I went to one a few years back and found it somewhat infoemative but if you live in the north country it was a chance to listen and talk to other bass fishers while the lakes were still iced over. In my opinion its just another thing ESPN has fouled up since they bought B.A.S.S. I dropped out several years ago and reupped last year hoping the magazine had improved. I won't renew this year. The magazine has deteriorated from being read cover to cover on arrival to a pick it up and might read before I pitch.