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I like the Avid series quite a bit. They're a big step up from the Premier series, sensitivity-wise. I have two of their fly rods, 2 casting rods, and the very same spinning rod you're looking at, the AVS70MHF. I'm happy with the rod. It has plenty of backbone, and a very supple tip thats useful for tossing lighter lures like unweighted plastics. I use it mostly for dock skipping and heavy tube jigs, but I also sometimes toss flukes and 1/16 and 1/8 oz Texas Rigs and jigs with it around light cover. There's more than enough backbone to handle hooksets with T rigs and jigs. They also make a very useful, multi purpose rod for my guests who don't know how to use baitcasters. I convinced 2 friends to buy these rods as their main bass rod because they are so versatile. They match it up with 20 lb braid and mainly throw 1/4 - 3/8 oz spinnerbaits and buzzbaits, Senkos, lipless cranks and light T Rigs. I think those who opt to use spinning over baitcasting tackle would be very pleased with this rod.

Good read.

I prefer skipping with an Avid 7' MH/F spinning outfit with 20# braid with no leader. I can get much longer skips with this setup than I can with my baitcasters, but that might change with experience. The 7' rod is a little long, even for me at 6' 4", but I have adjusted to it just fine. I chose it over the 6' MH I had before because it has a better backbone. I mostly skip wacky rigged 5" Senkos, 1/8oz low-profile jigs with chunks, and 1/16-1/8oz tube jigs. The Senkos and tube jigs sometimes get snagged on the dock, especially on chains, but they are usually easy to remove using the bowstring technique. I prefer dealing with the snags over using Texas rigs, because the T Rigs get bent out of shape on nearly every cast if you're forced to make long skips due to clear water and spooky fish. Even if you glue the bait to the hook, it will only last a little longer. A wacky rigged Senko is about the easiest lure to skip. It would make a good practice lure.

You might just have to sit still for 10-15 minutes and keep your eyes peeled. Rather than chase after the splashes, I've done this and saw that the fish were gold, not green. :-/

Very cool! Thanks for getting the pic and sharing. 8-)

You could do both. Have it serviced and re-assembled, and then sell it off in the flea market.

I'm a big fan of the Moss Boss, in black and white especially: http://www.cabelas.com/p-0030998113578a.shtml It's my lily pad search lure, along with buzzing toads. Then when I find some fish, I slow down and toss frogs. I used to throw the Johnson spoons with a small, curlytail pork frog for pike and bass, whatever wanted to bite. They are very good and often overlooked lures. I might have to get some more, the pike snatched all of mine.

I love the black and blue jigs, but I've had my best luck when I use them with contrasting colored trailers, like green pumpkin, brown, junebug, pumpkinseed/green fleck or watermelon candy. In general, I've had great better luck with contrasting colored jigs and trailers than when I match em up. :-?

They're a good jig, but nothing special. The price is right, and it's a bargain for a retail jig, but you might be able to find some nearly identical custom ones for less. Just ask Tbird. ;D I do like that the eye is lower profile than it is on some jigs, and it doesn't collect very many weeds. The candy craw color is a good one as well. http://www.***.com/descpageSKJIGS-SKTFJ.html#pImage

Good thinking. I've done that, and I was thoroughly confused for a few casts. PowerPro does create some extra friction for a few hours until you break it in. It's a little rough straight off the spool, but a terrific line overall.

Generally, all brands aside, I would bring these: 7' MH/F casting. 15-17 lb. fluoro. 7' M/F spinning. 15-20 lb. braid with an 8 lb. fluoro. leader. I can fish just about everything I own effectively with these two setups, aside from hollow-body frogs fished in heavy pads.

The musky thing was just something I heard about, I'm not sure if it's true or not. But you get the gist of it. There is absolutely zero reason for any walleye fisherman to be concerned even a little bit about the walleye populations in this state. The DNR might as well be the DWS. Department of Walleye Stocking. I think that's the only thing to DNR exists for in Minnesota... Right? :-? Pretty much, but that's fine for me. The little walleyes make for good forage! ;D There's a barren little 80 acre private lake in Clearwater that was stocked with tons of walleyes a few years ago. Otherwise, the lake had a very healthy bass population that was feeding on bluegills and carp. I think all 9 households on the lake paid $1500 each for the stocking, and soon the young walleyes became one of the main forage fish for the bass. The bass abandoned the predictable areas in the shallows where we had been catching them and went after the walleyes. For a couple years the bass were on the move, chasing after deep walleyes and eventually decimating the population. Now the bass are back in their original shallow water haunts, looking a little fatter and healthier than before, and there's hardly a fish to be found deeper than 12' of water. lol The neighbors are not happy. They want their meat!! :

Fourbizz, those are amazing! Thanks for the link. I like mount of the rainbow trout laying of the rocks the best. That's one of the coolest mounts I've ever seen. Gotta love those diorama mounts in the coffee tables, too. Those have always been particularly impressive to me. http://www.advancedtaxidermy.com/gallery/fish-gallery.html

Pike will cut braid easier than they will fluoro. I use about 3' of leader.

Billy Bass doesn't have the holographic spinnerbait eyes like those mounts. That was a nice touch. Very realistic. :

Great advice, roadwarrior. Perfect time to learn that jig.

I have a few packs that I haven't tried yet, but I'm a big fan of the standard Chigger Craws. The make a great warm water jig trailer because they have a lot of action, even w/o the crazy legs. They're not a bad Texas rigged pitching bait, either. More action than a beaver.

Super Flukes.

Refund! Bowfish, those are so awful I wouldn't mind owning one for a laugh. I think I'd go with the top one, the Dracula Lynx, or maybe the fox that looks like it's smoking a ******.

Another one that I'm really starting to like is the ESPN Bassmaster Bassinsider web publication. It has all the back issues of Bassmaster with a cool, easy to use format, plus the current issue. Less than $3 a month, plus theres a free 30 day trial. I think a lot of people on here would really like it. http://proxy.espn.go.com/outdoors/bassmaster/members/insider/index

Bassmaster and In-Fisherman.

Check out these new reel maintenance videos. Very cool that they have this. Shows you exactly how to break down your Shimano baitcasters and maintain them. Go to uploads and watch the first few videos to answer your questions. http://www.youtube.com/fishwithshimano

Nice. I need to head to Florida!

WOW. Monsters!

Try a 1/8 oz white buzzbait. These lures kill on small farm ponds where the water is shallow and the fish spooky.