Further North

...or you can try an FG knot.

I cast right, reel left with all types of rods; the rod never leaves my right hand. When I'm chucking flies, I hold the rod in my right hand and strip line with my left. I can't figure out a way I'd be comfortable switching hands fly fishing.

Yeah...that's what I was saying...and you completely missed the point about NASCAR: People driving to work aren't racing...that's the point. People fishing outside of the very top competitors...aren't competing...and have no where near the skill set, ability, reaction time... See above. They fish hundreds of days a year and practice, practice, practice. We're talking about normal, every day fishermen here... Again...we're talking about one of the top people in the sport. What he can do, and what you and I can do are completely different... ...and I still have not seen a good reason for switching hands. I see a lot written a lot of rationalization for why it's OK and why some people do it...and how it supposedly doesn't make a difference...but nothing saying why it's a good thing to do, or what benefit there is. That's all I'm asking for. I thought you were asking rhetorically...but since it seems I was wrong, here's my take: When you're fly fishing, you seldom crank the reel - you're stripping your line in by hand. I can only recall a few fish I needed - or wanted - to try to get on the reel. I strip in trout, bass, pike and musky. Of the bunch, a big trout is the one I'm most likely to try to put on the reel as they are most likely to run hard for sigsnifcant distance, often up current. If you really need to swap hands though, get it done right after the fly hits the water, and get your left fingers pinched onto that line before you let go with your right fingers. Messed around a bit with this tonight...and I'd slide my right index finger forward whil still holding the line against the rod, put my left hand on the grip with my left index finger behind the right index finger...and hope like heck that wasn't the moment a 5 lb' smallie chose to inhale my popper...

Short answer: Poorly. I can't imagine what a disaster that'd be...'specailly if a fish hit right after the fly hit the water.

Again...who cares what the pros do? They operate at a a level so much higher than we do it's not worth discussing. I didn't see anyone drafting like in NASCAR on my way to work today either... Everyone - including KVD - has room for improvement. Ask him. He'll agree. That's how he got to where he is. What does your comment/video add to the discussion? Help me out here...really trying to figure it out...I'm not watching 20+ minutes of video for 10 seconds of wisdom on why it's a good idea to switch hands...do us a favor and tell us where in the video it gets discussed.

Took me years to get that...still trying to teach my brother... Wonder what a baitcaster with a switchable handle would look like?

Short answer: Yes. You'll give up a little accuracy, but you'll gain distance...kind of a push. I'd spend the time to learn how to do it with a baitcaster...you'll be a better fisherman for the effort.

The reel is the least important part of a drop shot rig. Rod and line are infinitely more important. Any reel that'll get the fish on the boat will get the job done - see above Pflueger President, etc.

I have my daughter braid it into super-duper braid (8x32x32x32). When it's thick enough, I use it as a tow straps for our cars.

Cast with your dominant hand (accuracy and distance will be at your best), reel with the other (hook set reaction time will be at your best). I've never seen any justification for switching hands that made any sense...and I've seen a ton of fish caught (or missed) in that 1/2 second when the rod is switched from hand to hand... That said...do what works for you. Ignore what everyone else says...

I love it. I used it in early season here in WI with great results, I used it to finesse smallies on Lake of the Woods, and then I used it back here in WI for the rest of the season. No problem throwing Ned rigs, small Rapalas, weightless Senkos, #3 Mepps... Had a mishap in late season though...snapped the tip off the St. Croix Rage RC610MXF I was using and have not been able to replace it. Went with an Avid AVC69MLXF...but it's just not quite the same...It's OK...and I'll get back to where I want to be...but it's just not exactly what I wanted.

Who...really...gives a fig what the "big league" guys do? The "big league" guys don't throw flies either...

OK...error on my part, the rod I had as the Rage RC610MXF...so it was 6' 10", Medium extra-fast. Not available anywhere I can find. That may open some doors and close others...

Probably not much lighter than 1/8 oz.

Looking for ideas. Have a rod that works OK now...but looking for something better...want less weight, more sensitivity...not hung up on brand names. Had a 7' 1" in. St. Croix Rage that worked great...but I broke it. Replaced it with a 6' 9" St. Croix Avid (AVC69MLXF). It's OK...but it fishes "softer" than the Rage and seems to give up a little sensitivity. Not wild about that. Looking for ideas, suggestions, thoughts.

Cold (or hot) is relative...depends on what you're used to. In January of 2014 (yeah, that winter), I was in Baltimore to judge an industry printing competition. It was in the low single digits below zero over night and about 14° - 15° during the day. I called home one night when a couple of locals were complaining...it was just after sundown and 12° outside...handed them the phone and told them to ask my wife what the temp was...when she told them it was -26°...it sorta put things in perspective. ...but here's the deal: that weather was crazy cold for them...they weren't prepared for it, the didn't have the infrastructure for it, and they were genuinely miserable. It's not my place to tell them they were being wimps...nor...given the norms there...were they being wimps.

Generator and a Keurig. Anything else is 2nd best.

That'll get the job done, just fine! Enjoy!

Great topic by the way. I've shared it with several others.

Ain't no way you're gonna get any of that to burn. Not without more heat than I can afford to generate.

Just for giggles...anyone who thinks we don't need nets... Lip this: ...ain't gonna grab that big girl by the back of the head, either... To answer the original question...I use one of these: http://www.cabelas.com/product/Frabill-Power-Stow-Landing-Nets/1158472.uts?searchPath=%2Fbrowse.cmd%3FcategoryId%3D734095080%26CQ_search%3D129019%26CQ_st%3Db ...in the musky size. At ~$190, it ain't cheap, but it'll put 50" fish in the boat if you need to and takes up very little space in the boat. It landed this: for my friend Brian...with two of us in the boat... ...and this: ...just over 40"...when I was by myself. We used it for several mid - to high 30" pike as well: Handle is not too long for a kayak, but I'd tether it to the boat (did I mention the darned thing cost $190?) You won't be disapointed.

Happy to help. As I said, I'm happy to go out and get model #s on the other stuff. I really found their conventional rods because I use their fly rods. I like their fly rods a lot... as good as rods that cost 2x or 3x as much.

As a long-time shotgun I like to use that subject as a way to describe the incremental improvements that we get for moving up the cost vs. benefit ladder. You can buy a really good, very functional shotgun for less than $300, brand new. There are millions and millions of Remington 870s, Mossberg 500s, Winchester SXPs, etc....all great guns, all work well, get the job done. They lack refinement, technology, and some other things...but frankly, I'm really impressed by anything that there are that number of that work so well. That's incredibly impressive. You can add nicer stocks, some engraving...some other stuff...and that $300 gun can get close to $1,000 pretty quickly. Make it a sem-auto...and $1,200...$1,500...even $2,000 isn't impossible to see. Go to an Over/Under...you can get on the boat around $500...again add nice wood, better engraving...stepped ribs, screw in chokes...$1,000 goes by in a hurry, $2,500 is easy to get to and $5,000 isn't unheard of. Add a custom stock and you can see $7,500 easily...add hand real (not rolled and chased) engraving and tens of thousands of dollars is easy to get to. Same with SxS shotguns...I've seen and shot some guns that'd pay for a couple college educations, a decently equipped car. Where's the sweet spot on the curve? Where the gun fits you and shoots where you look without you having to conform yourself to the gun. That's mostly stock work...and you could probably get there with a decent starting gun and custom stock under $2,000. After that you're mostly paying for either artistry or exclusivity, IMO. Does a custom built shotgun make you a better shot? Absolutely. It's not debatable by anyone who is credible. It it worth the money? Probably not, IMO, for most shooters. Same thing for fishing equipment...but probably more so...again, IMO. I own some expensive rods, some mid-priced rods and some cheaper rods. The cheaper rods...just aren't as nice as the mid priced rods...do they work? You bet. Do they catch fish? Every day. Are they as sensitive or as effective as the mid-prided rods? Not for people who have learned to utilize the differences. Same thing for the jump to the expensive rods...only it's even harder to get the bang for buck out of them.

probably end pretty quickly though...

Tough question without going out and digging them all out of the boat... While warning that I tend to go overboard on detail, I'd offer to do wander out to to the boat, pull all the rods, list model #s and give an evaluation...what I'd say overall is that in an on-going contrast to St. Croix rods (my personal favorate) they deliver the same level of performance and much lower price points that the St. Croix rods. Rods that stand out: I have a 9 ft. TFG STC 905-2 that I use for 1 oz. spoons for pike and musky. I have a GTS C736-1 that I use for throwing t-rigged (typically 3/8 .oz bullet weights) soft plastics. I have a GTS P797-1 that is my go-to pitching rod.