Angry John

I think people do it backwards. I fill the spool with braid and when I run low then I add backing. Granted I have spare spools and some don't so an extra spool helps. I also flip the line at the same time so the fresh line is on top.

I could help if you want

Tiptop's are easy. Lighter and needle nose and your good. Hardest part is sizing the new top which is easy with a drill index

My current plan is to get a normal boat and put a 24v trolling motor on it for just that reason. The lakes in CT would allow you to have a motor on your boat and you could not lower it into the water. Do the rules of your state not allow you to keep the motor dry???

I live in the Bartlett area and am looking for a local place to have a guide replaced on my Dobyns 702 spinning reel. Are there any local tackle shops in the area that do guide repair or a builder local who would be willing to change out one guide??? Shipping out rods for repairs is way to expensive and would almost justify the price of a replacement.

I am right handed and i dont want to switch while casting. I always reel left with a spinner and started baitcasters left for the same reason. You want the power of your righ hand for hook sets and accurate casting. Your left hand can do the easy work of cranking the reel. If your switching you may miss a bite or get caught in a situation where you are not in control. In the end do what you want and what is comfortable. It also costs more to fish left handed as used reels are a premium for leftys. I was looking for the zillion in the japan special and it was over a hundred dollars more in left.

The best of the budget spinners may be Pfluger but over 150 the top two can't be touched. My favorites are a few seasons old now but are in the 200 range.

I like strike king baits from square bills to the xd series. I dont use the normal series. I also like the spro baits all i have are the MD series. The black back chartreuse and the cell mate work well. I also like the duo m65 and the smaller bait.

proper foot ware. I see so many people fish in flip flops and just don't undersand. For sure my #1 is a good set of sun glasses.

California resivores have been dropping for years and we're in bad shape. One of the lakes Isabela was huge when I was a kid and very beautiful. Isabela was down so low that they were going to stop the outflow to prevent total drainage. With the huge storms this year the lakes are making a great comeback. With all the years of being low and the sudden fill is fishing going to suck for a long time???

Nothing better than a magic eraser for cleaning cork

Plexus I had from my motorcycles works wonders. Still use it.

wow that is confusing. Why not just list the reel by model number so its easy to find what you want and those of us who fish will recognize the correct product. Some times I just scratch my head!

you might want to spend the winter time practicing on some old hooks that may not be in top shape. Knowing how to sharpen a hook correctly is a skill that takes time and will save you time out on the water and money in some cases.

Were going to do both friend

What is a ten pound reel. I assume you mean test line that it is rated for???

Hello my name is john and i am an addict. Now to fuel my habit i fill a Coleman water jug with coffee. The jug is isolated and does alright but the volume is more than a few people can go threw in a couple of hours.

Expensive hooks are worth it, and i know it hurts. You can try and sharpen the hooks to increase there life to cut down costs. You may not need more baits if you have the ones that work for you, and maybe the money would be better spent elsewhere. I use the same hooks you mentioned but the Daiichi Death Trap Round Trebles are great to! https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Daiichi_Death_Trap_Round_Treble_Hook_5pk/descpage-DAIDTHK.html?from=basres I use these mostly for jerkbaits that need light hooks to suspend properly.

I recently watched a video where a guy used two smaller ball weights vise one large one to keep the rig from getting hung up. Havent tried it myself but may be worth checking.

I use my avid 66mf for jerkbaits and squarebills

I like a lot of power on single hook bait's so I use my dobyns 743 for the open jig head. Swim jigs and 4.8''s with weighted hooks on my st Croix legend mhf.

if you decide to use amazon that is ok but I use tackle warehouse for everything and they have free shipping over 50 dollars and will price match. You can get everything you could ever want from them and they always treat me right!!!! https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/SupportCenter/OrderInfo/?from=basres#Guarantees

I would recommend you you look used as there are a ton of good deals out there and you can amplify your buying power for a much better setup for a lot less money. Beginner setup has been covered by all those before me but i may have a different view. If you look at all the post about best item for under xx dollars you will get a good idea of what people like and recommend. If i could drive you to look into a setup that would allow you to fish dropshot then you will learn a bunch and have one technique that works year round and catches a buch of fish. I would recomend a 2000 size reel, 15 or 20 lb power pro line and borrow some line from your buddy for leaders. A rod that has a carbon blank will work to begin even if the guides suck and then find out if fishing is your thing. if you want specific parts then i would go with a pfluger president, an abu garcia veritas 7' medium spinning and the power pro as stated. This is decent gear and will stay with you as you grow or can be offed if you decide its not for you.

I have talked to a lot of people while camping locally and they say reelfoot camp ground sucks. I plan on checking out the same reelfoot resort in that you are talking about. I will have info when i go up there in the early spring to scope out the situation. If your free maybe we could meet up and fish while were there. I will drag my YAK up there but if i stay in the resort later in the season i will rent a boat.

Fishing from shore and river fishing i would think that going with a jig and plastic centered load of baits would result in a lot less money lost and just as good catch rate. The texas rigged plastics, arky jigs and swim jigs would carry you threw most situations and get hung up a lot less saving you a lot of money. the combinations of spider gurbs, 4" paddle tails and beaver baits and jigs would just about cover you along with a few packs of your favorite worms. Rivers eat baits fast and if you can find good baits that dont get hung up you will be tons of money ahead. It would also be easy to cary and take along the bank with you in a back pack.