lecisnith

I caught a 2 inch bass fry on a 4" tube. Through the mouth and everything.

I just got my first dual brake system reel. I've only been casting in the yard due to the lakes looking like they belong on the ice planet of Hoth, but I've been casting a 1/2 oz frog with no pins engaged and just playing with the mag brakes. So how important are the centrifugal brakes to have on? I'm primarily going to be throwing squarebill cranks under 1/2 oz.

I'm new to the dual brake system as well. I'm primarily going to be throwing cranks under 1/2 oz on mine. How important is it to have the centrifugal brakes on?

My advice would be to go with a baitcaster. It does take quite a bit of getting used to. Once you get the hang of cast control, though, you will end up only using spinning gear for finesse. My wallet found out the hard way that once you go baitcaster, you go all the way.

If it were me, I'd split it, spend half on a spinning set-up and half on a baitcaster. Whether you realize it now or not, once you start really getting into bass fishing, you'll probably end up wanting one.

I use flouro. I'm usually fishing in water with anywhere between 8- 30 feet of clarity, so the low-vis factor is very important for me.

I cast in my backyard, with a sexy frog tied on with a broken hook. They get an awful lot of attention from hawks and eagles. So at least my presentation is good for something...

I'm kind of thinking ice out and bass season are going to pretty much happen at the same time. First week of April or so. I drive past Grand Traverse Bay every day for work, and there's still plenty of ice out there.

I stole my wife's crafting scissors for braid, pliers for mono and flouro.

If you strap that on you're gonna sink like a rock, head first if you go overboard. You'll be your own texas rig.

Just bought one of the Cabela's guide wear ones for cheap. Pretty happy about it.

You are correct, sir. That cold weather pattern is called ice fishing. Great lakes are still 90% covered which means inland lakes are 1,000% covered.

Well, then I suppose I'll stop bugging my wife to let me upgrade the cable. I didn't think it unreasonable to pay an extra $30/mo for one channel, I don't know what her problem is.

Two seasons ago I caught fish left and right on a Northland Tackle Mimmic Minnow Spin. Pike, smallmouth, largemouth, crappie. Last year I threw it one trip, for about 15 minutes, never threw it again. I really wanted it to work but I never saw the opportunity that was right in front of me.

Luckily I don't have to worry about reading the details. I'm in compliance with most rules and I'll agree to do just about anything. Don't have any kids so I can't really give my first born, but my buddy just had triplets, I'm sure he would give one up.

I have a Pflueger President combo and it's pretty awesome. I have it basically dedicated to tubes because I fish for smallies mostly. Most posts I've seen in a similar vein end up with a majority of President votes. Can get the combo for $70-$80.

I just picked up a Shimano Sellus for $60. I've only been casting in the back yard with it but it feels legit. Moderate-fast action, micro guides, I can feel every divot in the three feet of snow cover. And it's got a little picture of a crankbait on the butt, which is my wife's favorite part. Of the rod. The fishing rod...

I believe that I will be very happy with it.

I would go with 12# flouro, myself.

Yeah, it was on sale. I think it was just discontinued stock. The box had enough dust on it I assumed they had it stored next to the Ark of the Covenant in the CIA warehouse.

My wife bribed me to go to Ikea by telling me I could have an allowance at Bass Pro Shops(we both get bonuses at work, we have an agreement that when we get a bonus we are allowed to spend it willy nilly on ourselves). When the dust settled she had a slew of picture frames and shelves, I had a BPS Pro Lite Special and Shimano Sellus crankbait rod, $120 out the door, figured not bad for a low-mid grade set-up. Upon returning to the frozen tundra of northern Michigan, I spooled it up with #12 Seaguar flouro and tied on a useless sexy frog to set up the brakes and tension and have some fun and I have to say, I am blown away by how smooth it is on the cast and retrieve. My highest end reel is a Daiwa Lexa and I feel like I'm going to like this one more.

Last spring I was fishing a sexy frog in a shallow marsh. Was bringing in a 6 pound largemouth, had it next to the boat, put my thumb in her mouth, she shook her head, scraped the hell out of my thumb, broke the knot and took my frog with her. I know it was about a 6 pounder because 10 minutes before I had caught a 4 pounder and, being a rookie, didn't know about such things as re-tying after a nice fish and just kept swinging for the fences. Also learned that 8 pound braid is not nearly as strong as 45 pound braid. Go figure...

What he said. I feel like choosing baits is a very personal thing. I always tell my wife the same thing when she insists on buying me something for Christmas. Of course she doesn't fish and only knows the difference between a crankbait and a spinnerbait because I obsess. Then, I suppose, I was very surprised when she got me a S-ton of green pumpkin soft plastics and 6XDs with a giant tackle bag last Christmas. But yeah, gift card. That's two gifts. You buy him the bait, and he has the fun of actually purchasing it.

I had a muskie bite through my line to take a Rogue. Just felt a little tug, that was it.

I tied an Albright for the first time recently. Was a lot easier than I expected, and super strong.