J Francho

I probably have around 50 reels and and slightly less rods. I set up around 10-12 to fish based on my mood, where I'm fishing, and what I think I might need. I generally only take 5 or 6 in any trip. Think of it like a tool chest and a tool bag. You load the bag with what's most convenient for the day.

I left my last pair on someone else's boat. I can't find them anymore. They're called Hemocuts and you could get them at BPS, but I haven't seen them years.

I ran an 18H Xpress and a Bullet 21XDC concurrently. If I was fishing Erie or another big water, I preferred the Xpress. It handle big rollers and chop over 2' better than the light Bullet. I would not describe the ride as "smooth" but it was safe. There really isn't anything in the bass boat world outside of say a Lund that can really handle true 3 footers. Honestly, being a Great Lakes guy, that's when you look for smaller water to fish.

@gimruis natural? I have no idea what that means, but my 2nd personal best (7-1) came on a wacky jig. Not sure naturalness is more important on the list than bait placement. Also, didn't see where this became a "senko thread."

I'll pinch on some split shot if wind or current is keeping my bait from sinking. Otherwise it's usually no weight. A better plan is to use a wacky jig when weight is necessary.

Like anything else, it can be. Or, you can apply knowledge, wisdom gained through experience to make it a skill.

Putting containers of ingredients in the dry ingredients is disturbing and I'm pretty sure the creators know it.

What a catch and what a lake. I've seen more than a few 8+ at tournaments there. Glad to see the record caught from a public lake. Congrats!

I liked their cover of The Battle of Evermore on the Singles Soundtrack.

It feels like Joni's version of Woodstock is a cover, but she wrote and released it before CSNY. So good. I'd suggest the Shadows and Light version. The band line up is amazing.

My Favorite Things, John Coltrane

This thread is a teenager now. Sounds like you should contact SK customer service.

I learned from my great uncle, tracking salmon in very deep water with a paper graph. The technique translated to using a flasher in deepish water for smallmouth. I use SI and DI, but I prefer to be over deep fish using a split chirp and DI or a bottom zoom. I don't need anything to catch fish shallow, but on lakes I don't know 100% I like to use all the tools to locate what will be a better shallow spot.

You gotta throw in a few scoots for the provenance.

I can't see any negative in any sort of training.

Nice boat!

I thought Bill Murphy used spinning quite a bit. He caught a couple good ones.

Seat time and practice running fast is key. It took me two full seasons to start to scratch the surface of high 70s in my Bullet. Fastest was 84.7 on GPS. Not something you do without some experience.

I like them as a jig trailer. You can really customize them by tearing appendages off which is really cool.

All of NY boaters will need a cert next year.

I caught a 6' mako shark on spinning gear, so my take is as long as the gear matches the bait and the quarry, it doesn't matter.

Because the trailer is free swinging it's less snaggy than the main hook. Honestly, it's never been a big problem, and I primarily throw them into submerged wood. A spinnerbait is probably the least snaggy bait. Certainly less than a jig or Texas rig. A spinner bait is my first choice when working on sunken wood cover. Then again, been fishing them for three decades and have developed a light touch.

Trailer hooks work in all water clarities.

We had a couple at the cottage. They were beaters and really only usable for panfishing.

For $10 get the extra rod and take a bud fishing.