J Francho

That was 30 years ago. We're getting old, lol.

I've had both lurking. I'm good.

Time to get a scale, now that your catching good size fish!

Beautiful brookies!

Interesting?

If you want them to live more than a day, put them back in the creek.

I’ve used anything from a 5:1 reel to a 9:1 reel and after about five minutes, I adjust to the retrieve speed and forget what reel I’m using. Most of my jerkbaits don’t require any special reel to get decent casting distance, so I’ve used $80 reels on up to $500 JDM stuff. I’m way more into using a specific rod and and line than the reel. If it casts well, palms comfortably, and has a smooth drag, I’m good.

90% of my baitcasters are loaded with 15# Invisx. The others have lighter Tatsu or Smackdown braid.

I can do all this on my iPhone using the clock app. I do it all the time, but not for fishing, but looking at post back times doing web dev work. Same difference, setting a timer quickly to react to while I'm doing something else.

In years past, it's been the same Popmax. This year it's the Rage Craw in Bama Craw, using various riggings. I have to make an honorable mention. I have yet to throw a senko in 2020.

Lee's hanging specimen containers have 1001 uses. I use to have around 20 of each in my fish room. Don't drop them on concrete. The hanger cracks easily.

Managers are employees. FedEx doesn't care about the condition your goods. They got it to your door. That's their target, and that's the problem.

That's a little one. Legal size is 21". This is a nice one, maybe not quite a DD.

These baits are pretty realistic. Good swimming action.

Bacon, cooked to perfection.

They're doing about as well as an average meteorologist. Nice job!

See you when you recover!

I bet you have glass coverage with your boat insurance. Most rec. vehicles come with it standard on the policy. I only know from a broken window on the RV. That pike is a stud. Nice work!

Still wouldn't bother me. I have some spoons that have no paint left on them, and they still catch.

Meh, factory paint jobs chip, but they catch anyway.

I'd just shoot them with some rattle can paint. No reason to overthink it.

For just about every rig I tie up, save for the really light finesse lines, I bend a hook before anything breaks, if I lock the drag. I like it that way.

The original question: why are you losing the leader? It's because your connection knot between mainline and leader is the weakest link in the system. Rod power, drag resistance, connection knot, mainline, leader, terminal knot all play a part. If one of those is weaker than the rest, it will fail first. It's as simple as that. What do you want/expect to fail first? Without knowing the details of all those parameters, I'd assume you need to practice tying that Alberto knot, and do some break tests on it. Another solution could be use a lighter leader. Personally, break offs not due to teeth or abrasion are unacceptable, so I think you need to look really hard at the entire system from reel to hook.

All my fish came out of the water and I did not count.