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Pound for pound, I'd rather catch a pickerel than a bass. Got a 32" 6 1/2 lb one two days ago, biggest one I've caught in a while. curl your index finger (pinky for the little guys) like a hook, and stick it under the gill plate (not touching the gills). Forces his mouth open, and a pair of pliers or forceps is all you need. Reach from the underside, he'll shake and bake when he sees you reaching in. They have delicate mouths and slime, so this keeps them in good shape. Most of the time, I don't even take them out of the water. We have some large ones in NJ and MD (NY and DE too, but I don't get there a often). PICKERELRESOURCE.COM?...

Good line, similar to Big Game. We use it in salt water a bunch, both as line and leader. Premium is their basic line, comes in clear, pink, and green. Tournament is their IGFA certified line, a little softer, and its green. Works great on baitcasters, and larger spinning. I've used it on BCs and like it. Some of the "German" lines are the same thing.

Every time I retie, I notice my casts getting shorter...

Big game on BCs, XL on spinning, it ain't broke, so I ain't fixing it. Every so often I try the latest "in" line, and always go back.

Yes.

I hate you!

Magazines? Its the 21st century, even in Kentucky (I think). Circulation for magazines and newspapers of all types are on a one way decline. Why wait a month, when you can log in 24/7 to the Interweb. Those over 70, get a pass...

Black shore minnow Crazy Crawler, fished slow and steady [Drop microphone, and exit]...

I think I read that on the interweb...

This ^. Those brakes are the same on all of the old Pinnacle reels. (and all the reels they made for BPS, Cabelas, Pflueger, Browning, DSG, Academy, etc). I own the same reel with 6 different names, and the spools, and most other parts (and sometimes side plate) are interchangeable.

My guy in Japan sends me B-day and Xmas cards, and free lures every so often, kind of like chumming, how ironic. I refuse to buy a lure I'm afraid to use though, I'm not into collecting.

Awesome!

Water gets denser as it gets colder (to about 38 degrees) so it sounds like something else is going on. I set my JBs to suspend in cold water, but they are never exactly the same. I like an ever so slight sink in colder water, and an ever so slight rise as it warms. So I "balance" and mark my JBs. Even so, sometimes they just seem to have a mind of their own. Here in MD, the JB bite, came and went more quickly than usual. I'm sure I can catch them with them, but other stuff has been working better for a few weeks now. Also you can use the line you use to fine tune.

6.something for squarebills and smallish mid divers, 5.3 or 4.7 for real cranking. It really depends on the baits, and how you are fishing them. My rule is to stay with the highest ratio that works, and let my foream or wrist decide.

I feel so old...

This ^. I do the startled/run (a sharp 1/2 to 1' jerk followed by cranking 10% faster than humanly possible. Works most of the time, 2nd choice is speed up followed by killing it dead.

If you carolina rig a trout lure to something you can throw, it will work fine (cast and retrieve, don't drag). I'd use a swivel to tie a light leader not too long to make casting awkward (you can use a sinker or lure). I found quite by accident that trout will follow many smallish bass lures but seldom strike them. A small crankbait (KVD 1.0, LC 0.5, Combat Crank Mini to name a few ) will catch them some days better than any "trout" lure, and can be thrown with a Med BC outfit. Of course a light spinning outfit would be my 1st choice.

Mid Atlantic, and North East, I'm doing the spinnerbait/squarebill dance right now, I'll be mixing in a little swimjig/T-rig real soon...

X2. Top water would not be my choice to look for fish. Depending on the body of water, time of year, etc, I'm either going to look for them with FF, or if they are shallow in cover, use a spinnerbait, crank, or swimjig depending on conditions. Then depending on what the fish tell me, adjust from there.

That happens with flouro and some monos after kinking from backlash.

X3. Good cheap lure.

Yup, Mad N, and Thin N. Great cranks, but you have to go through a dozen or so to find one or two that are right. And the wrong ones are oh so wrong. I stopped trying...

A regular Super Spot, almost suspends on 20 lb mono.

Please be careful up there, I wouldn't wish commercial fishing on my worst enemy. Remember its real life, and not a reality show.