MN Fisher

Same here, my Avocet rod/reel combo may have cost under $50, but as it's my prime finesse setup I treat it like it's a Revo MGX on a St Croix Legend.

It's just something that happens. Sometime the splash even triggers a strike. Couple of the LMBs I caught last year hit the lure just as it splashed, never even had a chance to start retrieving it before the fish was on. Don't worry the splashes.

The one I use for maps is i-Boating Marine Navigation. Shows contours and launch points on most every lake in the country. Zoom in, move around. Great site. http://fishing-app.gpsnauticalcharts.com/i-boating-fishing-web-app/fishing-marine-charts-navigation.html#3.94/40.60/-95.27

Mitchell Avocet RZ. I got an Avocet RZ-2000 last year, it's the one I use for finesse work - drop shots, neds, wacky, etc. Smooth and seems tough enough to handle repeated catches. They do have it in 500 size (110yds of 4#) and 1000 (140yds of 4#) Right at that $30 mark...29.99 MSRP.

That's fine if you have the money to do that...there's a reason two of my rigs are 30+ years old. Last year I budgeted to get two new spinning rigs...total cost was under $150. This year I budgeted to get a decent quality rig for flipping/pitching/etc...again about $150. Then I found out the Ambassdeur rig that I'd had for 20 years needed replacing...I scraped/clawed/sweated enough to get $100 to replace it. Some of us CAN'T even imagine dropping $250 for a single rig much less a reel alone. That's why we 'settle' for the low-mid range...it's all we can afford. Replacing rigs every few years is out of the realm of possibility for me. I'm going to maintain the rigs I have now and hopefully when I retire from fishing all together in 15-20 years, they'll still be salable.

Early evening, around 5:30. Partly cloudy, was along the edge of a weed-bed in 6' of water...it probably darted out from the weeds to grab my lure. 4# 12oz

Plugging a 9v light system, especially LEDs, into a 12v outlet is asking for one thing - blown LEDs. There's a reason those power supplies are matched, over-voltage on LEDs will make them brighter...until they overload and go dark forever.

I'm not local, but here's a link to I-Boating's maps. Just zoom in to whatever lake you want to check and it's got full contour map plus locations of launch points. I've centered it just south of KC, use the mouse wheel to zoom in and out, drag and drop to change position. http://fishing-app.gpsnauticalcharts.com/i-boating-fishing-web-app/fishing-marine-charts-navigation.html#8.14/38.7130/-94.6437

He might not - but the wife surely does.

I think that's a balanced look. If you CAN afford it, and want it...then get it. Would I want a Revo-STX or Patriarch reel? Yes. Would I want a Loomis or St. Croix rod? Yes I just can't afford the mid-range to expensive things at all, so I get the best I can with what money I have.

I think the whole point of this thread is to show that you don't have to spend hundreds of dollars to get a rig that will work. Some of us don't have the type of money to drop $200 on a reel and another $150 on a rod. This year I added a flip/pitch/frog rig to my collection and replaced my old spinner/chatter/buzz rig - total cost for both setups was about $250. I won't have on-water experience with these until ice-out, but from my bench-testing, these are going to work just fine.

Well, opinions are like... Compared to my older rods, Berkley Enforcer for example, I felt that the GX-2 I got for my Trion was a vast improvement. I'm working with a fixed-income budget, so my sights have to be lower. When I can get a full rig (President/Aird-X) for that same $100 - I'll grab it.

I'm the same - let's see, for spinnerbaits I can get one Booyah for six bucks, or two Jawbones for the same price...I know what I'm getting.

If crank baits aren't working, I'll go to Texas rigs. If frogs aren't doing it, time for the jigs. If the Ned-rig is coming up zero, let's try a wacky worm. I may spend time changing tactics, but I never come home skunked.

And can't keep them for grilling until Memorial Weekend.

All I've done so far is 'bench testing'...it's brand new and we got 'hard water' here. But it seems to be reactive, sturdy and balanced. I'm looking forward to testing it on the water.

I think we're talking even less than that. My best setup is my new Fuego CT on an Aird-X - and that rig together cost what your Citica without a rod does. My #2 rig is a President on an Aird-X - and that rig was under $100

Exactly right. The RZ is the 3rd in the Avocet line after the R and the R-FS. Held up last year for Ned rigs, Drop Shots, 1/16oz Texas rigs and #2 and #3 Mepps Aguilas and Comets. This winter, after a cleaning and re-lube/oil - spins like it was brand new again.

Agreed here. My finesse rod is a Mitchell Avocet RZ-2000 on an ML/F Avocet rod. Does everything I need it to and the total cost was $40.

I thought that was most of Wally-World's customers...they certainly seem to be from the same family. I will not buy anything from Wally-World...online or in store. Even if they were 1/2 the price of anyone else for something I wanted, I'm not giving them my business. Personal choice.

You get what you pay for...for the most part I've used nothing but Trilene XL anytime I use mono. From 4# on my UL to 12# on my medium-spinner (smaller crank/jerk baits, inline spinners, Texas Rigs, etc). I've never had a memory issue even though I don't use line conditioner. Of course I replace it every year, more if I have enough breakoffs where it's getting too short.

I've been using Power Pro on my BC since...forever. Never had a problem with it and at half the price of Smackdown, I'm not going to be switching anytime in the foreseeable future. I also full-fill my BC with PP, no backing means I can use it past the 'magic' 75 yard point.

(Glares) We're expecting 2"-4" of snow tomorrow, and Friday's high is predicted to be 1 above. We're going into deep winter here.

If I'm doing a 'search pattern' with a lipless, I have the rod tip pointed at 2-o'clock to start, do a few cranks, sweep the tip to 10-o'clock - the bait will sink slightly on the slack, then crank some more pulling it back to horizontal. This gives it a zig-zag course with some vertical movement. Next cast - turn 1 'hour' either direction and repeat. With my old Ambassdeur I had to crank pretty fast - it was a 5.3:1, with the new President it won't be as much work as it's a 7.3:1.

(blinks) That has to be after subtracting the motor, console, decking, compartments and what all from the base capacity because my 14' Canoe is rated for 680#