MN Fisher

Or just 'take a gander' at his credit-card.

Wrangler cargo pants in a light color...I use ALL the pockets.

I'm always looking for something new - especially upgrades. TW Wishlist: 1 reel, 3 rods, LOADS of lures...and I just finished a purchasing spree.

Whenever the producers of plastics decide to 'bite the bullet'...and when the consumers (us) decide to pay the increased prices. How many years? No idea.

That's exactly what I toss my 1/4 oz swim jigs on. Loaded with 10# YZH (Tackle Tour says it tests to just over 13#)...I don't do leaders. Since the line was treated with KVD, the memory issue was greatly reduced, and YZH's abrasion resistance and higher breaking strength than the rated test give me no issues pulling it through moderate weeds. Last year's rig: Trion-30/6'6" M/F Aird-X This year's rig: Trion-35/6'6 M/F Aird-X (ya, just swapped the reel)

I'm not A-Jay, but Amazon has them https://www.amazon.com/Mustad-UltraPoint-Triple-Treble-Strong/dp/B00AU5T8HQ?th=1&psc=1

Pflueger Supreme XT - $150 - I've owned Pflueger spinners for 40+ years and they've always come through for me. Dobyns Sierra - either the 693SF (6'9") or the 703SF (7'0") - $160 or $170

For lipped cranks, I run a 6-speed. Lipless either on the 6 or a 7.

To replace other natural channels due to position or land ownership. Case in point. The Narrows WAS a small stream flowing from Carmen into Lafayette...weed choked, it still allowed small boats passage. It was dredged a couple of times to improve traffic flow, until in 1884 a new channel was dug slightly north of the original one. That is the Narrows as it is today. So - man-made, yes. Done solely to create the lake from smaller lakes...no. http://lakeminnetonka.com/about/local-lore/a-history-of-the-narrows/ Channels at Arcola Bridge and Seton Lake/Harrison Bay Bridge were shored up and widened...but not dug as 'new' construction. Black Lake channel and Emerald Lake channel have always existed - you cross the bridge at either and you're on Phelps Island...which WAS an island until the bridges were built.

If we're going 'middle range' - Pflueger Supreme on a Dobyns Fury or Sierra...about 200-250 total.

Frogs and flip/pitch into heavy cover I use an H/F Jigs and big worms - especially heavier T-Rigs (1/2 oz and up) I use a MH/F In the same price range, look at the Dobyns Fury.

For more detailed look - i-Boating : Free Marine Navigation Charts & Fishing Maps - this links you right to the scalable map of Minnetonka. Scroll-wheel to zoom in/out, click and drag to move about. This is the map I use with the app on my tablet when I'm on the water.

From someone who is comfortable with spinners in a wide variety of situations...here's my 2-cents 2500-3000 size reel, Medium/Fast rod in 6'6" to 7' length. Don't want to spend too much? Pflueger Trion-30 on a Diawa Aird-X M/F Spinning rod - just under $100 retail. Before the re-org of my rigs this winter - that's what I used for wacky, light crank/jerks, heavier (1/4 oz and up) drop-shots and light T-Rigs.

"But daddy, I don wanna...I wanna tease the zombie riser..."

That's is just one bay of the lake, Tom. On this map, it's the one of the pair left of center at the top. Tonka is actually a group of Kettle Lakes, formed end of the last ice age, joined by channels.

Actually - I was rolling a spinnerbait with trailer past a patch of lily pads just to the west of that 'point'. Bass came out of the pads to hit the lure. Weeds next to the pads had tops about 1'-2' under the surface, water was slightly stained, sun was up...was looking for something in the pads - if the spinner hadn't worked I was going to try either pitching into them or running a frog across the top. Sorry - that pic didn't come through. Ya, mini-humps are about the best structure on the lake - at least in North Arm and Phelps Bay where I do most of my fishing.

If he's fishing Minnetonka, it's a eutrophic lake according to MN-DNR. The structure is there, but not abundant...see the bay I normally fish Finding the bass can take a while, even though it's a highly rated bass lake. Diligent searching with sonar is almost required. My best LMB last year came from this bay, middle of the summer - right about where the '10' at the bottom of the map is...not far from the launch.

Most expensive owned? WP-110 that was gifted to me Most expensive purchased? Toss up between one of my Rapalas or my Super Spooks.

They can't - but you try regulating China...

You're gonna want those hook-guards if you toss the jig into the slop...which is where a lot of bass hide out in the summer. NGB got it right - get another set of jigs without hook-guards for tossing in the clear.

Dobyns Sierra 692SF - 6'9" rated 1/8 oz to 1/2 oz - right at that $160 mark retail...you can find them for less For a little bit more retail... Dobyns Sierra 702SF - 7'0", same lure rating - only $10 more Limited Lifetime warranty on the Sierra line

Except that I have to pre-plan my trips a week in advance. I can't just decide "Oh, nice day, think I'll go fishing."

The reason I strip and cut is simple...I'm not a tree-hugger, more a tree-nudger. Trash bags in landfills break...it's a given. Stripped line that's just coiled up and tossed presents a danger to birds and small animals getting entangled in it and causing their deaths. Cutting the line into short pieces prevents this. Just a little extra work to help nature.

You come live my life and see how often you can get out. I have responsibilities that take precedence and finances that are constrained.

I've up-sized over the past year. Started with just the AA-II 3600, added a Plano Weekender for plastics. Shifted the items from the 3600 to a BPS Extreme Qualifier 370 and the plastics to the AA-II 3600. Why the BPS EQ-370 instead of a AA-II Magnum? The Magnum stores the boxes long-side up and it wouldn't fit under the work-table in my canoe. The EQ-370 stores them short-side up and fits under the table.