mjseverson24

I use the plano water proof boxes for all of my tackle... This way it is much easier to see all the colors and options while still keeping the bait nice and fresh... This system IMO is the most efficient method I have seen, especially if you bring a large amount of tackle... Mitch

Hmmm... I would call Shimano first, if they dont give you the support you are hoping for if it was me I would just cut the loose piece free from the rod as it would not effect the way the rod performs the way I hold it... Mitch

check out the lews Super Duty in the 7:1 or 8:1... its a beast... Mitch

Each year my casting reels(25 +/-) get a full tear down and lube... 6+ months of no bass fishing in MN what the heck else am I going to do... Spinning reels while I do the maintenance on them myself I do it on as as needed basis, other than what can be done from the outside... Mitch

I have broke a few rods, st croix tiumph, shimano convergence, and a fenwick HMX. All of them were broke in the same manner, using braid fishing a jig around wood, feel a "bite" and don't completely reel in the slack before swinging to find out the bite was a log. all of these broke about 18 inches from the tip where the rod starts to shut down into the power section of the rod. I have since figured out how to correctly set the hook and have not broken a rod since ( about 3 years)... Mitch

I don't target spawning fish at all, I am sure I catch a few spawners each year unknowingly, but ignorance is bliss in those cases. My intent is to avoid spawning fish, but when you flip a jig under a dock, or by a tree/stump, or pocket in the weeds and the fish are in spawn mode you will most likely get a few in the act on accident... During tournaments I typically fish deeper than a normal bed would be located, so I should be pretty sure of not disturbing the spawn... Mitch

I dont actually use anchors, but the anchor feature on the I-Pilot is used quite a bit... Also Talons and Power poles are pretty darn useful. Mitch

Quantum tour MG Quantum Smoke (new style) Zillion TWS Tatula R Skeet reese pro carbon Lews BB1 Shimano Chronarch CI4 Mitch

I am a junk fisherman by nature, but I find in tournaments if I specialize in two or three presentations I do better... Mitch

If you know how to use a jig a 1/4-1/2 oz jig-n-pig is about as good as it gets around wood... if not a weightless senko is an easy way to put fish in the boat... Mitch

I have only used the veritas and the ***, and both are great rods. The *** is a little bit more sensitive, while I feel the veritas has a little bit more power, so depending on the applications they each can outshine the other... for all around it seems the *** is the better choice... no experience on the water with the ghost but in the stores i did not like the tapers of this series... Mitch

I use the double uni knot and love it, but i know there are a bunch of guys that use other ones that work great too. joining the braid to 20 lb floro will create a pretty decent size knot so depending on the rod guides it may get a little interesting if you use a longer leader... Mitch

I am not sure what rods I will get this year, I really enjoy my falcon bucoo micro, so I may go with some more of those, I also like my Tatula rods, I will most likely pick up at least one more of those. An *** or *** may be in the cards as well, it all depends on the job I get in may when I graduate from college... Mitch

for me there is two different scenarios... 1) lakes are frozen and I get a new reel ---> I tear it down and perform regular maintenance on it... (why the heck not its 4+ months till opener and I am bored) 2) its fishing season and I get a new reel ---> oil/grease the level wind and call it good... (if the gears feel rough i will add some grease, but usually they are pretty good out of the box, or at least good enough) Mitch

I do own a few clarus rods 2 casting and 1 spinning(I enjoy this line of rods, good bang for your buck), but they are not the TC4 series of rods (the reaction bait series), however I do have a 7' convergence TC4 rod that I use for casting lipless cranks and smaller square bills, and I enjoy that rod quite a bit. if you don't want an all glass rod these are a good way to get a happy medium between glass and graphite... Mitch

I used to use the boca 7's but now I only use the hawgtech bearings as they are still good quality but they are more affordable... For free spool the bocas will outperform the hawgtechs slightly, but actual use on the water the results are nearly indistinguishable from one another... I run mine dry... Mitch

I got mine for 60 off the bay... after all the upgrades its about 100-110 depending on the handle and bearings you put on it... Mitch

what do you want to do with them??? like techniques, and rods to be paired with... Mitch

Why would you laugh at prefishing a tournament??? Have you ever fished a tournament on a lake you were not very familiar with??? Mitch

If my bait is bunched up at the bottom of the hook one of two things happened, I set the hook on a weed or stump, or a fish grabbed it in a way that when I set the hook he didn't get stuck... if the bait is still good I just put it back up on the hook and keep fishing, if not I get a new one... The less junk I add to my bait that is not used to lure in a fish the better... Mitch

The Dropshot is probably one of the best fish catching systems available today(artificial). every time I go out I have at least 4 rods rigged for DS. I have 2 on spinning(ML, and M power) and 2 on casting(M and MH power). If the fish are positioned near the bottom think of it as a faster way to present a weightless plastic to deep water fish. I have drop lengths from 8" to 4' depending on the lake and conditions. This is a total confidence bait for me on clear lakes, if I cannot catch a decent limit on the DS its going to be a tough day for everybody. Is it my favorite technique??? absolutely not, but when the bite is tough and you are looking to put some fish in the boat the DS is about the best way to coax a lock jawed bass into eating... Disclaimer---> if you don't know where the fish are located the DS may not be yours best option, a reaction bait will work better to cover the water until you find the fish... Mitch

I really do not worry too much about moon phase with Bass. The only noticeable difference to me is that the morning bit is not quite as good during the full moon phase as the fish have a better chance to be successful feeding all night long with the bright sky. I always judge my jigs based on water color and clarity and sky/ weather conditions. Mitch

Lucky??? Nope... Blessed??? Absolutely... I always say a prayer for safety, and thank God for the opportunity to be out in nature, enjoying his beautiful creation... I also try to keep swearing to a minimum(not easy for a sailor), it seems the bite shuts off at about the first efinheimer... Mitch

If you are looking for a reel that will outcast a Curado 200E7 there are quite a few that will out perform them in casting distance alone, but if you look at every aspect of the reels performance, it is hard in a price range under about 250 to compete with the E series. Personally the best casting(not all around) reels I own are quantum kinetics, the ACS system I love, but if you do not have a good thumb it is not the reel for you. It has a heavy spool that is deep so it has lots of line capacity and maintains its speed for a long time. I have replaced the handles(stock are way to small) and bearings(hawgtech) on all of my Kinetics (3 of them) and with a 7' glass cranking rod and 12 lb YZ hybrid and a Rapala DT-10 I can cast most of the capacity of the spool, and with a 1/2 oz lipless crank its just silly the distance you get out of it. Mitch

Fishing has become my main hobby, so a large portion of my "fun" money goes towards it. I would say with tournaments, boat and truck costs, gas and equipment, as well as food while on the road/water... close to $15000.00... Mitch