MN Fisher

(raises his hand) Yep - which is why I got a dedicated crank/jerk rig set up this winter. DTs, Shad Raps, Rattling Raps, etc-etc-etc. I've got a 3700-size box that's nothing but cranks.

Gods no - at the most it's a short, quick pull. Most of the time it's just reeling into it - which is why you want needle-sharp hooks. Currently, I use VMC Spin-Shot hooks - though I am thinking of upgrading to Gammy Swivel Shots.

So do I, I don't switch hands though - cast left, retrieve right - so flipping the bail back in place happens just before the same hand moves to engage the handle.

Feathering and Thumbing boil down to the same thing. Practice-practice-practice.

I can agree with this - to a point. Since I feather my spinning-spool, that acts like thumbing a BC...it allows me to drop the bait where I need it on nearly slack-free line. Of course, I toss all my spinners/chatters/buzz on my MH/F BC...even the 1/4 oz ones...so it's a moot point there. On the other side, I've actually done pitching with 1/4 oz finesse jigs using my spinning gear - again, it needs the feathering technique to make it happen right, but like thumbing a BC, all it takes is practice-practice-practice.

I do have both rigs, but I could easily swap one for the other and not see much of a difference. For those more use to BCs, they're probably more accurate casting those. For those of us with quite a bit of spinner experience too, I don't see a difference in my accuracy. It boils down to one thing for me: I have two rigs that I can put similar setups on - light T-Rigs, light jigs, wacky worms, etc - this gives me the ability to swap techniques without re-tying new lures on. Could I do this with 2 BC or 2 Spinning rigs? Yep - but this is just the way it worked out in my purchases. If you want a second Medium rig, you choose which you want based on your personal preference. In my experience - in the Medium Power at least - there's not enough of a difference between BC and Spinning to really decide between them.

Well, snow-mageddon didn't happen here...got maybe 3-4". Once the plows come by, got a high-school kid coming over to do my shoveling.

I've got a copy of Photoshop 7 which is almost 2-decades old. Still works and does what I need, including resizing photos.

All my light presentations are done with spinning gear. President-25 on an Ultra-light for Ned and inline spinners (Mepps) and a Trion-30 on a Medium-light for drop-shots, wacky, Neds. Having used spinners longer than I've used BCs, I'm as accurate dropping a lure exactly where I want it with the spinners as I am with the BCs. Feathering the line coming off the spool on a spinner is equivalent to thumbing the spool on a BC - serves the same purpose.

I knew that out-of-the-box, my Supreme wasn't as free spinning as my President. Quick visual check showed quite a bit of excess lube on the level-wind. Opening it up showed 'gunky' grease on the gears...who knows how long the reel had been sitting on a shelf. So, that one is getting a strip-down and re-lube this winter before it gets line put on. It's a case-by-case basis. My Fuegos didn't need a pre-use workover, but my Trion spinners, the President last year and now the Supreme all did. Maybe it's the grease that Pflueger uses...

If Minnetonka has ice-out on it's average day - that's how long I have to wait too. (crosses his fingers, toes...darn it, can't do the eyes anymore)

The same finger I used to pick up the line preparatory to casting is the one I use to feather the line. Granted I've used spinning gear longer than I've used BC gear, but I find my accuracy with both to be about the same.

3 Year tag on the canoe, lifetime tag on the trailer. Boat and utility trailers rated for under 3000# axle weight can get lifetime tabs in MN.

I have to agree with what others are saying. My main crankbait rod is a Moderate, T-Rigs go on a Fast.

Only way I'd get distracted by this is if they're built like Ashley Graham. This is exactly what I do - lean how it feels during no-fish retrieve and set the hook if it feels 'off'.

(glares) Try harder next time (grumbles)

I have no idea if they send an e-mail or not. I'm still waiting on my Choppo-90 in Bone...and the site says "Dec 29" for back in stock. Probably a delay from the supplier is causing the wait.

Batten down the hatches - these things hit us then travel East to you Friday Snow. The snow could be heavy at times. Patchy blowing snow after noon. High near 27. Southeast wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 3 to 7 inches possible. Friday Night Snow. The snow could be heavy at times. Steady temperature around 25. Southeast wind 10 to 15 mph becoming south 5 to 10 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 3 to 7 inches possible. So 6-14 inches before it's all done here.

Dunno - new purchase this off season...we got 'hard water' here right now. Though to be fair, I have caught some 1.5-2# LMBs on my UL rig using Ned, so even if the Dobyns runs lighter than my old Avocet, it should still do the job.

Well, I'm using 8#mono on my DS rig, and I went with the Fury 702SF. I think you'd be happier with the 692, especially if you add Ned Rig to your repertoire. The 693 might have a little too much power on the hookset with the light-wire hook of a Ned, and the 692 will be better for the lighter Neds as well. My previous rod for DS and Ned was also a ML and it served me well, just wanted to upgrade.

No, I've had that one forever. Just my best last season was 3.94.

4.7# LMB If I've caught a SMB - I've forgotten about it.

With the exception of the new CA-80...which HAS an aluminum frame.

That should be about when this hits you - as this is our forecast for the 17th Friday Snow. The snow could be heavy at times. High near 27. Southeast wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of 4 to 8 inches possible.

We didn't have to go anywhere for 'woods. Walking distance of our house was a small 'wild' area...Nick's Woods. The stream that runs through it was where I caught brookies and brownies. That stream empties into Indian Lake - where I caught yellow perch, white perch and...LMBs.