I knew it was just a matter of time before it would happen… congratualtions!

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Who are you fishing it with?

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He hasn’t yet totally committed, but he’s a quiet fella with a heck of a hookset for his size.

BC… I might actually be fishing this… call me an anxious donator!

Thank you!

Anyone know the dates? Now that MSBC is out, I would assume “3 Rivers” is locking and loading for the Spring Fling…

Man, anyone else and anxious as I am to get a line wet? My boat is coming out tomorrow just so I can sit in it!

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If you let him dive down into the grass your odds of losing the fish are greater than if you are skipping him across the water like a flat rock on a calm day.

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I think I got it… makes sense, as the 5500 C3 is a ~5:1 ratio (muskie oriented and all) and as witnessed, I’m no expert, and the fish did dive… I now have an excuse for missing those fish! Thanks!

I, too, am quite interested in people’s commentary…

As posted on a different forum, I have traditionally used my muskie equipment (7.5′ Heavy rod) paired with an Abu 5500 C3 and 65# PowerPro. Never had an issue getting a fish out…

Albeit I was tried after fishing all day!

I will be tackling Frog fishing this year with a 7′ Avid Heavy… but have yet to pair it… albeit I was leaning toward a standard old green Curado style CU200 I have with 50# PowerPro… I am not a Froggin’ expert by any stretch, so if someone has a comment on using a CU200 (6.3:1) as “good” or “bad” or “adequate” I’d love to hear.

Slop – is the 7.1:1 ratio key to getting the frog back quit to make another cast? More of a functional thing? I know you lose power as you go up in ratio, but perhaps its a leverage thing? Use the rod, not the reel once you are hooked up, and use the high-speed reel to fish?

Agree, the Flacon is a nice solution.

That said, my preference is for the Plano 3714 (Plano® FlipSider™ Bait Storage Systems) as they “match” and integrate perfectly next to all my other Plano 3700 style storage boxes. They also store Chatterbaits well, too…. but they don’t catch fish…

This could easily become a “Ford vs Chevy vs Toyota vs Dodge” deal…of course we all know what’s best in those choices…

Anyway… within my circle there are lots of opnions, but its clear that when it comes to braid, nothing beats PowerPro.

As for non-braid fishing lines… lots of opinions, but as some have stated, Trilene XT is tough to beat for flippin’ and Pitchin’ basic mono.

Personally, I am addicted to the “P-Line Floroclear”, have since its introduction ~8 or so years ago. Its a co-polymer… basically a monofilament with a floro coating… strong knots, good abrasion resistense, super-clear, and better catsability than Floro. Its downside is that it is like any other mono and gets a memory and has some stretch (good thing, sometimes, of course). To solve the catsability issues that develop from memory, I simply respool a couple times a season, at $8 a spool, its cheap insurance.

That all said, I am new to the Floro market and began experimenting in 2008. I have stuggled to find one I like…other buddies swear by them, but at ~$20 a spool vs <$10, I think I might cry with the first birdsnest… (of course, may have happened already… )

Touche’, John… Never mess with the wisdom of experience!

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If you are going to fish all day, the weight matters

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This is one that has always mystified me. You fish all day, come home to go to the gym to pump iron. why is an ounce such a big deal?

John

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Fair, John. You have always been a direct and pragmatic man, and I respect that. So, before answering, I’d like to address a few things that a couple friends recently reminded me after reading my post…

1. I love St Croix Rods…I do. I am a huge advocate and own 11 now, so please do not read into this that I don’t think the Mojo Bass Rods may prove a great addition to their line-up and offer good value in a solid, American made rod to my fellow bass anglers! I do. Shoot, I want St Croix to be successful!

2. The Avid in lieu of the Mojo is in now in my rod collection for many reasons, but the leading reasons would boil down to:
A. Weight (granted, its only a little over an ounce)
B. Sensistivity (SC3 outerforms SC2 graphite all day long with sensitivity, and I plan to flip heavy cover with this rod).
C. Warrantee (lifetime vs 5 year – justifies some of the $60 in my mind)
D. Balance (There is something special about the Avid balance, and handle grip “bump” that just feels right).

3. And, finally, I was reinded that my past frog rod was, well, not great… it will be displacing my 1990 Cabelas Fish Eagle II 7.5 foot Heavy Muskie rod that I have been using for Froggin… its kind of heavy… Not real sesnitive (at all!) So… a nice upgrade in general that I have wanted to do for quite some time.

Now, as for answering your direct question… it “can”… And, I would suggest you would agree in different scenarios. For this circumstance, maybe its warranted, maybe not. Admittedly, I am no expert (as Shaver and BC will attest) at Froggin’, but I do know that a lighter rod is a nice for making a frog dance in open water…the wrist gets tired.

And, unlike some, my wrist gets aweful sore from handling that extra weight, its simply not accustomed to it…

My research indicates that these will be good rods. That said, I am an St Croix “Avid” guy and evaluated the difference between the 7 foot Avid and the 7 foot MOJO for a frog rod recently… (I am a total Croix guy, and recently acquired the Avid over the Mojo).

Now, granted, money matters, but the MOJO (from my research) indicates it is simply a “well-dressed Premier.” That is not a bad plan, as it incorporates come Legend Features. In the past, I have purchased Premiers, and they are solid rods, but heavy and less sensitive than an Avid. If you are going to fish all day, the weight matters… Of course, as for sensitivity for a frog rod… its not like you don’t know you get a strike!

No one knows? Anyone know who to contact?

Ummm… Buy a Ranger… Duh!

Looks like someone figured out how to get underneath the small ones to find the bigger fish! Nice!

My boat goes to storage today… this is a day every year you may see a grown man cry…

Who’s Jimmy Johnson?

Does he know how to fish for bass? I thought he drove NASCAR?

Sincerely – I wish you tight lines and big sacks!

I’m with you… I jumped out for my last outing Saturday afternoon with my family (Cade – saw you and waved man…I don’t think you saw me…Red/White Ranger).

I went to areas I knew fish would be present, and like you Old Rat, same thing for me… same pattern as last weekend… nothing on cranks, nothing on spinners, nothing on jerkbaits… all on soft plastics, specifically long ones (try a Senko if you get out again!)

And, Cade, like your post above, I caught plenty, just nothing ovr 13.5″! But, hey, with a 3 and 5 year old in the boat, they were HUGE!

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Big Ugly?

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Moss…you should have patented that name… you could have made millions!

If you’re not careful the rain and water will wash you away…

Where do you want to go?

Neshonic I hear can be fun… if you are into pan fish and carp…

Arbutus full yet?

Potter’s FLowage is BEAUTIFUL and always LOOKS good, but catching a fish seems an impossibilty…

Third Lake in Tremp is nice, but terribly small…

Marinuka might be a possibility…

If you can’t tell, I limit myself to the river and bodies of water CLOSE…something about a wife and kids that does this….

Anyone have any bodies of water close that might prove fun?

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I spent the last 2 days looking for Bass on 7. I believe 22hrs of time hauling water. It’s not pretty out there. Our best pattern in that dirty water was spinnerbaits. It’ll be a while before I get back out.

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Amen, Blue. Dad and I spent 8 hours on 7 today… from the channel, to Blues, to Mud, to Round, to Gibbs, to Coal, to Duck, to the drains… TOUGH. No schools, shad are scattered. The BIG fish I was on last Saturday are no where to be found. Random fish here and there, and I second the spinnerbait comment – whatever you’re throwing needs to makes some noise. NADA on Topwater for the first time in weeks. I did get some going on topwater in duckweed, where I found some water hitting 70 degrees with big green pads… in OCTOBER! Weird.

With the river still having forecasted another 1.5 feet and climibing for the next week, I suspect I will be driving to some lakes. The river is tough for sure, and current is significant. The pan fisherman I came across said their bit has gone bad, too.

Oh well, it was great company in a great pool, and I got to take my shirt off… it was HOT and its October!

I agree, Cade, Wingdams are just too good to pass up…so, I jsut fished one after the other on Saturday as the wind would allow…

Here are the results… a 4 fish limit for our last Jerkin’ Lips Tourney this past Saturday weighing in at 13.5 Pounds with largest at 3.55. A great day! Topwater and plastics were king.

18 boats locked up to 7… the fog was unbelieveable, not sure ANY of us should have been driving… but we all safely made it! Once the lock opened, the boats fanned out pretty well. I believe there were 45+ boats, and I do know that some locked to 9… THAT would have been a long run in the fog!

Winning bag was 24+ pounds, 8 fish with a 4.4 kicker, I believe. 4 smallies and 4 largies. Team of Fitzpatrick and Tauscher. We locked up with them, and down again at noon… should have followed them!

We struggled with 4 weighed in and a 4 pound kicker… we caught 42 bass and 2 northern, just no size to the bass… the northern were sizeable, though! Toughest part, is our 5th fish was a spunky smallie that flipped off the deck back into the river….

That taught me a valuable lesson, for sure! As did the schooling by the locals finest anglers… The MSBC is a well run circuit, with some *reel* good sticks. Way to go gentlmen!

As i am fishing… I would take ANY PM’s or advise… Anyone who knows, realizes I am in a fishing funk…

Of course… “Mega-Bass” = “Mega-Bucks!”

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was this a 6 fish or 5 fish limit?

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6 fish… suppose it would be more impressive had I just said 5, eh?

Thanks, Cade.

I thought that #55 might have been you…

Funny how a son’s desire to “beat” his dad reign’s king, while the father glows as his son outfishes him…

My personal best… thanks for asking. Dad and I placed 7th – bucking the 20+ MPH winds, we stayed in the channel fishing smallies.

I do echo your words on spending time on the water with your ol’ man. Hard to put words to the “specialness” of that time!

Of course, when he outfishes you… there are words that can be found…

Did I see you there?

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Thanks for the update…

Did you run into Brown’s? Water level okay to keep it trimmed up and blow in there? We are planning our annual voyage to Pool 13 in August this year… I’m worried about the downed log at the entrance… wondering if it is still there or not this year?

A Saturday pick-up Tourney… ~12#s – 4 fish… That’s my ol’ man!