RFSims

I no longer use fluorocarbon line, except a spool of Seguar 8lb test that I use as braid to leader for drop shots and Ned. When it is gone, it’s gone. Will not replace. Although just using it for leaders it may outlast me. I am much happier using P-Line Fluroclear in 6/8/10/12/15.

Nothing wrong going with all spinning reels. My two camping, fishing buddies only fish spinning. Me, I fish both. I personally don’t understand the now trend of BFS. Fifty plus years ago I cut my teeth on Ambassaduer 5000 bait caster. If you can cast that reel, you can pretty much cast any modern bait caster. I don’t pay attention to type of brakes and my spools are fairly loose, but then again I been doing that for 50 years. I have recently added Daiwa Tatula bait casters. Agree with the poster that recommended Daiwa SV reels. I really have to work at it to get a SV to backlash. There is nothing wrong with going all spinning or all bait casting. What works for one may not work for another. I will add I have caught a 30lb cobia, a 22lb carp, 13lb drum, 16 pound catfish (Ned rig) all on spinning tackle. All but the cobia on 8lb line. 10lb 6oz bass also

I’m 74 years old and can’t remember what I had for breakfast 🤪, but I have no problem remembering what each of the 20+ rods I own are used for.

I stick a hot nail/wire into the hook holes, pull it out and squeeze the lure shut and it is good as new.

I bought a Weize 100 amp Lithium to power my electronics. My onboard charger has a Lithium setting. Battery has Bluetooth BMS. Cost was $224 shipped to my door, 10 year warranty (at my age may very well be a lifetime warranty). The battery preforms just as well as a $750 battery.

I bought one, however back then I about anything that was going to help me catch fish. When it broke I did not replace it.

I am in the process in thinning the herd. Have too many lures that don’t catch fish and I’m cutting down to fewer lures that don’t catch fish.😂 Seriously like most I’m carrying way to much tackle including rods and reels that I never use.

I have stored plastics in Plano boxes with no issues and that includes Z-man lures. I have some forty year old plastics in Plano type boxes with no problems. As in the above pics one of the pros is I could see all colors a once. I have recently changed to individual bags sorted in plastic shoe box type boxes. Why did I change? I realized that I only used 3 or 4 colors of each type lure and just like the pics I had them completely full, plus no need to have 8 different colors. Changing has saved me quite a bit of space and weight. I have ADD so bad that who knows how I will store them next week.🤪

I have a St Croix Legend Elite 6’11” mxf with a 1st gen 2500 Vanford. Light as a feather, good balance. A St Croix 7’1” Premier mlf with solid handle Daiwa Tatula 2500 (non MQ) and also a joy to fish with. Have a St Croix 7’1” MF Split handle (Bass Pro exclusive) that needs at least 8 oz reel on it. I have a 1st gen Shimano Nasci 3000 on it and balances good.

Will want a high shallow running jerkbait. A suspending jerkbait will hang on the bottom. The beginning depth is no longer starting from rod tip but with the weight one foot from lure, the starting depth is now one foot. If you were throwing Megabass Vision 110s you’re gonna lose several $25s. This setup will also kill the jerkbait action.

Mercury XR6 is not capable of showing hours.

I believe the realistic patterns catch the fisherman more than the fish. My collection of Megabass jerkbaits support my statement. Case in point, most say the Mat Shad Megabass color is the most productive. Many claim that a dull finish is more productive than a shining finish and dull their lures. I feel this way. I have some 40 year old Shad raps and they get bit better than the newer ones that shine. Same colors. I fish a highland lake with deep clear water. Fishing a slow moving lure such as a jerkbait you’ll don’t want the fish to see the lure so good as to identify the lure is fake. Hence a translucent finish is usually more productive in clear water. The opposite is true in low light, heavy wave action and dingy water. But man those realistic colors look so good I want to eat them.🤪

Tie 6lb test direct to spybaits. Normally I use a snap on hard baits, but not spybaits. The lure is designed to run horizontal with a slight roll. I feel a snap throughs the balance off.

I am going to use a Lews KVD 7.5. Personally like BPS Carbon Lite 2.0 7.5 (lighter weight). BPS Pro Qualifer will work, but I think the slightly more expensive Carbon Lite is worth it.

Lews LFS Tournament Pro is a very good reel. I don’t think I would use the one I have on a hardbait under 3/8 oz. Texas worm and 1/4oz sinker, yes.

Not my cup of tea. The wire drop isn’t long enough to have the bait clear the muck. Drop shot with leader to clear the muck.

Crème discontinued the Scallywag, the only thing that would get more fish is dynamite

My trolling motor is hardwired. No plug.

Agree. The reels on the left are second generation Ambassadors. One reel on right side looks like a Daiwa

I believe the majority of the time color to the fish doesn’t matter. Only important to the fisherman. We tend to throw the color lure we have the most confidence in. The more we throw that color the more fish we catch. One fisherman might catch them on watermelon (confidence color) while another might catch them on green pumpkin (confidence color) the same lake the same day. However sometimes bass want a certain color. Buddy of mine was fishing with a Zoom Trick worm in California 420. I could not get a bit on whatever color I was using. He gave me a Cal420 worm and I started catching them.

Yes. Years ago I was fishing on a lake that I believe I could have read the newspaper headline at 15’. Bass were on the beds everywhere at 15’.

The only valid answer will be from someone who has fished both rods. One company’s heavy might be another company’s medium. Case n point. I have a couple Phoenix M1 Heavy Extra Fast. Rod is actually what I would call medium+ fast compared to a St Croix. It would be nice if the rod companies had standards.

Daiwa SV reel. Get it setup right and you have to work to make it backlash. I could care less what type brakes a reel uses when you started bait casting on an Ambassador 5,000 you can cast any reel, but Daiwa SV is at another level.

I have the previous generation Nasci 3000 and latest Nasci 1000. Great smooth reals, however they are heavy. My 3000 is on a St Croix Premier split grip 7’ rod. Balances the rod. One can save a few dollars and buy a Sahara, basically a Nasci without Core Protect. Where I to buy a Shimano and not wanting to break the bank and did not need a heavy reel the Miravel would be the ticket. Lighter. I own a Vanford 2500, Tatula 2500, Daiwa Fuego 2500. For the money the present generation Fuego can’t be beat price, weight and performance.

I realize you are north and I’m in the south. With that in mind, does you milfoil mat on the water surface? If it does (huge mats down south) it is easy to find. Once found find how deep it starts growing with electronics. Where I fish milfoil grows to 20’ deep. If it doesn’t mat find some and notice depth range. Say starts at 5’ and stops at 20’ then find the 5’ and 20’ contour lines on the map and fish at those locations. Really not hard.