MN Fisher

Lady 12pound needs to get a hobby....

Try to find a chart....couple of the shore places I fish run up to 15' deep within easy casting range even with a light setup. I'll start at about 4' then move deeper in 2' increments till I find where they're hiding.

I'm right there with you. Between crappy weather and muck-ups with the wife's at-home health care, I've only had the F-9 on the water three times this year...and only three other shore trips.

Not northeast specifically - but one guy I follow is 'Matt Johnson Outdoors'. He's a local guide here in the Minneapolis area and puts out a weekly report on Sunday about where the bass are and what's catching them. You're close to the same latitude as us, so the climate isn't as dissimilar as those southern guys.

I use Thill center-slide bobbers - either the Pro Series weighted or the Gold Medal series. Rarely use just a plain hook - mostly 1/16-1/4 painted jigs (VMC Moon Eye) with 1.5"-2" plastics or maybe some Berkley Crappie Nibbles.... Set up is like this Bobber stop - bead - bobber - bead - jig I use the same oval stops and beads that you'd use for T-Rigs - they have stops for thin line (4#-6# mono). Set the depth for where the sonar show a school - toss it out and wait...with the occasional twitch.

Slip bobber? Light jig under a slip bobber is a killer - bare hook with plastic or a 'dressed' hook (hair, feathers, etc)

Darn it all....I always get those two confused.

It's possible - but the price for the spool alone is usually 1/2 the cost of a whole new reel...nitch market

I have two items saved for purchase from Digitaka once my Yule gift arrives (get money from the parents every year) 20 TATULA SV TW 103SH - ya, looking at getting into the T-Wing world 21 NASCI C2000S - I find that the 2500 size is too fast...I don't need 36IPT...the 28IPT of the 2000 is exactly what I'm looking for I just wish more of the JDM type reels were available here...like the standard depth Daiwa spinning reels instead of the deep spool that they seem to assume all us here want.

When I want the best bang-for-buck - it's Owner ST-36 or ST-41 When I do bulk replacing, it's VMC 9650

No kids and with me going on 63 and the wife being 57....I think we're past the child-creating years...

It's not really a swamp island...very hilly. I am in a bit of a hollow, but still about 20' above nominal water level in the lake. We do have a slough about 1/2 a block from me, but again it's well below our level.

I'm partial to the Strike King Mr. Crappie line myself. The Lightning Shad is pretty much the same as the Garland Baby Shad...but my favorite is the Crappie Thunder.

When you have half a dozen or more waking you up at zero-dark-thirty with that grating metallic sounding call. Make me want to load the 12 gauge.

If you go the butt-connector route, these would be best - crimp butt-connectors with built-in heat shrink sleeves. https://www.amazon.com/Conext-Link-BCHS-W25-Shrink-Connector/dp/B01MD05515/ref=sr_1_7?qid=1662849738&refinements=p_n_feature_four_browse-bin%3A18945780011&s=industrial&sr=1-7

I would solder the wires together before the heat-shrink - but ya, that'd work.

Yep - same here. $20 or so a year is well worth it.

Kinda like the Alumacraft - my 50 year old F-9 hull is still watertight...don't think it's been subjected to Gluvit or any other sealers. It's still the same basic hull used in the V-14.

Alumacrafts are also a riveted hull - for a lower priced option.

From a review... "1875 Pro-V Series hull and feature long-lasting riveted construction backed by a lifetime warranty."

I've read that temps above 105 will seriously affect nylon monofilament...I'd have to think that even getting close to that would start degrading it. I'd even keep it out of the boat if you park outside, even in shade or under cover. Think of a closed car and how hot it can get in there...now apply that to your storage compartments in the boat. I pull my rods out of the F-9 end of each trip...and the case that has my leader material/spare line as well. All goes into the basement which sits at around 65-70 year round until the next trip.

Due to the cost...I think I'm immune.

Par for the course in ESOX waters...my last outing I lost a chatter and a jig to pike bite-offs.

And you taught him what 'concrete galoshes' meant...right?

I started using it again this year - for 2021 season they made a rule change that didn't let us use it...they changed it back for this year.