MN Fisher

Same place I've been getting it for 30+ years - Present Moments Herbs and Books. 3546 Grand Avenue, S. Minneapolis.

Best stuff I've found that even works on black flies (horse, deer, etc) is Calendula Essential Oil. Just need a drop at the pulse points (neck, inside of wrists, inside of elbows for short-sleeve shirts, ankles, back of knees if you're in shorts.) Re-apply every 2-3 hours. Its nothing but pure Calendula extract with no additional chemicals. In case you're wondering, Calendula is the genus of Marigolds...moquitoes, gnats and flies hate Marigolds.

One year, the wife got me an LTB subscription - half the stuff they sent me went immediately into the trash.

^ What he said...

We've already acknowledged Brian as 'Maven of the Ned' - we have to add 'Whiz of the Crappie' as well?

Micro-cranks and jerks as well.

I get smoother, longer casts with braid as the mainline cause it's limper than running straight mono.

I'd forgo the swivel. On my jig/bobber rig I'm running 8# Hi Vis Sufix 832 to 6# Sufix Seige. about 10'-12' of leader line. If I want to swap jigs, I just cut off and tie the new jig on. That swivel going through the guides can damage them. 10# braid to 6# Siege is very doable...

Berkley Pit Boss - avatar pic bass was caught on a spinnerbait with a Pit Boss trailer

@Catt

You've been lucky? Truly, the occurrence when the ratchet and trip line up perfectly so that there's no 'free play' is actually rare. My Tatulas, Fuegos, Patriarchs all have a little bit of play before the reel clicks into 'drive' mode...it's perfectly normal and the fact that you haven't had that happen on other reels I chalk up to pure luck.

And if the ratchet plate is installed backwards - it won't engage the kick lever and it'll never come out of 'casting' mode. Don't ask.....

The ML/MF will work for slip-bobber usage. My current bobber rig is a Pflueger Supreme 30 (2500 size reel) on an Okuma Celilo B 7'0" L/F...don't let that L fool you, it's rated 3/16oz-5/8oz...so more like a Medium power. For an inexpensive rod (about $40) it's actually fairly well built and I've no complaints. My setup is usually a Rocket Bobber to a 1/16oz jig with 2" plastics (Big Bites Crappie Minnr, Berkley Gulp Minnow, Bobby Garland Baby Shad, Mr Crappie Jokers and Shadpole)

Well, I'm not Paul, but my prime crappie rod under $100 for things like beetle spins, micro cranks/jerks and other 'cranking' baits is an Okuma Reflexions A, 7'0" ML/MF. The equivalent in the replacement 'B' series is the 7'2" ML/MF https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Okuma_Reflexions_b_Spinning_Rods/descpage-RXSTO.html

FishUSA is one of my go-to sites. Never had an issue with an order from them.

"Had to feel a bit of a breeze on yer bits, lad?" Doesn't matter - cameras in the room already got everything recorded.

Ya - orders over a certain amount get free shipping, and since they're out of the country they don't have to collect sales tax. Digitaka is currently down for maintenance until sometime tomorrow...their time or our time I don't know.

Depends on where you order them from - I get my Digitaka orders delivered in 3-4 days.

Digitaka is my 'bread and butter' JDM shop...never an issue.

Uh - no....I have the 7'0" Procyon Light-Fast, and I wouldn't toss my Plopper 60s on even that. You want a Medium power at least despite the lure weight recommendations. That ultralight is for chasing trout and panfish with micro-jigs weighing no more than 1/16oz plus the plastic 'bait'. It's not made for cranking for bass.

Don't need FFS - I don't have it. Just knowledge of where bass like to situate themselves depending on time of year/weather/water temp/other factors...and a good contour map of the lake/river in question. You can find them with 2D Sonar...like we did before even downscan was available...Down/Side/360/FFS just makes it easier - they're not required.

In-Fisherman has more 'how to' and 'where to find them' info than Bass Mag could hope to print...and the sub comes with access to the online version for free. I also dropped Bass Angler for similar reasons...

I do the same - difference being is the knowledgeable person is me. One of my Tatula 100s undergoing maintenance this past winter... And my Supreme-30 spinning reel.

Example - today I was out at my regular shore spot at 6am. Little bobber/jig work for crappie but they weren't ready to eat yet so pulled up the two bass rigs I brought. Shaky head got nothing but 'tap-tap-tap' so put a Zoom Fluke Tail Goby on the DS rig. 3 bass, all barely scoreable...but that's usual size there...also got an eating size crappie (11"). So DS works fine for me...maybe cause I don't try to overwork it, but I don't let it just sit there either...slow, methodical twitch/drag/pause/rinse&repeat. 40 yard cast usually takes me 4-5 minutes to work back to shore. Of course the bite completely shut off around 10am...but being the masochist I am, I stayed out trying until 2pm.