MN Fisher

One place that's close that I won't go once the ice is of is Black Lake (part of Minnetonka group) - even without people out of work, that place is usually shoulder-to-shoulder anyway. I know a couple other spots...so I won't totally be off from fishing...but until something happens, I won't be taking the canoe out - home issue.

Except for those who enjoy that type of thing - they'd be 'setting the hook' soon as the frog hits the water...maybe even before it hits.

I've got a folder of links to forum posts in here with information I think is good to keep...the one's I don't clip out to Evernote that is.

Mainly because a tip-heavy rod is putting the strain on your wrist, while a heavier rod puts the strain on the whole arm.

Couple tricks: 1: 8-12 winds for braid, I go 2-6 winds for single-strand (Mono, FC, Hybrid) - lighter the line, less winds - I do 3 with 4# YZH, 5 with 10# Mono/12# YZH 2: Most of your pulling when tightening is from the main-line, only pull the tag enough to keep the winds neat and at the very end for final tightening. Shorter you can have the tag at the beginning, shorter it is at the end...I've done it times when I had maybe 1/2" to cut. YMMV

I'm a stingy bugger and the Palomar always has too much of a tag-end for me. So looking around, I found the 'Multifile-Knoten' - it's easy to tie, leaves very little tag, and has never failed me - even pulling a lure free from snags on lily-pads. I use this for mono, hybrid and braid - all my knots.

I'm almost in the same boat. Ice is breaking up here and though it's another 6&1/2 weeks to bass opener, I'd like to get my canoe out for mod-testing and some panfishing before that. Unfortunately, my wife is partially disabled and I'm her PCA. We do get someone in once a week during fishing season for 4 hours a time, but with this thing going on and our 'fill-in' being a parent with a 2-year old...she's being extra cautious. So for right now, we don't have anyone to come and take care of the wife while I'm out...so I'm stuck with maybe a little shore-fishing here and there until this whole mess blows over. I feel your pain, sir.

Three main goals A1 - Enjoy my time on the water A2 - Improve my skills with various techniques A3 - Put some fillets in the freezer (species doesn't matter much) Two secondary goals B1 - Catch a new PB LMB B2 - Catch a SMB - really, really...haven't caught one yet that I remember

Too many people forget this one basic rule...mainly taking their cue from those on YouTube making vids.

Ya, they are good about those sorts of things, aren't they - trust me, 30 years this June...I know!

Gotta make sure half-dozen knows as well so he can endlessly tease dad.

Then there's those of us who never palm the reel, so it's a non-issue.

Emphasis on this. I get out once a week during season (May-Oct) if I'm lucky...so I don't have expensive rods. The most expensive ones I have are a pair of Dobyns Furys...out of ten rigs...both of which I got on sale. Don't need expensive rigs to catch fish.

I've been very happy with my 7' MH/F Diawa Aird-X - retail is $55. Should handle everything you stated. It does come in a 6'6" as well.

I use three different swim jigs based on depth and cover 1/4oz SK Tour Grade for shallow/sparse cover situations 3/8oz SK Tour Grade for deeper running and/or moderate cover 1/2oz SK Hack Attack for going way deep and/or heavy cover Trailers are Eco Pro Swing Shad, RI Skinny Dipper, Berkley Pit Boss, Berkley Chigger Craw, Missile D'Stroyer or Zoom Ultra Vibe Chunk - which one I use when is pretty much 'roll a random number' type thing.

I'm with 'The Hammer' - spool is loose for casting, so no need to back it off more.

Ya, a micro is for a kayak or something like my canoe...maybe a small Jon boat. You're gonna want a full Power-Pole or a Talon - if not two - to keep that thing in place. Otherwise you're going to be replacing poles. Boat - 1075lbs +Motor - 247lbs +21 gallons of fuel - 168lbs +2 people at 150lb avg - 300 lbs +10-15 gallon live-well, filled - 80-120lbs +Fishing gear - variable Total = 1910lbs plus gear - well over the 1500lb max recommendation for the micro.

Ya, my Pres-25 is last years model (ML-Finesse rig) and the Pres-20 I picked up (UL) was a last year's model on clearance...I'm good too.

Long at it's a 2019 or earlier model...word I hear is that a couple changes were done to the Presidents and they're not as good now.

Ya, my B&S push mower is going on 12 years old now. All I do each fall is drain gas and run it till it coughs dead (last bit in the lines). Spring I check the plug, put in fresh gas...2-3 pulls and I'm off and running.

I've not use Lews - my M/F rig is a Pflueger Trion-30 ($40 at Wally World) on a Diawa Aird-X 6'6" M/F ($50 at Academy), Line I use is 10# Yo-Zuri Hybrid...if you go with YZH - get some KVD Line and Lure Conditioner to treat the line...makes a difference.

Rod - Medium power/fast action - length 6'6"-7'0" Reel - 2500-3000 size Line - 10# Mono or Hybrid Lures: 3/8 oz twin-bladed spinnerbaits with 4"-5" craws/beavers/chunks as trailers - run this over top or alongside the weeds 3/8 oz swim jigs - same trailers - run these through the weeds at various depths...they're fairly weedless Jerkbaits - 3-1/2" to 5" long (Rapala Original 09, 11, 13 fit this) - jerk/pause/jerk...again, over the tops of the weeds Texas rigs - 1/4 oz to 3/8 oz weights; 1/0, 2/0, 3/0 hooks; worms or lizards on off-set, same plastics as spinner/jigs on EWG - run these along the bottom through the weeds. These are just some of the techniques I've used with a M/F rod with a 2500 size reel. Budget is a consideration too - how much you willing to spend on rod/reel/line/lures?

I'm not as specialized as others. Same rig is used for flip, pitch, punch, frogs, larger topwater and bubba-shot. 7' Aird-X H/F, Fuego CT-XS (8.1:1) and 50# Power Pro.

Same here - rarely flip, mostly pitch.

Cali-nutsia strikes again.