Steve Carney

The low water in Minnesota this season has created havoc for many anglers as they are discovering hazards that they didn’t know existed. Thankfully I haven’t had any serious problems navigating the low water, but I did blunder backing my boat into the garage. I chalk such situations up to “stuff happens!” Most of us have an apron near our concrete garage slab and unfortunately I had my outboard down too low and I took an inch off the “skeg” – that’s the fin extending below the prop.

Through the years I have used probably a dozen brands of reels ranging in price from $50 to $175, and few have impressed me. The problem with the modern spinning reels of today is that they are made overseas and the quality is not made for serious longevity.