DaubsNU1

Thanks @gim! Friends just finished a trip to the same lodge we are going to in August. All was good. They boated a bunch of very nice fish.

Purchased Bass Pro Shops Muskie Series rods a few years back for a trip to Canada to chase large pike. Both were 7 footer rods. Paired them with old Shimano Citica and Curado reels. Medium heavy, 15-30 lb, 1/2-2 oz lures, rod weight 6.80 ounces = $49.99 Extra heavy, 30-80 lb, 4-10 oz lures, rod weight 6.80 ounces = $49.00 I went with 7' because they would fit in my rod locker. Stout rods that could handle large pike/Musky. They are heavy and it's a chore to cast them all day. Do yourself a favor and prepare early, start working those arms and wrists now. Paired with 40lb power pro and 18-24" steel leaders. Did get a huge net, gloves, large pliers, mouth spreader. We are headed back up to Canada this August. Can't wait!!

Picked up a two piece spinning rod to keep in the back of my car...just in case I need to wet a line over lunch, or after work : ) It's a Fenwick Eagle XFS-2, 6'-6", medium power, 6-12 lb, 1/8-3/8oz. Mated with a Shimano Miravel MIR2500HG reel. Pretty good all around set up.

I have two Scheels Outfitter Pro Angler casting rods picked up in 2023 and 2024 for $49. Both are medium power and 6"-6". One is "fast" and the other "extra fast." Great rods! In 2024 picked up two Fenwick HMX casting rods, medium power, one is 6'-6", the other 7'. Think I paid $55 each. Again, great rods.

I am fishing cranks with a Scheels Outfitters Pro Classic, 6'-6" medium heavy/fast spinning rod (8-15 lb, 3/16-5/8oz, weighs 4.10 ounces) It was $79. Paired with a Shimano Miravel MIR 2500HG reel ($129). Lots of options out there. See what feels best in your hands.

Like @gim, I am not a kayak angler either, but fished out of a canoe for a few years, and even had a belly boat waaaaaay back in the day. The ability to fish with both hands, and not have to worry about boat positioning is a huge deal for me. If I had to get a kayak, that would be a must for me. Even with my old boat (below),I could hold position with my foot controlled trolling motor, and fish with both hands, and even stand up. If you are already pulling your 16' Alumacraft, why the need for a kayak?

Share your stories... In the 1990's I was a residence hall director on a college campus. My building was 450 freshmen men, four floors, brick, no AC, in Missouri. Aside from the normal parties, fights, fire alarms, vandalism...probably the most nerve racking was a phone call in the middle of the night, my door monitor said there was a resident in the building with a gun(!). Of course we called campus police, state trooper and 911 and gathered my resident advisors. We figured out who it was...and escorted the police to his room. They knocked, but no response...since I had the master key, I got to open the door and get the heck out of the way. Thankfully he was passed out on his bed, drunk. He had stumbled home, got a BB-gun (that looked very much like a hand gun), and went to the computer lab. Held the gun to another resident's head and asked if he wanted to die today? Not a good move on his part. Now discovered drunk in his room, the trooper tried to wake him up...he took a swing at one of them, and it was then GAME ON! They had him on the floor and cuffed in no time flat. He got kicked out of the building forever, but strangely was allowed to stay in school. This was probably 1992. Thankfully no deaths or suicides in my building...I did that job for 5 years. On the fun side, I later ran campus activities department, and got to be the liaison, driver, "handler" for some really cool people. Dave Chappell (this was well before his TV show and fame...he was a great guy to my students), Jim Lovel, Alan Page, Whitey Herzog and a host of other small time bands. Wycleff Jean did a concert in our arena. He and his manager were jerks.

Agreed. I got in a little squabble via Nextdoor with a neighbor few blocks over...he thought it would be a good idea to sweep his leftover fireworks down the storm drain(!??). Not cool.

Back in 2005 we moved in to a brand new house in an HOA controlled neighborhood. I read through the by-laws and had some experience working with contracts and agents from previous job. Knew if my truck was "driven regularly" it could sit in my driveway as long as I wanted. No issues...great neighbors...we all got along well. The street fills in with houses...and a few doors down a somewhat-Karen moves in. It was a couple of years later and they are trying to sell their house, and I hear from the HOA that she's upset with my truck in the driveway. I gently remind the HOA rep the truck is driven regularly and it's not going any where. I made a concerted effort to wave, say hi, and be generally nice to my somewhat-Karen, knowing that I won this battle...but if she wanted to wage war...that would be not good for either of us. Good luck with your neighbor.

Been using this knot since the 1980's for mono, braid & now fluorocarbon. I use an Alberto knot when doing braid-to-leader.

Agree @Kayak Koz. Having my LVS34 for just over a month, no need for me to update at this point in time. I have a shuttle, and mounting the black box on the back was not a problem at all. Will be interesting to see side-by-side comparisons between the old and new units.

I'm seeing LVS42HD coming in @ $2,199, and the LVS44 slightly less at $1,999 (USD)

Outstanding @gim!! Thanks for the update!

I have a few in my garage, not in the boat. Tried them over and over, but never could produce any fish.

Agreed @RHuff, I am using FFS every time I fish as well.

@Bazoo , good reminder! I need to bust out my R-traps and get them wet! Years ago when I lived in NE Missouri, fished Hazel Creek Lake...had some good LMB's and was stocked with Musky. We would hit the dam / rip-rap at dawn and cast 3/4oz silver and blue R-traps as far as we could...and caught nice Bass and a few Musky. Good fun!

I got arch problems, so need to wear shoes with inserts pretty much all day, every day. I do keep a cheap pair of wal-mart water shoes in the boat if I need to get wet.

I really like the Cuda 3" Been fishing braid since the early 1990's...these seem to be the best, and last longest.

Today was to be extra-crispy...Forecast of 95 degrees with heat-index of 104...so I was on the water @ 5:30 AM. Fishing was slow, even had difficulty getting crappie to bite. The wind was howling @ 21 MPH with gusts to 30...not ideal. Died down a little...I managed a few LMB's on white chatter bait / bladed jig. Was about ready to call it quits when Mrs. Daubs called and said she wanted to float with me, and was preparing snacks(!) I'll meet you at the ramp. She brought crab stuffed mushrooms, and they were still warm. Along with some fresh veggies and home-made ranch. Tasty for sure! Spot locked over a brush pile and caught a few bass and just a handful of crappie. Decided to tie on a jig and 4.25" Freeloader minnow. Water visibility less than 2 feet and I was barely able to pick up the jig falling on the LiveScope at 54 feet. Managed to keep the jig on the screen...and was working it back to the boat. I'm still figuring things out with the FFS...didn't see the bass on the bottom...but I did see it come off the bottom and head right towards my jig. Felt the bite and set the hook(!) Went 19.5" / 3lbs-8oz. That was fun watching the fish come off the bottom and grab the jig.

Love, LOVE throwing a buzz-bait at first light, on a calm lake. Favorite way to fish. Spinnerbait is a close second...and gets high points cause I can throw it in calm, chop, clear water, muddy water, in the open, and around cover. It just produces and I love throwing it. Most productive, a 1/15 oz. NED, in green pumpkin.

Braid to leader really changed my fishing game. My boat locker holds 10 rods...and I'm frequently carrying 6-7 spinning rods to go with 3-4 casting rods. I typically bring one medium heavy spinning rod, two medium, and 2-3 medium-light. All are spooled with 10lb bright yellow braid...and the leaders are anywhere from 6-10lb fluorocarbon. Another thing that helps...all my casting rods are right hand reel...all my spinning rods are left hand reel. So I get balance throughout the day.

Yep @gim, warmer weather headed this way as well... I plan to fish hard on Saturday...then fish early on Sunday...Heat index supposed to be 103. UGH!

Strong work getting your daughter out fishing @Josh Smith!! When my kiddos were small, we would hit a local pond that I knew was stacked with bluegill. Put a single piece of corn on a hook, just down from bobber...they were catching fish faster than I could bait the hooks. Granted, kiddos were quite small...it was a blast! On bigger lakes, in my area, there are a few "go-to's" that seem to catch fish when nothing else will. NED rig, green pumpkin T-rigged, weightless Senko And my absolute "gonna catch something" set up...a 1/16th oz. crappie jig with a 2.5" Gulp Minnow, black shad. For some reason the crappie, bluegill and LMB's just cannot resist. I even have Pike hit this set up...although it's usually me feeling a bite, setting the hook...and getting a "plink!" as the line is snapped off in their toothy mouth : ) Good luck!!

Happy Father's Day gentlemen! Taking my 85 year old Dad fishing this morning. I am so thankful for every moment with him!

I always run cranks, squarebills and jerkbaits with spinning gear. Here are the three.... Cabela's Fish Eagle II, IM6, 6'-6" medium, 6-12lb, 1/4-5/8 oz. Fenwick HMG B71M-XFS 7'-1" medium, 6-12lb, 1/8-3/8 oz. Scheels Outfitter Pro Classic, 6'-6" medium-heavy, 8-15lb, 3/16-5/8 oz. Deepest running cranks are DT-9's and Shad Raps. Most of the lakes in these parts are max 18-20' deep.