JediAmoeba

I think you are in the wrong forum for this question.

I agree, 4-5. Get a measuring board as you can get a good estimate from those and they are easy to use

All I know is, no matter if you bring the entire garage plus the kitchen sink, if you aren't catching fish you will wish you had something else.

I wear these for ice fishing but they are thin and not insulated

Is that one of those real dolls for lonely people?

I agree. I consider a creek something that is a few feet to, at most, 15' wide. For creeks I usually use something 5' to 6'. And fishing creeks can get slippery and going through the brush is rough on a rod. For creek fishing I use a Cabela's rod and a cheap spinning reel.

My favorite night lure is an all black chatterbait with a black blade and a black Biospawn Vilecraw on the back. I have had more success with that combo than any other at night. Other lures do well but that combo consistently produces. I used to use spinnerbaits a lot but I have had so many strikes where they seemingly grab the blade and get nada on the hook. What I love about night fishing is those huge strikes 3 feet from you. Those are the moments that are exhilarating and prove if you have good knots, good line and the right rod.

Fluoro stretches more than Mono really and I never really knew that. I have always used braid with 6 or 8 foot leaders though so it's never been an issue for me

I also reel with my right hand on spinning gear and casting gear. Reeling with my left hand is weird. I also cast with my right hand and then switch the rod into my left so I can reel.

Sometimes they damage themselves spawning, sometimes a muskie grabs them, sometimes I think they just get slammed off a rock...there are so many possibilities.

First thing, it sounds like you may be relatively new to fishing so I would watch a bunch of the videos here to learn some good basics. Also, when starting out I never recommend using line below 6 pound test and usually opt for 8 pound test so you have some forgiveness.

I have a prejudice against the hooks on Megabass lures. I don't like the barb on the outside of the hook and immediately replace them. My other prejudice would be against live bait. It's not really the bait, it's the fisherman using it and their approach. Too many of them cast it and let it sit too long without monitoring the rod and inevitably the fish swallows the hook and then they yank it out killing the fish...but still try to throw it back. For this reason I would see live bait banned for the most part...

When river fishing try not to make a lot of long casts with bottom contact baits. They almost always snag - so you want to get as close as you can without spooking the fish so you can make short accurate casts.

You guys are funny. I don't know if it's because I started out fishing for Muskie a lot and was throwing very large cumbersome baits on heavy rods and reels, but I can go out all day throwing any rod/reel and don't have a problem. I actually prefer a heavy rod and reel and don't sweat using it for 8-10 hours. I find myself using a 300 Daiwa Lexa sized reel frequently and it doesn't bother me. Let the callouses build up for some natural protection.

There is no way I am donating a 15 dollar crankbait to the cause!

I don't know how people stand to wear long sleeves and pants. In the winter, ice fishing I have less on than a lot of guys in the summer. I have a few sun shirts from aftco and Columbia and I just roast in them. And forget pants...I am one of those nuts wearing shorts when it is 5 below 0

I wear shorts and a tank top. After burning myself a few times I am good for the season

I got this 25" pickerel to the kayak in very thick Lily pads using 65 # braid. I would definitely up your line considering you know the Pike are hitting

The one on the far right needs a trim! I would 3/4-1" of the strands off

I live right over in Indian Mountain Lakes.

That sounds like what I do when fishing for trout with inline spinners...throw on a bullet weight and a swivel then have a 3 foot fluoro trailer with the spinner attached. Also allows me to use a baitcaster. Lol.

In the kayak I pack as little as possible. Usually 3 zippered wallets with 5 or 6 bags each for the day. I rarely find myself using more than a few per day.

I would buy a short arm single Colorado spinnerbait and put in a Willow. Those work pretty effectively in deep water.

Along with the obvious, slow down, if you are noticing this you may be casting too far. When you backlash the lure probably isn't going as far...