JustJames

I did compromised with my wife on pontoon boat instead of bass boat. My wife agreed to get fishing sport pontoon (lowe is very nice) with everything 150hp 2 captain chair, live well, trolling motor and gps/fish finder. I ended up told her to get party style instead (sun tracker party barge) since we have quite a few friends and family that always hang out with my wife. I do have other toys when I wanna go fishing, Jonboat, kayak and float tube. If you are really into fishing, deck boat might do it for you, casting platform and lounge chair. Btw with all this talk you might need a new truck to tow, they are pretty heavy at least 4000 lbs. Do you know how much weight your van can tow? Even 14’ aluminum Jonboat with outboard engine that almost 1000 lbs already.

Don’t make me post my pic again, fishing in pontoon, such a nice memory lol. I fish in pontoon all the time, that way I can spend time with my wife (stop her whining) and fishing the same time. The problem is to find the spot to anchor which might or might not have fish, unless you get a fishing/sport pontoon that equipped with trolling motor. Don’t forget net, the pontoon is pretty high above water you might not be able to flip every fish you caught. I notmally fish with jig, Texas rig and dropshot. That way I can drag and feel the bottom, if I feel grass mixed with rock I will spen more time on that spot more. My plan this year is to use Float tube, so I can floating around where we anchor, it is a lot easier than move the whole pontoon and 6’x20’ lily pad.

If you don’t plan to use a lot of 1/8-1/4oz Lure a lot I don’t think it worth it. The mgl spool might cost you 80-100 bucks. Another option for you is to get Ray’s shallow spool, around 50 bucks. I think you can cast light lure with original spool by using lighter line 6-8 lbs and fill only 50-70 yds. You can use braid backing if you want spool full, use plumber tape if you afraid of slipping.

What is that? Nose? Mouth? Shoot I don’t have brain lol.

I can ride with my big ass fishing buddy with no problem on my 14’ Jonboat. I wouldn’t do it with other, thou. Just as @lo n slomentioned stable might be a big issue. We learned how to fish together, but there are more than one occasions that I almost fall into water, he told me the same, mostly happened to the one on the bow side. Also big wave from those speed boat can get you into trouble if you are not careful. 6’5 big ass buddy of mine.

Tom maybe you should reconsider moving to Canyon Lake. We might enjoy a game of golf together.

Sorry I don’t buy gears base on price alone. I buy gears base on 1.comfort 2. Feature 3.color then price. I’m not gonna hold humongous/heavy reel to fish Senko all day even the price is right. I’m also not gonna use tiny super light weight magnesium super expensive 10 bearings with Huddleston 8”. I don’t mind cheap gear but if I have choices I would get nice/fancy one first and I believe most would do the same. So I think we should all enjoy whatever we have or can afford don’t worry about what others have. BTW I love my bantam MGL but my SLX get more use.

I almost bought one for 210 a year ago. I think it is crazy to pay for an old reel for almost full retail price. I know 50e is a favorite for a lot of ppl, me included, but the hype came from one of those crazy young hyped YouTuber. I intended to collect all USDM 50e but turn out I only have 2 JDM, scorpion 1000xt and Aldebaran MG7. I can buy Chornarch 50e brand new for 170 any day, but still not so sure if I want it (sold old one of mine for about the same price). As @jbsoonerfanmentioned “worth it” this is the key. I don’t think 50e platform is a lot better than reel these day. I can cast further with curado 70, comfortable is about the same or close, only 50 is smoother and more control. The best part is you can get 2 of 70 instead of 1 core, and that how it is done now I have 4 curado 70.

Finally somewhat success, I know now why some of you like fishing for crappies. Today decided to try for crappies again after a month long of laying down crappie’s pole. I brought just one lure with me, roadrunner 1/8oz with baby shad, since I don’t plan to stay very long. A frist few cast I tried fan casting, reel fast and fish between water column. Until I tried to slow down and hug the bottom by letting the roadrunner sink to bottom every few cranks. Got a small tab, didn’t even think I got a fish until started reeling in. Finally a 12” crappie on the line. I tried to duplicate how I caught the first one and cast to same area. It is a little difficult since my reel is 7.2 gear ratio but I made it. I caught total 5-6 crappies with in 10 mins until the last one got my #10lb braid between rock and broke off (of course he felt bigger than other not sure if it was bass or crappie). Now what do I do fish for bass or crappies, very difficult decision to make.

I tried one also 12lb of those top knot, I found that the line is pretty stiff make difficult to clinch my knot (trilene knot) down. Also a little harder to control when bomb cast. The good thing is line is pretty strong and good abrasion resistance. I think I also had one time that line broke off in spool when cast. I’m not buying it again, actually I don’t think I’m gonna try any more fluorocarbon line period. All I need is copolymer line hybrid/Izorline and big game mono.

Technique for me is Junk Fishing. tip for you is to plan ahead and know what you are doing, becuz I don’t know.

That are situation of ppl here in SoCal, a day after trout stocked and they are gone lol. I was lucky once, was at the pond the day they stocked and caught my limit with in hour. I normally use powerbait worm in pink and orange. The white mice tail combination might also be good. Too bad they don’t stock trout the lake I fish now.

I use small size live bait hook with a split shot about 1.5’ above it. I just simply drag it or lift and drop.

Thanks @WRBand @ChoporozI end up with Jr. Tender charger @750ma. I was gonna buy Jr. Tender for awhile for my motorcycle (as a motorcycle owner, I’ve heard about Jr. tender more than other brand). I also monitor temperature on battery since this is my first charge. This’s gonna be use mainly on my new float tube so I want it to be as small and as portable as possible. I don’t plan a full day trip so the 5amp should work fine.

Sometime it is just nice for a change. I wish Shimano come up with purple accents. Lol

I don’t fish for salmon but bought lead core to use as weight for my system. Mine is solid lead core not hollow. The benefit of lead core is, it is pretty easy to bend to shape you want. I use mine mostly dropshot weight, jika rig and weight added to hook with shrink tube. I can cut to whatever weight I want and shape it as skinny or sometime flat for skipping. I even make some to wrap around worm in place of o-ring for wacky rig. With all these now I don’t do it anymore. I still have a whole bunch of equipment like swivel with quick grip, rattle tube and 3/8 solid lead core . I found it is more time consuming. I just simplify and bought everything finished for now.

I only use Jr. swimming version, mostly for chatterbait trailer. I also use them weightless in shallow around weedy area, just reel in slowly with twist twist pause motion.

I’m sorry, if you can’t learn how to use baitcaster from the cheap one, you won’t be able to learn how to cast any better on expensive ones neither. A lot of mentioned good reel to start Daiwa SV is one of them, Shimano DC, maybe?

I used to use a lot of this type hook, I’m still not what exactly purpose of this, but to my humble knowledge it help to penetrate fish mouth better when set hook especially in river type fishing.

I’m not liking it and very disappointed with Shimano this time. This new SLX will get 70 size MGL spool plus external adjustable brake plus 1 more bearing (I think it is gonna be main shaft bearing since no mention on X-ship and I think a lot complaining about geary feel with X-ship) plus almost double the price. Don’t get me wrong I like SLX and don’t mind owning another one. I don’t care for refine adjustable brake one bit since this reel I use for heavier lure where I don’t need this feature. The SLX cast well by itself no need for MGL spool. I like to see this MGL spool on Curado 70 instead and I will buy 5-6 or 7 mores.

Would this one work?

This is so true, ever since I broke my favorite rod, crucial gen 2 dropshot specific rod, I have bought total of 5 rods new/used and still can’t find any rod that matched.

@Junger, if you don’t plan to use Tatula 610MXB for finesse or semi finesse, don’t buy it. It is nice super soft tip (3/32oz) rod with a lot of backbone (1oz). It light and crispy, plenty of sensitive. It handle weightless plastic trickworm or Ned rig pretty well. When you hook on fish, it feel a lot bigger due to super soft tip. Until I did a good hookset on Bass, when it grabbed my Fluke and run on the drop. My line broke and next time out the rod tip was gone. That how I got new Tatula as replacement.

I have this for that past 3-4 months. I’m trying to get rid of it but no take lol. I’m sorry I can’t tell you how it fish. I like old Tatula so much and I don’t like cork, so this one is still brand new. It is 6’6 M/F that I plan to use for Fluke and Jerkbait. It is pretty light weight but the tip is not as soft as I like.

Thanks @WRBand @Choporoz,I’ll look into 1amp charger instead.