RFSims

I don’t think that is a thermocline. Water too shallow. 13’ isn’t deep enough for the bottom water to be that much different temperature enough to show on the screen. I have never seen a thermocline shallower than 30’, more often 40’.

I use this box. IMO much better than the square box.

IMO, No. The rod is a great crank bait rod for mid depth, shallow depth crank baits. I would not use it for single hook tecniques. However there is a gentleman that has posted in this thread, that the rod is a great bladed jig/swim jig rod. In fishing there are no absolute right or wrong answers. What works for me may not work for you.

I have the Victory 7’2” MHMF crank bait rod. Great for Rockcrawlers, DT10 and below. No way would I throw a bladed jig on it. IMO it’s not stout enough to drive a heavy hook home.

BPS have Carbonlights rod and reels in black now.

This year I have bought two Tatula 100, one Tatula SV TD 103. I have not had to oil or grease any of the three. They are excellent reels. Correction Tatula SV TW103

In the fall I dropshot brush piles 75% of the time. Not so much in spring. Texas rigged Zoom finesse worm. I have hundreds of brush piles on my graph. In the fall the lake I fish is 10’ lower than full pool in the fall. That putts the brush piles 15 to 20’ deep. I drop it right into the middle of the piles. I have ffs and it makes it easier to find brush piles. IMO 2D sonar is the most important. On 2D if a school is in or around the pile the screen will look like blue, yellow, red streaks. Those fish are the streaks.

I no longer use fluorcarbon . Fall of 2023 I fished spybaits on 6lb fluoro. I lost seven spybaits ($100). Most were lost when line broke on the cast. Past fall fished spybaits on 6lb P-line fluroclear. Did not loose a single lure.

There is a You Tube video that shows the Vision 110’s action with different hooks. All but the OEM hooks really dampened the bait’s action. VMC has the light wire, outbarb hooks that are a direct replacement.

I have previous generation Tatula LT2500 and previous gen Fuego LT 2500. In this generation the Tatula is lighter and has less flex than Fuego. The new gen reels are Zaion5 frames and both are stiff and close to same weight. IMO the Fuego is really close to the Tatula on smoothness and is the better buy.

I appreciate that. There is one Utube video of an individual using the above rod. He did not like how the rod handled a 1/2 oz Vision, He said great for a Vision Jr. I am looking for a St Croix Victory 68MXF, but so is everyone apparently. Have found a Mojo in that rod but really had rather buy a USA made rod. Ran across the Cashion and had plans to buy it, 'till I saw the video.

Does anyone have experience with the above rod? Particularly how the rod handles/casts a 1/2 oz jerkbait such as a Vision 110. The upper lure weight of the rod is 1/2 oz.

I have tried to ride the Fluorocarbon line train, but I don't feel it matches the hype. I actually like the Floro co-polly lines like P-Line Floroclear much better. Cost is not a factor.

Don't own a St Croix Victory, but do own Avid/Premier/ and Mojo spinning rods. I fish a ned rig quite often. Personally I don't care for the St Croix Medium/ fast blank for a Ned Rig. Great for a shakey head. The Medium Light Extra Fast blank is a superb Ned/Drop-shot rod. Again can't say about the Victory, but the Avid 6'9" MLXF is an excellent Ned rod and I would expect the 6'10" MLXF Victory would be also. I have fished a Ned with my 7' MF Premier, but the MLXF blank is so much better.

I give other anglers/boaters their space and I expect them to give me mine. I do not appreciate another angler/boater to intrude the area I am fishing just to make conversation and especially to cut me off. Occasionally I may run into another angler when both of us are fishing the banks on opposite sides of a point. In that case asking how one is doing is no big deal. Neither of us invaded the other's space. Just happened. Tournament situation has no bearing. If you want to talk with me on the ramp, I am happy to oblige.

I have E-locks on my Lowranxe HDS 10 and 8. Also a Lowrance HDI. I never take them off the boat. Too many wires to connect and the boat will run faster than the speed I tow. Also have never driven on a road as rough as one foot chop. Have been towing a boat since the Humminbird Super 60 flasher and have never removed any electronics when towing. Never had one damaged when towing, however I did shatter a screen once when I dropped it.

+1,000,000. I have these on my Legend. Best money I ever spent. I'm age 68.

Correct. Would never get a nose hooked bait back. Too many limb-breams?

Being old getting arthritis in my hands (everywhere) I have also been eyeballing a reel's weight. A Pfluger President 35 weighs 10.5 oz (gave two to my son) a Shimano Nassi 2500 and 3000 both weigh 8.8 oz. Pfluger President 30 (have one, probably best spinning reel value on the planet) 8.5 oz. Bought a Pfluger Supreme XT 30 which is light, Somehow I broke the rotor body and bail on this reel. Repair shop has been waiting since late October for the parts and doesn't know if they will get any. Reel is less than one year old and can't get parts. I have gone to Diawa Fuego LT 2500 @ 7.2 oz. Fuego also blows the Pfluger Supreme away. I have never broken the reel foot on a nonmetal spinning reel. Although a 22lb carp is the largest fresh water fish I have caught on a bass size spinning reel.

I agree with this opinion on all techniques listed with the exception of using a 703 Ned Rigging. However I only throw the 1/15 oz Ned head.

Drop shotting brush piles with a Zoom finesse worm Texas rigged is one of my favorite ways to fish. I have a Dobyns Fury SF703 and I would quit drop shotting if all rods were a 3 power Dobyns. I am sure someone uses a 703 to DS, but not me. Can't comment on a 2 power Dobyns as I have never used one. However I do have the other rod you mentioned a ST Croix Mojo MLXF. I have a first gen Mojo and an Avid MLXF. IMO the St Croix MLXF spinning rod blank was made for drop shotting (great Ned Rig rod also). The second gen Mojos are made withe the SC3 blank that the Avid is made of. My advice when asked about a DS rod is to buy the St Croix MLXF blank that one's bank account allows. I also have a 6'8" first gen Mojo MXF. For me not suitable for drop shotting. If I could only have one spinning rod in the $100 range for drop shotting/ Ned rig/ wacky/ shakey head it would be a Falcon Bucoo SR Cranker Spin BRS-4-17.

60+ years

IMO, the St Croix MLXF blank is a great drop shot rod. Super tip to work the lure and good backbone to set the hook (I only fish drop shot Texas rigged). I have a first gen Mojo and an Avid, both great drop shot and ned rig rods.

Same here

I have two sons. One is 46 and duck hunting with his teenage sons seems to be his outdoors passion. He does fish occasionally with me. The other is 42 and a football coach. His passion is coaching football. Of the two, the coach fished the most with me when young.