coffee

I have used spinning gear exclusively except for catfishing, the only reason I use baitcasting for that is because of the line capacity and the fact I have a few abu garcias that hold up well to the fight. I am starting to use some b/c stuff for largemouth now, but only because I want to try something different. I am not sure how it will work out, but I will give it a try. I caught several (I lost track how many) over 100lb blacktip sharks off the coast of South Carolina with a guide using spinning gear for two days. The gear never gave an ounce of problems and those sharks were tough fighters. I spent several years catching musky and northern pike using Pflueger Presidents with no issues. Those fish fight a heck of a lot more than largemouth, weigh more too. You can catch very large fish using spinning gear, it works fine. What it really boils down to is use what you are comfortable with. I am more comfortable with spinning gear, which is pretty much what I use most times. I don't feel like I am missing too much not using baitcasting stuff.

Both channel and blue catfish have a forked tail, channel catfish tails are forked deeper than blue catfish, but they are both noticeably forked. Flathead catfish have a tail that is quite straight. Flatheads are by far the uglier of the three. Channel catfish have 24-29 rays on the anal fin, the fin has a rounded edge. The blue catfish, however, has 30 or more rays and a straighter edge. Your's looks like a channel cat, but can't say for sure until you check out the anal fin. Good fish.

St. Croix makes a few "crankbait" rods in their Premier series of rods that I would look at, you should be able to get these for $90 without searching too hard. I would personally look at the PC66MM or the PC66MHM, but it really depends on what you plan to throw.

From the shape and size of the anal fin it looks like a channel cat to me, I can't quite tell but from the look of the swollen forehead it may be a male getting ready to spawn.

heck, I don't even like music in the truck, certainly not on the water.

Yeah they do, check here under the Avid Crankbait series. http://www.***.com/descpageRDCSTCROIX-SCACR.html Good luck.

I really like Falcon Originals and St. Croix Premiers in that price range.

So it's alright to introduce a non-native species to a fishery as long as it is from somewhere else in America? Can't introducing smallmouth do as much damage to an ecosystem as a snakehead can? Or try introducing Flathead catfish to a new water system within America. They can wreak havoc.

I own a Kistler spinning rod and a few St. Croix Avid spinning rods, these were my first "good" rods that I have purchased and I can very much tell the difference in sensitivity compared with my older cheaper stuff. Does that equal to more fish...yes, I believe it does. For my fishing budget, more money goes to rod choice than reel choice as I feel the rod characteristics are more important than the reel characteristics (assuming the reel works fairly well). In other words, I would rather spend the money on a lighter, more sensitive rod than a flashy cool reel.

I would look at the ranger, even though I like aluminum more. The tracker is way overpriced, but looking for a different one would be a good choice. The ranger should be a good boat, but remember to always get the motor checked out by a reputable mechanic.

My father taught me some, my uncle taught me a little more, but really I am learning and have learned to fish on my own with the help of In-Fisherman magazine and dvds, the internet and other fisherman, not to mention plenty of practice.

I just received a Shimano Calcutta 50 TE GT and find it to be a great little reel, very well made and smooth. I can see picking up a few more Shimanos in the future (the company also makes some of the best cycling components on the planet). I also have some abu garcias and they are also good reels, so I guess its a toss up for me which I like best.

Why is it a trash fish? They fight better and are better predators than bass... Why is a bass more valuable than a snakehead? Never really understood that either. What makes a trash fish? If its good eating, if I ever catch one its going on the dinner plate.

I'd like to know what you think of that Bronzeback rod, I am thinking of one too and don't want to be dissapointed. I really like the idea of the 9' float and fly model.

I play them, but really I use fairly light line and spinning gear most of the time. Its part of the challenge for me to see if I can get away with lighter line. I have a fishing buddy who I swear has steel cable on his reels, he muscles those fish in as fast as he can. I have actually witnessed him yanking a hookset so hard a little one pound largemouth shot out of the water and came sailing into the boat from twenty feet out. It was a sight to see, but not something I am into.