Everything posted by JackstrawIII
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Whats your favorite skipping braid
Suffix 832 works great for me. Typically use 40lb for my dock skipping duties.
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Considering switching out Shimano for lews
I have lots of experience with the reels you're talking about. I much prefer the Shimano over the Lews in that price range. However, I would also look hard Tatula SV reels. They are my all time fav for general use and can be found used for that price range fairly easily.
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What knot do you tie when you can't tie a palomar knot?
I use 3 knots: Palomar for braid Lefty's Loop for almost everything else Improved Clinch for texas rigs (so the weight can be pegged)
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Is a Dobyns Sierra a upgrade from a Daiwa Tatula XT?
I fish more Sierras than any other rods and the previous comments are spot on. They run a bit soft in the tip, which I happen to like, especially for moving baits. I also have an XT or two. They're fine, but the Sierras are much preferred.
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Frog and flipping rod
Ark rods are typically great for the price. Something in Cobb line would come in under $100. The Tharpe line is a bit better, and around that price too.
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Heckler & Koch
Have owned a bunch of different H&Ks over the years. In my mind, their #1 quality is coolness. They are undeniably off the charts when it comes to looking and feeling awesome.
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2025 deer hunt
Hey guys, got my mount back this afternoon. This was the deer I harvested back in November. You can see one of the busted tines on the near side in picture #1, and the broken brow tine shows up on picture #2. Pretty cool deer, and looks great in my office!
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How do you chose?
I keep it really simple: - If I plan to do any skipping, flipping, or pitching with the reel, it's a Daiwa SV of some type. For the sake of balance, a light rod will get a smaller reel (size 70-100), whereas a heavier rod will get a larger one (size 100-150). - If not, it's a Shimano MGL of some type. Same sizing/weight criteria for as above. It's that easy.
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Your BFS experience
I tried and, honestly, it was such a disappointment. For me, it was neither fish nor fowl, as they say. Didn't feel right when I tried to use it like a real baitcaster... also didn't feel right when I tried to use it like a spinning rod. It just felt wrong no matter what I did. Sold it all very quickly.
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So what's your other obsession?
Knifemaking Shooting/Ballistic Research Music (Drums/Guitar) Woodworking Trying to finish my doctoral dissertation... And yes, those are in the correct order haha.
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The latest sale thread
I'm very upset with Edge at the moment. I ordered in May... and heard nothing until November. In November (6 months after I placed the order) I reached out to them and they said, I quote, "We'll send your order down to our production team." Needless to say, I was not happy, and I continue to not be happy well over a month later... having heard nothing from them. I tried reaching out recently to cancel my order and get a refund. Not only were they quite rude to me, but their cancellation fee was so atrocious I said screw it and will just wait. I say my odds of ever receiving that rod are pretty thin at this point. Super disappointing. I wish I had just bought a rod from a real, respectable company.
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Keeping track of multiple rods and techniques
Yup, I have a spreadsheet that helps me keep track of what I own, what my combos are, what line is on each combo, and what I typically use them for. During the season, I reference this spreadsheet ALL THE TIME. It's super helpful.
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2025 deer hunt
Thanks Gim. I just dropped off the rack and cape at the taxidermist today. He's widely regarded as the best in our area, so there's a long wait. Won't get him back till May/June... but I'll report back with a pic when that day rolls around.
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Fishing apps
I spent all of this last year experimenting with these apps to see how often their predictions coincided with my actual fishing success. I checked every time I went fishing and compared my results with the predictions. Are they accurate? Sometimes. Will I use them next year? No.
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Need some help pairing up my casting rods and reels
Brian is right. - Fastest reel goes with the 7'4 for frogging - SV goes with the skipping rod - Smoothest casting (MGL) goes with the t-rig rod. That's a solid setup.
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2025 deer hunt
Guys, I've been hunting for 15 years. Shot a lot of does, but I've always said I wasn't going to shoot a buck until it was one I would be proud to put on the wall. Well, last night it finally happened. So grateful, and absolutely worth the wait!! This guy was a fighter. Broken tines, shredded ear on the right side, scars on his face... a deer with character.
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2025 deer hunt
I got very fortunate the last few years and have connected with a family of crop farmers whose land is inundated with deer. This year has been our best yet. I harvested 7 does in a 1 week period in September, all in soybean fields. Haven't been out with the bow yet since my meat needs are met, but the rut is coming soon here in upstate NY and I'll get out to try to find some antlers.
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Help me understand when to use a neko
Skipping docks and other shallow cover.
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connection knots
Even the FG knot (the slimmest of the leader knots I'm aware of) will get clunky on the smallest micro guides if you're using a heavy mainline... but on BFS, you're using light line anyways, so I don't think you'll have much of an issue. If you do, well, you'll have to go straight mono or fluoro.
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Daiwa Tatula SV TW 70 reviews
I use my SV70 for skipping weightless plastics. Love it big time. If I was going to be throwing jerkbaits, I would not necessarily use a reel with an SV spool.
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When you see a fish "blow up" (break the surface or boil up the water)- what do you do ?
I don't chase busting fish, unless they're busting on my lure. I've not found it to be a high percentage thing, at all. You're also in the northern part of the country and I'm guessing it's somewhat similar for you. That "bust" out behind the boat in deeper water is most likely a carp or something else. I just ignore them.
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winterizing your boat
Couldn't have said it better myself. Also, $100 is a very good price. Where I live the going price is about 2x that much.
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Fishing critic
I say basically “Thanks for sharing your concerns, I can certainly see where you’re coming from.” Because I can. They’re not going to convince me, I don’t need to try to convince them.
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Ike jime
You gotta really push hard to get through the bones and into the brain through the open gill flap, but it works well. I use a separate smaller knife for dispatching the fish, so I don’t dull my main fillet knife. Just aim for the base of the spinal cord and you’ll hit it.