kemper

That's a lot to ask from a single rod. "Float" rods are designed to allow for light leads, and pier chuckers aren't for the most part. I'm not saying that the two are mutually exclusive, but if its at all in the budget you might consider two rods instead of one. I have a stable of sticks, and probably could set you up with an entry level float rod for very cheap. PM me if you are interested.

Have you ever slipped on the bank and landed on your rod/reel? Usually this is the only thing that will bend the shaft on a pin, especially a solid one like an islander. I did it to an old raven matrix and the barely spun at all anymore...

I don't think they are pressed in - if I remember correctly Islander uses Loc-tite to secure them. If you're careful you should be able to pop them out using some type of dowel that will spread the force of tapping them out on the outer ring. In case I'm wrong, you probably want another opinion.

Forget how many minutes it spins for because that means nothing on the river, how does it fish? If it really bugs you, pull the bearings and degrease them then put a tiny amount of sewing machine oil on each. Problem most likely solved.

Pretty easy to transport invasive species from one body of water to another if you're not extremely careful. I've always trapped my minnows from the same lake that I was fishing in, that way anything I'm tossing into the lake was already there and I don't have to worry about it.

I'd never buy waders used, almost every pair of waders develops a leak at some point in their life and that's usually when they go up for sale. If there's one thing I've learned about gear in the last few years its to buy the best quality gear you can possibly afford even if it means waiting for a while. I spent 5 or so years burning through cheap equipment and being cold and wet all the time. This year I bit the bullet and upgraded everything and I'm warm and dry every single day on the water. Changes everything.

Those look dynamite. I haven't been using jigs enough lately, but I've run out of roe and I think I'll just fish the season out without it. Some of those guys are in my near future at the vice, I think. If I can stop tying spey flies that is...

Also have a new build in the works to tone it down a touch when I'm not on the big water... stay tuned for that one.

I was straightening hooks, until I went to the octopus strong. Problem is, they just aren't great and a lot of fish come unbuttoned after 5-10 seconds. If I really try to fight the fish carefully I bank most of them, but the fight is so much better when you really put the boots to them on heavy equipment. Next experiment is those Kamassans. Sorry for the hijack Mike.

I'm still searching for the right hook. I should have mentioned that my landing record is absolutely awful this season. I'm hooking more fish than ever before, but pulling a ton of hooks. Might be simply that I'm not so worried about landing them anymore, and most fish are on full lockdown as soon as theyre hooked up? What I'm trying to say is I've been on a terminal tackle search ever since I went to the XST 3 piece for bigger water. I finally found a lead that I like, that seems to stand up to the abuse I give it, but hooks are still a challenge.

I believe (could be wrong) it's more about the eggs carrying disease

I believe you're correct, but there are many different levels of "cured". If Pautzke or the likes has touched the eggs, I don't want them.

I've been in that place before, when I was working a summer job in highschool delivering beer to a karaoke bar upstairs. The owner of the bar (a kid, MAYBE 21-22) tried to pay us off in cash at significantly less than the final bill. After convincing him that we were NOT, in fact, and illegal liquor operation (I guess the branded delivery truck didn't give it away?) he took us downstairs to our fish selling friend here that ultimately wrote the cheque for him. My guess is that most of the operations in that joint are shady...

As long as you can find roe that isn't cured, its (for the most part) all the same stuff. I haven't had any roe in the fridge for a couple weeks now, I thought it would be tougher than it is. With beads, worms, bugs, jigs, etc all available in a million varieties I'm finding less of a use for roe. That said, I've also been trying to make the sport more challenging by taking up swinging flies. Some days I want nothing more than to tie up a million bags, sling them all day and bring a parade to the bank. Other days I'm perfectly content washing spey flies.

I can't speak for Mike, but I've been running almost the same rig this year and I've only found a few that will stand up. Gammy Octopus in size 6 or better, and Raven Octopus Strong also in 6 or better.

I'll continue to stand IN it until it gets to 32F, at that point I retire because I hate standing ON water.

Not bad, I guess.

Criminal negligence causing death? Sorry, sounds like Murder II to me. Anyone who is willing to pull the trigger because they "think" they saw/heard a deer is a liability to society. This should remind anyone who fishes in areas where hunters may be present (many of us river anglers) that we need to wear bright colours, preferably orange. You never know when the next idiot might mistake you for a deer.

Some fish suspend all the time, that's why I hate when people say "if you aren't hitting bottom sometimes you aren't on the fish". When I step into a new hole I always start my rig 3-4 feet ABOVE where I think the bottom is, and move down from there until I find the sweet spot. That said, there are some places where I will purposely run a very short lead (2 feet?) in deeper water (5-6-7ft) because I know the fish suspend there.

I think I went to the Mike Borger school of trout fishing

Small ones are almost always unnecessary. Even in the slowest and most clear water I've found no noticeable difference in hookups by running a tiny little clear float. My entire rig is gorilla sized, you will also never see me run lead below 7.5lb, or hooks smaller than a 10 (and even 10's are rare for me) Not always. I like to make it easy for myself, heavy rigs cast far and they cast easy. I don't mean tight to the point of not spinning, I just mean tighter than spinning for hours on it's own. In the waters you fish, I still run a 10g float and as much shot as it will handle. Believe me, you get some funny looks when you sling a 12g rig anywhere out East but they stop as soon as fish start coming to the bank. I know I sound like a broken record, but these aren't perch we're fishing for. They're big, aggressive, carnivorous, predators. In my experience (limited compared to many here) I've found that any fish I miss out on because of a heavy rig I make up for and then some BECAUSE of the heavy rig once I'm hooked up.

Thanks for that Mike, looks like the trip of a lifetime. I've had the same one on my radar for a while now, would love to share a drift and bend your ear sometime this fall.

I've always wondered about this obsession with a reel the spins for 3 hours... I actually crank the pin down on my reel so it spins SLOWER. Then again, my rig almost never sees a float less than 10g so I don't worry about the start-up.

Already been a long morning. Want to drift Bronte this afternoon? Haha

I've been waiting for this one Mike, I'll post a reply when I have time to sit down a read/view it properly.