J Francho

Wow, that sounds crazy. Glad you're alright.

Simms makes a really good gore-tex fold over 1/2 finger mitten.

Raven makes micro swivels that pass through guides without issue and will allow you to use uni knots. I've caught many double digit trout employing them in my float rig, which includes a 4# Seaguar Gold leader.

I only had three. Jeez! Ask for it with "no toys." Same way I order tequila. dang rookies.

There's a local place called Ridge Donut that specializes in apple fritters and beetus about a mile from my house.

I figure at 150 lbs. and losing while getting stronger, an occasional nugget or ten isn't gonna kill me.

I still see these in use on our Lake Ontario tribs. Pretty cool rigs. I don't see why not. I've used it for smallies in the Genny R. in summer.

I generally fish a small egg sac or a single bead pegged above the hook. Occasionally, I use a Berkley Trout worm - always pink. Weight is determined by the float, and what float you use depends on the flow. Raven has a decent breakdown of shot patterns and what they work for. Most often I use an accelerated shot pattern. https://raventackle.com/shotting-patterns/

When fish are lazy and hanging in deeper holes, there's really no better way to get them. I generally out fish flies in that type of presentation.

This is a decent overview. I don't use a side hand cast too often. I get less twist using a modified Wallace cast (there's tutorials on YouTube).

We call that flat here, lol.

We can catch these guys all winter long, so long the stream doesn't freeze over. Since I started using a centrepin, I haven't touched a fly rod. It's so much more efficient.

Here, it's typically low temps, not snow that closes schools. 10" that hasn't been cleaned up by morning can do it though. Buses can't operate safely in that, especially if it's the sloppy lake effect crap.

Totally missed us. Sun is shining.

Coltrane, GSD and Bailey, a Carolina Dog

"Lake effect" far surpasses any other dumb weather phrase here. It can get pretty interesting here on the south shore because the snow comes in bands. It could be complete white out, and a mile east the sun is shining. Weird stuff. A few years ago, Oswego got like 10 feet in 72 hours. We're usually cleaned out in a day and back to normal. My personal opinion is I prefer devastation over incessant 4" of snow every day. I like the struggle and the adventure.

^^^ this guy knows. Happens to be a good buddy of mine. His maintenance routine would put most of the YouTube dorks to shame. btw, call me @Maico1 lol. I got a story for you buddy.

Gammy and gampa?

This one irritates me so much. There is only one g in there and it's AT THE BEGINNING!!!!!!

Maybe.

Agreed. Stop asking yourself what are you doing wrong and start doing what feels right.

I was going to post something very similar. I like to think of it as fishing against the lake. It matters little if it's a tournament or not. I know what type of fish the lake kicks out, what weights typically win, lake records, etc. the minute I think "I have beat so and so, because they're always good on this lake," I'm done for. It took a bit to get rid of that chip on my shoulder, but once I left that behind, fishing became much more enjoyable to me.

It was 73* this past Thursday. Here's what we got today:

1/4 oz. is probably a stretch for that reel. I also doubt many here have this reel. For $52 it's worth a try if that's your budget. Worst case, you have your trolling/bait reel.