jitterbug127

Water around Indy is way too skinny to have a place ruined. I’m in much more desperate need of a good place to fish than I am a state record.

Awesome! thank you so much. I will talk to my buddy and see what he's thinking of places to go. I really appreciate all of your help.

He told me we were the only gear trip he had done in 2024 when we went. We did a Steelhead fly rod trip this fall. I had never picked up a fly rod before that day. That was a learning experience for sure. Dude is a great teacher. That being said I'm 50/50 on picking up a fly rod again. I did message my buddy last night and asked him about booking Dustan for a few days this summer (if has has availability) so its pretty near that came up here in this thread the next day. I am really thinking lake St. Clair would be phenomenal. I thought doing like 2 smallmouth days and 2 Muskie days. I have 100% settled into getting a guide vs bringing my boat and going in blind wherever we decide to go.

We Love to fish the Joe! Friend of mine and I have taken a couple day trips up to South bend and South West Michigan the last 2 years and fished with Dustan (Ripple Guide Services...I'm spacing on his last name right now) out of South Bend. Its a great fishery. We did a steelhead this fall. Thank you for the response! I knew this post would be fruitful. St. Clair/ The Joe/Lake Erie were the first three things that came to my mind. Glad to know I was already on the right track. Let me check out some of these names you've listed and see what they've got available.

I've contemplated removing mine from the boat. I never use it. Front bow storage is where it sits at present time.

Good luck!

I've done it yes without issues. That being said 4 seasons of heavy fishing with the same braid and you're talking about 40 yards plus 40 more yard I'd just replace with whole thing. 150 is the smallest spool i've ever bought. Gonna cut it either way.

I'd like to do a fishing trip this summer. I was considering taking my boat or hiring a guide somewhere. We really like smallmouth. I wouldn't be opposed to musky either. Out of state is ok as well. Anyone have recommendation within say 6 hours of Indy?

I have been leaning this way. I've not had the same success with the TRD in the past year as i did in the past. Its quite a high maintenance bait. I don't plan to buy anymore in the future.

Sunbrella covers are expensive upfront but will pay for itself in the long run….i don’t miss the parking outside days.

Welcome. Have a blessed day! Rob

Swimbait rod all day! Big long handle for leverage. It’s perfect

If you had to order again would you get a medium? Im about same size is why I ask.

The one fishing story I have that Sticks out the most is the time we got stuck on the river...Henderson Ford Boat Ramp White River just north of Martinsville. I had a a 14x36 foot Jon Boat, 55 lb thrust trolling motor 2 batteries and no outboard. In my infinite wisdom I somehow thought we could get back up river with just a trolling motor. Didn't take horribly long to kill both my batteries and I have no idea what to do next. We can't row upstream. There is a powerplant along the river and we tried to get out there. Stranded and hungry, we were happy to abandon the boat and just get an uber home. We climbed up the ladder and bang on whatever we can to try to get someone to let us in. Security guard refused to even let us walk through the parking lot. He kept saying "This is IPL property...you can't be here." I was very mad and very annoyed with the whole situation. We ended up floating down as far as we could. Happy to have a place to just get out because the Low head dam at the time was literally right there. I couldn't float over that. My buddy Brett and I get this boat out of the water and some nice fisherman helped us carry our gear what felt like a 1/4 mile back to the parking lot. I had a second or third date with this girl scheduled for that night. I called her up and say Ill be late or not make it. I explain my whole broke down on the river situation. She volunteers to drive from Irvington to Martinsville to give me a ride back to my car. She gets there and is mad I'm with my buddy and not alone. She also mad I smell like the river and stunk her jeep up. She gives me a ride back to my car, we made out for a minute, and I never heard from her again. I back to my car and go south picking up my buddy and load up the poor boat. If this boat was any bigger heavier we have had to leave it behind. I actually met my wife the very next day. I also had a horrible case of poison ivy/oak from whatever we got out of the woods.

We started using braid as a way to mitigate losing lures as broke college students. I’d break off trying to pull my lure out of a tree limb or stuck off the bottom of the river. That $5 was a lot of money for me 15 years ago. The braid allowed me to pull without breaking line and losing a lure. It was never about catching fish in the beginning and it just stuck.

Yes very common for fish smallies to have red eyes here in hoosier land.

I watched 1 video on the fg knot about 12 years ago and the guy had his shoes off and the line in his mouth. I was like…nope. Never even tired to tie it.

I will be buying a curado bfs this spring. I think it will be an awesome smallmouth weapon.

I used to catch a bunch of smallmouth and rock bass on the ned. I feel like everyone and their brother has thrown it, so it has lost some of its effectiveness. Green pumpkin and peanut butter and jelly are my favorite colors. Z man baits. 1/16 oz jig head most of the time. Most of my bites are on the fall or dragging it painfully slowly. Like however slow you're retrieving it slow it down to .5 or .25 that speed. I used to throw it all the time, but anymore I find it to be my last resort. It used to be the first lure off the boat. My fishing has changed. TBH I'd rather throw a tube all day in the same water I'd throw a ned in the past. Rob

Glad I checked. So I’d need a side plate and a spool and it would have to fit perfect to make everything work…I’ll just buy a bfs reel

I was looking at a Curado BFS reel and just thought I've got 4 of these mgl 71s here at the house. Can i just buy a spare BFS spool and swap them out? Google search says yes but I wanted to double check with the people. Thanks Rob

Yes. I've been straight braid on everything for several years. We fish in chocolate milk about 1/2 the season and green water the rest of the year.

Is a tube considered an old time lure? If so that's the ticket.

Problem with latest and greatest is stuff changes so fast that in a year or 2 its old and dated. I don't really care too much about "new" and if you saw my CRV or boat you'd be far from impressed. I have bought a bunch of new reels this winter, but that is to have the more modern MGL spools. I generally find something i like a just buy newer versions of the same thing forever. For fishing gear I like Shimano casting reels, Pflueger spinning reels, Fenwick and St. Croix rods. I don't see a big reason to deviate too much. Like with anything I like buy once, cry once.

I’ve got a few curado reels with the mgl spool. Should be good there. I’m curious how this Rods action will work for treble hook lures.