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Trilene 100% is my fluoro of choice, but I also sometimes use 6-8# Yo-Zuri Hybrid for leaders with braid and spinning tackle. You don't need to use fluoro; you just want something that's less visible than the braid. The difference in sensitivity between 6' of fluoro and 6' of Hybrid or mono is negligible.

There really is no "ideal application" for that rod. 7' MH/F is the ideal "general purpose" rod.

Rather than comparing one knot to another, I think it's best for an angler to grow accustomed to tying his/her favorite knot and , most importantly, learning how to recognize when it's not tied properly. Even the most minor issues with a knot will reduce it's strength in a hurry. That said, I prefer to use the Improved Clinch with all lines except for braid, when I instead opt for the Double Palomar. I've been using the Improved Clinch for as long as I can remember, I can tie it with my eyes closed, and I almost never break my line unexpectedly.

Great thread. Thanks for the effort you put into testing your theory and sharing it with us.

I'm not a fan of using fluorocarbon for recreational fishing of reaction baits like crankbaits, spinnerbaits, etc. It's too stiff and casting distance suffers because of it. For that reason, I prefer a reasonably soft mono or copoly that I can respool often without breaking the bank. 10# Yo Zuri Hybrid is my personal favorite for cranks. I have better casting distance with the #10 vs. the #12 Hybrid, and the lures appear to have slightly better action.

I prefer Rage Tail Craws cut and rigged like a chunk, but Paca Chunks and Sr. Paca Chunks also work just fine, and they're cheaper.

I have caught more fish on the XRap than with any other jerkbait.

I do not believe that glass rods have any advantages over graphite crankin' sticks. They are certainly less sensitive, as well. I went through a bunch of rods for cranks before finally settling on the Dobyns 705 graphite rod. I'm very happy with it, and the extra sensitivity that graphite offers has made me a more effective crankbait angler.

I have owned rods from both of these lines, and I think the Avid is slightly more sensitive. I also owned that exact Avid you speak of. I gave it to my dad as a multipurpose rod.

Contact the local Department of Natural Resources offices. I personally won't step foot on the ice until I see trucks driving on it.

You should contact your high school advisors and look into PSEO programs at your local community college. Rather than attend high school, you can take free classes at the community college that will count towards an Assoc. of Arts degree. Take a couple of their writing classes to see how much you like it, Analytical Writing, for example. You just want to make sure the classes you take are transferable. Use the u.Select website to find out what courses are transferable. Not to mention, doing an AA program at a community college or a liberal education program (i.e. generals) at a local State University will buy you some time to figure out what you want to major in. I don't personally recommend entering college without selecting what your major is going to be, but it works for some. https://www.transfer.org/uselect/

You can't go wrong with either black/blue, junebug, or anything green pumpkin.

If you go the Dobyns route, stick with the 5-power rods. The 6-power is so stout that it really limits the versatility of the rod.

Great choice. That's my favorite spinning reel. For future reference, the Saros is also a very nice reel for the money. I have one that's 3 three season old and it still fishing like it's brand new.

I use 10# Hybrid on my cranking rods and 12# on my spinnerbait and buzzbait/chatterbait/paddletail rods. Great line for reaction baits like this. I prefer the Hybrid over the Ultra Soft, too.

The St. Croix Avid series are good rods in that price range. I also really like the feel of the Dobyns Savvy, but I have not owned or fished with one. However, I have purchased a handful of used Dobyns Champions in that price range.

Long sleeve Columbia PFG shirts are worth the money. It's not clothing, but quality sunglasses are also very important for on-the-water comfort.

The jig/grub and jig/tube are very cheap, yet very effective lures.

How hard are you setting the hook? Could it be that you're overdoing it? How do you store your rods when not in use? Excessive heat and humidity will badly weaken fishing line.

A lot of strikes come on the fall, sometimes even occurring with reaction baits like spinnerbaits and lipless crankbaits. Watching the line is useful, but carefully picking up the lure after it is allowed to fall and paying close attention for any weight is the best way to catch fish that strike on the fall. A well-scented lure buys you some time to detect these strikes because the fish will hold onto it a little longer.

Snip the hook from an old 1/2 oz. spinnerbait with a side-cutter and toss it around the yard, trying to hit targets. For long-distance casting, plastic jugs make a good target, and for close-quarter practice, trying to land the bait into a 5 gallon pail set on it's side works well. Be careful when using targets because if you hit them too hard, you'll get a nasty backlash. That's one of the reasons I prefer light plastic jugs for distance casting.

This is all really good advice. I prefer using my standard worm/jig combos rigged with fluoro for Carolina rigging, although I will also use a frog rod/braid sometimes to toss C-rigs. Either will work just fine. A couple years ago I did the same thing as you're doing and I learned a lot about my lake's bottom content and structure dragging these heavy sinkers around. For this reason, I'd really recommend investing in a couple 1/2 and 3/4 oz tungsten weights. The increase in sensitivity is well worth the cost.

My favorite lures for smallies in small rivers and streams are 3-4" jig and grub in white or silverish, 1/8-1/4 oz spinnerbaits and buzzbaits, and lipless crankbaits.

I have about a half dozen reels that I'm going to have serviced and supertuned by DVT this offseason. I've heard good things and it's time to give it a shot.

I use the Snag Proof Phat Frog and Bobby's Perfect Frog most of the time, and the Spro Bronzeye 65 sometimes, too. The Phat Frog is the best walker I've used, it can be cast a mile and pitched easily into tight spots because of it's heavy weight, and it displaces a lot of water and makes a nice commotion. It's not very good for casting accuracy, though. The Phat Frog is the best fish catcher of the three, IMO. The Perfect Frog seems to have the best hookup ratio for me, and they float better than the Spro frogs. The Bronzeye 65 is very durable and flies straight on the cast. All three are great baits.