MN Fisher

Hmmm - I've got a camp grill that runs off of bottled propane. I could set it up on the middle seat between the outrigger mounts. Oh the possibilities.

Cattle-prods work wonders. ?

Slowpoke - once I have the trailer assembled and the canoe on it. When I want to go - 5 minutes to hook it up and drive away. Since I'll be storing it in the locked garage, I never have to remove anything from it.

Minnehaha Creek is the only one close - but it's the far side of Minnetonka from me (Minnehaha drains Minnetonka into the Mississippi). So not in my 'fishing range'. Crow River is a bit further away.

Probably because the only lake I fish that has smallies according to the DNR surveys is Minnetonka. Since I only fish Phelps Bay, they may not congregate in that particular spot.

Dunno - never caught a smallie. Also found this info - The growth rate of bass in Mille Lacs is slow due to the water's cold temperatures. A 20 to 21 inch fish may be 11 to 15 years old - so 5#-6# are older than your 10#.

Only ones I take home for the grill/broiler are between 2# and 3#...maybe a 4#er once in a while. Once they get larger than that they start getting too gamy. Remember that they grow slower here and the state record is just under 9#...so we don't get the big ones you do and our 5#ers are probably as old as your 9#-10#ers.

I've mentioned it before in this thread - I prefer the taste of Bass to the taste of Walleye/Sauger, Pike, or Perch.

I can agree that salt-water fish are better tasting, I grew up in MA - but the closest ocean to me is a thousand miles.

It's probably going to be off...our two-week forecast has us approaching freezing for highs - while the average for that same time is near 40. I think ice-out is going to be late again this year - average ice-out date is April 14...just hopefully not as late as last year - May 5

Well, bit lower price and it seems to be in stock here. https://tackletrap.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=8430

https://www.tackledirect.com/st-croix-axc64mxf-avid-x-casting-rod.html

That might be so...but when a site inflates the MSRP of one line of products, that makes me wonder what else they do.

You'd need the discount. Took a look at their site - their 'discounted' prices are what Pflueger charges normally. So Lifestyle's 'list' prices are heavily inflated.

Depends on what you grew up with. I still find spinners easier to use than BCs. I started using spinners in the 60s, got my first BC in the late 80s. After 20 years using nothing but spinning reels, it was a learning curve to be able to use the BC effectively.

I'd agree with the 25 on a ML The Pflueger 20 size would be UL

x3 on the 30 size for a M/F rod. That's my setup - Pflueger Trion-30 on a M/F Ugly Stick

It's a good thing they're cheap. I have a ponytail and use those to hold it. The 'store' brands don't even last a day before they snap, Goody brand lasts a day, but that's it. Be prepared to replace that band frequently.

On my ML spinning rig (Avocet), I use 8# Mono though Flouro will work as well. On my Medium spinning rig (Trion), I use 12# Flouro Others might have different ideas.

I'm a rightie - write with my right hand, do detail work with my right hand, etc-etc-etc Other than my Pflueger 640 which I can't switch, all my reels are right-hand retrieve. I cast with my left, so I don't have to switch hands other than with the aforementioned 640.

No need to glue two-piece rods together.

Coffee, ice-tea, a couple sandwiches and cigarettes.

Bit over fifty years ago - was fishing for panfish in Indian Lake, MA with Mepps Comets, hooked a Largemouth on a cast...got hooked myself.

For mono, the only thing I use is Trilene XL - stands for eXtra Limp, vs XT which is eXtra Tough. Never tried Big Game, never saw the need for it in my fishing. If I go over 12# test, then out comes the braid. I do use Stren - but only the Flourocast.

I can agree that steelhead and salmon tastes better - but nothing close to me has those. I already said I prefer trout - specifically rainbows, but they're a rare catch for me. I DO prefer the taste of bass over walleye and northern - and yellow perch as they're a close cousin to walleye. Different tastes I guess. Doesn't make either of us wrong, just different. Still can't stand breaded fish though.