mjseverson24

most of my dropshotting is not done vertical, so a spinshot is not direction I go, I use a long 15-20ft floro leader and just tie a regular palomar I have not had any issues with this set up and the only part of my line that gets twisted is the drop line, which I don't care about... the long leader is nice incase you have to cut and retie you can do this a few times without having to do the double uni knot to tie the leader on... Mitch

I choose two things based on water clarity, first is the action, as in dirty water fish rely more on their vibration and sound sensory organs to find prey, so I typically have a more aggressive action or more violent movements, the second is color, I feel that black and other dark colors produce better in muddy water as the bait will create a more defined silhouette making it easier for the fish to locate. in clear water I look for something more natural(ish) like a pop-r, or a spook, or a frog. the action is often more subtle, the baits are usually smaller. as for color I go mostly with pearl or transparent, with small flashes of color. If it is calm I most often throw baits that are move and pause, and when it is choppy I go with a more steady retrieve... Calm and dirty water is a recipe for success on top water for me... Mitch

I think it is a worthwhile upgrade, but the Compre is a very good rod on its own, the crucial is a little bit better balanced and lighter, you wont be at a disadvantage using either of these... Mitch

I love dropshots, they are one of my confidence baits. I do most of my shotting on Croix's, I like the mojo line up for this, I have both the 6'9" ML/XF and the 7'M/F both work great the sensitivity is where i want it to be, and the price is right. I did buy a new one last year though a Shimano Compre 7'2" M/XF and it is a great rod I would say it is noticeably more sensitive than the mojo, and the action is right in the middle between the croix's ML and M... if you are set on st.croix the mojo would be my suggestion if not check out the Compre it just might surprise you (Crucial is also a great choice)... Mitch

I would go with a tatula over the T3-B for buzzbaits, as the aluminum frame may be better for the thicker cover(which is where i typically throw buzzbaits)... that being said i have a few T3-B's and I love them, will be buying more... Mitch

1) hollow body frog 2) Jigs/T-rigs 3) Square bill cranks Mitch

I use hybrid lines for my moving bait presentations, floro (invisx/abrasx) for bottom contact and finesse presentations... Mitch

sounds like a good time congrats on the new sticks... Mitch

I have 3 frog rods set up 1) 7'6" abu vendetta H/F: Lews Superduty 7:1, 65lb PP braid. 2) 7'6" BPS graphite series H/F: Quantum Kinetic PT 7:1 50 lb PP 3) 7'6" GSX Tournement MH/F: Quantum Kinetic PT 7:1 50 lb PP I only frog in heavy cover so the longer stiffer rods work well for my style of froggin frogs: KVD, Pad Crasher, Spro Mitch

sensetivity almost nill, fishability and performance? Some, only you will be able to answer that... Mitch

if you look hard there is actually some pretty good info on this thread, a lot of unrelated and non-informative stuff as well. I may be one of the only people who took what Tom had to say probably the way he meant it, or at least close to it, and in my experience I would have to agree with the nature of his original post. Some of my worst days have come when i didnt do my research on weather patterns, look up fishing reports, and other stuff i usually do, i just went out fishing planning on catching them where i did "last time". Now typically i am able to recover and figure something out, but spending three+ hours in a spot just to figure out they are not here sucks. I guess the moral of the story is dont be lazy, approach each day like a new challenge, and dont rely on fishing spots where they have been in the past, be ready to use your knowledge to find that new "Honey Hole"... Mitch

punching... just going to take a few days and do nothing else, i need to have confidence in this rig to be competitive on certain tournament waters... Mitch

my walmart sucks!!! their idea of a clearance is falcon bucoo's at 100... Mitch

I would say that most of your issue is the line memory, Use reel magic or something like that, and it should take care of the piano wire issue... Mitch

I would start up by the dam, usually you can always find fish near them, otherwise i would look at the farthest north cove or bay or creek arm up by the dam, the water should be warmest, so the fish should be more active, but it is only a 1000 acre lake so just break it up into sections and have fun. as far as fishing deep or shallow, i would do both, let the fish tell you where to fish. its is still pretty cold water, so slow presentations will most likely produce best for you, that being said a jerkbait, and lipless crank may also be good options... good luck Mitch

I have a few triumphs both casting and spinning, they are great rods for the 70-80 dollar range. if i am looking for a sub 100 dollar rod they are one of the three i look at, the other 2 are the abu veritas/vendetta, and the shimano clarus... great rods though from a great company... Mitch

for MSRP comparisons i would say it is a coint flip between the curado I and the Tatula, but you can find the tatula for around 100 at a lot of different places, for 70 dollars cheaper the tatula is an easy choice for me... that being said I will own a curado I before the season starts in MN, it just looks so perty... Mitch

The shimano curado 300E is one great casting reel, but the tatula, should be able to hold its own against it in a fair comparison, maybe it just needs a breakdown flush and relube of some of the essential components. I think this is one of the first less than positive reviews on the tatula as far as performance and not size and ergonomics that i have seen on this site... Mitch

thats a piggy congrats... Mitch

i would go with the G on sale, similar performance at 60% the cost... Mitch

I would say on a local level you could fish almost exclusively jigs and t-rigs and more often than not cash a check...(if your good at jig fishing that is). on a national scale it would be difficult to be 1 dimensional, but if you are good enough at it i think you could get away with it... Mitch

i try to avoid fishing memories, but sometimes the old spots work pretty well... i think this has a lot to do with why it is hard for a local to win on his home waters on a top level circuit like the FLW or the elite series... Mitch

25-30 depending on the lake... I dont like having to retie if i get cut off, or if the lure I am using is not producing the way i would like it to. I also would consider myself a junk fisherman, if one technique is really producing i will stick with it, but more often than not I would say i use every single rod i bring for at least a few minutes (except the punch rod that one probably gets used the least). its kind of like golf, if I could bring 25 clubs instead of 14 i would... Mitch

a full charge on the trolling motor batteries... Mitch

I think anybody can become a pro fisherman if they put the time and effort needed to get there. For some people it might require more time and effort some it might take less, but i firmly believe that anybody con do it if they want it bad enough. the question is how bad do you want it? Mitch