PourMyOwn

I've used Podcast Addict in the past, will probably return to that-currently love Google Podcasts..with my 40 minute commute podcasts make me look forward to the drive.

I think age plays a big part in this. At 47, I sleep far less than I did at 27, but that may be work related anxiety... I get about 6 hours a night, which is probably not nearly enough.

Strike King 3XD is always on my deck.

The Fuego is a nice reel. And the 5.7 ratio US Trail is a great mid crank reel.

This thread is old enough to have a driver's license. (I also have a 25 hp on my "decked out" 14' V)

This is anticlimactic, but Bomber 5 and 7a cranks. I found a plie in my dad's 1970s tacklebox and I've already upgraded the hardware. We have a lot of rocky clear lakes around here and shallow to mid cranking is really productive.

I bought the Rack and Reel when my Berkeley system finally broke. I think I gave about 25 bucks for it and it handles bulk spools really well-which was my major complaint about the Berkeley.

Tom, keep these coming. I'm all of 46, and I can't get enough stories from your generation.

I go through quite a few of these, it's the Gamakatsu 604 mold.

3" curly tail grubs are a staple for me.

@TOXIC, thanks for sharing, this is information we all need to know.

Angling Archeology is really good too.

Buy a good used reel and if you don't like it you will be able to get your money back. You should be able to get a green Curado 200B in your price range.

I bet it's great for that. I love mine for large squarebills. (I have at least 10 of them, including the one I bought when I was first out of school. They are tanks. Great rod too btw!

You sir, have impeccable taste!

Thank you @gimruis. I have my eyes on Mille Lacs, but I am still researching individual guides. If anyone reading has one in mind, I'm all ears. July and August aren't the best here in NH either, but unfortunately it's when I get to be on vacation-HS teacher. (It's not that unfortunate, it's a big reason I stay, honestly) If I have any other questions I'll pop them in this thread. Thanks again!

I am always looking for 3XDs, Mann's baby 1-, and Norman Fat Boys. I have so many but when I find them decently cheap I buy all I can. I also plan on blowing all of my Cabelas card points on a $$$$ fiberglass rod for 3XDs. Right now it's the St Croix 6'10" medium MOJO Trigon that has my eye.

I'll be visiting a close friend in MN this August. They are in the twin cities area, and I intend to do some fishing while I'm there. I grew up reading and watching In-Fisherman, so I'm somewhat familiar with the bigger lakes. Do you have any recommendations for a guide? I want to chase smallmouth and maybe keep a walleye or two. Thanks

I caught most of my smallmouth this year on Mann's Baby 1 minus and Strike King 3XD cranks. I also threw tubes, jigs, and squarebills a lot.

Yep, I've been doing that for years, just looking for alternatives.

Instead of my heat gun or myriad of torches, I tried a can of Sterno to heat my jigs. It works great, and a one dollar can burns (supposedly) for two hours.

I've been down that road before @TOXIC, great write up. I have a handful of pro model chainsaws that I regularly run on ethanol free-as well as my boats, etc. The one thing I do before I fill my cans is put the first 2 gallons in my truck. That gives me reassurance that the 10% ethanol fuel won't get into my saws.

Someone else will have to chime in on that, I the Fuego CT I have is the only reel I use that was made after 2010. I buy used TDX and TDZ reels these days, I like the old stuff.

I use my 8.1 Fuego for frogs and buzzbaits. For buzzbaits it makes the bait get on top faster and for frogs it gets the bait back to the boat fast so I can cast again. I don't like it for anything else except maybe a rattle trap.

You're going to love it at 5.1. Great find.