Jig Man

I have a buzz frog mold that I might part with.

Zara Spook

Why don't you go over to Cabela's and look at them in person. You can have a sales person go over the units and their features. That should help you with your decision.

The lake I fish in SW MO has produced a few in the 10 range. Several years ago one of my friends caught a 10 there. I was stopped by a guy a few years ago and asked if I had a scale. I weighed his 9 pounder. I have only had some 7s and 8s and they are not often. I keep trying for a monster on an A rig but can't get anything over a 6 on it yet.

When you have a unit that will be capable of mapping you need to buy a map card for the area that you fish. For me mapping is as important as anything on a unit. Mapping and 2 d sonar or mapping and down scan are the most important IMO.

The Power Cables that came with it or another set of them.

I have it on at least 10 setups (6, 8, 10,12 and 15#). I don't find anything wrong with it.

I have no idea how far your casts typically go but I would think that would be enough. I don't really measure mine. When I put braid on a setup, I put on a practice plug and cast it toward the neighbors driveway. I go to the plug and walk off 10 more yards. I go back to the house and cut off the line, tie on the braid and put on what it takes to nicely fill the spool. This has worked for me since I started using braid close to 20 years ago.

You can get some good quality used units that guys sell for a good discount because they are always trading up for the latest and greatest. Check out the buy sell forum.

Hook up before plugging in charger.

Chunk and wind but I really like vertical fishing.

That would depend on what I was going to do: fish for everything-twin tail grub, fish for larger fish-beaver.

My philosophy is I would rather slow down my retrieve than crank like I'm on fire so I opt for fast reels except for A rig setups then I want 5:1.

I'm with WRB on this one. I never have had one that I did not screw down in the middle of the deck so I could use it with either foot.

Let us know how it goes.

I have the older model. It is the best caster that I own. It is also the most sensitive on settings.

Personally, I like to sit down when I watch football. You don't sit down in that place except during time out. I'll stay by the fire and watch on the big screen TV.

I still have 3 dogs in the hunt: Patrick, Tom and Drew. Hopefully one of them will pull it off.

I fish most of the lakes that you do. I use a lot of elaztech baits. Green Pumpkin is one of my regulars but I don't dwell on it. Green Pumpkin/Red works pretty well. I carry every color that Zman makes in the worm and TRD. I go with the color that is getting the most bites.

I'm pretty sure mine is a Dan vise. I haven't seen it in quite a while because I rarely thread tie any more. You just need a rotary vise of some kind and a good whip finisher. The two make thread tying very easy and super fast.

You might give the Bass Pro shop rod and reel repair a call. They always have a bunch of stuff around. 417-887-7334 and ask for the reel counter in the Outlet Store.

I don't have first hand knowledge but a guide on Lake Taneycomo in MO told me the average trout only stays in that lake for 7 days so I'm go fish.

You can order skirts from War Eagle.

Choose the weed guard that you want to use. I use a vinyl coated cable. The way I make the slot is put a wire, preferably hard like stainless steel where I want the wg, put some tape on it to keep it in place. Close the mold firmly then put it in my shop bench vice and clamp it firmly together. Normally that does the trick and I am ready to go. Here is the mold after wg slots added. I changed hooks and further modified it as well as closed the keeper slots.

Totally awesome and a tooth brush.