MN Fisher

Everything you get from a grocery store, farmer's market, where-ever should be washed. Not only do you not know what chemicals were put on it, you don't know who handled it before you. If you don't wash your raw food before preparation...then it's on you. I actually prefer bullhead over catfish...any I catch go in the livewell.

Zoom Super Fluke - Bubblegum. https://www.omniafishing.com/p/zoom-super-fluke/color*bubble~gum--length*5~1__4"

I'm similar to A-Jay and Casts - I like a longer leader, but not as long as them...10'-12' to start, retie when it's down to 6'

I've got three I've retired but keep on a shelf - one's I've had since the 70s and 80s so sentimental reasons. Pflueger 640 - left handed and I've gone all right handed, otherwise I might use it still. Cardinal 562 - one of the 'trigger cast' spinning reels that still hang on - but it's heavy. Ambassadeur 500R - one of the first low-profile baitcasters - too slow for me now-a-days. Otherwise I use almost everything I have...though I am looking to sell some things fairly soon...stay tuned.

Tell me about it - Austin missed getting into today by 3 ounces...he was my last hope for this weekend.

Different people have different feels - some say an XF action is what's needed for jerkbaits, others want a MF action, and lastly is F action which a number of anglers use. You're gonna have to try different ones to see which action suits you. Me personally - St Croix Victory 6'8" M/XF. I tried F and MF and just couldn't get the 'snap' I wanted...XF gave me what I needed to get the action out of the jerkbait.

That's gonna take two rods unless you're the upper end of panfish jigs (1/4-5/16oz)- bobber adds weight so a ML power would be best here. Casting light jigs alone, you're looking at a L or UL - which would be overpowered when a bobber is added.

Well, what you use for crappie will work fine for any panfish - but Jigs and worms under a bobber or free-retrieve?

That covers a lot of ground - I've got 4 rods I use for bluegills/crappie/perch - different lengths/powers/actions based on what lures I'm using. Are you going to primarily use a jig and bobber? Are you going micro-crank/jerk? How about hair jigs? St Croix Legend Elite and Dobyns Xtasy are two top-of-the-line rods - now pick a length/power/action.

Until I was 14, only fishing I did from a boat was a couple times dad took me on a charter in Nantucket Sound. Grew up shore fishing or wading the local creek for trout. Boat we got after the move to Bemidji was a runabout more for family cruising than fishing...still did quite a bit of fishing from shore or wading the Straight River in Park Rapids for trout. Since getting my own place - I've had a boat (or canoe) about 13 years of the 38 I've been here...otherwise it was all shore fishing. If I didn't have the boat...I'd still fish...it's an obsession.

Round reels aren't my thing - Calling @bulldog1935 - you're our round reel expert here.

Brand and model of the reel would be a help for diagnosis.

^ What he said - but add November and April to that...

Sufix 832 or Seaguar Smackdown (if you have the money for it) I run everything from 65# 832 on my pitching rig to 8# 832 on my finesse spinning rig...I'm a Sufix 'fanboy' as it's been very good to me. If I could afford it - I'd go Smackdown, but that stuff makes my wallet scream in agony.

Considering that I do occasionally fish from shore - thank you Katie This shore caught 17" is for you.

That would have been my next choice - but no measurement was supplied in the OP...those details help.

Ya, that looks like a creek chub...while part of the minnow family, they can get to 11" long.

Katie - think positive....you're not stuck on the bank.

I'm hanging on at 65% - Milliken dropped 75 spots....but one of my guys went up 10 to put him into the Top-10 currently.

Well...two of my guys made the cut for tomorrow, one is even in the top 10 right now. The Llama fell over, and Hack seems to have forgotten to Attack....ah well. I had Milliken too...what the heck happened with him?

That's what you get for living in a state who's topography resembles a table-top.

If you're using braid mainline - then the leader length is as long as the water is deep. Basic wacky is just a hook tied on the end (octopus is regularly suggested, I use Owner SSW hooks). Just cast and let it flutter to the bottom. 5" Yamamoto Senko is the 'base' worm to use here. Let it sit for a minute or two, then a quick 'yank' to pull it off the bottom and let it flutter down again...rinse and repeat until it's at the boat. Certain other stickworms work better with a little weight - there are wacky jigs out there, and I use Reaction Tackle Tungsten Wacky Jigs in 1/16 & 1/8 oz. 5" Yum Dingers work well with the weighted wacky - the slightly faster fall gives them a Yama-Senko type flutter. Work it just like the weightless version.

Sounds like a good morning - I'll have to enjoy from the shore...did something to my right ankle and pulling the boat around with the dolly is a no-go until it heals. So Bass Trek's maiden voyage for this year is postponed.

Pleasure boaters - with four yacht clubs, a classic boat club, and several charter cruise businesses... with boats ranging from a classic 3-deck stern paddlewheel to a 70' luxury cruiser....it's very busy on the lake all week, with the weekends becoming a madhouse.

Or finesse in general - rare is the Smallie in Tonka...so my ML gets used on largemouth almost exclusively.