i use braid and like longer rods, 7ft is the shortest ive taken up there in years. when i take a dedicated trolling rod (line counter) instead of multi purposing a baitcaster or spinning, its 9ft. i do use a 6ft 12# mono leader for trolling.

to me, rod holders are a must, but i own my canoe, so they are mounted permanently. having them mounted securely where they are easily accessible is quite important to me. ive never had a fish hit and questioned whether it was a fish or not, its always a ruckus.

im a big fan of lures that dart and have an erratic action on their own. hot n tots are my favorite. they hook well, have great colors and have great action. the rapala scatter series, especially the taildancers, are also great. i still pluck my line occasionally to get the extra darting in the lure.

for jigging i like big hair jigs, 1/2-3/4oz.