MN Fisher

I don't leave lures on longer than it takes to get home and nip them off. Then I clip one of these on the end of the line and reel it up until the little ball touches the tip-top.

'Tonka ain't the clearest water around. 2'-3' visibility in the areas I fish are pretty normal. DS still works.

That and less is the depth I've caught a number of bass in using drop-shots. When they're not hitting the moving baits - I toss a drop shot in there and it entices them in. Shallow, deep - drop-shot don't care - it'll still catch fish.

I could quite happily go spinning only, truth be told. For that type of fishing where I want to 'haul' a fish out of heavy cabbage - Penn Battle III, Penn Spinfisher, Diawa Saltiga - lots of 'salt water' spinners that have the power needed. Add an inshore rod, and I could toss hard-swimbaits. No technique NEEDS a BC - everything you can do with BCs can be done with spinners.

I use the same thing with my wife that a room-mate in the Air Force used - 'It's my desert survival kit'. Other one I like is 'my six-pack is turning into a pony-keg' I'm not much above my desired weight - 6'1" 195lbs right now - but having an un-repaired hernia limits my current activity. Having a partially disabled wife for whom I'm the PCA is the reason I haven't gotten that repaired yet. We're working on something, but it might be a month or three before all the ducks are lined up.

Man, I'm happy with the spinning rigs. Let's just drop trying to convince me to go to BC...K?

Lighter stuff - weightless worms, light jerks, etc - M/F Heavier - jigs, spinners, etc - MH/F 7'0" length seems to be the sweet spot for me - I wasn't getting enough 'oomph' with the 6'6" to get the lure far enough.

My current finesse rig is a Pflueger President-25 on a Dobyns Fury 702SF. This coming year, I'm adding an ultra-finesse rig - Mitchell Avocet RZT-1000 on a Diawa Procyon L/F - the old President-20 on an ultra-light rod was just too light.

My whole point is that I'm skilled skipping with an 'egg-beater'. Last year I got out on the water a grand total of 24 hours...ya, that's it. How much of that valuable time do I 'waste' re-learning a skill I already have just to switch to BC?

Gravel driveway Street is part ice, part packed snow over the tar Snow on the ice covering the lake. Limited time away from the house - wife is partially disabled and I'm her PCA So, currently have no way to practice...I'm fairly proficient already at skipping with spinning gear - which is why I got the upgraded rig to hand heavier lures.

I just wish I had the time to practice skipping with a BC more...right now I can't skip with a BC to save my life. Skipping rig for me next year? Mitchell Avocet RTZ-3000 on a 7' Okuma Reflections MH/F

Anything Rage Tail - Rage Craw, Rage Bug, etc I've had good luck with Berkley Pit Boss and the Chigger Craw is another one. Zoom Speed Craw or Z-Craw Pretty much anything with flapping appendages is a good pick

Or on your tablet. I'll still be using my 8" Galaxy Tab for maps until I've built up the Quickdraw maps for my lakes.

Can't be a winner - he's (amazingly) still alive.

I've only lost one lure to a Northern the past few years. That one bit off a lipless just before I was about to net it.

I'll have to test that - got a spool of 10# Advance I'll be putting on a couple reels.

Bowfin are toothy enough - and they're related to Gar. That's probably what took it.

Only you, man...only you.

Makes you the closest to me of all the other MN guys - I'm just mostly across the lake on Phelps Island, Mound.

Only out-of-box reel I've purchased was the used Patriarch from Legacy. They go over things to make sure they're in working order, so I figured I was safe. Rest of my reels were either new-in-box or new-in-blister - I won't purchase demo or display models...ever.

Another thing to note - the built-in maps are NOT on the Striker. Again, Echomap for those.

Sounds like something a Northern or other 'toothy finned-critter' would do.

None of the Strikers (Plus or Vivid) have touch-screen - that's on the Echomaps. (gonna break in a 7cv in the spring)

Nature of the beast and you can't even blame low price on it. My Patriarch is a $200 reel and even it's line guide wobbles a little, as do my President, President XT, Supreme and Fuegos - they all wobble a little.

I use the Rapala 6" and it's even handled 4#-5# Pike without an issue. Another who disbelieves the 'grips hurt fish' statement...I haven't seen anything bad happening using them.