MN Fisher

Stay away from the CC - it's a "plastic" frame. If you want to get the small (80 size) then go with the CA-80...at least that's an aluminum frame reel.

Having upgraded from the Aird-X rods to Furys except for 2 - I can experientialy say that they fish well above their price-point. A very good rod, no matter the power, for $55. Toss in that Scheels Purist and you're just over the $100 mark.

There's a sale on Dobyns rods going on at Sportsman's Outfitters - sign up for the e-mail, get 25% off a Dobyns Fury 704C - MUCH better than a Vengence - should leave you around $60 of that $150 Reel - Scheels Purist - this is basically a re-branded Pflueger...currently on sale for $50 https://www.scheels.com/p/scheels-outfitters-purist-baitcast-reel/04338830702.html?cgid=fishing-reels Within your budget, and much better than the Max/Vengeance combo

This works for YZH as well, and I've spooled 12# YZH on spinners. Long as you 'take care of it', it hasn't been a problem. I'll be running straight FC on two of my spinners this year - 6# on the Light, 10# on the Medium.

Let me think a moment. Swim Jig Spinnerbait Lipless Suspending Jerkbait Drop-Shot Of course each depends on conditions, but I'll cycle through those if needed until I find what the bass want. If none of those work...I start getting 'creative'.

I don't fish spoons...no a non-issue here.

Not quite - MH/MF is a little faster in the tip than MH/M - think of it as between MH/F and MH/M I use MH/F for spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, jigs. MH/MF for cranks, squarebills and lipless. My Dobyns Fury 705CB is MH/MF - I'm sure there are other rods out there with the same power/action.

Ain't that the truth. And this was with 12# Yo-Zuri - he bit clean through it.

Yep - as a kid I had one rig...Mitchell 320 on a 6'6" Medium Bass, walleye, pike, panfish, trout...even some canal fishing on Cape Cod when we vacationed there - that rig handled it all. Now I look at my 13 rigs (10 for canoe, 3 for shore) and I go...do I need more...probably not - do I want more...well, upgrades maybe.

I don't worry it. Only time I use a swivel, even on a spinning reel, is for a Donkey Rig (Double Fluke Rig) or Carolina Rig. Otherwise it's always direct tie.

Oh - I was looking at the casting...big difference.

This too shall pass.

Well, the rankings are in for Day 1 and while I'm not dead-last...ouch.

Sunnies, crappie, rough fish...sure Bass, walleye, northern - they catch you and it's at least a fine if not loss of your fishing license for the year. Accidental catches are alright, but if they think you're targeting bass because of the lures you're using or the frequency you're hauling them in...you better just not do it. And yes, the water patrol is out in force, and there's DNR Officers at all the major boat launches.

Well...I'll just have to see how the Patriarch I picked up this past fall works this coming year.

Like to know where - I've read nothing but positive reviews of it.

I just took a look at their current sale...oh boy if I had the cash. Patriarch XT for $149 - that's more than 50% off regular price.

I know the 'pros' like Glenn, TB, FTM and others worry about such things when making instructional videos. For me...I just start them up and forget them. I don't 'play up' to the cameras, I don't fiddle with them...just start them up and let them go. So in my case...no - they don't interfere with my fishing time. This probably means less usable video when it comes to editing...but it's mainly for my enjoyment of 'reliving' times out...if other people enjoy watching my stuff...even better.

I passed 'going' a while ago...

We got Scheels - and they have good deal fairly regularly.

Spinners, chatters, jigs, T-Rigs - MH/F Cranks, squarebills, lipless, topwaters - MH/M Also, a 1/2oz Chatterbait weighs around .62oz (at least my 1/2oz Z-Mans do) Now add a trailer - 4" Berkley Pit Boss is my choice - that's another .34oz So that's .96oz - well over the .75oz of that rod's rating. A good MH/F (or 4-power Dobyns since they run light) goes up to a 1oz rating. Could you cast those lures on that rod? Yes...but it would be far from ideal and you'd never want to 'long-bomb' the heavier lures with it. Last item - I prefer a Fast action on single-hook lures as they're thicker and take more 'oomph' to set them. Moderate action is for trebles where the hooks are smaller and imbed themselves easier.

Forget the winch - I'd want a D-7 Cat with tow chains...

Ya, I don't think walking around with a 12" Scottish Dirk on my belt would cut it either. This past week, truck door was frozen shut. Opened my Leatherman to the pliers, and carefully wedged them around the door edge to get it open.

Around here - they like white suckers, tullibee, bullhead, crappie, bluegills and yellow perch. Bass were found in some of the stomachs of sampled muskies, but the percentage compared to the other species was quite low. They also found a small sample of pike, muskrats and in one case...a gull.

Ya - LMB season doesn't close until the end of February, SMB season goes to C&R only in this area the middle of September, closes same time.