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Sufix Elite is the best mono I've used so far. I use the 17# on my heavy spinnerbait combo and 12-14# on my buzzbait setups. It's soft yet doesn't kink badly and has average abrasion resistance. Elite is very easy casting, more so than with the other mono and copoly lines I like and use for spinnerbaits and buzzbaits, like 10-12# P-Line CXX and 14-17# Big Game. An Improved Clinch tied on this line is very durable and hard to break.

The reel choices are perfect, the two best reels under $200. I prefer the feel of the Curado for contact baits, and the STX for reaction baits. I like that the frame is thicker above the worm gear on the Curado. That's where I put my thumb when I fish worms and jigs. If you can find a used GLX, like those Kent mentioned, go for it. Otherwise, look into the Dobyns Champion 735C. These rods are very versatile and make a great pitching, worming, jigging rod. I went from using an Avid 7' MH/F to a Dobyns 735C, as much as I like Avids, there's a big difference in quality and balance between the two. Well worth the extra money, IMO.

I can toss a 3/4 oz, aerodynamic crankbait like that about 55-60 yards with 7' cranking stick, 10 lb fluoro, a very lightly restricted reel, and a light breeze behind me. I would arc the cast at a 40 degree angle to the water and let the wind carry it a few extra yards. I run lipless cranks along long, straight weed edges like that. I don't doubt the claim, and I barely follow professional fishing.

That's cool. I like how much of the blank is exposed under the reel seat.

They both have their place. I love split grips for lighter powered rods and for reaction baits that require sweep sets, like med/mod cranking sticks and med-heavy/fast spinnerbait rods. A split grip M/M cranking stick is especially sweet IMO. Light as a feather. I do like that the split grips are lighter by a half an ounce or so, but don't like horsing fish out of cover with them, where I often have the butt of the rod in my ribs or armpit. It doesn't feel right. I much prefer full cork for heavier powered, hard hookset rods, like for pitching and slop lures. I have had two split grip flipping sticks for pitching and frogs, and they both were sold because of the split grip. Like people are saying, it's all about personal preference. Folks are all over the place on this one. Some in the middle, like myself, some love em, some hate em. I think it'll come down to actually fishing a half dozen trip with one before a person will get it figured out. Waving one around in an aisle at a BPS won't cut it. Thankfully, if you don't like them, you can always sell them in the BR Flea Market.

I had some ground issues with the trailer lights recently that I fixed. I read online that you can put a small nail in the Dremel and wrap a little fine steel wool around it. It's like a steel wool Q-Tip, and it works very well to clean connections.

Hey, thanks guys, good to know. I'll try 4L in 2nd gear next time. I suppose 4H would be best for the slick, hard surface of a wet concrete boat landing.

One of my favorite little private lakes has a "landing" on a well maintained, fine sandy beach which forces me to back the truck in far enough that the tail pipe is a few inches underwater. Is the back-pressure this creates harmful enough on the engine that I shouldn't do it for a couple minutes here and there? Should I leave the truck running or turn it off while the tail pipe is underwater? I worry about it getting stuck after I back it into the lake. I got stuck in 4 Hi last time out on the beach, on about the 15th time I used the landing. > Thanks.

Tubes, soft and hard jerkbaits, small buzzbaits and spinnerbaits.

Did you tie directly to the split ring, or to a snap? You're better off using a snap with split rings.

+1 I use a MH/XF for buzzbaits, and the tip is too flimsy for most spinnerbaits. It's harder to snap them free from weeds with the XF tip.

I think that adjustable handle will upset a lot of people if it slips. I bury the rod handle in my ribs, armpit, or on my hip sometimes when fighting fish. Pass.

Buzzbaits are always hard to throw consistantly. They are bulky and sometimes they tumble in the air. Braid isn't your best bet for buzzbaits anyway. A line with some stretch will hook more fish with moving baits. Braid shouldn't be shortening your casts if your reel is dialed in correctly. Upsizing to 50/12 braid might give you a little more distance because the line wraps better on the spool than it does with 30/8 braid. Brand has little to do with casting distance. I use Power Pro, Fireline Braid, and Daiwa Samurai, and they all fly about the same. The abrasion resistance, knot strength, and noise thru the rods guides are different, but casting distance is similar.

The Strikeforce is a good reel for the price, but they do not cast light lures very well at all. The handle grips are terrible, they need Reel Grips put on them. You would be better off skimming the Flea Market for a used Citica E in the $85 range.

I tried the KVD recently after going thru a bottle of Ardent. It's safe to say, the Ardent is junk. It's too oily, and gets all over your reels, making them collect dirt. I don't like the slippery reel handles, either. KVD made my favorite line, P-Line CXX, much more manageable. I didn't think anything could make CXX limp.

I can't comment on Powell rods. I have never fished with them. Dobyns are really nice rods, and they give you the best bang for your buck of any rods I've tried or owned. I'm very impressed with the balance, weight, and sensitivity as well. The ones I've tried have a good combo of strength and tip softness, which make them versatile. I do like the Loomis and St. Croix lines a lot, but they don't offer the value that Dobyns does, nor are they as well balanced. I'll likely explore more rods in the Dobyns line before I buy any other rods form GL or SC, except for maybe a used MBR893 GLX. I really recommend that people give a Dobyns Champion 735C rod a shot. This is probably the best multi-purpose bassing rod I've used. I frog with one, and pitch with another, but I think it would work well for tossing light swimbaits, heavy spinnerbaits, buzzbaits in slop, spooks, prop baits, floating worms, toads, and larger Senkos, too.

Like New2 said, the reel is unimportant. Save a few bucks and spend it on good line. This is the stuff I like. It doesn't get "sticky" in the heat like some lines, and shoots very well. http://anglerhangout.com/product/1/1543/Discounted-Cortland-444-Series-Tropic-Plus-Redfish-Fly-Line-On-Sale.html I would recommend the St. Croix combos. Cabelas had a closeout of Triumph combos a little while back, and they sold out quick. There might be a few around online though. Or you could buy a nice Avid rod and a $20 Martin automatic reel, which is what I use. I mainly fish deerhair bassbugs and divers, so sensitivity is not important, but a nice rod offers crispness, which is very important in flycasting, especially when learning to cast. Go check out Thorne Brothers in Blaine, 25 minutes away from you. They're the best place in MN that I've seen for flyfishing supplies. They'll get you set up w/o breaking the bank. http://www.thornebros.com/

You're right, the swivel will collect gunk. Try putting a small willow leaf blade(#2, cupped-side up) to two connected split rings and hooking it up underneath the frog near the hole where the two hooks meet, so it can't slide off. If you use one split ring, the blade will hang vertically, with two, it will be horizontal and will snake thru the slop a little better. I put these on white frogs to add a little flash. There are somes frogs that are manufactured with blades on the back. I can't recall the names. This is a decent little DIY mod.

I really like my finesse, long distance pitching rod. It's a discontinued G. Loomis BCFR892 matched with a Shimano Curado 201E7 and 15# Seaguar Invisx or Trilene 100% fluorocarbon. This one is really fun to fish with and I'm very accurate and quiet with it. A recently acquisition is hot on it's heels, though. The Dobyns 735C used for medium weight/moderate cover pitching and matched with Curado 201E7 and 50# Tracer braid and 12# CXX leader.

Sounds fun. I love night fishing. It's 50 degrees at night for me, so I'll wait for another hot spell.

Secret Weapon Lures Pro Assassinator. Expensive, but worth it. I have yet to find a spinnerbait that makes it thru weeds as cleanly.

I'll give these insert-free weights a shot after I lose a few more Tru Tungstens to pike. How big could the difference really be between the two brands? Even some TT weights will scuff up your line near the knot when they're unpegged and do a lot of sliding.

Yeah, he really stuck it to them.

5-7 days a week, 6-8 hour trips, from Memorial Day bass opener until Halloween.

Marijuana is the cash cow of almost all drug trafficking organizations. Take away their weed profits, and they'll be crippled. Taxing marijuana would generate huge amounts of tax revenue. I know my state could use it, how about you? Hell no!! to legalizing hard drugs! Anybody who believes this is the solution has never seen the downfall of a good person who is hooked on powders.