MN Fisher

Park Rapids area - Lake George, Leech Lake (the smaller bays) Bemidji area - Plantagenet, Irving, Wolf, Andrusia, Cass, Big Bass, Little Bass Those are all lakes I fished when living in Bemidji in the 70s and caught bass on. Bemidji itself isn't the best, but around the Mississippi River outlet on the east side would be the prime spot. There are launch points on Irving, but it's also connected to Bemidji by a short channel - Mississippi river inlet to Bemidji. There are launch points on Wolf or Andrusia, but they're also connected to Cass by navigable sections of the Mississippi. Big Bass has launch points but Little Bass you need a canoe or kayak you can carry in.

IIRC the weight is for the lead and hook only. The skirt would be in addition to the 3/16 stated weight.

As with any casting, there's going to be variations in the weight. I don't know what the tolerance mark they've set is, but all the jigs will be within that tolerance value. 3/16 is .1875oz - if the tolerance is 10% then the weight could be anywhere from .16875oz to .20625oz. You'd have to weigh each jig to find it's exact weight, and every jig in a package could be different.

There's reels and rods that work well at various price points, just have to decide how much you want to spend. Far as the right/left thing is concerned, that's also a personal thing. I'm a rightie in most things, but my left arm is stronger and steadier than my right. That's why I swapped the handles of my spinning reels to the right side - except the old Pleuger 640...it doesn't swap. You have to try it yourself to see how it works...places with a exchange policy are the best. Get a reel...right or left...and try it out. If it doesn't seem to work quite right, swap it for the other model. Or swap it back if the first one is better.

If you're going to split a spool in half - walking it out is your best bet. To make sure they're the same length, loop the line over a smooth-bark tree branch (ash, poplar or willow) then walk away with the spool and the free end in your hands. When you reach the end of the spool, walk back to the tree and snip - voila, equal lengths.

Auburn Lake (Carver County - twin cities metro area) - this would be considered southern MN Acres:290.6 sq acres Mean Depth:23.0 FT Max Depth:84.0 FT For comparison, the state record Smallmouth came from West Battle Lake - 8lb 0oz West Battle Lake (Otter Tail County, east of Fergus Falls) - this would be considered central MN Acres: 5,565.5 sq acres Mean Depth: 0.0 FT Max Depth: 108.0 FT The chances of northern MN having a record Bass, large or small mouth, is fairly low. Bass do better in warmer climates, which is why 5#-6# are considered a good catch here where-as in FL, GA and other southern states, those would be considered a fair catch if not below average.

I don't know how far north, but Leech and George in mid-north between Park Rapids and Bemidji are good ones. Bemidji...not so much, but Irving which is a short channel trip from Bemidji is decent.

I got mine from Dick's - they have everything from Jawbone at $2.99ea and up.

I've had Metropolitan for house and vehicle for 30+ years - a claim on the house (storm damage), 2 claims on vehicles - one charged to the other driver - and always great service without my premiums reaching for the sky. I added the canoe with TM last year, added the trailer this year, and the premium is very affordable. As long as Met does business, I'll stick with them.

I use to be a seller on E-Bay using Paypal to accept payment. Paypal charges a fee to the seller for each transaction. This is a percent and it changes based on the amount of the transaction. This is how they make their money. So for everything you find on E-Bay, you can probably find it cheaper elsewhere as the E-Bay sellers mark up their prices to account for the Paypal fee.

Don't feel TOO old...I was 'out' of playing video games before the PS-2 even came out.

Our forecast is for near-normal - which means it'll be April before I get the canoe in the water. Average ice-out for my lake is April 14.

My MH rig is the Fuego CT on a Diawa Aird-X MH/F - it's not the weight of the lure that's the issue, it's getting the lure through the lily-pads, reeds and milfoil that needs the heavier equipment. My President will be on a M/F Aird-X - the chatters/buzz/spinners are 3/8 (all I got since I have to be a frugal fisherman by need)

I've got four different spinning rods with three different types of seats - two of my rods are Ugly Sticks. So long as the seat holds the reel and doesn't interfere with my casting/retrieving...I don't care.

I dunno about giants, but there's lots of good lakes in the area that have decent size LMs. I fished Lake George - north of Park Rapids on Highway 71 - back in the 80s and remember some of the guys getting good size bass out of it. Other lakes in the area... http://www.minnesotalakes.net/hubbard_county_lakes.html The state record LM came out of Auburn Lake which is in the TC Metro area.

Twin-tail grub in Green Pumpkin - that was my best producer as a trailer last year.

I think it has been mentioned - but I'll re-iterate. Buzzbaits, big twin spinners, chatterbaits, larger jerk and crank baits all get done on my 'lighter' Baitcaster...use to be the Ambassadeur, now will be the President with 20#PP Can't use Alabama rigs here - at least not with hooks on every end...illegal in MN. One end can have a hook or lure, the rest have to be hookless. Heavy vegetation - that calls for the Fuego CT with the 50#PP

A pic of me activating the bail trigger. I can do this with the hand on the rod, never needing to remove my hand from the reel-handle.

Exactly, @reason, it depends on the spinning reel. If I do any trolling it's with my Cardinal, which has a trigger on the side of the bail to instantly open it if I get caught on a snag or a larger fish grabs it and runs. It's as fast as the thumb-trigger on my baitcasters.

Yep - those are the ones. And "My bags are packed, I'm ready to go...."

I used Spinning tackle from the beginning as that's what I grew up using for panfish and trout. Adding bass to my 'targets' didn't change my habits. I only added a baitcaster when my dad decided, after an accident at work, that he wasn't going to fish anymore and gave me his rod/reel - my Ambassdeur 500R that I just retired. For me, heavier lures or heavy cover fishing (pitching/flipping/frogging) will be done with my two baitcasters. The rest of my fishing will be with my spinning gear I would consider 3/16 to maybe 1/4 to be the limit for finesse work. Personally - my finesse rod will be relegated to 1/8 oz or less. Above that I will go to my medium spinning rig.

Almost the last of my shipments - just waiting on the rod for the President BC in this picture. Also add a Plano Weekender bag to this list - that's going to be my plastics bag...the Cabelas will be for everything else. Only 2 chatterbaits (Green Pumpkin, Shad) because I already had a Black in my bag. Leashes are for my rods and anything else I want to secure - paddle maybe even though I've got a TM for the canoe...need backup.

Ditto this except the line - 8# here.

If I did rig a grub Texas style, I'd use a 1/16 or 1/8 weight and a keeper hook like the Gamakatsu G-Finesse in any of the three sizes. Shakey Head jigs would also be good with a twin-tail grub.

My flipping/pitching/frogging reel is getting 50# Power Pro Original My crank/jerk/spinner/buzz/chatter reel is getting 20# Power Pro Original My spinning reels get Mono or FC.