MN Fisher

When I could get 2 full rigs of a JDM Tatula on a Victory for that same amount....I'd have to plead temporary insanity to pay that for just a rod.

That the Crow?

My experience is they come through weeds/grass better, but get hung up more in rip-rap.

Couple more for the finesse guys 3" slim at $1.49 - Baby Bass - Bubblegum

New forum name - same great info!

Add a light weight and the action of many non Yama stickbaits improves quite a bit. I usually use a 1/16oz wacky jighead with Zoom Trick Worms...it doesn't increase the ROF much, but it does get those ends wiggling much better.

For Wacky and Neko, I use vinyl tubing cut to length and rigged using a 'nasal speculum'. I find that 7mm diameter works for most of the worms I use, dropping to 5mm for Zoom Finesse Worms. Note; this is pretty much the same as the kits costing $20 for a tool and around 20 cut tubes, but I pay under $10 for 10' of the tubing which will net you 240 pieces 1/2" long which should last you a while. https://www.amazon.com/uxcell-Clear-Tubing-Plastic-Flexible/dp/B08GJX8MRP?th=1 The tool itself is a standard medical instrument, the Large is the one I use, and it too is under $10. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09HJM39LP/ref=twister_B09HJ9PJVQ?_encoding=UTF8&th=1

Plastics - but I lose my fair share of hard-baits as well, either to pike or snags I can't get to.

Are we having a trip-lacking time, John? You're drifting into winter response mode there.

I've got more reels than rods - older, less capable reels that were retired when I got something better, but they went on the same rods as the older reel as I always purchased better rods early on.

Righty here and I cast with my left hand...always. Makes it easy to get my right hand on the handle on all my right-hand reels - including closing the bail on my right-hand spinning reels. I've always done it this way, even back to my teens...just seems more natural to me.

Sharpen them first - I've done this for 50+ years. Yes, there will eventually come a time when sharpening isn't feasible, but a single hook (wacky, worm, aberdeen, etc) and trebles can be sharpened a decent number of times, and the bigger hooks on spinner/chatters/jigs can withstand even more 'touch ups' at the tip. When to replace is a judgement call on your part...I think A-Jay would replace hooks/lures before I would based on his...ummm....ya, that.

You must be looking at the 23 Stradic FM1000HG as that's the only variant currently available - that one has an IPT of 29.5" where-as the 25 Ultegra FD1000 has an IPT of 25.0" Back up the Stradic to the 19 Stradic FL1000 and the IPT drops to 25.0" The HG designation in Shimano spinning reels is for 'High Gear' and is primarily for export, where-as the non-HG models are usually only available JDM Another option is to go with the 23 Stradic FM C2500S, slightly larger body and line capacity, but the IPT only jumps to 27.6"

So what do you chase when you want something to put under the broiler?

That the only tool in your panfish arsenal? I've caught good sized bluegills and crappie on all of these Blue Fox Flash SpinnerAlso got a 2.5lb bass with this one Booyah Pond Magic 1/8oz Rapala UL Shad 1/8oz Rapala X-Rap 04 1/16oz Creme Tiny Lipless 1/10oz Gotta up your game, man

^ X3

x2 on this - I love my 7'6" Celilo UL. Can cast those ultra-lures a good distance but has enough backbone in case a 3# bass decides that he's hungry enough to eat that.

I don't poke my Lioness if I can avoid it...I like my skin where it is, thank you.

Well, I'm back from a week in the hospital. Went in last Monday for round 3 of chemo and the Doc didn't like my blood-work or vitals. Got checked in on 5th floor (oncology patients) and after a few tests got moved to 3rd floor (Cardiac). Seems I'd developed A-Fib and my Red Cell count and Hemoglobin were both very low...probably why I've been severely short of breath the past month or so. So lots more tests - got put on a couple more meds, got a pint of blood shoved in me, and then had 500ml of fluid drained out of my Pleural Cavity - that's the liquid filled space between your lungs and ribs...I had that much 'extra' which was also restricting my breathing. So now I'm on more meds, including a blood thinner (not Heparin) and Albuterol - both emergency puffer and nebulizer for 2x daily treatments. First outing with Matt had to be canceled due to I was just getting over a cold and it was rainy, cold and windy that day....when I called him the night before even he had been reluctenct, and a little relieved that I wanted to reschedule. And I've got to reschedule NEXT week's scheduled outing as well as Round 3 of chemo has been scheduled for then Never rains but it pours.

If it was a long engagement, then I might agree with you....but this was a quick question from the Doc, answered, then acknowledged....not something to get all money-hungry over.

I decided against both taper-locks and screw-ins when I built Bass Trek. Went with un-threaded Kingpin bases/posts...push in/pull out...easy-peasy.

Sounds like the front office people are trying to squeeze you for all they can get. I've had visits like that - wife has the appointment, I ask a quick question that the Doc answers....only the wife is billed.

Ya - acetone is a bit too harsh and some older reels use plastic parts in them that acetone will dissolve....my old Ambassaduer 500R for one - push on retaining ring that just fell apart when I spritzed acetone on it...had to search hi-and-low for a replacement. Mineral Spirits and DA or 91%+ Isopropyl....not the 70% OTC stuff you can get anywhere.

According to the stats - the 2000s will hold 150m of .6 PE...which translates to 164yds of 12# braid (832, Smackdown, etc) So yes, it'll hold enough line. Why I went with the 2500s over the 2000s is the IPT rate. The 2000s pulls line in at 25" per turn of the handle when the spool is nearly full....more line out, the lower that rate gets. The 2500s raises that to almost 29" per turn of the handle...much more attuned to bass fishing IMHO.

Even if the non-inflate rate is 20% - that's still an 80% better chance of you surviving than not wearing one. And that 20% is probably from people not taking proper care of the inflatable....not checking for leaks, not replacing the CO2 cylinders when needed. Take care of it and wear it and it's infinitely better than not wearing it at all.