Shimano_1

I would pick the lews out of thosr but the curado k is hard to beat for distance if setup correctly

I totally respect the not wanting confrontation thing and especially with it being kids or a couple probably not realizing they're in the wrong. I just have a problem with accountability and likely would politely say something to anyone if it was threatening me enjoying myself. If it did no good and they acted up Id try to walk away. As far as the kids go...that was probably a lesson for him. I used to fish some pay lakes around here years ago and that stuff just comes with the territory. Bass fishing is a different story especially if its not crowded. Has a similar incident a cple years ago on my boat. Only saw one other boat all day and sure enough I'm fishing an underwater bridge and he ends up drifting 10 ft away from me in his boat. He had what appeared to be a 14 year old kid/son with him. I said hey bud there's a whole lake here do you need to be rubbing rails with me. He got mad but left. Every situation presents its own challenges but like A-jay said just take it as part of the challenge and enjoy the time outside!

Hello from Central Kentucky

I always give em a wipe down with alcohol after I Remove the plastic.

I throw 1.5 on med heavy rods any time I'm around grass.

I've got the legalis and its been sweet for the money so far

I used to build rods and did a lot of research when these first gained popularity. I get the concept but believe they're kinda like the daiwa t wing. They work but probably don't really function any better or worse than traditional. I personally think they are too weird/ugly but obviously some people like them.

Totally agree and am well aware. I honestly have tested and tested and for 99 percent of the time I haven't found that it matters much either way. I used to think it was a big deal as most would have u believe. Not so much anymore. Plus I'd say the difference in weight of the split ring i take off and the snap i use is negligible if any

I tend to run my reels looser when flippin and I turn up the magnetic/centrifugal brakes. Id try 4 brakes on and cast control loose then maybe try 2 brakes on and dial turned up with cast control loose. You want the spool to start up quick but be controlled. Seems to work for me but definitely not something I have down to a science

I've been a lews fan for many years. Recently have kinda decided they are nice reels but they aren't shimano for sure. I have a few curado k and none of the lews in that price range feel as solid or smooth. Id give a tournament pro or something a try and see for yourself. Id guess you will find what u think you'll find if comparing to anything above the curado. Nothing against lews I just feel like their newer offerings aren't as durable as they used to be

I understand everyone having doubts since evinrude shut down. However, its not like all the parts are gonna disappear over night. I'm sure there will be availability for quite some time. Those motors are awesome my dad is still running one similar. As stated id check the compression and if it runs good id have no problems trading for it. Probably some of the best motors ever made.

I've been experimenting with them this year as a jig trailer. Everything else has gotten so expensive ive found myself buying more and more zoom products. I too fish them on a 5/16 finesse jig and cut about half inch off the body. Usually trim my skirt to just let it hang past the hook for a compact profile. Haven't gained a ton of confidence yet but they have caught fish and i think they're gonna be a staple

D&l jig, vision jerkbait, Texas rigged d bomb, 5 inch swimbait and a 10 inch plum worm

I firmly believe its something where you have to enjoy the grind. I've got a couple buddies who...like mentioned already...are always wanting to catch fish like I do. However...they'll fish twice a year and throw a rooster tail for 30 minutes then head home. I put in a lot of hours on the water, on here, watching and reading. Still learn something every time I go and am always willing to try something new. Being persistent, open minded and realistic are the keys to being successful. There's enough knowledge at our fingertips now to not have an excuse lol

I've used snaps for years on anything with trebles that came with split rings. Jerkbaits and crankbaits as well as most topwater. Fishing buddy ties to everything and we've never noticed one being better than the other. Just makes it nice to be able to swap baits and not have to retie. Everyone has their way of doing things. Try it both ways and see what you prefer. Pretty sure vandam has talked about using snaps himself. I am a jerkbait fanatic and have never felt that the snap affected anything negativity

I bought a new triton 18tx last year. Its had a few minor issues that the dealer has taken care of but overall I've been pleased with it. Honestly dont know that you can go wrong with any of the suggestions. Tracker makes a fine boat. Im not a fan of how they sit in the water but there's too many of them on the water to not be a good rig. I think my next one will be a lund pro v bass but thats much more money than the budget and probably more than I'm willing to spend myself. I looked at rangers when I bought mine and they're basically identical. Triton dealer was easier to deal with and Honestly kinda wanted the triton because you don't see many of em. Good luck!

Absolutely. I carry different jerkbaits that have different actions and dive to different depths. I carry several different cranks for the difference in action and diving depths. Sometimes the fish are super aggressive and will munch about anything. Other times something as simple as a color or the length of a pause will make the difference in a good day and a horrible one. Everything I carry has earned its place in my boat with results. I dont carry anything because kvd says they're the deal. I try new stuff and sometimes it earns a spot, others it gets tossed in the tote with all the extra gear I agree to an extent. Ive seen days tho that they would murder a megabass and wouldn't touch a strike king. Also had days they'd eat a rogue and didn't want the megabass. I waited years to try a vision but now I'm a firm believer they're the best jerkbait made. Have caught a lot on the rick clunns too before they changed em up, when they were a vision knockoff

If you're trying to actually fish in the grass and such replace the jigs with a Texas rigged craw or beaver type bait. Anything is going to hang up in heavy grass but t-rigs rigged correctly will come thru it. I catch a lot of fish in and around heavy vegetation and one of my favorite ways is ripping a texas rigged beaver up out of it and letting it fall over and over again. Keep at it and do your homework and I'm sure you'll be sticking big ones in no time.

I gave right around 32k for my 4x4 4 door ram new in 2017 with the hemi. Id go with something capable of towing any boat unless you know for certain you'll never get a bigger boat. If you prefer an suv then as stated any of v6 should pull that boat. My buddy pulls a 21ft bullet all over the state in a 4x4 v6 tacoma and it seems to do fine. I want more power and handling than I need. Been in a few near misses with smaller lighter vehicles and its no fun.

I've tried a lot of different ones over the years and the boomerang is where its at in my opinion. I'm on my 2nd season and it has worked wonderfully for all line types

Where what? Didn't say anything other than I can't stand Amazon. Never had an issue with using them just not a fan of theirs as a whole

I've had a few and Amazon usually has the best price but I can't stand Amazon so I usually look elsewhere. For less than 100 bucks they're hard to beat. Most likely will make you wonder why it took so long to buy one. Could easily be a 150+ dollar reel. Shop around and find the beat deal and buy with confidence!

I haven't had the elite but had the custom lite and was quite disappointed. I feel any of the newer daiwas would be superior in every way. The lite felt cheap, didnt cast as good as all my other reels and the finish was awful. I didn't use it for really light lures so maybe someone will chime in on that. Of those 2 I'd go elite all day. Shimano has several reels id also consider if you're open to a Shimano. Ive had tatula ct, sv and 100 for reference as well as lews from speed spool to custom pro. Good luck

I can't even imagine not throwing a jig everywhere I go. Funny how different people are. If I go a day without fishing a jig I've been smashing them on something real good

Understand that. I fish heavy action rods more than any other but if that doesn't suite you then definitely get what you want! Good luck!