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Nice day at Great East fish were on and off the beds including this 6lber

8 lbs 8 ozs on an 8" weedless hudd. Dedicated to Kirke, a friend of mine.

Invisi-Shad?

A common practice for me is a hose rinse after each outing as I mostly fish saltwater, in essence it isn't much different than getting the reel wet from rain. I know fishermen that just put their reels in a bucket of freshwater to rinse them down. My reels get serviced or oiled only when they need it, my freshwater reels that are used 12 months a year, get no special treatment other than a drop of oil maybe 2-3 times a year, they still perform as new. IMO a real worth it's salt (excuse the pun) should be made to fish in the harshest of conditions, my wife kills plants with too much kindness and that could be said said for more reel maintenance than is really needed. Dunking is a different story, the water may contain sand. There is a thread going on now about a reel binding when it's wet, that should not happen. We don't always fish in perfect weather conditions and the equipment should be built to take it.

I'll start with the bent handles. It has nothing to do with Daiwa- they had nothing to do with inventing it. The bent handles move the center of mass of the reel inward, as well as torque, and change the drag star clearance. Shimano doesn't need to do any of these because of the configuration, therefor there is no need of the bent handle. EVA knobs would be far less durable, or comfortable, than the septon grips that Shimano uses already. Shimano does utilize promotions from time to time, however, a large part of the reason those promotions are run are to get people to buy the product for the free stuff you're giving away. When you are already one of the top selling mfrs in a category, people are already familiar with the product and there usually isn't great need to sweeten the deal, if you will, to make people take the plunge. Yes they could gain a small marketshare by doing so, but the benefit would far be outweighed by the cost. Secondly, Shimano fishing operates wholly on its own, when compared to Pure Fishing's brand umbrella. Yes, the performance of the individual is considered, but the umbrella of profi is the driving force behind Pure Fishing. It covers the entire sector, so to speak.

shimano and daiwa are fierce rivals in japan, with each trying to position themself as the leader in innovation. bent handles are a daiwa innovation which other companies quickly copied for themselves. shimano probably doesn't want to give a tip of the cap to daiwa, although the new JDM shimano metanium features a new ever-so-slightly curved handle which they don't say anything about in the sales literature. shimano has their own proprietary knob material called septon, the most unique thing about is that it remains tacky even when wet. the only advantages of EVA foam are that it is light and inexpensive and some people like the way it looks but it does not wear well and looks terrible after exposure to salt. shimano's "thing" has never really been about weight...rather smoothness and reliability. why no sales or promos? marketing position and pereception, mainly. top tier companies work hard to build their image and to maintain their premium status and don't often have sales or promos because that dilutes their their brand and their ability to charge premium prices. yamamoto baits is another company that has done an excellent job with this...in the face of hundreds of copycats, they're still able to sell a ton of senkos at top-tier prices.

I got home the other day from work and there was a package at the door..... Thought it was some parts for my boat that I ordered. As I'm walking in the door I knew what I was going to be doing for the next few hours............ Installing my new parts.... I opened the package and the was an letter on the top of the package, I unfolded it and started reading. We appreciate your interest in becoming part of the Lake Fork Trophy (LFT) family. We will review your resume and qualifications. As you can imagine, we receive many request and we do our best to review all of these in a timely manner. We will contact you if there is a current need in your area. If there is not a current need, we will keep all requests on file for future considerations. Again, thank you for your interest in LFT Lures. As I was reading this I thought to myself man my first letter and they took the time to read and reply with a generic letter, but still they still took the time to read it, that's all that matters now.... I continue reading the letter as there was more to it..... The above is what I usually send to applicants, but your letter caught my attention. Although I take all pro-staff orders I'm usually not the one who makes the final decision on who gets added. But I'm going to add you anyway. Our pro-staff get % off all LFT products and % off anything else. If there is something that you would like to try out let me know and I will get your free samples. Send me updates and info on how you are doing and promoting LFT. I don't expect you to use LFT exclusively since we are not paying you, but the more you help us the more we can help you. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns... Thank you and welcome to Lake Fork Tackle.... at the bottom of the box 15 bags of all types of there baits to add to the current ones that I have.... Now I was thinking that my first letter not only got looked at by someone but it also got a very good reply.... I was very excited for myself at this moment, Its a start to a long dream that I have had... I have taken 5 straight years into planning and reading to put my approach and finial letter together.... Thank you for anyone that has taken the time to read and had out some constructive knowledge on my other post, this feeling that I have is also a large part of the ones who took the time to help out..... Thank you!!!

I don't know if it's just my local Walmart or not but all yum soft plastics are 1.50 a bag. At my store they had them all in a bin marked $1.50, I checked the price to make sure and sure enough they were. Bought waaay more than I probably need but can't be too careful. Hope it's the same with y'all's walmarts too!

I am looking to start flippin/pitchin this year. I am looking to get a rod for this set up, but I am unsure what size, power and action type to get. Anyone who can help with some info thanks in advanced.

Braid, braid and braid On your spinning reel, I can't think of anything else that is eaiser to maintain, smoother and over all makes the day a good one

He needs the water bottle to balance himself

Welcome to the dark side I guess...

Walleye will hang out in deeper water during the day and come into the shallows at night. At night, jerk baits worked in the shallows are a great way to catch them. During the daytime using a bottom bouncer or a lindy rig will produce fish. Walleye are great eating fish and a lot of fun to catch. They do tend to school up during the day and will usually be right on the bottom so if you hook into one during the day keep working the area because he will probably have friends with him.

Bottom bouncers are actually just a weight on a wire with a swivel you attach a leader to so you can get your bait close to the bottom while trolling slowly. We use them a lot in the summer during the day to get deep where the walleye hang out until they move in shallow at night. A lot of people will drag artificials behind their BB rigs but the most productive set-up I have ever used is with live bait. We use about a 3-5 ft leader behind the BB with a slow death hook and about half a night crawler and the eyes jump all over it. A slow death hook is a hook with a slight bend in it that makes the crawler spin in a sort of death roll while it is being trolled along. Very slow speeds (less than 1 mph) and keeping the BB in contact with the bottom is key. If you do a youtube search for bottom bouncing and slow death presentations you will find several videos. Whether you use artificials or live bait, a bottom bouncer rig is hard to beat for catching walleye during daylight hrs.

I'll clean'em as Traveler stated then lightly coat them with boiled linseed oil.

Imho anything above 3/0 on a 4inch fluke is overkill. I feel you are sacraficing action. If the op is missing that many fish, it could probably be a technique issue vs tackle issue. Are you anticipating the strike when you see the fish attempting to take the bait? If so, that could be your culprit. You can be setting the hook prematurely. Another possibility is that the bass are juvenile and are just slapping at it. When a fish takes a fluke especially a 4incher you know it.

It's kinda like that tatted up crazy chick. You know you wanna, your scared to try, but when you do, you realized it was the coolest thing you've ever done and will have stories to tell for 10 years that you will never top!

You have to see my new addition to the family, Scorpion DC.

You could try nose hooking them with a 1/0 or 2/0 wacky hook. That will still give you the action you want & a better hook up ratio if the fish are eating your bait.

If I recall correctly they use Dawn to clean crude oil off of birds and animals that were caught in oil spills. I use it and a toothbrush to clean all my real cork and synthetic material rod handles. I just wet the handle with water, dip the toothbrush in the Dawn and paint it on the handle and let it sit for a few minutes; then I wet the toothbrush in water and scrub the handle until clean, after that it's just a clean water rinse and a wipe down with a paper towel. The toothbrush gets down into all the little nooks and crannies of the cork, other scrubbers I've used just get the surface; the brush is also good for cleaning the reel seat area.

A jig n craw or T rigged Craw is often effective in the same waters although there are differences and the fish will normally show a preference as well. A T rig, different from a jig, can have a free sliding line weight or pegged on the line weight depending on the use or preference, As gripnrip mentioned above, between a jig (especially skirted w/weedguard) and a same weight T rigged/craw, pegged bullet weight sinker, the jig/craw will fall considerably slower due to the added bulk of skirt, guard, line tie direction etc., causing added water resistance. The Speed of fall is a key factor especially when flipping/pitching. Also, a cast/drag technique with a jig is sometimes better than T rig especially if you have a good standup head design like football jigs or the Siebert Outdoors Brush jig or Moaner Predator jig. Another difference in any given craw design whether rigged on a jig or as a T rig, the profile or bulk with the skirted jig presentation is increased making it easier to notice from further away as well as the skirt motion can add a bit more movement or confusion which somtimes increases bites. Often, a craw as a jig trailer will last longer than when used as a T rig set up, and a jig requires a touch more finessing through the brush and trees than a T rig to avoid hang up's. Another possible advantage of a jig n craw set up, is an anglers ability to quickly change and tweak colors with the huge variety of contrasting color options between their Jig and Craw colors... Sometimes it's THE TICKET The fish will most often show their preference on whether the jig or T rigged craw (with color, speed of fall etc. being the same) is most effective at any given time, so IMO cking is a good idea.

Avatar fish? Nice fish. That will help keep Speed on his toes as if he needed any more motivation.

As long as you don't become the president of the "Jambalaya" club.

X2^ If it isn't raining today I'm gonna try stitching a worm.

First and foremost you sir have the utmost respect from me ( not that that may mean much ) what you are doing is awesome, entirely. Thank you for making this thread and going about it the way you are. I read the title and just sat here and read every post in this thread. Please continue with updates I enjoy this thread possibly more than I enjoy... okay I won't compare anything cause things might get weird then haha. Awesome A-Jay, is how I will refer to you, what you're doing takes skill, patience beyond beliefe and determination without a doubt, maybe it helps ya some knowing some of us love this thread and are right behind you every step you take, and I for one will be learning a lot from you. Thanks and keep it up Awesome A-Jay! Edit for spelling... smartphone not so smart...

I've made a bunch of molds over the years trying all kinds of silicones etc.. What I've come to like is the fiberglass resin. It really picks up all of the bait features nicely and makes a pretty much indestructible mold. I do it more or less like Wnybassman... Just thought i'd throw it out there for you... By the way the can of resin is about $14..

Huge fan of the Northstar Black Series jigs and would recommend them to anyone. You won't be disappointed.

Congrats on your purchase. But most of all great work on keeping your grades up and working practically full time while doing so!

Yes it is a penn. dutch thing. common only in Pa, Md, and Va....I hear it is similar to souse but different in texture because scrapple has the corn meal within. But when your used to lobster bisque washed down with a mug of clam chowder, you tend to scoff at us southerners fine eats. LOL

Dang! Zombie apocalypse starts with you, eh. I never woulda guessed, LOL. Probably nothing to worry about, though. Did you flush your eyes with some clean water? Saline solution from the drug store would be best. Or even eye drops (you know, the kind that get the "red" out)...

I was gonna say pretty much the same thing!

Nice boat!! I am also digging the 4 door tacoma too.

Didn't scrapple originate in the north as in PA? I grew up in philly and i don't like the stuff myself but my dad does for sure.

Today's Catch: 4 Bass at: 13.5", 14.5", 17", and 20" Bonus catch: Snakehead just barely shy of 2ft See attached. BTW, is anyone keeping score officially, or do we do our own round up at the end (when does this end again?) M.

This don't really have anything to do with your post, but I thought I would throw this out there. Whenever I buy a new reel, I always put the receipt in the box, and put the box on a shelf in my closet. If sometime down the road, I should have to return the reel, I don't have to go searching for the receipt. Hootie

This may at first sound odd ... but Dawn dishwashing detergent has worked great for me. If you assume that at least some (if not most) of the stuff on the cork includes human oils from simple use, Dawn is great at breaking down that stuff -- all oils in fact. I just rub some on and let it sit for say a minute or two, then use a dish scrubber sponge and boom, it looks like new. I let it dry in the sunshine for a few hours ... after that its ready to go.

SUFFIX 832, best I have found, one I would never recamend is Fireline Braid, seems good but constant wind knotts, and have had numerable line whips on cast that cut themselves, have never had one good trouble free outing with it?????

Try using a fluke that resembles the forage of your area thru the grass.

One of those new premium chicken wraps from McDonalds. Those things are legit!

We can make plans for next year if we pick a date. I have found that it takes me at least a year to plan an out of state hunting trip, I cant see how a fishing trip would be any different. As far as splitting the cost, I would have to meet someone from here. I listened to my friends cry about hunting in pa for the last fifteen years. Last year I put together a trip to ohio for $600 including tags, lodging, food and gas. Out of all of my good hunting buddies, the ones who complain the loudest not one went, with a YEAR of time to plan for it. Heck I didnt even ask them to contribute to planning or anything, just show up. So, I know better now, when I go to Iowa in 2015, ill be a lone dog then too unless I find someone on a forum with points who wants to join. Im not waiting my life away for people with no ambition.

Brian, No need to switch your baits so many times. C-Rig is a awesome structure fishing bait/search bait. A couple more suggestions are look for contour changes on land they usually carry on into the water i.e. look for where a bluff wall ends and it’s a quick change to flat shore or chunk rock, chances are it does that under water too. Get on google earth or map quest and look at the arial view of the lake. Sometimes you can see long points from that view or other interesting spots. Doing a little homework before you go out will save you some time out on the water. Good luck and tight lines. Jay-

Have yet to find a beer I like. Whiskey on the other hand

Thanks Bob. I used Orange Degreaser for the lining of the compartment. But how can I get what drained down?

I had the privilege to land this 7.11 toad for my good budy Brandon. It is his personal best. We were debating between two places to fish and we made the right choice.

Start reading the articles on the website. I learned so much from the information in those things.

That's okay, the fish don't know what brands you're using

My trick worm colors are like this Clear water - baitfish Murky/low light/cold - junebug chart tip Anytime - redshad, watermelon red flake

My guideline is to use a hook with a gap at least double the bait's diameter, so as to allow enough room for the hook to get through the plastic and into the fish's jaw.

For $10, you can't go wrong! Good job

I am by no means an expert and I'm sure others will chime in but I'll offer my 2 cents. The general rule of thumb is bigger hooks for bigger baits. 1/0 should be sufficient for your 3 inch senkos. For your 6 inch salamanders, I'd say you could go up to 3/0 or 4/0 offset. For the Super Flukes, I'd go 4/0 EWG. For the senkos and salamanders, I'd use the regular offset hooks. The baits are more slender and you don't need the Extra Wide Gap for the bait to collapse into. Go EWG for the flukes cuz they're thicker. And if it's a choice between Eagle Claw or Gamakatsu, definitely go with the Gammies. I don't really have any experience with trick worms or whacky rigs so I can't speak to that.