ww2farmer

I use regular fluorocarbon line for my leaders, always have. Zero problems with it, and I don't ever plan on using "leader"material labeled line for this. Leader size depends on the cover your fishing. Simple as that. While your main line might be 20, 30, or something higher lb test, it's perfectly fine to use, say 8lb fluorocarbon leader if you're dropshotting open water, or just the opposite, use 17lb fluorocarbon leaders if you're pitching cover.

<----------------------7lbs 1 oz. Do I "plan" on doing better in 2014? Sure, why not, but a 7+ lber from WNY is not an every day fish.

Why even comment on it then? There are plenty of popular things I don't care for, yet............to each his own, and I keep my trap shut. Btw...........I didn't grow up ice fishing, it's some thing I took up the in the last 5-6 years or so to pass the time in the winter and I like it a lot.

IDK? Maybe. Guys (including myself) kind of quit playing along after a while.

Why don't you just zip it...LOL.

When I first got into tournament fishing 6-7 years ago, I though I was "pretty good" too..................wow was I wrong. If you keep a postive attitude, and keep at it, you'll learn.

Before Yum switched to the F2 scent, I use the LPT Dingers. I only switched to GYCB senkos because I don't like the "stiffness" of the F2 dingers. I don't catch any more on the senkos as I used to catch on the dingers, and if Yum would soften them back up, I would go to back to them.

negative one ounce, you probably had to keep it from floating away.

If I had $200 bucks to spend right now it would be on either an Abu, Fenwick or Shimano rod in the $80 -$100 range, and an Abu, Shimano, or Pflueger reel in the same range. Although my next reel might just be some kind of Lew's just to see whats what with them.

I use my 51E's in thick slop all the time.

I was a big fan of Yum dingers until the changed to the F2 scent. The LPT dingers were way way softer and more flexable, I used to use them almost exculisvly to GYCB senkos I am sure the F2 ones catch fish just fine, but it screws with my head, I just wish they didn't change them I like they price of dingers better than senkos.

Was -14 when I got up at 4am this morning, was "up" to - 2 at 8am, but dropped back down to -6 now, with a windchill of - 37. Coldest I have seen........perhaps ever.

No, have not used it. If you think it's going to catch you more fish , go for it. I will not be buying any.

I fish "cheap" too, but only because after many years of buying higher dollar stuff, I catch just as much and just as big of fish on lower priced stuff, with none of the "issues" people claim to have with lower priced gear. Here is just a sample of some lower cost items that I use, I still use some "expensive" things but not nearly as many as I used to. Hard baits: Storm, Strike King, and Bandit. Jigs: Strike King Bitsy jigs, Booyah jigs Frogs: Booyah Pad Crasher Soft Plastics: Berkley Havoc, Netbait, Some Yum, SK, and Zoom stuff................nothing GYCB LOL. Terminal Tackle: VMC Rods: Berkley Lighning Rod Shocks, and Abu Vengeance/Vendetta/Veritas's Reels: Abu Max (casting) Pflueger President (spinning) Line: Power Pro (braid) Seaguar Red Label (Fluoro) Trilene (mono)

That sometimes asking a question here will get your head spinning 1000 X's faster than before you asked. Everyone want's to, and thinks they are "helping", but sometimes the only way to learn is to get your hand burnt.............. No one's right, and no one's wrong, but so much of the trouble with the first time baitcaster is user error, and only you can work through that. It don't matter if it's a $300 reel or a $50 reel, neither one will be ANY different in the hands of an inexp. user. That being said....I'll toss my .02 into the ring. go with an Abu Max series reel. #1 they are inexpensive enough that if you don't get the hang of it, no big loss, #2 they are quality enough that they will last untill you have become good with it and can upgrade, #3 they are user friendly with externally adj. mag breaks etc....no taking side plates off and wondering if pushing the pin down is on, or up is off, or what not. And #4 they are available in both LH and RH, so you can get one that is comfortable to you.

My wife. In fact she's my only sponsor, with out her "support"..........I would be fishing in the bath tub.

Since Sat. is the third day of the warming trend......or should I say, "the getting back to normal" trend..........do what you would normally do this time of year. In other words....................how the heck do I know what you should do? I have never so much as seen that body of water, let alone fish it LMAO................but if it were me, I 'd be yo-yoing a lipless crank out of the first patches of green grass next to deep water adj. to spawning areas.I guess if they didn't like that, I'd drop a jig on there heads in that same grass. If that hauls water, I might even go to the bank and look for some, and if they don't like that..................well I guess I would have a terrible finish in said tournament LOL.

My tournament partner last year used it. He was constantly having issues, I talked him in to using Seaguar Red Lable, which is what I use for leader material, and his issues went away...........take from that what you will.

Besides ice fish? Not much................. I waste a lot of time here on BR being a jerk.

Exactly..............while theives are scum and don't discriminate, often times people are victims of their own foolishness.

And for the life of me, I can't fiqure out why people care about that. Pro's can be sheep too. I think some people would be very suprised to learn that often times the diff. between a pro, and a good local nobody is the connections he has, the ammount of money they have to play with, and how well they can kiss backsides.

No, I like a graphite rod for topwaters and jerkbaits. Glass, composite, or moderate action graphite rods load up to much for my liking when trying to work the baits. Some people like moderate actions for this..............I don't.

I enjoy it myself. The cats and I spend a lot of time watching them out our big side window where we put the feeder. About once a week a catch a squirrel tryign to get into it...............hilarity ensues.

Same. I had a 7'10" for deep, but storage in my rod locker was an issue, so I went back to 7'6", which is what I had before, and it fits much better. I can cast just as far with the 7'6" as the 7'10" so that's not an issue.

I take just enough so that it's always a P.I.T.A. to find anything, and is constantly in the way, but not enough to keep me from feeling "unprepared"..............so as you can tell, I am QUITE the popular co-angler round these parts.