MN Fisher

I think it's bandwidth - Glenn isn't independently wealthy and the sponsors only pitch in so much...so he's gotta cut some costs somewhere. For me - re-size with either Paint Shop Pro or Photoshop...usually around 40% of original if taken with my phone or tablet.

If it was ultra-light spinning and I was chasing brookies in a small stream (something a 7-year-old could easily jump across)...then ya. Bass? I won't go any lower than 4# and even that's questionable.

Only for you...I've caught bass and pike on my 90s - didn't matter what time of day.

Not on the weekends anyway - I'm looking at Tuesday. Yesterday got called off because of...reasons.

Considering the current forecast has it sunny and 90 on Saturday - I'd take it as a safe bet that Tonka is going to be a madhouse that afternoon.

That's your issue - what's happening is that the slack/semi-slack line on retrieve is 'dropping' down to lay closer to the bottom of the spool rather than following the oscillation as it should. When I'm retrieving semi or full slack line, I run my rod-holding hand up a bit and pinch the line to give it tension on the retrieve. Note - while mine is the 30 size - it's the same reel.

Math looks right to me. I'm in a TM powered canoe, so I have to watch my battery level the entire time I'm out.

"Once more, dear friends...into the breach."

I like to think of it more like Slytherin Green - sneaky so I can sneak up on the bass with those rods. ?

Okay - as Bulldog asked - a pic of the shaft under the spool would help as well as one showing the line placement during retrieve. His three thoughts are running through my head too. Spool is too high on the shaft Line isn't getting into the line-roller properly Drag set too low

President XT-25? Pflueger's size is different than others - the 25 is actually around a 1000, Other Pflueger sizes - the 20 is a 500, the 30 is a 2500, the 35 is a 3000 - the 40 is the only one that 'matches up' and is a 4000. Still, you should be able to use 8# on that - if it was a 20 then I'd worry.

^ What Bulldog said - I'm not seeing that with my XT-30. Another thing to consider - what size is this one and what line test are you running on it?

You know - I didn't really notice that. I go over as a matter-of-course, just the way I started doing it. Haven't tested it going under.

Problem is - a rod that's good for frogs is going to be lowsy for Ned - and visa-versa. Good, middle of the road rod - the MH/F being the 'swiss army knife' of BC rods - will let you do a number of techniques. Jigs, T-Rigs, spinners, chatters, some frogging (long as the weeds aren't dense), even some wacky and shaky (but it's not ideal). In that case, being your first BC - I'd get use to the 'how to cast' with something cheap that if you end up having to cut a massive amount out due to backlash and an epic bird's nest. Berkley Big Game - 15# is where I'd start.

No preference - what ever reel/rod combo gives me the speed/power/action I want - brand doesn't matter.

Very first was a cheapie combo purchased from the back of a comic book in the mid 60s - you can see me carrying it and the included tackle-box with some lures in this pic. Replaced that reel with a Mitchell 320 spinner the next year - and was spinning only until the early 80s when I got my first 'decent' BC. An Abu-Garcia Ambassadeur 500r combo on an Ambassadeur rod

12# AbrazX

Lipless and squarebills I like tossing on my Fury 703C - YMMV.

Ya - well, given the limited time I get, and need to be close to home if the wife has an emergency - I can't hit the river. Local points only for me.

St Croix or Mississippi along the WI border or those few lakes on the Iowa border?

When you said you'd been tossing bass lures since April - that implies you were targeting bass illegally...unless it wasn't in MN that you were doing that

'Multifile Knoten' - comes out of Europe (Dutch I think? Maybe?)

I'm actually more accurate with my spinners than my BCs - probably due to the years more experience with them. Just have to learn how to feather the line properly to drop the lure right were you want it.

I like the M-K for a few reasons Quick to tie - it's not much different than a Uni Double line through the eye No hard kinks anywhere Hard to cross the line - important for FC

Ya - some co-polys can last a couple years of average use, but like mono - most can't. I've never used a Palomar - still sticking with my 'Multifile Knoten' (gotta come up with an English name for that) as it's yet to fail me.