Michigander

I have many modern rods with stainless steel guides and use braid on all of them. Never had a problem. Ive heard this was an issue back in the day so maybe watch out if you're looking at vintage or classic rods.

Was fishing the first tournament of the season on Monday and that was the heaviest rain I've ever fished in. Both bilge pumps were working overtime.

I just stopped going to BPS a couple years ago. After several disappointing trips, I just abandoned it.

Easiest way is to send a list of your reels to Smooth Drag <info@smoothdrag.com>.

That deserves to be a 30x20 canvas print for the wall!

Yep, Fuego.

When practicing, all I'm concerned with is generally what the fish are hanging out around, what they're munching on, and what the lake looks like in various places.

I've got two props for my Merc 250 on a TR-21. One runs way higher RPMs and lower top speed but better hole shot. The other is lower RPMs and higher top speed but worse hole shot. Probably just your prop's properties.

It's snowmobile in the lower peninsula too, but up there, well, they do things their own way and I'm content to let them be. ?

It's snow machine in the UP too. I've been sternly corrected before. LoL.

Ok.

Beautiful fish.

No, it's much easier to shoot something you can see than something you can hear. Unless you're of the opinion that broad daylight would increase survivability. I'm pretty sure 'whisper mode' is just Hollywood. Helicopters, in general, are loud. Closest you get to quiet is autorotation but that's a totally different situation.

I don't know if you always have to... But I know that I always do.

I assume it's for night ops, but the safest training is in broad daylight. Well, we went from the medieval hand cannon to modern firearms. Gotta start somewhere. ?

They go over logs and fallen trees better than a vertical line tie. Vertical does better at coming through grass. At least that's my experience.

You're welcome! People are going to tell was lot of stuff and most of them are right. However, jigs are super relative. Just explore and find what works for you.

Yes, I go through my old baits every spring just in case I unlocked a new technique or developed a new preference, but mostly I have what I need to be covered in a given day.

Shimano Curado MGL 70 is a slightly nicer version of the SLX MGL 70. I like both of them.

Don't throw football heads into vegetation. Other than that, experiment and have fun. Side notes, horizontal line ties are better in wood than grass.

That's why I usually gravitated to the weird stuff. ?

I always fished bottom after corn chumming, as that's where the corn is.

No, but that looks cool!!

Swim jig you say.... Color me interested. Well, that looks like the finesse swim jig style I've been after for tying to weighted wacky hooks. Thank you!

I foolishly upgraded my gear over the last couple years and now I can't go back. ?