Crop9

My house and the lake I fish is nearly dead in the middle of the totality. But with it being only 2 minutes / 40 seconds-ish, not sure how much change will occur. But any day of fishing is better than a day of not fishing. I may try and "work from home" that day. Or take a half-day.

Well...I got a $25 gift card from my manager today as thanks for presenting in our department's business review. Ended up at DSG to just "look". Walked out with 2 Yo Zuri Sashimi Shad, similar to these. 2 for $5 bucks each.....why not? Though, Im hoping they perform as well as they are colored!

Early father's day from the wife and kids. As a bonus, the guy at the tackle shop informed my wife there really is legitimate reasons to have multiple rods and reels! Win, win.

The only time I'm glad my cell phone provider does not have good reception. "But babe, I didn't ignore your call..."

This is the same concept I do. A couple of bucks, a little bit of time, and you end up with something that is solid and easily stored (if your wife is like mine and feels like your fishing stuff is taking up too much room in the house).

Welcome! Don't overlook Center Hill, about an hour east of downtown Nashville.

Thanks everyone for the responses. @adrenalnjunky & @fishnkamp I think you two are right, I may be down a setup, or two, or three. haha. I never really considered what I had, and many of the rods & reels I have I received from my wife; often times as a way of bribing me to overlook her expenditures ( I think the bait monkey includes the entire household ). Would a dedicated cranking setup be the next addition? Or is there a better alternative? I am a bank-bound angler right now, and have not really fished with shallow crankbaits yet.

I have read all possible posts on these reels, along with many of the newer post on "Which reel to buy" and I am still not sure what to put on my rod. The rod in question is a Lightening Shock Rod, 6'9 or 6'6 (can't remember) MH. This was purchased simply because it was $7.00 from Wal-Mart. And each time I look at it, it seems lonely, so I want to get a reel to put on it, but I don't really have a need for it. To give some background, my "arsenal" currently consists of (any and all adjustments recommendations welcomed): 7' M Veritas 2.0 paired with a 6930 Pflueger President spinning rod Primarily weightless t-rigs 6'9 M Cardinal Z combo Primarily panfish 6'9 MH Vendetta paired with a Pro Qualifier Primarily jigs and chatterbaits 6'6/6'9 MH Lightening Shock Rod with a Black Max 3 Spare - Technique? The current Lightening/Black Max is a great set up, definitely like it, but I am not 100% sold on adding another exact same setup. So, would you change anything on my current set ups? What reel should I add that perhaps plugs a hole in my current gear? I appreciate your help!

Well...I think I need to take a break from this site...decided to look a Wal-Mart on my way home from work....found 2 more Shock Rods....$7.00 a piece. I guess I need 2 more reels.

If you click on the item and then select the size, you can see the price. I found one in a store near me, 6'6 MH fot $9, but the 6'6 M and 7' MH were both $39

I got one of these for $15...thought they wouldnt go any lower....but $9? Nice!!! I've heard the action is a little softer than what is listed, any truth to that? Also, what would you all use a MH/F for?

Yeah, my local one has a few, but it appeared the couple that were there had missing tension knobs...almost as if someone took them off....and didnt have the paperwork inside. C'est la vie. Appreciate the input, guys.

I wanted to grab one more before the sale ended, but work got in the way....I just looked online and it keeps giving me an error when trying to select it. Anyone else experience this issue?

I started with a cheap Shakespere rod combo from Wal Mart, then when I got my second rod, a Veritas, I cannot go back. In the $100 range, you have the Veritas or Vendetta, or if you can wait for a sale, you might even be able to find a sale on one of them (my wife got me a MH Vendetta for $45). If you dont fish often, or just "for fun fish", nothing wrong with a Shakespere. But the higher priced rods will provide greater use/functionality.

I got some of the SA ones last summer. Wide selection, they have held up pretty good and the shipping was quick. I wouldnt pay full price for them, but buy one get 4 free is a pretty good deal. The only issue I have is they are a little on the small side....or I have a head a little on the large side.

I have an Abu Garcia Veritas 7' M paired with my President 6930. Quite the pair.

After accepting the fact that the 2 Wal-Marts near my house and the 3 on the way to work were not going to participate in discounting fishing stuff...I took "one last look" after my wife asked me to pick up a few things. Low and behold, I found a 6'6" MH Lightining Shock rod for $15.00 Needless to say I need to find a purpose/reason for it before my wife notices it.

Really cant beat Trilene Big Game. Over 1k yards for about 6 bucks. Add some line conditioner, and it makes learning a baitcaster not such an expensive deal.

I tried listening in the beginning but quickly realized that each time I fish there is something to learn. And that knowledge really comes from watching the surroundings listening to the wildlife, and consuming all the information available. Now, if I am just fishing for bluegills with a hook and bobber, I may have an earbud in.

I primarily park near lakeside (actually Pucketts Point, just down highway 56) or at Johnsons Chapel. The lake is amazing, but definitely challenging at times. With the water level at its current level, I can definitely get to many spots, last summer when the water was really low it was a challenge to fish from the bank.

I am the same way. I got into fishing to get a "hobby to release stress from work" at my wifes request. The peacefulness of watching him was very enjoyable. I am just trying to understand the big picture.

@HeavyDluxe and @NorthwestBasser, I appreciate the input. I didn't mean to imply that the otters presence would have a detremental impact on the body of water, as a whole, as the lake is approximately 18,000 acres. I was just curious if it would cause me to find an alternative location. Being a bank beater, options can get to be a challenge. But with the weather shifting to spring, the wildlife is increasingly becoming more active.

I like the Z-man Chatterbait with a Zoom Fat Albert. Matching colors to start, but maybe a contrasting color. And you cannot over look white.

I am new to fishing, period, so most days I fish something new happens. But today was really odd and I am hoping someone might be able to provide some sort of insight. The lake I frequent is a large reservoir, Center Hill Lake, in TN to be precise. As I'm getting to my favorite spot, checking out the conditions, I notice something out of the corner of my eye. As I turn to look all I see is a large-ish dark animal dive under water. I finally hike my way to where I always start fishing, working my down the bank. And as I make my first cast, I see what looks like an otter. It moved gracifully like a seal, and I never once heard the typical slap of a beaver tail. Throughout my time fishing, this guy maintained a close distance to me, never crossing my line, but as I would walk down the bank, he would keep roughly the same distance. And I could see him chasing small fish, and at times see his head out of the water, chomping on his catch...needless to say he caught many more than I did. My question is two-fold: 1. Primarily, was this likely an otter, or could it have been a beaver? 2. Would it have a negative influence on fishing? I am not confident enough to say it had a negative impact today, or if it was my poor skills.

I built my own line spooler that I use on both my spinning and baitcasting reels. I used a couple pieces of spare wood I had, 2 bolts, and a couple washers/nuts. With a 2x4 that is approximately 18" long, I drilled a hole in the center of it that holds a bolt run through the line. If I am putting line on a spinning rod, I have the line facing parallel to me and if it is for my casting setup I just turn the wood perpendicular to me. The only problem with it is when I spool a spinning rod, I still have to maintain pressure holding the line with my index finger and thumb. But spooling a casting reel is easier as I can tighten the bolt down to add the necessary pressure to the line as it spins. When I get home from work, I'll try and take a picture.