LCG

Shimano stradic is a very nice reel. 2500 size should be ideal. No experience with daiwa spinning reels, but I have one of their casting reels and they are solid and smooth. As for rod length, 6'6" - 7'6". Length, feel, and balance is something you just have to try in person. When you find the perfect rod for you, you'll know it Last year, I went to bass pro and spent a few hours looking at and holding almost every rod they had. When I found the st Croix mojo bass 6'8 m-xf spinning rod, I knew that's what I was looking for. Perfect feel, length, and action for me.

I use a 2 piece Fenwick HMG 6'9 ml-f spinning rod as a travel/trunk rod. More between a ml and m power. Sensitive and comfortable. Biggest fish I have caught with this combo was a 4lb smallie and a 5lb catfish in light cover. I also use a 2 piece shimano compre 6'10 Mh-xf casting rod as a travel/trunk rod for larger baits and around heavier cover. I prefer my one piece st Croix rods but not always an option. The ugly stick will definitely catch fish but there are better options out there. The fish don't care what rod you have, the benefits of a nice rod are for you not the fish. I had an ugly stick gx2 and the tip would always cast off and it was not near as comfortable as other offerings. YMMV

The blanks are made from the same material ie ScIII. But the does not make them the same blank. A lot of engineering goes into making rod blanks. The avid has a different taper. ScIII is only 1 piece of a much bigger picture. There are better informed people here on this forum that can probably better explain this. The mojo is a great rod, I love mine. The avid is even better, and yes you can tell the difference between made in Mexico and made in America. And I am Canadian Think of putting a Ferrari engine into a Ford. Then saying the Ford and the Ferrari are the same car. Same engine sure, but very different cars. Tires, transmission, suspension, ground clearance, etc are fine tuned.

ScIII is only part of what makes a rod. There are other components that makes up the whole rod which affects the handling and action. That being said I have a mojo bass 6'8 m-xf spinning rod and an avid x 6'6 Mh-f casting rod and while they are different, the mojo is no slouch. My favorite spinning rod so far.

6 bags of havoc pit boss's 1 bag of yum craws 1 bag of zoom trick worms 1 booyah pad crasher 1 booyah poppin pad crasher 1 bag of 1/4 oz bullet weights I really need to reorganize my tackle. Getting ready to start cleaning out non confidence baits. Trying to find a balance between variety and minimalism. I have vowed that I will only carry one 3600 box of plastics with no more than 8 types and one 3600 box of lures. Too many options isn't working for me, need to simplify

I think fluorocarbon may help in super clear water but most situations I would not worry. I use braid and will use a leader but switched to mono due to ease of knots and price. Dirty water sometimes no leader. If the braid gets frayed then I use a leader. Plus it saves money on the braid.

Really depends on a lot of factors... What type of cover is the under or on the water? Ie wood, rocks, grass, Lilly pads, open water, etc What techniques are you looking for? Drop shot, ned, neko, shaky head, Texas rigged worms /creature baits, spinners, buzz baits, crank baits, etc What is your experience level? If you are looking for a general guideline it will be probably be a 6'6" - 7'6" medium power fast action rod and a 2500 or 30 size reel depending on brand. For reels the Pflueger president always gets high praise and is affordable at $60. As for rods, I would get the most sensitive rod you can afford. Trust me it's cheaper in the end. I love st Croix and recommend mojo bass and up. Only a few dollars more than a bass x. Avid or avid x if you can swing it. So I would steer you towards a 7ft st Croix mojo bass / avid / avid x and a Pflueger President size 30 reel. $260 on the high end and it will last you a long, long time. I prefer a shorter rod myself in the 6'6"-6'10" range and I fish from the bank.

Fellow Ontarian here. Seems like most sails outdoor stores and bps stores are getting ready for their spring sale in early March. Might want to wait a month and check them out.

I use 10 lb yellow braid on my spinning set ups and 50 lb yellow braid on my casting setups. I can see both no problems. Trying kastking brand this year after numerous positive reviews here. I usually use a leader, best of the both words in my opinion.

Try looking for quality used equipment and negotiate. You may be very surprised what bargains you can find. Spend the $20 gift card on line, lures, or plastics.

Zoom trick worm Senko Curly tailed grub Jig with Craw trailer Zman TRD (ned rig) Mepps #4 gold

Just checked kodi and it's not listed. Sorry. Might try amazon or eBay.

I don't know how techy you are, but you might be able to find streams on kodi. If you don't know what kodi is, google it. There's a bit of a learning curve but lots of content.

I started fishing when my son was about 2 years old. I took him out a few times but when they are super young they want to catch a fish in 5 mins or less. He is 7 now and just recently mentioned more interest in going out fishing. Makes me super happy. It's a great way to spend time together and bond. My profile pic is from last June when he caught his first Bass using my rod. He was so happy and proud. My advice is not to pressure them and keep it fun. Sometimes it means you do less fishing in order to help them, but its amazing to watch them. As a bonus we go for ice cream at a nearby spot after,kind of a tradition thing.

X2 and jig with a Craw trailer

As long as you stay within the rods lure rating, your good. Middle of the rating is usually the sweet spot.

I think a spinning rod would make more sense for a second rod. Something to throw lighter finnese stuff. The combo you have now should offer a lot of variety. Jigs, Texas rigged soft plastics, top water frogs, pretty much anything within the rods lure rating. This is an awesome site with a lit of people willing to share their knowledge and experience. You can learn lots by reading the forums, but I can get overwhelming. Probably best to focus on one or two techniques at first and grow from there. Good luck to you and welcome to the forums.

I spoke with a manager at bass pro in Niagara on the lake and they can order them. Say what you will about bass pro but they have always been good with customer service. Looks like I will have to take a day trip to bass pro... No way I am going to end up leaving with just boxes.

Appreciate the response, pretty much same size I have now. The quest continues...

This is going sound odd, but I am looking for Plano 3601 boxes here in Ontario, Canada. The thin version of the 3600 boxes. I have searched Walmart, Canadian Tire, Sails, Bass Pro, local tackle shops... Nothing. Does anyone know a place that stocks these? I know tackle warehouse has them, but its $25 shipping plus duties, which is a bit much for boxes

The struggle with the bait monkey is real I am a big fan of simplicity and efficiency. But then I see a new bait or technique and its down hill from there.

I am really liking what st Croix offers. I also like the fenwick hmg series

Are you fishing from the bank or a boat? Shorter rod for bank longer for boat. When looking at the weight rating of the rods be sure to add the weight of the trailer too. 1/2 oz jig plus a creature bait of 3/8 oz is pushing 1 oz. I bank fish so my jig rod is a 6'6" mh-f rated for 3/8 - 1oz. Reel is a 7.3:1.

10lb braid to a 6-8lb cx premium leader.

I picked up my first baitcaster in the fall last year. Spooled up 50lb braid and tied on a 1/2 oz practice plug. I am by no means an expert, but I have been practicing daily for a few months now and I am becoming proficient. I am using the winter to practice pitching across the living room. Learning control and accuracy is the name of the game.