Fin S

I fish slowly most of the time, it's my nature. My confidence baits are small swimbaits, tubes, and weightless senkos. Fishing too fast, moving spots too often, and staying in the tackle box are a recipe for a bad day, but sometimes I think being overly patient can also be a mistake. The key is knowing when to fish how.

You might want to get your hands on a Cashion before you pull the trigger. That weave on the handle isn't for everyone. Some like it, some don't. A medium power rod might work for you, but if you fish small swimbaits (3.8") weedless with a bigger EWG hook, you might want to go MH.

The padding is behind YOUR grip. I hold a spinning rod with part between the reel and foot between my ring finger and middle finger. So, I like more padding below the reel seat and the threads above. Some manufacturers put more padding below the seat while others put more padding above the seat. Check out a Daiwa Tatula spinning rod. It's in a similar price range and has more padding above the seat.

I've probably caught about as many LMB as SMB on tubes.

Dobyns Champion 703c Curado 70 PowerPro Spectra 20# Trilene XL 10# Owner Flashy Swimmer 3/0 Keitech 3.8"

I don't know whether they see chartreuse "as" white, but the study referenced in this article suggests they may have trouble accurately distinguishing between the two colors. https://www.technologicalangler.com/bass-color-vision That said, I wouldn't be too quick to discount the real-world fishing experience of anglers as to what puts fish in the boat.

I wouldn't recommend re-spooling with braid until you get better at casting because: 1. You should be fine casting 12# mono (Trilene XT is mono-filament). That's what many of us learned to cast with. 2. Mono is cheap so you can cut out any really bad backlashes without wasting a lot of money. If you do decide to put braid on at some point. Leave about half or a little under half of the mono on there and use it for backing and tie the braid to that. You'll use much less braid that way. Spooling up all the way with braid is expensive.

I admire your restraint for not throwing a crank bait out into the middle of them.

I've been thinking about giving it a try, but I'll definitely stay away from the main channel as much as possible. On my lake, you've got to look out for fools that think they can run 35 to 40 mph in pitch dark because they have a GPS and good ol' boys that boat at night without running lights.

I've got a couple of Ethos Nano rods I got from Academy. They can be found on sale from $50 to $70. However, a 6'10" is the shortest you can get in a MHF (on sale for $70 right now). At that price, you'll have to compromise somewhere (weight, durability, etc.). The Nanos are light and have a pretty good blank, reel seat is not great but serviceable, eyelets are a little bendy. I have a 7' MMod baitcaster that I've had for two years, and I've broken two guides off. However, I've not used a rod cover with it nor been particularly careful with it.

I'm mostly braid to leader these days. On a spinning rig, I usually use 15# PowerPro Spectra (moss green) to whatever size mono is appropriate. I don't fish heavy cover with that setup, mostly tubes, small swimbaits, finesse jigs, etc.

I like to stay at about $100-$150 for reels and $150-$200 for rods. But, I might stretch for something I really want.

I actually got a pair of both. I got the glass, and they were a little heavy. So, I ordered a pair of polycarbonate. I find myself wearing the 580P more because they are lighter, but I kept the glass pair in case the polycarbontes get scratched up. Some people seem to think there's a big difference in clarity between the two, but I can't tell much difference. There's probably a difference in durability.

I agree. Something about an overcast day with drizzling rain seems to make the smallies hit, and it keeps the pleasure boaters at home.

That's good to know. I fish the Loyston Sea part of Norris, so it's not quite as narrow there. I've been meaning to take a trip over to Cherokee or Douglas on a weekday since I've never fished either one. I'll have to try that.

With little league, summer camps, church, and other activities shut down this spring and summer, people seem to be going to the lake more. Every weekend is about as crowded as a holiday. I've been working a little on the weekends so I can take off and fish mid-week, which cuts down on the pleasure boats, but there's still plenty of fishermen out, and the fish seem pretty pressured. Are you guys having the same experience? If so, have you kept your same fishing schedule/routine or have you been changing things up this year?

Seeing where other anglers are fishing on your lake can be helpful, not just specific spots but general locations (points, backs of coves, etc.). They may be just as lost as you, but they may also have more experience on that body of water. And if a guy pulls right in on top of you to fish a spot, that can also be a good indicator that you're in the right place. I had a guy pull in closer than etiquette would normally allow a few weeks ago and pulled a bass out on the first few casts. Rather than get mad, I just hit the "Mark" button on my Garmin. I'll be visiting that spot in the future.

I broke down and bought a pair of Costas while they were on sale for 30% off (about $135). I had been using $25 to $50 glasses over the past several years and got tired of having to shop for a new pair when the lens coating started coming off. With the new glasses, I can see much better, and my eyes aren't as bloodshot and tired when I come off the water after a long day. I haven't had them long enough to comment on lens durability.

How are you liking the braid to leader? I switched to braid-leader on my spinning rigs over a year ago and never looked back. Tying the knots gets easier; seeing the knots not so much.

You asked people why they don't use one. They told you. Then you take people to task for giving their reason/opinion and tell them they can't comment if they haven't tried one. Give me a break.

I don't keep fish anymore, but I don't have a problem with people keeping them if size/limit laws are followed. I assume the people that manage fisheries know what they're doing, and I've seen seminars where experts have encouraged selective harvesting. If you want to keep a few fish for the table and see if you like it, you should (smaller fish within the size requirements usually taste best). At the end of the day, we all do this hobby to enjoy ourselves and we conduct ourselves in a manner that makes each of us feel good at the end of the day. As you fish, you'll figure out what feels right to you.

I'm a righty that uses left-handed baitcasters. I actually learned to baitcast with a RH reel that I borrowed, but when I bought my first reel, I went LH and liked it better. Reeling with either hand is equally easy for me, but working a lure and playing a fish I prefer to do with my dominant hand. Plus, why change hands all day if you don't have to? See if you can borrow one of each before you buy. If not, rent one of each from Tackle Warehouse. I think it's $20 per reel. That might also help you decide which reel brands you like.

For paddle tails that size, I've been using a Dobyns Champion 703c, Tatula CT 6.3, and Powerpro Spectra 20# to 10# mono leader. The 703c is a MH, but it seems to fall on the lighter side of MH. I just swapped in a Curado 70 7.2 reel on the 703c, which balances nicely, but I haven't had a chance to try it yet.

Running new wire to the battery is no doubt the best solution. However, from briefly looking under the bow plate and reading comments from other people running wire on Trackers, it's a pretty big job. So, it may depend on how much work that is. If anybody has suggestions on running wire in a 2006-era Tracker, I'm all ears.

I've got a Garmin Echomap 93sv that I plan to mount on the bow of a 2006 Tracker 190tx. I don't see a power wire for electronics up by the bow. Can I attach it to the wire that goes to the tilt/trim switch at the bow?