Jeff H

But, you don't know (for sure)) that they don't want to bite, just that they don't want to bite that jig. Before accepting that they don't want to bite anything, I'd have thrown something else at 'em if they were of size I needed. If that fails, I keep moving and maybe come back later.

Excellent price based on the component list!

Wow! Good deal on them right now. On sale AND free shipping!

Was it still alive? That one had to be awful skinny!

Are Viginians considered yanks now?

For me they both have their place. I have at least 6 sissy rigs and they get plenty of use. Some days, depending on whats going on, I use the sissy sticks more than my casting. Overall, throughout the course of the season, I use casting more often by a big margin. Whatever works ya know? Any port in a storm.

Mitch, Sounds like you're saying fishin' in MN is fun! Clear water, dirty water, heavy cover, no cover, no pressure, heavy pressure, big, small we have it all!

Oh come on! Tell 'em! This guy has a combination minnow bucket/crawler cooler/frog box unit built into his deck. Live bait would be the only top secret stuff these days!

Overall, I'm gonna pick Minnetonka.

I don't care if mine get dirty. I like them a little darker anyway.

I've been putting double hooks on mine since the 80's. Will fish right over everything you can drag it across.

LOL....you guys can be brutal bastages! My daughters boyfriend broke the tip off my AS68MXF, took back to my favorite local independent where I buy everything (Capra's Sporting Goods) and they took care of it for me. I gladly paid $15 for St. Croix to ship me a new $180.00 rod! I rather like their warranty options but I hope not to use it again. Also, this is EXACTLY why I buy from Capra's....they will go to bat for me when needed for anything and just don't get that kind of service from internet shopping or big stores. Support your local independent retailers!!

I don't think the Prodigy spinning is Daiwa. I was told it was going to be, but I don't think it is. I skipped past the Prodigy and got the Verano instead, that one we KNOW is Daiwa!

I use XT for everything. 4lb on my 1500/2000 size spinning, 6 and 8 lb on my 2500 size spinning reels 10lb on my 3000 size. 10,14 and 17 on my baitcasters.

I wish this guy was my neighbor. Always succinct, to the point, and possesses great humor. I bet his hands smell like fish a lot too! What more could you want in a neighbor?

Not me, I use a lot of junk and I really don't care what anybody else uses. In fact, yesterday I took my 2 old favorite crankbait rods in to a builder and asked him if he could put Alconite guides on them cheaper than me buying new rods. They are old Team Daiwa Power Mesh IM6 7' telescoping rods and I still like them. I thought if I could update them a little bit without it being cost prohibitive they'd be worth continued use. Waste of money or not, it was cheaper than buying replacements. My reels are mostly at least 6-7 yrs old. I do have 3 new Tatula's and they are the first NEW reels I've bought since 2007. I have 6 of the old original Castaic CA-200's that I use for my flippin'/pitchin' rigs. All my Shimano Crucials are the older, outdated cork handle models. Most of my Avids (again considered outdated and overly traditional in design by many) are new within the last 3-4 years or so. I've recently gotten rid of 14 old reels I've used up until last year. Mostly old CU-200's and Daiwa TD1's, a few Gen 1 Revo's and a couple Castaic SF's. I continue to use mostly Berkley XT mono, which most consider only worthy of spittin' on. But I have tremendous trust in it so it stays. Plus it's cheap! Given that most of what I have and use is considered junk by most, I'm not able to get on the "Snob Team". Oh, and my boat is 16 yrs old and a brand that no longer exists.

Without a doubt. They should have telescoping handles too.

Same here.

Variety is the spice of life! I have not jumped back into competition again...yet, but the rod locker is always pretty full. I fish a lot of different lakes that vary quite a bit in water clarity and structure/cover options so there is a little bit of everything on hand. Usually around 12-14 casting and 5-6 spinning rigs on any given day. Usually no more than 5-6 on deck though and most happy on those days where only 2-3 may be out!. I don't like a lot of rods laying out.

Same here. I don't even bother checking anymore.

I don't know about this site alone, but I recall reading a bunch of comments regarding the casting performance of the Tatula early on. Some said it was less than stellar but usually a bearing flush or replacement cleared that up. I have cleaned out all spool bearings on my 3 Tatula's and was definite improvement of it's free spool capability. I expect they will cast great!

Most didn't pay anything near the MSRP for their Tatula. I paid about $112 ea for mine. That is less than I paid for my first Curado CU-200 over 20 yrs ago! You won't see a Curado I go for much less than MSRP anywhere for quite awhile is my guess. Makes the Tatula a pretty darn good deal. Heck you can get the Type R for less than a Curado I without too much effort put into chasing prices.

That made me laugh!

I'm not playin'! I don't think I have a chance getting anywhere near our state record of 8-15. If I bust 6.5 lbs this year I'll be happy! RoLo....you miss them nasty north country gators? Really? Slimy, stinkin' bastages! They do provide excitement, I'll give them that but they (and their darn teeth) steal too much of my tackle to hold any credibility with me.

There is too much "one thing leads to another" involved in this question. But... other than a boat, I require bow mount trolling motor. It makes covering water easy. After you have fished from a bass boat w/bow mount TM for years, trying to fish without one is an exercise in frustration. I would rather wade fish than from a boat sans bow mount TM.