NBR

A plain cross lock snap weighs very little and saves time.

This depend so much on where you fish. Most of the lakes I fish now a void of cover except for rocks and clear to very clear. I use 8 to 12# in every thing except braid which I use on my c-rig at 60# plus a leader of either fluoro or mono usually 8 to 12#. If I go somewhere to fish with lots of wood or weedy cover I'll spool with large enough test line to haul fish out of the trash

Vinny, I have no experience with your boat or motor but learn to drive it safely. It is a performance craft and you can get in trouble. Remember to tuck your motor uder for hole shot and learn to trim for max performance not highest rooster tail. MPG will be small regardless of boat and motor. You are pushing a bath tub through the water not rolling a car down the highway. For years I went on a two week fishing trip and only fueled my 45 gallon tanks one time and had fuel when I got home. While I did run some miles I spent a lot more time with the TM down than on plane. Good luck with your boat.

I crtank spinning reels with my left hand. I cast more accurately right handed so I cast both spinning and BC's righty but I like to palm the BC's in my left hand. I often make the switch before the lure hits the water.

Does this cause a problem?

Manually closing the bail will not stop twist but it will cut back on those little loops that sooner or later jump off the spool with a bunch of line. Twists in the line come from 1. The way the line went on the reel, 2. a bait that spins - think in line spinners or poorly hooked up plastics or 3. Cranking the reel while the drag is slipping. I think 3 is a big time contributor. Check this out just by loosening the drad and mke it slip while you crank.

If you need line that heavy on a spinning rig go to braid.

I wouldn't think of using 20# mono on a spinning outfit. If the cover where I fished required that heavy a line and I didn't have a bait caster I would use braid. I think I have one spinning outfit with 8# and the balance are 6 or 4 #. The lakes I fish are almost void of weeds, little or n o wood the cover is rocks. I don't need to horse fish out of weeds, lillies, lay downs or what have you. If I am going to fish a lake with weedy or laydown cover I take a different reel or respool.

IMHO, Snaps yes, snap swivel no!

Same molds, same materiial different packaging. i.e Mercury and Mariner, Johnson and Evenrude.

Check with Manatobs MNR. Are there largemouth in the Province. If so you have your answer.

Fishing is a very simple sport filled with difficult details. This site provides a ton of info but you have to put it into prectice on the water. Each time you fish you should be able to learn something even when you catch nothing. First which bass are you trying to catch, what time of the bass' year is it, are you fishing lake, reservoir, river, stream or pond, what is the forage base in your water type, what is the weather, has the weather been consistant. Don't let high expectations and poor results spoil your day. I fish a lot for smallies, I love their attitude and where I live they are plentiful. One particular lake I fish a 50+ fish morning is not terribly uncommon in May or June. The fish are shallow pre spawn, spawn and early post spawn. In my view easy pickens. Come July a different story. I think they suspend to feed on the smelt that next to crawdads are a prime forage. From a 25 fish morning early season I've learned a 3 to 5 fish day becomes a trip to be a good one. Over the years my wife has learned that when she asks how the fishng was I almost always say great now she knows the follow up question is how was the catching. My answer is anything from great to nothing. On those tough days I'll look for new spots and try different presentations. C-rigging a minnow bait like a Rapala can be an effective wat to cover water deep. Please don't tell anyone I said this but a 1 ounce sinker, c-rigged with a floating crank is an excellant trolling lure to find fish. Drop shot is another great way to fish both vertical and working a lure down a break line.

I check he line from the hook/jig/lure up a few feet often. If it's rough I retie. If mot rough I keep on fishing. If I am fishing in heavy cover water I check even more frequently.

My first bass boat was a used Hydra Sport. I had it for almost 7 years fixed up a few things added a lot of elbow grease and wax and sold it for what I paid for it. I'd buy another if the deal looked attractive.

First thing what is the total weight of the rig you will pull including tackle, second what is the GVW of the intended tow vehicule third don't forget weight of passengers. If first and third add up to more than second you are at best marginal.

I should have added that reading at speed are very dependant on water flow off the boat and with aluminum plotting at speed can be an issue.

I have a boat just under 19" with my transducer shooting through the hull on the pad. At 50mph GPS I can read bottom to about 200'. While not an expert I think what happens at greater depths the t'ducer is gone before the signal gets back.

Let your DNR experts decide what is the best policy. They do so based on science, studies and data analysis over time. As a general rule private ponds need some harvest. Lake Powell, AZ had an over population of smalies so the AZ DNR asked fiahermen and women to harvest smallies. The last I knew average size of the smallies was increasing as Powell became a better fishery. One winter of more than average shad die off does not necessarily create and issue. Granted, some times decisions of the DNR are subject to political issues but still the DNR has the information to empliment the best policy.

When all else fails trry a circle hook!

To me fishing is an introspective sport. It gives a chance to enjoy a quiet day with nature. I rarely say anything except, "There's one" I might go on and say good fish or dink. Not to long ago I saw Ike break a rod and throw rod, reel, line and all overboard. I think he should have been ticketed for litering. I also don't think he will achieve the wins he is capable of without getting his emotions under control.

I.m with Dwight. Scales are not very expensive but the big problem with having a scale if the fish is a 4 pounder that is what it is you can't grow it over time.

It happens to all of us at one time or another. I use only hooks with the barbs pressed down to help this. Sometimes you can go in through the gills and get the hook free with little damage. I think In-Fisherman has a how to on their web page.

When fishing smallies all the way to the boat. We go a step farther if one has a fish on the other throws right behind the hooked fish. He caught the biggest smallie of a two week trip to Canada.

BB10, Hard to give you specific advise to a general question. We don't know where you live, do you fish streams or lakes, are the lakes man made or natural do you have a boat? If you live in the deep south bass have probably spawned where I live the ice is not off of some lakes and the bass are most likely still in their winter time deep haunts and pretty sluggish. Traveler 2586 is right on. Provided with a little more informtion the guys here are likely to provide you with over kill of information.

The line roller is actuated by the speed you crank so generally the speed is comparatively slow. I can't see anyplace on a spinning reel benefits from a ball bearing. EXCEPT they make the reel tighter since the bearing are preloaded and don't work with clearance like a bushings. IMO bearings in a spinning reel make the reel feel better to the user and might prolong life. As far as casting the improvement is zero, nada.