Reel

I use a localisation app on my phone so family knows where I am. I'm lucky I like fishing ... a lot. I live North and I go from the beginning of April to late November and sometimes December. Because of the passion, hurting is less important!

Up north, if you wait a whole year for that special day when the season opens (Bass fishing not permitted before) and you go out rain or shine and head for that special reed bed close to the best spawning site on the million acre lake and get that six pound plus smallmouth, then you are a trophy hunter ... not much luck involved.

I fish where there are zebra mussels so most time there is some fraying at the knot. I cut off a foot or so.

My experience with circle hook is that they are a no strike hook. That means that with a crankbait you would not react but let the fish hook itself. Difficult I would say !!

No, but if you are using a US2 transducer that is 2D only, you cannot get DI and SI even if your unit is capable of doing so. You have to plug into a DI ou DI/SI transducer ( or a network) to get those on your screen.

What does ''work'' mean for you ? To get GPS ans 2D you only need a US2 transducer and power.

I have a keen sense of observation.

You can't go wrong with either. I have a Hummingbird/Minnkota set-up that I really like. I have a boat similar to yours and I use a Solix 12 in front for the FFS and the 2D,. I have a Helix 12 G4 that near the console that I use for GPS, DI and SI and a Helix 7 in dash for hight speed reading. I have 2 transducers at the back, one small one for high speed and a large one for DI and SI. This works very well for me along with a Minnkota 36 V Ultrex Quest. All of these products have been flawless.

I don't think the Helix 5 can be part of a network. You can use on it's own for 2 D high speed - The setup here works fine with the SI transducer on the other side. I use a setup that is similar for high speed.

The best thing you can do with your Helix 5 is to use it for higher speed bottom reading. Mate to a high speed small transducer (mounted on the transom with a metal mount if it's an aluminium boat). It's difficult ( impossible) to read at higher speed with a SI transducer.

I have mega live and use it. But I've been sight fishing for the last 20 years. I often fish the St Lawrence for smallmouth and you can see the fish in a lot of shallow water environnement. This is summer fishing for free roaming fish, not fish tied down to a nest. It's very very different.. like saltwater fishing for bonefish. When we don't see the fish ( and I do that to ) we are like a hunter taking a pot shot at a tree because he saw a buck there yesterday.

Yes, I fished tournaments. I was pretty good at it. I was in the top 10% most of the time. I didn't quit I just stopped because of age. If you do it right, it takes a lot of energy. It's great for learning. It forces you to fish in ways you would not normally do. It's not relaxing!!! It's challenging and I like that.

Something around 7.

Shimano SLX 7 foot XF - 2 piece

The lakes and the rivers in that region ( mine also) have a lot of chubs (fallfish, dace) that hang out in shallow water. Not a lot of peole know how abondant they are because you don't see them. Most have a black/brown-olive back, silvery sides and white belly. Just what you imitate with a white spinnerbait. I do a lot of my OWN research. I catch the chubs on a ned rig or a spy bait. They get big... up to a pound.