MickD

What is a bladed jig, a silver buddy? I can't help with glass, never build glass. But If I knew more about what kind of fishing "bladed jig" fishing is, I might help with graphite recommendations.

Can you hear the pump running? My Lund livewell has a valve where the water enters the livewell, and if that valve is not open, the pump will run but the water cannot enter the livewell.

I believe the best two specs of the traditionally offered specs on rods, to use to select a rod, are the lure weight coupled with the action description. Because, if the rod doesn't load properly it won't cast properly, and the lure recommendations are pretty good. The action descriptions, Mod, Mod-fast, Fast, XFast are also usually pretty true. I just received a blank labled Med-Light power, from the same manufacturer that offers another blank labled Med-Heavy. I've tested both on my CCS rig and the power measurements are almost identical and they both should be called Med-Heavy. Both are seven foot blanks, one RX7 and one RX8. Actions are similar, not identical. Both are labled Fast, but one probably should be labeled XFast. It is not hard to measure CCS, and you can do it with equipment that doesn't take up a lot of room, and the numbers it yields offer OBJECTIVE measurements of blank and rod power and action.

Just bought a Daiwa SV103 baitcaster-best casting reel I've ever owned. Previously owned modern reels: Shimano Curados and Revo SX's, Shimano Calcutta 100 (almost modern-still use it, pretty nice). I build my own rods, so have lots of favorites for various techniques, but doesn't answer your question. I have to say the most impressive spinning and casting blanks to build on right now, to choose one line, would be Point Blank. A little limited in selection, but what is offered is pretty impressive.

Based on my experience with that transducer, it is critical on mounting, but it WILL, if located correctly, give depth readings both at slow speeds and on plane. The easy solution, as stated, is a 2nd transducer.

I really don't see how a largemouth study of an eighteen acre lake has any relevance to Great Lakes Smallmouth fishing rules or practices. Or smallmouth bass in any environment. You just cannot extrapolate this study to any smallmouth waters of any size or location. It is a very specific study of largemouth ponds.

Agree with the recommendation to use KB's all the way for runners. The KT's have such a small foot it is easy to imagine that they might not hold up to your heavy duty plans. The KB foot is much more substantial. I see no advantage for this use in going really small, no need for small guides for sensitivity, weight advantage, or possible casting distance advantages. I would use KB 6 runners all the way to the tip . That way if you change your mind and want to use braid with a knot, your system will pass any reasonable knot cleanly. This seems to me to be an ideal application for a spiral wrapped rod. The simple spiral is a piece of cake and works as well as any other spiral designs. For max strength of the wrap/epoxy/guide bond I would consider not using CP. Some will argue that CP does not compromise strength of the system, but I find that guides wrapped without CP really come off hard. Test your wrap on a test section with alcohol to see the approx color you'll have without CP.

As stated, to mark fish he has caught before. It's just the curiosity thing in wondering if one has caught the same fish more than once. I caught the same smallie twice in the same day, could tell from a bad eye. Probably have caught the same fish many times before, but don't know it.

There is at least one fisherman on Sag Bay who snips the top of the tail a little to mark his releases. I wish he didn't do that, but doesn't seem to harm the fish. One of our biggest of a couple years ago was marked that way.

The string technique is not just for worst case scenarios as you describe. In fact with a struggling fish still on the line, you're just screwed, and the line technique, like anything else offers nothing until you get rid of the fish. The string technique really is of value for everyday fishing accidents. I took a big spinnerbait trailer hook out of a partner's hand while fishing a fly-in lake in Ontario, and he was amazed at how well it worked, no pain, no flesh damage, next day could hardly find the spot where it came out. Saved us a lot of time and trouble getting out to a doctor. I used it twice on myself this last season (yes, I know, be more careful). Anyone who fishes should learn it-it is in your interest to do so.

Make sure you don't cut the hook close to the skin, or you may end up with the barb + more inside the flesh, which makes it a lot harder to get out.

Think layering. For all-weather flexibility. I have a Cabela's top of the line coat with removable fleece, which is very nice, but heavy. Most of the time I use a lighter waterproof breathable top with multiple layers under it. For the bottom the insulated bibs would work fine; just have lighter rain pants for warmer weather. I've never used bibs, do the layering thing for the pants area , too. Most important is to make sure everything you buy for the outside is breathable waterproof.

lt's still common sense. It's common sense + science. Science and common sense agree.

I use a cabelas auto-inflate. It went off once when my boat was in for service and it was in a compartment that got flooded. Has never gone off since, even though I've taken some splash and rain. My son insists I wear it because he doesn't want to waste any fishing time looking for the body. :-)

I've never had a Daiwa spinning reel that was not a great reel. Even the ones they built for Cabelas were very smooth and durable. I've added "real" Daiwas recently, and they are great, too. Recently I purchased a Daiwa baitcasting reel and it is the best casting baitcaster I've ever had, and I've had Abu, Quantum, Shimano. I'm becoming a Daiwa advocate. I should add that I've never spent more than $200 on a reel, and don't consider it necessary to get a very fine reel.

Probably because the bass prey on salmon eggs or fry? And they are prioritizing their salmon/trout fishery first? Or at least that is the perception? On Lake St Clair their are fishermen who kill muskies and throw them back no matter what size they are because the fishermen blame muskies for hurting the perch population.

Bass in MI on Lake St Clair, Huron, MI, Saginaw Bay, and many northern lakes are not done spawning by June 1. The law for the part of the year that is not in the normal bass season is catch and immediate release. Leaving the rules on tourneys to the tourney organizers/clubs is, IMHO, an invitation to disaster. As the scientists, not the "squeaky wheels," stated. We had scientists from Ohio, MI, and Ontario testify, and they were all in agreement. The question on MI came from a proposal by a "club."

In most cases the rod can be repaired. I've done it many times, even measured the CCS numbers before and after, numbers didn't change, and the rods fished as well after repair as before. This is much easier and will result in a better rod than adding ferrules to make it two piece. If you need details, contact me.

They can be purchased at pharmacies, or at least they were a couple years ago. Very low price, as I remember.

For freshwater bass, walleye, pike, panfish, all I use is graphite. For these applications I don't think there is anything that I'm missing that another material will offer. All the lengths, powers, and actions I need are available in graphite, and I believe the rods will be lighter than the most obvious alternative, glass. If buying for kids, others who won't take good care with the rods, or tough duty like downrigger rods, some glass options will be less likely to be damaged.

That is exactly what I meant about displacing. "Sarcasm alert" regarding "comfort crawdads." Also, I may be crazy but I'm not stupid.

Thanks! Got it. Beautiful rod, I'll have to try one like that.

Great looking rod. But I don't understand the advantage of a Tennessee grip on a cork platform so short that you cannot move the reel fore and aft for balance much at all. Comfort from the thin securing rings? I would think an up-locking 17 seat with a small ramp off the front would be as comfortable, and if the ramp were made of rigid polyurethane, it would be equivalent to having your fingers on the blank.

I'll defer to the experts who were commenting on allowing TOURNAMENTS, not individual anglers. Tournaments have large numbers of expert anglers who are allowed to keep 5 fish, which with culling could involve displacing a great number of fish.

I just returned from a bonefish trip where I used my regular prescription glasses with an amber clip-on, both from Zenni. The clip-on cost about $4. Worked very well-now and then I saw fish the guides had not yet located. I'm not saying the combination is the best optical performance, but if on a budget, it is worth considering, because it basically worked. Without the clip-on, I could see nothing in the water; with it on, it was like turning on a light, or removing the surface of the water. Worked both on sunny days and overcast. If I could find some high performance, full coverage wrap arounds with a bi-focal window at the bottom, I would buy it. In amber. Sometimes in overcast conditions the high performance greys, with about 90% visible light filtration, don't provide enough visible light to get through, and detail is lost due to it being too dark.