casts_by_fly

I had the same thoughts 2 years ago and decided to go live imaging over 360. You can do what you're suggesting. Look up Scott martin's win on Okeechobee this past spring. However, the image clarity is very different with live vs 360. 360 is the same as side imaging (it uses a mega SI transducer that rotates) so if you're sitting still you get a full image in very high resolution that you'll never get with live imaging. But live imaging in perspective will kinda mostly do what you're asking for.

We are getting a couple days above freezing and then a couple days below. If it were to do this all winter, we wouldn't have anything more than skim ice for a few days. Who knows what's actually going to happen, but given that this is NJ, I have to predict that we won't get a proper ice because in the 5 previous winters we've only had proper ice twice and one of them (2 years ago) we iced up in December and were clear in January. January is going to be bowhunting for me mostly, so I'm going to say that I'll be fishing by the 22nd Feb.

I use 14 lb sunline which is 0.012" diameter for all of my hardbait topwaters in open cover. That would be the same as 10 lb Stren original.

a sling is fine for a body with lens and a spare lens. But an e5 isn’t a small body. And the lenses you’re talking aren’t small. my big one is a flip side 500. Probably more than you need but not much more. That’s an underwater housing for an em5 so the housing is a bit bigger than your body. I’ve also got some strobes and other bits in there. If you’re looking for a walk around carry bag then it’s probably too much for you but as a travel bag it’s great as I can throw a T-shirt, chargers, snacks, and other incidentals in it. Then again, if you’re thinking about it as a walk around bag, I’d ask if you really need to carry all of those lenses to walk around. I find it better to pick a general range (wide, standard, long, macro) that you want to shoot and roll with it. Maybe throw a spare lens in for something else. If you’re walking in the woods, throw the 300 on and put the macro in your pocket. If you’re walking around town throw on the 12-60 and put the 25 in a pocket (or just put it on and leave it).

if you weren’t blown away by a zillion- don’t buy more! They are great reels and the best value for a high end reel on the market right now. But if it doesn’t work for your preferences then don’t get more. I have the scenario you describe- one zillion, a bantam, a met, two chronarchs (all from current models), plus a bunch of abu Garcia and some others. I’m partial to shimano ergonomics. The zillion is a little taller off the rod which I don’t prefer but it’s still a great reel and I’ve toyed with getting another. Like DVT’s friend, I like consistency hence all of my rods are falcons (except my bfs and it feels weird when I pick it up). Most of my reels are shimano. Given my preferences, if I were in your scenario I’d just pick up a set of bantams and call it a day. Rock solid, great reels, with the mgl spool throw anything from smaller crank baits up to big swim baits.

Carrying on trips or as a ready to shoot daily wear? I’ve used lowepro for the past 14 years. I have a smaller one which I can’t remember the name off hand and then a big flip side. The smaller will do what you want and has a general use compartment on top. I can’t find it on the website right now. The flip side has gone all over the world with me, dive camera and same camera but dry land. A small flip side will hold all you want plus space for accessories and a change of T-shirt.

Which one do you have? The original is only rated for a 2hp. The 120 goes to a 3.5hp. I’d say a 9.9 is going to be too heavy for the plastic transom. A 6 might be okay for the bigger one but it’s over capacity.

My complete guess? Forgot to buy his license, caught a big one, went to register and went “oh crap” and hoped no one would notice the dates.

this is where I am. I have the chronarch equivalent downstairs. I'm going to use it because it works. But considering you can get a brand new Curado K 200 for $150 there is no way I'd buy a used one unless it was $100 or less. I also don't think you need a 200 size for frogs. That's 50-65lb braid territory and you can get plenty of braid on a 150 sized reel for frogs. And the 150 sized reels are just a little better in feel for me and more versatile if you change it to a lighter bait lure later. That said, if the 200 size fits you and you get a deal on one, then no reason not to.

I’ve bought more than a few used falcons from Alf.

And we’re thinking of this from the angler side. Don’t forget that the stages and equipment, weigh stations, broadcasters equipment, etc all have to travel also.

the reasons listed in this thread. Keeping your bait off the bottom, your line off the bottom, and the easier linear drop of the bait either through cover or just vertically.

They will have basically the same lodging expenses. You show up on Monday for a tournament on Thursday-Sun. Repeat. If they were spread out you might get there a day or three earlier, but compared to driving 13+ hours each way that's a breeze. A 13 hour drive is really two days (or a day and a half). And that's just the average. Chattanooga to Lacrosse is 13. Clayton is 15+. I've done NY to Atlanta a couple times as a day trip each way and its a lot. Can't imagine one day plus pulling a boat.

you're in NY where the upper susky is small. From what I saw of it, a long cast would get across it in a lot of places. Wading from shore isn't so big a hindrance then aside from covering water. And that time of year you won't need to cover water once you find them. In winter they will be in the deeper holes and slackwaters conserving energy most of the time. As the water warms they will start moving around following bait and prepping for the spawn. Start in the deeper holes and work your way out until you find them. Lure wise- neds, curl tail grubs, inline spinners. Bounce a curl tail through a pool just off the bottom and as slow as possible so that the tail is moving. If they are really active then either the curl tail or the spinner. If they aren't active then dead stick a ned down through.

I seem to remember your posting here last year about #1 (could have been another poster). If so, then I'd never fish with that guy again. I'd pick dad. Not for sentimental reasons. Not just becuase mine knows what he's doing and has won tournaments before I was born. In your case, since he isn't an experienced bass guy, you give him a wacky rigged senko and he gets to play cleanup all day. You fish what you think they are eating. He can throw a senko and just catch them. Only need one rod and a backup. Keep it simple.

There is a facebook group for falcon rods and XGs come up fairly often. I don't know them or pay attention to which ones, but they do pop up. Also, if its just the blank/model you want, there is the Cara 6'8" MHF. It's a split grip, but its a good rod. I think it was the old 'spinnerbait special' revamped into the new line. I have one and it's great for tight spinnerbaits and does well with topwater walking baits. I still prefer my 6'10" versions for those but it's a nice rod for people who like short rods.

I can totally see why and it makes sense. Most (many?) of the pros that are fishing the series are based in the south east. Costs to fish the tournament are clearly high on the organizers minds given the removal of entry fees. Dragging a boat from East Tennessee to St Clair or Lacrosse is a lot of time/fuel/money. Same for Texas and to a lesser extent Florida. So you put the tournaments back to back so that the anglers can drive up, spend two full weeks, then drive home. It saves the round trip.

Stradic ci4? I'd just get another stradic 2500. The spools will work on the new one. I'm also surprised that you can't get parts for it. The stradic series has tons of common parts across different reels in the lineup over the years. Have you checked with @Delaware Valley Tackle, site sponsor and all around good guy?

what type of cover are you talking about? Walking a frog in more open water along docks and laydowns and bombing across the top of a mat are different rods for me. I don't do much of the first given the cover we have here, but for that I prefer a lighter rod with a bit more tip. For bombing, I want a rod with enough backbone that setting a hook at 40 yards isn't a question.

If you haven't had them serviced in a while, I would suggest send them off. They probably need a deep clean and fresh lube. Reels of that era are simple machines really and a good servicing will get them back to good shape.

Nah, I don't see that happening. Maybe the 11" Apex. Maybe. I agree there is a price gap, but I don't think there is a product gap. Both are similar interfaces and styles. Part of the reason for reorganizing this way was to have a clear difference in the product specs and features. With the Helix, you could go from 5-15". Solix 10-12-15. Apex 13-16-19. So in the 10-15" bracket you had 2 or 3 difference options at different price points. But with what differentiation to get you to pay more? Touchscreen for one. The apex has better processing, but not many really need that. If you're looking at side imaging, you're better off with the bigger screen and not touch screen than the other way around (IMO). So why would someone buy a 16" Apex when a 15" Helix is nearly as good and ~half the price? I'd take a pair of Helix over a single Apex. So the explore is a lineup harmonization/simplification to get some of the features of the solix and some of the helix. Charge a price between the two, and have a clear product differentiation up to the apex (size primarily, some capabilities second). If you bring out a 14" explore, who is going to buy the 13" Apex? Maybe if you bring out an 11" Apex then you could get some to upgrade. Maybe. All that said, the helix 15 MDI G4N is down to $1700 which is $1k off. That will push the used market down further yet. I think I have a leaning in my quandry above. The 15" helix would be a pretty good dedicated Mega live bow unit with a helix 9 on the console.

I'm kinda in this boat. I have a helix 9 G4N with ML1. In the kayak I have no plan to upgrade or add on. I'm buying a boat this winter and that will need 2 units. So its either start fresh with explore/ML2 so that going into the future there is no compatibility issue, add a new to me Helix N knowing that the upgrade path is blocked and bring the Helix 9/ML1 with me, or sell the Helix 9/ML1 with the kayak and revert to option 1. There isn't a bad option as the Helix is great. That's the most likely path for me (add one) but that also means if I sell the kayak I need to strip the electronics. It would just be easier to sell the whole thing as one if I had a buyer.

https://www.digitaka.com/item/5/4/2/4969363046970 SLX 70 with the regular spool for $130. Just get what you like.

If you do a search on here there was a lot of talk about it last year and expecially the year before. Then it kinda died off in favor of the free rig and the jika rig. Each has its benefits. The tokyo is nice if you want to present a plastic nearly horizontal but 3" off the bottom. if you have a soft bottom it will hold it out of the muck. if you have a hard bottom it will present just off of it. In both cases you can swim the bait and it just kinda floats over the bottom. It's also useful for punching down into heavier cover where a texas rig might hang up. Thicker grass and pads are a good option. The weight goes first and the weight/rig/bait all line up linearly to slide down into grass just a little easier at times.

For 3/8 plus a trailer you’re right in the sweet spot for a head turner. Fast tip but a half ounce total bait weight will load it up well. That’s my usual range for it- 3/8-1/2 plus trailer. You won’t be disappointed.