Fully armed with some of my favorites from Drew Estates like the Kuba Kuba or my favorite Drew Estate Natural Series Dirt Torpedo!

Garlic, it really seems to help and cut down the length of nagging colds for me.

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I work with flamable gases and I’ve seen many different accidental ignitions. At $2.66 a bottle, it’s not worth it. There’s a reason they say, no refill. But, it’s your a..!

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My buddy watched his $600 Otter burn up over a refill. How does that figure into your cost savings? He was checking a tip up. Turned around and fire was already pretty active in the corner of his house. He luckily got his flasher out and we got water from a bunch of buckets but it trashed his skin of his house to no repair. I see that chance alone as not worth my effort. I hate spending money, but it will cost me much more to have it ruin something than to suck it up and pay for a bottle.

Not any safe ice in SW Mn or NW Iowa. And with 50’s over the weekend ill be happy to be at the ice show, whining a bit too.

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Chris,

That looks like a Wiggler (Mayfly Larvae)

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X2 i catch a lot of late ice pannies that are stuffed with them

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Well there you go!! A trout fisherman I am not. The mayfly larvea apparently are out in February!?! Geez is that a long wait until the July appearance on Rainy Lake.

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Most Hex nymphs actually spend around 2 years in the lake bottom mud before they ascend to the surface and metamorphose into a dun. Then withn 24 hours or so, they metamorphose into the adult mayfly, that most of us see them as.

-Munchy

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Thanks for the ID Rod!

Look like the 6

I got to handle one in Sioux Falls this weekend. I want to see one rip through ice before I decide what or if I buy new.

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although I have a pair of almost every “new” reel for this year, I still agree, the stem isnt giving me the “Oh my gosh, I need to switch all me reels to raised foot reels” feeling. I run the okumas as well and love them. the winning key for the EC and 6061 for me is the multiplier rather than the raised foot. I do like that feature.

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To make it clear, I fish in pretty shallow water, the multiplier to me is not a big issue. If I get deeper than 10 feet it’s fairly rare.

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well said, looks like i’m picking up the Otter hitch this weekend

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I think it’s a wise decision.

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Couldn’t agree more!

This little box is inexpensive and will do the trick. Custom Jigs N Spins jig box click here

The stiff tension of a draw bar will prevent fishtailing, and a possible twist and roll. I have seen too many times the sling shot effect or wrap around smash of a rope. Get rigid, it will save you time and likely damage to your sled and fish house sled too. I know many who have welded thier own, but I don’t have those skills. So I purchased mine through Otter.

I still can’t get past my original straight line reels. I use Okuma 2/3 fly reels and they are fantastic and at a price point that’s there and these are proven. Plus I am having a hard time with the drop down “stem” or “arm” on the mount of these. It’s gonna take some hard talking to get my Okuma’s out of my hand.

I actually do a few different things. I fish almost exclusively plastic. I may get a puck full of Euro’s a year but that’s it. I have several checkbook sized snap down lid boxes that I put them in. Several companies make them. I also use little storage compartment pocket cases for my jigs. I usually fish with 2.5 or 3mm fiska’s Skandia or the small gill pills, I keep a few of those in each little case as well as my standards in plastic, white, red, black and pink. I have ratso, wedgies, and micro nuggies. I keep those standards in every suit I own, every portable I have and a spare in the counsil of my truck. I have at least 7 around. they are small, can hold quite a bit of product and jigs when you fish that small. I buy a pkg or two of tails, and a jig or two every time I stop at a bait shop, 5-10 bucks quite often is easier than 100 at a crack. Although my last plastic order a week ago to start the season was just over 100. Once you use them, find what works, often times we buy more than what we need, I have found the odd colors only work at odd times, so I stick now mostly to the basics and have very good returns. Get several small billfold or checkbook sized plastic cases and you will be just fine.

As Northlander said the Otter Caddy is right on, you can store plenty of goodies, jig boxes etc. in there as well, then pull out bring in the house or Hotel, pop right back in the house the next day and ready to rock! And nice deep pop holders which also substitute for a good cell holder!

First let me tell you that you will NOT be “downgrading”. Let’s get that out there right away. As for which one to chose, the Wild or the Pro. That is something for you to decide. I have the Pro Series, because I use it alot, I also have come to know that I can trust my Otter, and I know that my investment in it will last me quite some time. The Otter Pro sled is one of the most durable and long lasting sleds you will find. I have owned the others, I have tested them to find their failures. I UPGRADED years ago and use Otter’s today. Good fishing.

My gear, checked, tested, ready. Batteries charged, tested, ready. New reels rigged, ready. The ultimate forgotten test is the test of how many hours on ice will the wife allow? That is the true test.