FinCulture

I personally would avoid baitcasting combos unless it is a combo that is more of a "reel that come with a rod" than a "rod that comes with a reel" if that makes sense as quality is very important with a baitcaster. Two good starter options would be the Abu Garcia silver maxx (about $60) and the Lew's carbon fire (about $85) paired up with a Berkley Lighting Rod or an Ugly Stik Elite for your price range. I own the Carbon Fire and it's absolutely great for an economical beginner baitcaster that is also built well. This will probably go over your price range, but believe me, you will learn better on a well-built baitcaster than a crappy one that will give you backlashes all the time, so investing a little more money is definitely worth it. If you still lean toward a combo, there' the BPS Pro Qualifier/Carbonite combo, but there are definitely better individual options for the money, and that goes over your price range as well. Definitely put the bulk of your budget into the reel over the rod, although the rod shouldn't be overlooked. Perhaps save up a little to open the window to a slightly larger budget, as a baitcaster isn't harder to master just because it's more expensive. The more well-constructed it is, the more "user-friendly" it will be.

I plan to get more into dropshotting for larrys and sallys, but I'm curious to know: what is the best power and action for a dropshotting rod?

I've got Gamakatsu octopus hooks for my drop-shotting needs, as well as 1/8 oz VMC dropshot weights.

What I like about the Jr. is that a fish can take it much more easily. Anyone who frog fishes a lot knows that this bait may carry the lowest hook-up ratio of any bait in their box. A smaller frog will find its way into a bass's mouth much more easily and allow for a better chance at a good hook set. The Jr. also does provide some solid action, even for a smaller frog.

wow great deals! Definitely some savings there!

black or white colors are always good. Maybe throw a trailer hook on one if you want. Buzzbait hooks are nice and exposed anyway and they are easy to get hookups with. Just start your retrieve as soon as the bait hits the water because they also sink pretty fast!

I love the Booyah Pad Crasher and the Poppin' Pad Crasher. It is a well designed frog. Maybe also look into LiveTarget frogs.

Perhaps invest in a collapsible rubberized net made by Frabill. Easy to store and will increase your "fish-landed" ratio.

Hey everyone, I'm planning a camping trip to Tamworth, nh and am super excited to hopefully get into some smallmouth as well as some trout. If anyone has fished this area of nh (slightly north east of winnipesaukee), I would appreciate some feedback on spots in the area for smallies trout.

lol, nice catch!

I own an 11' Coleman Crawdad, and my cousin owns a Tracker 12 Jon Boat. For the boats, specifically the Jon, I would like to outfit a livewell or two. What would be the best way to go about making a livewell (size, aerators, etc.)?

Dick's Sporting Goods! They have a phenomenal boat sale that goes on around Memorial Day weekend and on through June. They sell kayaks all across the board in price-range at huge discounts.

There are many nice rods out there for your price range. St. Croix rods are some of the best on the market. I own an $150 St. Croix Rage. I kid you not when I say it feels like a $250 rod in construction and handling. Definitely look into the Legend series.

I use power pro braid on a couple of different outfits, spinning and casting, and I have to say I don't think you can get any more sensitive than that. I find braid so sensitive that I can feel the contour of the bottom of a lake when I'm dragging. I use fluoro-clear by P-line instead of 100% fluoro, as it contains the advantages of both mono and fluoro such as its ability to sink/its invisibility in the water, but also better knot-strength than regular fluoro. I do think fluoro has a solid amount of sensitivity, but nothing compared to braid.