Fishing Forum

hey everyone.. im upgrading all of my current gear from general intermediate level gear up to something a bit more serious... im thinking ill make the rod myself...

i tend to go for larger stuff.. like the larger bass, walleye, definitely northern pike, etc.. and i tend to lure fish more than bait

ive been thinking about going for a baitcasting reel, though i dont have much experience with them, they seem to have a feel of greater durability to them.. i hear people complain about tangling the lines with those, but all ive talked to had no idea how to setup the brake on it..

so im not sure if i should go for a baitcasting reel, or if i should stick with the style i use now, but obviously get a higher quality model (i use spinning reels now)

ive also started making my own lures, usually crankbaits since i prefer those most...

umm, for the boat this is where im very , i usually do not fish alone, but with a group..

so i was thinking of either a plywood jon boat with a front and rear deck installed with tackle storage and maybe a livewell built into that..
a pontoon boat that would be about the same length and width as the jon boat
or a couple individual single-person watercrafts, such as kayak or the single seat pontoon boats.. but ive never fished with the other two...

so if someone has any input on any of this, especially the boat decision i would love to hear their opinions or ideas
[signature]

stay away from plywood boats, when the glue gets wet the plywood falls apart.

presure treated plywood is just to heavy to be of any use.

we have a tube board you may want to check out, they talk about single person float tubes, single person toons, stay away from the paddle boat style toons because of the winds. you will only be able to use it under colm conditions.

I agree, stay away from plywood. Aluminum would be the way to go for small boats and you can get them at a good price. Baitcasters are more accurate. I never took the time to learn how to use them and should have. Any rig is more durable if a good grade is bought. Price does equal quality in reels.
[signature]

I recently just upgraded my tackle. Went from walmart spinning reels, and got myself a abu garcia silver max baitcaster. I learned how to use if fairly quickly but im not perfect with it and i still get occasional backlashes. But they are worth it. You can use heavier lines and lures without having to buy a huge spinning reel. when i spool my baitcaster i spool it half mono and half braid. So that the braid doesnt dig in. Backlashes can get annoying but if you know how to clear them they arent a big worry. I have actually caught fish while my senko was deadsticking on the bottom while i was clearing a backlash. But, baitcasters are worth the time and effort to learn how to use them. Make sure you dont make the mistake i did and start off with a really cheap baitcaster due to the fact they arent made very well. I would say 70-100 dollars should get you a great starter baitcaster.
[signature]