MN Fisher

Back-reel not so much...I like trusting the drag to handle my fish. Ergonomics isn't it either - you basically handle it similar to how you handle a baitcaster My problem with spincasters is operative. I've seen even decent spincasts 'lock up' - the pickup rotor not returning back to the retrieve position. Then you gotta take it apart to fix it while your line/lure is out.

Nope - I upgraded from spincast to spinning back in 1967...never going back.

Welcome to November ("Let's do the time warp again!")

Probably because they're not 'bass reels'. People use the reels we do for all sorts of fishing. Muskie, lake trout, inshore... For some targeted fish that these reels are used for, you want lots of line...so they make them capable of holding lots of line for the other species.

Are you going to be using this on a rental?

I have the exact opposite problem - I can slow down easy enough...can't speed up worth a darn.

We're getting closer Two of the 'mid-size' lakes in the west metro got declared ice-free today Buffalo and Waconia are now open for business.

Little over-kill I think.

Starting to cut the plywood. Battery platform is just sealed, no carpet on that. Above it is the TM platform - need to cut the hatch for access to the battery compartment then seal and carpet it. I've also run the wire from the 30amp breaker to the fuse box, mounted the charger on another piece of 1/2" HDPE and run the charging connections. I've also started 'boxing in' the cockpit. All the pieces that are vertical will just be painted, no carpet.

Same here - never one issue with FedEx.

I don't use 'expensive braid' for backing, but cheap nylon and only put 70-80yds of mainline on. This is for any mainline I use - braid, FC or 'good' mono. On my BCs I use 10# Big Game for backing...$11 for 1500yds at FishUSA On my spinners it's 6# Zebco Cajun...$6.50 for 1850yds at Fleet Farm Use the calculator below, plug in values and use a line-counter to put the indicated amount of backing on. https://www.pattayafishing.net/advanced-fishing-reel-line-capacity-estimator/

My best catches on a chatterbait have been with a Berkley Pit Boss as the trailer.

We're getting some pretty heavy rain right now which will help immensely. Local lakes already designated as ice-free include Whaletail yesterday, which is one of the lakes I plan on hitting this year and Virginia the day before, which while not considered part of the Tonka chain is connected to Tonka via a channel.

Mine aren't as fancy - 8" cable cutters...tested on heavy-wire hooks at home before adding to my 'misc tools' pocket for the canoe...these will be in the tool box on the F-9

For those with more limited budgets 40#-50# Sufix 832 or 15#-17# Seaguar InvizX

If I'd had the money for it, I'd have gone with a Mustang instead of the Onyx. Difference? Onyx - dissolving bobbin...as others have said, if it gets too wet from rain, etc it can go off. Mustang - hydro-static bobbin...takes a certain pressure differential to activate...going overboard and it registering a 2-3 PSI increase (4' thereabouts is about 2 PSI) activates it...no going off in the rain.

This is close to the one I have that I wore in the canoe - went on before I shoved off, didn't come off till I landed. I'll have this in one of the compartments on the boat for rough water or for a second person. This is what I bought for the boat - probably won't take it off either.

Minnesota - children under 10 are required to wear a PFD at all times while on the water. 10 and older - for each person in the craft, there must be a PFD accessible for their use. That means not locked up in a compartment, but easily retrieved. You're not required to wear it - though in the canoe I did wear mine all the time.

If it says 'Do not connect in series' - there's no way to connect them to get 24v. As suggested, cancel/return and get batteries rated for series connection. Older Lithium-Ions are notorious for this - the newer LiFePo4 batteries are much safer. Exactly - unless the charger is rated for Lithium batteries, you can severely damage the battery trying to charge it...this also voids any warranty. NOCO Genius chargers are rated for all battery types. Another option is to just go with a single 24v battery. Several manufacturers have 24v LiFePo4 batteries.

I'm at the age/condition that picking up something new for an active sport is out of the question. Heck, I haven't even hit a tennis ball in decades, and I was on the high school team way back when.

All I'd load up for that would be wacky and jigs...and a pitching I would go.

Ya, there's a section of a backwater on Tonka that's permanently set to 'No Fishing'. Gorgeous spot too - lots of laydowns in there, good weed mixture - bass heaven.

Ditto that - the level wind on my Ambassadeur 500R from the early 80s is still fine.

Had a couple errands in St. Louis Park and Minnetonka today and passed by quite a bit of Tonka's north end. Most of the smaller lakes in the chain are 90%+ open (Black, Emerald, Tanager that I saw). Also, some of the larger bays are either 50%+ open or have massive holes and leads in them (Spring Park, Lafayette, Smiths, Browns) I think it might be pretty close to average ice-out this year.