MN Fisher

My ultralight only gets 4#mono. With the drag set properly, you could even fight a 4-5# bass on it if you're willing to take your time and not try to 'horse' it in.

I think my entire setup including the trolling motor and battery but excluding the trailer will cost less than one of those S-15's. Anchoring will be simple, 1.5# fluke anchor tied off to the rear carry handle. It's the electrical routing and the stabilizer setup that will be more involved.

Phase 1 done - new seat supports cut/drilled/installed. They'll have to be removed temporarily during Phase 2 - which will happen Tuesday. Yes, I do work this fast when on a project. Plus my King-pin base and mount are due Tuesday and I want the main part of the seat ready for them. Details of how I got 'here' are in my blog

4# Trilene XL on the ultralight (Pflueger 640) 8# Trilene XL on one medium spinning reel (Garcia Avocet RZ-2000) 10# Stren Flourocast on the other spinning reel (Pflueger Trion 30) 20# Power Pro braid on the baitcaster (Garcia Ambassaduer 500R) 8# Trilene XL on the backup spinning reel (Garcia Cardinal 562)

After even only three fishing trips with my canoe I decided I needed to modify it to make it more fishing friendly. Here's a shot of the pre-mod canoe. This is NOT an SCanoe or a Field & Stream Scout - this is the 'original' Sun Dolphin Scout SS. The other two are relabeled Sun Dolphins.

Anytime I've had Cajun - either at a restaurant or someone's house - they SEEM to have buried the fish in spice...not a 'dash', but to my taste buds, half the bottle.

" Must be a scorecard member to receive discount " Some of us don't sign up for these store 'memberships'...I like my privacy too much.

I keep my rods in the un-heated garage all winter, always have. Couple of them have been exposed that way for 30 years or more - and the temps here regularly drop below zero in deep winter. I've never seen/felt any difference from them due to the cold. Garage should be safe.

Little salt, dash of pepper and broil it. My position is - How can you adulterate the taste of fish by sealing it in bread or piling on strong seasonings?

Tackle Tour has a review of the next gen from back in '06 - has some of the specs. http://www.tackletour.com/reviewshimanometaniumxt.html Japan Tackle has some on the original https://japantackle.com/shimano-metanium-xt97.html

It's kind of a floating box with two plastic seats. https://www.sundolphin.com/fishing-boats-and-dinghys/sportsman/

2018 was a 'bust' year for me - only got on the water three times and caught nothing more than 'throw-backs' (sunnies, crappie under 1.5lb, bass under 2.5lb) Items on the list for 2019 Complete the modifications to the canoe (underway as we 'speak') Get on the water MUCH more often Work cover more via pitching/flipping - I KNOW the bass are there, just didn't have the rig to go after them Visit more lakes - Little Long and Whaletail in my area are two I haven't hit yet Learn/use a couple new techniques I've not used before - Ned rig and Wacky for a couple That's about it for now.

Late to this, but congrats to a fellow survivor. This January will be three years for me since I lost an eye to 'choroidal melanoma'. So far I've had no signs of anything else happening. Here's to hoping ALL of us have cancer-free lives ahead.

It all depends on what you already have, some older equipment lends itself to modern techniques. Three of my rod/reel combos are 15+ years old, two of them twice that. I still use them for specific techniques without an issue. Last spring I bought two new combos for other techniques and this next spring I'll be buying a sixth setup specifically for flipping/pitching. I don't see a need to replace everything if the setups you have can still be used.

One thing you may consider. The minnows at the bait store will end in one of two ways, 1) Used as bait by a fisherman. 2) Die in the tank and be disposed of. They're slated to die anyway, why not get some use out of them instead of wasting them. They can't be returned to where-ever they were harvested from, it's against the rules of the State Department of Natural Resources (or whatever your state's equivalent is)

Realize that braid is thinner than the equivalent strength mono. My Garcia Avocet RZ-2000 holds 120 yards of 8#mono, but 160 yards of 10#braid. So factor that into your consideration.

I'm not that worried about the visibility difference. I'm more of the 'mono floats, flouro sinks' concern for my spinning reels. Surface or shallow running lures I use mono, my deep divers or bottom lures (drop rigs, etc) I use flouro.

Young children do this naturally, they have to be taught prejudice/bigotry/et-all. My wish is for the ADULTS to get over their hang-ups and do this. Of course it'll probably never happen...

Thanks for the suggestions so far. This isn't going to be an immediate purchase, probably around late April/Early May (season doesn't open until mid-May for C&R). I'll be looking around at deals until then and taking heed of what people here are saying. Thanks again for the help.

It might just be me, but I'm always a little leery when the word 'refurbished' gets tossed around. Yes, they may have brought it back to factory specs, but the warranty on refurbished gear is markedly less than on new. I'm not a 'out 4-5 times a week for all day' kind of fisherman. I'll get out once or twice a week for 4-5 hours. So I'm not looking for something that'll take a beating 30-40 hours a week, but something that'll do the job for 8-10 hours a week. Thanks anyway.

Thank you.

I'm with @Heartland, no tree...ever. Yule Log however...

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Some days it's 'Dazed and Confused'.

One of the things I'll be doing this winter is starting to add-to/upgrade my equipment. Currently I have one baitcaster, an Ambassdeur 500R that's a couple decades old. It works fine for what I use it for, drop-shotting, cranking and buzz-baits. I'm looking to get another baitcaster combo for heavier work, pitching mainly. The problem being is that I have a limited budget and I'm not sure which to get out of the following . For reels, I'm looking at: Abu Garcia Pro Max Daiwa CR 80 Lew's Laser MG Speed Spool MCS Pflueger President XT Quantum Throttle and for rods I'm looking at: Abu Garcia Vendetta Berkley Shock Lew’s Laser SG1 Your thoughts on the choices presented, or feel free to suggest something else entirely in the same price ranges. Thanks in advance for the assistance.