JPD

This is one of the examples of a limited edition set that the boys are producing to support a great cause for Shawn's son Chase. They will be creating 10 numbered lures in 6 different designs... they will be Walleye (as seen) blue walleye, bluegill, smallmouth, largemouth and perch. For the collector that loves limited edition fishing related goodies and a great cause this is all of that. I don't think these will last too long once they get them going. JP

That reel is kind of like having a tiller and a console in your boat.. looks pretty cool!

Ben, a well balanced flipping stick will make you a better fisherman. Tip heavy broom poles are not conducive to feeling your bait which on the days where the fish aren't swimming off with your lure will help big time not to mention drastically reduce arm and wrist fatigue. When fishing any soft plastic Texas rigged bait or flipping and pitching a jig, your rod position should be in the 10 -11 o'clock position. This is done for a couple of reasons... firstly it allows you to work the bait through and over the cover more efficiently and secondly will put a bit of slack in your line which is very important when fishing with stiff blanks.. that slack will allow fish to pick up the bait without knowing something is on the other end. This position will also allow you to drop the rod when you feel a bite and slack set on the fish which gives you the most speed, getting that bigger and thicker hook through the bone sections in their mouth. When a flipping stick is very imbalanced it forces you to constantly try and hold the rod tip up with force rather than have a soft, relaxed grip on the combo which allows you to feel what's going on much better. I have gone through more flipping sticks than I can remember trying to find the right one and of the few that I have loved to fish with they all had good balance, a softer tip section and a lot of back bone. Those are the 3 things I look for when picking out a rod for this technique. You will not find one that is completely balanced without some tail weighting but some are drastically lighter than others. Also, one piece flipping sticks are a lot lighter than telescopic models. One thing to also remember is that the longer the rod, the more tip heavy it will naturally be... that's due to the fact that the balance point is further down the rod... unfortunately the only way to combat that is by getting a higher modulus blank which often times means more money. You don't have to blow the bank by any means and you're bang on looking for a medium heavy power. Look for that with a Fast or Extra Fast action and you should be good. My personal recommendation would be a Crucial 7'6" Medium Heavy Extra Fast Rated 10-20 lb line. I used this rod for a number of years and found it to be great value and super durable (actually never broke any that I owned!) but having the Lifetime warranty doesn't hurt either. If you search you will probably find someone selling them for around your price range. One of the best Jig fishermen I know, Jarrod Dean swears by this rod., not a bad guy to take the word of...lol Spool it up with 50-65 lb braid and a 7:1 gear ratio reel and have some fun. Hopefully you have a great year flipping big pigs out of the junk this summer! Best of luck JP

As others have mentioned, Drag size is a big factor. Other things to consider is that with rear drags the pressure on the spool shaft is being done from the back of the reel and the shaft is being pulled down as you apply more drag. The is done with the "t"pin which also allows you to have a quick release spool. Front drags are direct pressure on the spool from the top and now they almost all have micro adjustment so drag pressure can be finely tuned. The other major factor which directly affects the weight of the reel is the fact that they can make the reels smaller with front frag since all of the drag components are housed within the spool. On a rear drag model the spool size is the same but just wasted space. I know that rear drags are far more popular here in Canada than in the US and that's probably the main reason why most manufacturers make so few of them. Shimano has a few models that have them but the highest end one is the Symetre which is the middle of the road reel for their line up. It also still has the fighting drag which I know quite a few people use specifically for fishing jerkbaits. They leave it cranked tight to get a good hook set and then immediately back it off to fight the fish.

Hey Radnine, I've never seen a tupperware shaped like a Plano 3700... I thought Slowpoke asked if they worked or if anyone had experience with them... I'm not sponsored by Berkley nor is my show... all I know is I've seen them, shook them and yup... they work. Sorry for offering some insight and spamming you

Here's a video Mercer did for my show on the product... he shook that thing for quite a while in the Studio and nobody got wet... the seals are tight. Getting School'd Gulp video

Same goes for me. I can cast with either hand but always reel baitcasting with the right and spinning with the left. Whenever I try to reel a baitcaster left handed I end up spinning the rod not the handle! Spinning reels are easier to reel with the opposite hand for some reason... don't ask me why... it just works out that way for me.

If you had to pick two I would go with the following: 6'6" - 7'2" Medium Heavy spinning rod with Fast action - Rated 6-15 or 8-17 lb. Spooled up with 20 lb braid. That will cover tubes, senkos, jerkbaits, even some smaller hard baits 6'9" - 7'2" Medium Heavy Baitcasting combo with fast action - Rated 10-20 lb. Spooled up with 50 lb braid. That will cover flipping, frogging and other cover fishing. Eventually you may want to get more specialized rods and set ups for spinnerbaits, drop shot, jerkbaits etc.. but these two rods would be very usable in most conditions and would be the two I would be happiest to see a non boater with who jumped in with me for the day. When thinking about tackle, you can always talk to your partner for the event and plan what you will be doing. Try to be conscious of the fact that space in some boats is at a premium and 9 times out of 10 a big soft sided bag will not fit in a compartment which means it will be on the floor in front of you. 3 trays for hard baits and terminal tackle and a dozen or so bags of tubes and senkos will be perfect. The mid sized soft tackle storage bags are best for fitting almost anywhere... not the ones that hold 5 - 3700 size Plano trays. Good luck with your search. JP

Sorry to say A2F but finding a good crankbait rod will be difficult in a 2 piece model. The reason is that the ferrule used in making the split will really impede the action required from a good cranking rod which is typically moderate or moderate fast action. That action translates to a more parabolic, deeper flex in the rods which is virtually impossible to achieve with a 3 inch long rigid section in the middle of the blank. Otherwise I would totally recommend the Shimano Compre TC4 Cranking series... As a side note..Compre does have a line of Trolling rods that are telescopic but have a great action and power for throwing bigger cranks, traps and even spinnerbaits... here is the rod model.. CPCTR73MHB - 7'3" Medium Heavy Power, Medium Fast Action, Rated 10-25lb test The rod does have a bit of a longer handle but that really actually helps when casting bigger baits for distance and will shrink down quite a bit when compressed so travel may be easier with this rod. Not many people see these rods unless your into boards and riggers but I have put a few of my buddies on them and they love the rods for reaction baits. JP

Dr. Pretty much hit it on the head... it's really about temperature. LCD screens will not perform as well in super cold temps even though some companies have come out with "cold temp versions". The regular graphs do work well and with the ping speed set high will actually be very comparable to a flasher in regards to "real time" and are easier to interpret for someone who has never used a flasher but I prefer the flasher when ice fishing. The battery lasts a lot longer with a flasher as well since they aren't as power hungry as the bigger graphs. Not really a factor for a day trip but when you go for a few days and have no way to recharge, flashers excel IMO. JP

TJ, keep me informed. I would love to help by donating some prizes for the event. JP

Hey Vinnimon... $50 a month for $8000 value seems rather high to me for boat insurance. I have my boat insured for $40,000 and it only costs me $640 per year... who are you with?

Hellfish, I would highly recommend the STR1163S - 9' 8" rated 6 - 12 for weights 3/8 - 3/4 oz if you are looking to bottom bounce the Niagara. These are from the new Steelhead series that Loomis has come out with. The longer rods will really wreak havoc for you if you are fishing from a boat since it will be very difficult to get the fish in for netting. I have been bottom bouncing the Niagara for a few years now and have tried everything from an 8 footer all the way to a 13" and the longer it got, the harder it was in a boat... I have now settled from 9' to 10' max and this rod has a bunch of power but is still "soft" enough to allow the fish to take the rod down when they grab the bait. Should retail for around the $400 mark... with a Ci4 you should be able to get both for around $700 if not better. That will be one sweet combo for sure! JP

I have had very good success with BPS 100% fluoro, P-Line 100% fluoro and Berkley 100% fluoro. The real trick I have found with fluorocarbon line is if you are using it on a spinning reel, try not to go beyond 8 lb test and if you do choose to use 8 or even 10 then every so often (2 or 3 times per day) you should cut your bait off and let your line out behind the boat while the boat is moving to remove the twist... the biggest problems occur due to line twisting techniques like in-line spinners and drop shotting. The line twist when left unmaintained will cause the dreaded blow off your spool. On the other hand when used on a baitcaster, the majority of these problems are greatly decreased. The remaining problems often deals with line memory but a good stretching after a long lapse in fishing time will solve that with most lines. For me the bonuses of fluorocarbon far outweigh the negatives... having less stretch, virtual invisibility and better abrasion resistance is worth it IMO JP

Hey Mike, of course I'm wearing a FOF shirt!!! They look great! lol

Congrats to you and the Misses Lew! Enjoy, you have worked long and more than hard enough to deserve this. JP

BTW.... I am NOT for HST... I know we are all going to get it hard and dry but I am trying to dig up the exact details with little to no success on a comprehensive list... typical of our fearless leaders I guess...

Here's some more regarding removing the hidden PST... * * Email * Print * Share Eliminating Hidden Taxes Currently, PST (also called RST) is applied at every step in the creation of a product. Those multiple PST charges are embedded in the price you pay at the store – even though you can't see it. And of course, you pay PST on the final purchase price. Here's an example of how PST is hidden in the cost of a suit jacket. Under the current system, taxes are paid at every step in production and passed on to consumers. Under the proposed HST system, most of those embedded costs are removed and savings can be passed on: Current RST System: RST is paid on items at each stage of the supply chain; this becomes part of the cost to the next consumer. 8% RST charged on raw materials: supplies, furniture, vehicles + 8% RST charged on manufacturing: office supplies, desks, chairs + 8% RST charged on transportation: trucks, tires, maintenance, cell phones + 8% RST charged on retail operations: forklifts, signs and shelves = Embedded RST + 8% RST + 5% GST. Under the Harmonized Sales Tax, the HST is generally rebated at each stage of the supply chain, so it's not passed on to the consumer.

Here's a bit of insight on some of the exempt items... still a bit fuzzy in my eyes.. More Point-Of-Sale Exemptions for Ontario HST November 12, 2009 11:05 AM The 2009 Budget proposed a comprehensive package of tax changes to create jobs and attract new investment. Central to this tax package is the proposed Harmonized Sales Tax (HST). Subject to legislative approval, the HST would come into effect on July 1, 2010. The proposed HST rate for Ontario would be 13 per cent - combining the existing five per cent federal Goods and Services Tax (GST) with an eight per cent provincial component. ADDITIONAL POINT-OF-SALE REBATES (EXEMPTIONS) In addition to the point-of-sale rebates of the provincial component of the HST proposed in the 2009 Budget, the government intends to provide further targeted sales tax relief for consumers. Additional point-of-sale rebates from the eight per cent provincial component of the HST are proposed for the following: * Print newspapers that contain news, editorials, feature stories or other information of interest to the general public, and that are published at regular intervals, typically on a daily, weekly or monthly basis, but not flyers, inserts, magazines, periodicals and shoppers. * Qualifying prepared food and beverages that are ready for immediate consumption and are sold for a total price (for all qualifying items purchased, excluding HST), of not more than $4.00. Qualifying items would include: o food or beverages heated for consumption; o salads; o sandwiches and similar products; o platters of cheese, cold cuts, fruit or vegetables and other arrangements of prepared food; o cakes, muffins, pies, pastries, tarts, cookies, doughnuts, brownies, croissants with sweetened filling or coating, or similar products where they are not prepackaged for sale to consumers and are sold as single servings in quantities of less than six; o ice cream, ice milk, sherbet, frozen yoghurt or frozen pudding, non-dairy substitutes for any of the foregoing, or any product that contains any of the foregoing, when hand-scooped or machine dispensed and sold in single servings; o other food items that are excluded from zero-rated GST/HST treatment as basic groceries solely by virtue of the types of sales made at the establishment where they are sold, such as the sale of a bagel or a plain croissant in a restaurant; o non-carbonated beverages, when dispensed at the place they are sold; or o when sold with a qualifying food item listed above: other beverages except if the cans, bottles or other primary containers in which they are sold contain a quantity exceeding a single serving; cakes, muffins, pies, pastries, tarts, cookies, doughnuts, brownies, croissants with sweetened filling or coating, or similar products where they are pre-packaged for sale to consumers in quantities of less than six items each of which is a single serving; ice cream, ice milk, sherbet, frozen yoghurt or frozen pudding, non-dairy substitutes for any of the foregoing, or any product that contains any of the foregoing, when packaged and sold in single servings; or other snack foods, such as chips, salted nuts, popcorn, candies, fruit bars, granola bars, etc. * Wine, spirits, beer, malt liquor or other alcoholic beverages would not be a qualifying beverage for the purpose of the point-of-sale rebate of the Ontario component of the HST. DETAILS ON POINT-OF-SALE REBATES (EXEMPTIONS) The 2009 Budget proposed to provide targeted relief for consumers on the provincial component of the HST on many items important to Ontario families by providing point-of-sale rebates for books, children's clothing, children's footwear, children's car seats and car booster seats, diapers and feminine hygiene products. The following information provides additional details for consumers and retailers: * Books, including: o a printed book or an update of a printed book, o an audio book (i.e., all or substantially all of which is a spoken reading of a printed book), o a bound or unbound printed version of a scripture of any religion, o a printed book and a read-only medium (e.g., CD-ROM) whose content is related and integrated with the book's content and when sold together as a single package, o a printed book and a read-only medium and/or a right to access a website when sold together as a single package, and if specifically designed for students enrolled in a qualifying course, such as educational courses of elementary or secondary schools. * Children's clothing designed for babies,, girls and boys up to and including girls' Canada Standard Size 16 and boys' Canada Standard Size 20, or clothing designated for girls and boys in sizes small, medium or large if the clothing does not have a designated Canada Standard Size. Children's clothing eligible for the exemption would not include costumes or clothing like sports protective equipment. These are the rules that exist for current PST exemption, and are similar to other provinces with these exemptions. * Children's footwear designed for babies and girls and boys up to and including girls' size 6 and boys' size 6, including footwear without a numerical size that is designated for girls or boys in size small, medium or large. Children's footwear eligible for the exemption would not include skates, rollerblades, ski-boots, footwear that has cleats, or similar footwear. These are similar to conditions that exist in other provinces that have a similar exemption. * Children's car seats and car booster seats that are restraint systems or booster cushions that conform with Transport Canada's safety requirements for Standards 213, 213.1, 213.2 and 213.5, as described under the federal Motor Vehicle Safety Act. * Diapers, including cloth and disposable diapers designed for babies and children, and diaper inserts and liners, rubber pants and training pants. Incontinence products would be zero-rated under HST, in accordance with current GST rules. * Feminine hygiene products, including sanitary napkins, tampons, sanitary belts or other products marked exclusively for purposes similar to the purposes for which sanitary napkins, tampons and sanitary belts are marketed. ELIMINATING HIDDEN TAX Replacing the provincial sales tax would help eliminate the hidden sales tax that many products carry. Currently the PST is charged on various business costs throughout the production of an item. This hidden tax is ultimately added into the cost the consumer pays at the cash register. Under the proposed HST, most taxes paid on business inputs would be refunded to the business -- savings that can be passed on to consumers in the form of lower prices. Visit www.ontario.ca/taxchange for an illustrative example of hidden taxes.

Wow, that's a fairly harsh assessment there smalliefisher... have you actually used one or better yet broken one? The Ci4 is Carbon INTERFUSION and has been very well tested since they have been making rear derailleurs with the material for a while now... last time I checked reinforced Carbon Fiber would be a good thing in a reel since the last thing I want when dealing with direct pressure during fights and trying to keep gears in place is flex. Ci4 is over one and a half times stronger than the normal graphite Shimano uses in their reels and is over 20% lighter and since there is no metal in the material it is completely perfect for saltwater use. The tolerances on the reel are more than great for the price point of it and after speaking with Jeremy Sweet at iCast I came to understand why this reel was developed and then brought to the North American market. Even though it is classified as a finesse reel I have punished it this fall running 15 lb braided line with fluoro leaders for smallies since that is the best way to see what the product is capable of. The reel has well over 200 fish caught and they weren't finessed at all I highly doubt there are many people who are as hard on their gear as I am since the reels get pounded in my boat during rough water days and bounce around in the rod locker quite a bit and I am a little less than gentle with the hook sets and I have yet to notice any marring or performance issues with the Ci4. This is not because I am sponsored by Shimano either.... I have been using their product for as long as I can remember and have come to trust them... I enjoy hearing what people think about new products and constructive criticism helps the manufacturers get even better but to slam a new product and warn people to stay away from it is a bit much. JP

Sorry for the late response Roy, was at a Christmas Party last night...lol The Ci4's are everything that was great about the Stradic and Stradic MgFb from last year, Paladin Gearing, Aero Wrap II, Waterproof Drag, S-ARB bearings, yada yada yada... the only differences between them is the Material of the frame (Ci4 vs Aluminum, graphite and Magnesium) and the handle which is made with a EVA foam... I have heard mixed reviews on the handle, I like it but I also really like the paddle handle on the 3000 size reels. These reels even have a very impressive line capacity for the 2500 size holding 200 yards of 6 lb test. The biggest difference is in the weight since it is 2.2 ounces lighter than the MgFB which it replaces and the price actually stayed the same or came down a bit in some instances. I really don't think you'll be disappointed if you give them a shot Roy! Oh ya... it looks great as well JP

Glad to help out TJ, you're a good man for doing stuff like this (despite what others might say ) Huge kudos to Dave Mercer and all the OFC members for once again proving that when it comes to generosity you guys and gals are in a class of your own! JP

Great looking fish Kevin... congrats!

I know exactly where you're coming from right now... we put our 13 year old Springer Spaniel down one month ago today. Never an easy decision to make but you absolutely did the right thing. JP

I have been dealing with Jocylen for years and have never heard that from anyone that I have sent there Fish4Eyes... very uncharacteristic since I know from experience what Jocylen does for his customers. It's the reason he's so busy even though he's out in the boons.