fisherboy

I use a Daiwa Cielo dropshot rod. But it's a specialized rod with a very soft titanium tip and is probably useless for other purposes.

I actually had a lot of problems with PP 8lb wrapping around the guides, when I jig (sometimes over-zealously) with my spinning rod... Never tried the Suffix though but I likely won't after reading this post.

Only the dropshot models of Crucial have split grips. All others have full cork grips. You can't really go wrong with either Crucial or Avid. They are very similar in terms of price, quality and durability. I use both and love them both. One thing I've found about the Crucial is that they are very strong for its weight and profile. There were many times when I thought my Crucial would break (snagged bottom, fish went under the boat etc), but it didn't. Crucial tends to have a smaller grip, while Avid's tends to be slightly bigger. But it's a really minor difference. Get whatever is cheaper! Premier is a totally different class from Avid or Crucial. IMO, it's even worse than Compre. Don't bother. For action, I recommend H power if you like fishing largemouth in heavy cover a lot. That's pretty much the only time you would feel that MH is not enough (unless you use large swimbaits). All other times, MH should suffice as long as you are fishing in open water or when the weed is not really thick. Now for muskie, you could use an H bass rod if you're casting only micro lures. I fish the Kawarthas mostly, and I find that most of the muskie come on the smaller lures rather than the big jerkbaits. So you probably will do ok with an H bass rod. You can still horse the muskie in if you use a strong reel and heavy braid.

I have a 6'6" casting model. I have no problem with the rod itself. But I am not a fan of the minimalist reel seat and the thin foam grip. Yes I'm touching the blank all the time. But I find it overall too thin to have a good grip. I have to pair the rod with a higher seated reel so that I can have a good trip.

It ultimately depends on your budget. Clarus is a good choice if you're spending up to only $100. I would also compare it to the Tierra flipping stick, which is cheaper but has good quality too. Shimano has better warranty though. The newer Clarus A (and even Convergence) all have life time warranty. I personally find that the Clarus too heavy to handle all day. Esp a 7'6" H power one. I personally would look into a higher end model that is lighter and more sensitive, unless you only occasionally fish with it (then weight is less a concern). I know the Crucial is double the price of a Clarus but IMO has higher value overall. Also in the same price range are the St Croix Avid, Daiwa Zillion, Kistler Argon etc. All great rods for their prices.

Is weight a concern? If you want something in the sub-8oz territory for under $100, your best bet is Caenan. No need to think further. I personally don't think that Citica is worth paying the difference. It's not a high end reel. I seldom catch fish big enough to really "need" a metal frame. It's more of a marketing scheme for companies to lure bass fishermen to buy metal frame reels. Now of course if you're into bigger species or even saltwater fishing, it's a different story. If weight is less of a concern, I would also look at the Revo S or SX. MSRP of these reels are higher than Caenan, but you can usually get a new one off Ebay for less than $100. Another choice is the Cabela's Prodigy. Same as the older Daiwa Advantage. I have seen them on sale for only about $70. Having said that, I think the best value stuff really comes at around the $200 mark. Curado and Revo STX are my favourites in that price range.

Does Charleston Lake have a section that is motor boat free? If yes, don't be afraid to paddle a canoe into these areas. I usually find these areas have less fishing pressure and therefore more productive. You can also troll for laker with a 3-way setup, esp from a canoe. Way more fun using light tackle than a downrigger/lead core line setup.

I'm probably way off here. But did you check whether the line was caught between the spool and the frame? I have had that happen to me on my Scorpion a couple of times. The thin line just got trapped somewhere in the groove, and this stopped the retrieve completely as if something was locked up. Obviously once the line was pulled out, the reel is back to normal. Just one thing to check next time you encounter the same problem.

I second ChrisK. For walleye fishing (primarily), why use a leader? Just use 8lb or 6lb test main line, and tie directly to your lure or rig. You don't mess up the lure action this way. Now if you hook into a pike, you'll take a chance. I personally would take that risk, simply because a leader of >10lb test would really diminish your chance of catching walleye, esp if the feeding mood is kinda neutral.

Try here: http://www.atplayadventures.com/ I'll be staying there the first week of August. Never really fished that area before. Would appreciate any fishing related info. I'm into all kinds of fishing: bass, walleye, pike, or even steelhead and salmon if I have to troll the Great Lake using downriggers!

I agree with all the responses above. I think the OP may be referring to me. At one point, I had >20 items listed on the classified section. There are still quite a few left. I buy stuff when they are on sale, thinking that they are nice to have and the prices are right. But then after a while, I realize I don't really need all these things. So I'm really glad that there is a secondary market for them. I usually offer to sell at reasonably low prices so that it's a win win for everyone. Most are very high quality gears. And I try to be very clear about the condition if I have used it even just once or twice. Impulse shopping is definitely a problem with me. The biggest joy for me is the time I bring home a new toy and play around with it. But then after a few weeks, the novelty wears off and the Visa bill comes. Of course I usually only buy stuff at good prices. So that if I need to sell them off, I can at least break even. But I would hardly call it a side business to make money, because the $10 or $20 you "earn" here and there (if there is) hardly justifies the effort. I view it as more of a hobby -- like collecting stamps! When I was in Japan a few months ago, I encountered and bought a whole bunch of interesting reels (which would otherwise be inaccessible from here, or at least way more expensive). Obviously I bought way too many. As a result, I needed to sell off some of them, although I still kept most of the stuff I like for my personal enjoyment. Now as far as how many rods I actually own, I'm sure there are many here who have way more. I try to balance the buy/sell activities so that I have about 60 at any time. Whether I use all of them is another matter. But hay it's just a hobby!

I picked up a 6' Daiko Alkey light action 2-pc spinning rod at Gagnon Sports. At first I was very skeptical about the quality, given that it costs only $10 (on sale). But after catching fish from crappie to muskie in the last few weeks, I found that it has decent quality, is reasonably sensitive, and feels quite good in my hand. I'm sure some OFNers here must have also bought these rods during the yard sale. I saw some people bought 10+ of them! The rod is made in Japan and the package says the MSRP is ~11,000 yen, which is about $140 these days. Daiko used to be one of the top blank producers in Japan. Alkey is probably one of their lowest end models. I also have a 1-pc 5'6" ML version and it caught me a 5lb 5oz walleye on Sat. Their ML rods seem stiffer and more powerful than other ML rods on the market though. More like a medium. I don't think there is any Shimano light action rod that is 2-pc and under 6'6". I don't like their ultra light rods in general -- too whippy. See if you like the Avid, Premier or Triumph 60LF2 or Loomis TSR (I don't like any of them either -- all too whippy). I have a Rapala Magnum 5'6" 2-pc light action, and I find the action just right. And it's very cheap at around $25. But it has problem at the ferrule -- the tip section often comes off when making a cast. I also like the Fenwick Techna AV 6' L, but it only comes in 1 piece and it's discontinued anyway. The HMG still has a 5'3" L version, but only 1-piece. I personally think that there is a gap in the light action rod department for all the major rod manufacturers out there. I have been trying to find a good 5'6" to 6' L rod without much success. The Daiko will do it for me, for now.

Thanks Terry. I have a 17' aluminum boat with double windshield. I don't think it can go under the bridge which if I recall correctly has very low clearance. I think I better go with the marina you mentioned. This is on the West Holland River right? I think there are also a couple of marinas on the East Holland River (Soldiers Bay Marine, Holland River Marina etc). In general, is the East or West better with crappie fishing?

Can someone tell me where exactly is this launch please? Is it free to use and is there parking? Thanks in advance.