MN Fisher

It's a good thing they're cheap. I have a ponytail and use those to hold it. The 'store' brands don't even last a day before they snap, Goody brand lasts a day, but that's it. Be prepared to replace that band frequently.

On my ML spinning rig (Avocet), I use 8# Mono though Flouro will work as well. On my Medium spinning rig (Trion), I use 12# Flouro Others might have different ideas.

I'm a rightie - write with my right hand, do detail work with my right hand, etc-etc-etc Other than my Pflueger 640 which I can't switch, all my reels are right-hand retrieve. I cast with my left, so I don't have to switch hands other than with the aforementioned 640.

No need to glue two-piece rods together.

Coffee, ice-tea, a couple sandwiches and cigarettes.

Bit over fifty years ago - was fishing for panfish in Indian Lake, MA with Mepps Comets, hooked a Largemouth on a cast...got hooked myself.

For mono, the only thing I use is Trilene XL - stands for eXtra Limp, vs XT which is eXtra Tough. Never tried Big Game, never saw the need for it in my fishing. If I go over 12# test, then out comes the braid. I do use Stren - but only the Flourocast.

I can agree that steelhead and salmon tastes better - but nothing close to me has those. I already said I prefer trout - specifically rainbows, but they're a rare catch for me. I DO prefer the taste of bass over walleye and northern - and yellow perch as they're a close cousin to walleye. Different tastes I guess. Doesn't make either of us wrong, just different. Still can't stand breaded fish though.

They're more worried about disease and invasive species spread. Trying to control milfoil, zebra mussels and such. Example - if I caught minnows on Lake Minnetonka and filled the minnow bucket with Mtka water, then later did the same on Dutch Lake - there might be traces of Milfoil or even some Zebra Mussel larvae left over in the bucket from Mtka. That would be transplanting an invasive species - which is why dumping the bucket at the end of the day is illegal.

Is that even legal there? It's illegal in MN to transport any fish from one body of water to another. Can't even release minnows back into the water...even if you caught them there. Have to dispose of them in the trash.

I may de-bag my worms, including Z-Man's...but then I put them in Ziploc Snack-size with the cut out label in with the worms. This lets me store them in a Plano 3606..2 snack-bags per slot. Keeps them separate from each other and doesn't give the worms a chance to mess with the PVC.

News to me - Berkley says to spool it with the face of the line-spool facing you instead of 'rolling' it off the spool. "hold the spool with the front side facing you" http://www.berkley-fishing.com/Berkley-ae-spooling-a-spinning-reel.html Another site says the same thing. "Place the spool of the new line flat on the floor. Orient it so that the line comes off in the same direction that it will go onto the reel’s spool to help avoid problems with line twist." https://outdoorempire.com/how-to-spool-a-spinning-reel/ Even Catch Co. has a video that says the same thing. This is the way I've always done it - take it off the line-spool the same direction it goes on the reel-spool.

I got my forceps locked to the handle-strap of my tackle bag.

Must be a culture thing. I grew up on grilled/broiled fish. First time I had fried fish I actually asked 'Is this really fish? Because it doesn't taste like fish.' As a youngster in MA and fishing a local stream for brookies, I'd take matches with me and sometimes gut, skewer and cook a brookie or two over an open fire right at streamside. So for decades I've been use to 'unadulterated' fish, can't handle it any other way.

I use a M/F rod for all my crank/jerkbaits. It all depends on the weight yours are - all my crankbaits are 1/2oz or less, so that might make a difference.

Chicken Nuggets - made from only the finest left-over pieces of the chicken during butchering. Fried? FRIED!? HOW CAN YOU ABUSE A FISH LIKE THAT BEFORE EATING IT?!?! Broiled, grilled, or if you must - baked. Covering a fine eating fish with bread-crumbs and dunking it in oil is abuse...pure and simple.

He's in Missouri and they have a 6-fish limit on Black Bass...here in MN we also have a 6-fish limit on Bass.

I just looked at Falcon's site - the 7' UL is a Moderate action. Yes, this will be 'whippy' as half the rod flexes easily before the rest starts to bend. For trout, I prefer a Fast action...actually I prefer a Fast action for everything, seems to be the best balance of control and hooking power for me.

That's a matter of personal taste...I MUCH prefer the taste of a 2#-3# LMB to any size pike. I like my lower limit a bit bigger - 14-18 inchers are my keepers. I also NEVER had one with parasites.

I've never eaten a 'muddy' LMB, a little 'gamy' maybe but I like that. I'm not a fan of walleye/sauger...different taste buds perhaps. Crappie and Bluegill are very good - just takes too many to make a decent meal. Trout I'd prefer, but I don't travel very far from home for various reasons and there's only two trout lakes in my range...and no streams/rivers. So trout is a once in a while thing for me...but very much enjoyed.

Thank you for 'allowing' me to enjoy my catch.

Even us northerners eat Bass. I catch a 2#-3# LMB and half the time it goes home with me so I can fillet it and broil it up.

That's how long my flip/pitch rod is.

Third vote on the Diawa Aird-X.

Glad you have no issues. Spooling a spinning reel should follow how it comes off the line-spool. This unit forces the line into an orientation that's 'not natural'. I'm amazed you don't get line twist or even line falling off the reel when there's no tension. I'd use this one for my BC's, but not my Spinners.