AC870

Caught a pretty nice shellcracker earlier in the year. I wear XL and XXL gloves if it gives you an idea.

I just use my hunting backpack when I need a fishing pack. It's a Brookwood saddle cloth backpack with a leather bottom. You can stick 4 or 5 Plano 3600 organizers in it (I rarely carry more than 2 or 3). I've owned this pack for 20 years. No holes. Looks brand new. Granted, it has only seen moderate use I guess and no abuse. But it also does vacation duty and has been to Disney World, Costa Rica and many other places. You can still get these packs online. Mine is style of Mountain Man Backpack. Made in USA to boot. I don't rep them but believe in sharing about good gear when I find it.

I've never taken one but see a lot of people fishing with them on Lake Guntersville. Saw one guy reeling in a pretty nice bass. The dog was more excited than the guy.

Bluefish, Gulf Shores, Ala.

Very cool feat there.

I fish mainly for fun but I'm going to fish the Big Bass Tour tournament this fall. I really like the "one fish" format and hourly weigh ins. I would be ecstatic to cash a check!

Try the Whopper. The 90 is not bad. I run 40 lb braid and a snap on mine.

I've caught some bluegill, white bass and drum on crankbaits. Years ago, I caught a big crappie on a Snagless Sally.

7-0 MH Hammer spinning rod, 2500 Shimano Sahara. Braid with extra long leader (like 30 yards) of copolymer.

I enjoyed throwing squarebill and chrome Rat-L-Trap when they were back in coves chasing shad last year. I didn't own one at the time but imagine a Whopper Plopper could be good too.

I think I'd pick a Shimano over the President but that's just me.

I fish almost everything on copolymer. I do have a braid rod for top waters/frogs. My spinning rods set up with braid and copolymer leaders.

You hadn't missed anything. There's a white one in my armory that don't impress me much.

Is heat bad for line or is it more sunlight?

White bass are a ton of fun. The wife likes bluegill fishing so we do a lot of that. I enjoy getting my line stretched but I find largemouth to be challenging, at least on Guntersville where they get hammered pretty good.

Jaws and Tombstone. "I'm your huckleberry."

All I can think of is when Arnold Schwarzenegger tells the alien in Predator "You are one ugly mother...." Fishing rods should be black or dark gray. All other colors are an abomination.

I bought a Shimano Sojourn last year. Really enjoyed fishing with it. Got it set up now as a rod for the wife. I actually got 2 of them, a Spinning and a casting, both 6-6 mediums. That spinning rod has been a workhorse in my arsenal. I bream fish and do finesse fishing for bass with it. I think I paid $29.99 apiece at Walmart for them. I haven't looked at the medium heavy Sojourn. I'm sure you know this but I reckon the 7-0 medium heavy is kind of the do it all rod in the bass fishing world.

I use a Palomar on just about everything except spinnerbaits. I use improved clinch for them. But I fish it on copolymer too.

I spooled most of my spinning rods with braid and got a really long leader of Yozuri Ultrasoft 12 lb "just in case" I tie into the big one. My reels are all 2500s. I had a 4000 briefly this spring but just didn't care for the larger size. In my limited experience with them, Siennas are solid little reels. Inshore guide we went out with in March used them.

I'd add to buy quality on the front end if you can. I got back into fishing a little more seriously 3 years ago. Bought low end on front end (didn't know I was going to fall in love with it like I have) and I've regretted it. You're money ahead to buy good stuff up front.

Dunno if any of you have tried the Hammer rods. I just got one and they rock. Light and strong. Gonna change out my whole set for them. Everything else feels like junk.

Agree GPS is best for speed indicator. Speedo on the old Triton shows me going 65-67 when GPS says 55-57.

Been there, done that. It was so long ago it's just a slight bad memory now. Guide trips have been a bad choice lately. Been on 2 and neither of em turned out very good. Won't drop money on that again.

This but I'd probably trade the Rattlin Rogue for an Ish Biggie Poppa and the Pop-R for a Whopper Plopper. It's a close call on the Pop-R or the Plopper.