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Technique specific rods. While they are useful to some degree, it's still a marketing ploy of the highest order.

I figured some people are showing there off season projects so here's mine. I ran out of my regular shakey head jigs I use for these, so I used everyones favorite. I normally don't use that much UV sealer on the end either so usually they don't turn that pale white color where the sealer is. Anyway, I wish I could get a good quality image of how these look in the water, the thing comes to life. The claws and antennae float up on there own and catch the current really nicely giving them a natural look while they slowly move around. When you drag it or hop the jig back the legs fold into the body and pop back out when its stopped.

I will probably ruffle a few feathers with this one, but I think this rod sensitivity thing is overblown. Not saying it isn't real, just that in many cases, it doesn't matter or have any real effect on a lot of us. Keep in mind I am talking about bottom contact baits. I know it makes little to no difference with reaction baits. But when you pay upwards of four to five hundred dollars for a SENSITIVE rod, and your hands are as sensitive as a knot on a log, and you have the focus and attention span of a moth, it isn't going to make much of a difference. I think a big part of the sensitivity thing working at all, is "CONCENTRATION". That's why my buddy can outfish me time and time again with his $40.00 BPS graphite series rods . His concentration ability is downright "spooky". Sometimes when I am fishing with him, I feel like I might as well be fishing alone. So, yes, I am sure it's real, but if it doesn't help, why waste the money.......my 2 cents. Hootie

The best thing about this winter? So far for me, "NOTHING"!!!!! Hootie

Hit the hard water this morning with a few friends...7 degrees at 9:00am in North New Jersey.......Was targeting other species when line went tight while jigging......Lifted up......FISH ON!!......I had no idea what to expect as with the multitude of species in this lake and to my surprise when it neared the hole, was my first bass of 2014!!......I'm on the board and it felt great....We continued to pound multispecies today including largemouth bass, pike, perch, snot rockets and a kitty cat also which was pretty cool , even though I don't like these fish.....Thanks to Rocco, Mikey, and Richard for the great company and getting the party started in 2014!!!!!......Started drizzling about 2:00 and I called it quits but they continued to fish...Maybe i'll get a call and some more pics later today....Here's a few to show it happenned.....Happy New Years Everyone!!!!!!!!

I am a disabled veteran (mildly) that served 10.5 yrs in the USAF with a tour in Desert Storm. People tend to not pay attention while driving, so I agree that they were not intentionally trying to disrespect our flag. Personally speaking........I would rather nobody got hurt as a result of attempting to recover a flag. I hold the flag in the highest of reverence, with a great respect of what it stands for. But I also hold life in even a higher regard.......please never get hurt trying to pick up a flag. If someone had hit the brakes and swerved to miss the flag very likely could have resulted in a chain reaction of events resulting in injury or death to someone.......just not worth it. I only hit my brakes and swerve to preserve human life. That's just me. Can't trust other fools on the road. I appreciate your patriotism and your act of homage you were paying your family and vets.........but I appreciate you being alive more, Thanks

Because it's much larger than a trick worm, bulkier and attracts much larger bites. Hold a 5" stickworm next to a trick worm, the stick worm is much thicker and almost as long. Compare a 7" stick worm to a trick worm, the trick worm looks tiny. I don't use the GY Senkos with a bullet weight, way too fragile. I've tried and it's easy to go through baits without ever catching a fish on them just because they get shredded by the cover and won't stay on the hook anymore. The knockoffs like the YUM and BPS Stick O (my personal favorite) are plenty durable for this type of fishing and are extremely effective fishing t-rigged with a bullet weight. It works a lot for the same reason a trike worm works, it looks like a lot of things a fish would eat and it looks very easy to catch and pretty defenseless, just like a bass likes it's food. If you seriously think that weightless is the only way to fish a senko you are missing out big time.

I doubt the brand of gear ever played significantly into tourney wins. These guys can find fish and make them bite when no one else can. That's why they win.

I've fished with guides many times -- in Florida, Georgia, Texas, Alabama, South Carolina, freshwater, saltwater... and sometimes, you just have no idea what to expect from the guide (and similarly, the guide has no idea who he'll be stuck on the boat with). Some guides are just good fisherman, some are good businessmen, but a truly good guide is both a good fisherman and a good businessman. With that said, when you're paying for a guide you're paying for their expertise on that body of water so I would strongly recommend listening to them since they fish that area much more than you do. Some guides are more effective at conveying their "suggestions" in a friendly but effective way, and unfortunately there are those who forget that they're in the customer service industry. I've generally been fortunate with the guides I've fished with, but there is one guy in Florida who gave me a good idea of what NOT to do as a guide. Another guide I've fished with quite a few times told a funny story about a trip he had. The customer insisted on throwing his Rebel crawdad crank all day, in every spot. The guide recommended fishing a worm, and showed the customer that the bass were biting the worm, but the customer didn't listen. At the end of the day, the customer complained to the guide that he didn't catch any fish. What is the guide to do? To sum up, here's what I'd say... -- casting and hook setting -- while on the trip, do what's comfortable for you. You're there to fish, not waste time learning a new motion. But remember the input she provided and try it at home when you're not paying by the hour -- lure selection -- listen to the guide. You're not on your home water, so there's a high probability the guide knows more than you do about that water

Rhino it has been almost two years since I lost a very good friend who was fishing on the local power plant lake (Baldwin Lake) here in So. Illinois. It is known to be a dangerous body of water when the wind blows, and he was fishing alone early in the year from a small boat without wearing a life preserver. I have fished alone on the lake, in the same conditions (from the same boat and others like it) many times. I was lucky, he was not. Having seen the devastation that happens when a husband, father, and friend is taken under these circumstances I have a better understanding of my responsibility to take the proper safety precautions while on the water. Thanks for the post. Old story or new it is important that we be reminded that taking safety for granted is a dangerous thing.

The KVD frog...... Why would you buy a frog designed by a guy who doesn't throw frogs!?!?!? Sure, it'll catch fish. But so will the banjo minnow....

H2O hollow body frogs!

This is the exact rod my friend has with the exception of being 7' and spinning. I put way more stock in a review from people I consider to be excellent fishermen and use a piece of equipment daily. Seeing this rod handle some really nice fish, using it myself, and 0119 comments leads me to believe for 99 bux this rod is a winner. I don't care if the rod ratings are off, most of my med spinning rods have pretty much the same specs and I exceed the max lure weight on them too without any problems. If I can have a wider range of lure options, all the better for me. I don't need to compare any rod to another, just have to like what I'm using.

I've already asked many pros about this at several Classics. You can check out all my videos on the video section of this site. In a nutshell - they don't get any "special" or "custom" gear from the manufactures (other than the concept gear they're asked to help develop). They get the same stuff you can buy off the shelf.

High frame spinning guides are not a marketing ploy. The correct guide height needs to be used to properly lay-out a rod, be it standard frame or high frame. One of my favorite (and effective) lay-outs uses a combination of high frame and standard.

Member Goose52 did an in the field test on the Rapala digital scales a couple years back and found them to be surprisingly accurate. I use one and it seems pretty accurate to me.

Counting rubber, weed guard, paint... 3 grams (Drops Mic and walks off stage)

Don't sweat it man - Old Glory is Epically Tough. She turned back Whole Nations. It's going take a whole lot more than a few automobiles to even get her attention. A-Jay

They are much less dense so they will sink slower and the wobble will be less pronounced. They will still catch fish and will outproduce the original Senko at times also. I prefer the YUM and BPS versions for pitching into cover with a pegged bullet weight because they're much tougher than the original Senkos are.

Sounds like she was trying to help you. I know that as the client it can be frustrating when someone tells you that your technique could be improved. I believe the side swipe hook set (which I often do) is the cause of many missed fish. At least she did not say you cast like a girl

Acc Acc Acc Acc Acc Acc Acc Acc Acc Acc Acc Acc Acc !!!!!

Fishing line ~ Some are good, most are average, a couple are very good and a few still, really wang. But read the back of any line box or spool, whether it's Monofilament, Copolymer, Fluorocarbon or Braid, advertised characteristics are remarkably similar regardless of the type of line. ~Extremely Strong ~Abrasion Resistant ~Great Knot Strength ~Outstanding sensitivity ~Thin Diameter ~Very Supple & Manageable ~Long Casting and finally Low, No or controlled Stretch properties. Compared to what ? The can't ALL be the same. A-Jay

And?

Looks like it was worth the effort!

Any time Gator! You & herny need to read my thread on suggestions under the general section.

Great 2014 bass Mitch.

Their cranks are sweet for the price, every time I get a chance to go into an Academy I pick more up. Last time I got some silent and rattling squarebills I think some of the Havoc baits are still $.99

I meant no disrespect to any one who uses an a-rig.?

If there were more people with your viewpoint and ability to discuss what could be volatile topics in a constructive manner, we would be in a much better place as a society.

These are my favorite posts, I love to see what areas others would fish and what I might be overlooking. Personally, I would hit up the cove mentioned by a couple others this spring, it seems like a comfortable nesting place for the bass. Also, seeing as how SMB are plentiful, I would not overlook any inlet/outlet. I don't know about the others, but I am tired of fishing dam's, they are loaded with carp (at least throughout the NYS waters I've fished). The spot on the Northwest corner, is that an overpass? I usually get lucky underneath those in the early mornings.

All I know is I'm missing a jig

I think we're the last two guys on earth who like the stuff, LOL!!

Great big fish bait rigged with a 1/4oz bullet weight. Lots of bulk with a very subtle action and it gets through heavy cover very easily with no appendages to catch on anything as it sinks.

Megastink hit the nail on the head ... Learn some fundamentals about fishing in tournaments including the rules and etiquette. After that let your fishing speak for itself. You will find out soon enough how good you are once you get out there. Keep an open mind! That will help out a ton!

That really hurts Yes it's true I failed as a father.

Short of going and experiencing it? Not much. Ready some of the threads here. "Learning" about tournament fishing are lessons about etiquette more than anything. As for being "pretty good at bass fishing"........ I guess you'll see. Tournament fishing will help you learn critical thinking skills on the water; like how to quickly recognize when the fish arent biting, how to read the conditions and adjust. Thats tournament fishing at its core. Its a test of yourself, not of everyone else. At least, thats how I look at it. Dont forget to be curtious, respectful, HUMBLE, and maintain a positive attitude. Attitude is everything.

You mentioned trying numerous screw driver sizes but you didn't mention if you've tried both phillips and flat head screw drivers. If you haven't yet try a flat head screw driver, the screw head should accept both phillips and flat head drivers. Worst comes to worst you could drill out the screw and get a replacement from Shimano. Good luck!

Rod and reel wise an abundance of sophistication isn't needed to catch most fish, but if one's budget allows it why not. One of the most economical lures is a spoon, barring any loss only the hook needs to be replaced. Storm wild eyed shad, 3 pack for about 5 bux, catch a lot of fish and with some luck will last pretty good. A $3 bucktail jig will catch about anything that can swim, quite a few toothless fish can be caught before they need to be replaced. My #1 pick is a 2.99 jerkbait I use, has caught more bass and peas than all my others. Unlike my Rapalas I never break the lip off, I cast under bridges and make a lot of bad casts, the lure is like a timex, keeps on ticking.

I have a stockpile of sweet beavers...some guys hoard ammo but i hoard sweet beavers lol Hematoma, magic craw swirl and california 420 are my faves

That was a great game. Did you hear the big "boom" at the end of the game when the lucky horseshoe fell out of Malzone's fanny? It was all over but the shouting. As an SEC fan I congratulate the ACC and FSU for a super win. What is interesting is that all SEC teams have at least two losses this year. Now to get ready for next year and the playoffs. Do you think the fans will be upset with the four SEC teams selected for the first playoff games????

For a few pennies a disposable lighter works great, also puts a bead on the tag that can help eliminating pull thru. Don't real men use their teeth on mono?

Joe wheeler campground is also close by but u would have to trailer the boat to Wilson unless u locked through wheeler dam.

Don't get me wrong...I have spent $$$$ in the past, but I am really going to try it this year without doing that. I honestly have enough stuff to get by for quite a while, but I am always interested in hearing how other anglers save a buck or two. WW2Farmer, I tend to fish like you. Berkley Shock rods, low end Shimano reels, Berkley soft plastics, and I always search the sales and clearance sections first. Keep 'em coming guys and gals...

I fish "cheap" too, but only because after many years of buying higher dollar stuff, I catch just as much and just as big of fish on lower priced stuff, with none of the "issues" people claim to have with lower priced gear. Here is just a sample of some lower cost items that I use, I still use some "expensive" things but not nearly as many as I used to. Hard baits: Storm, Strike King, and Bandit. Jigs: Strike King Bitsy jigs, Booyah jigs Frogs: Booyah Pad Crasher Soft Plastics: Berkley Havoc, Netbait, Some Yum, SK, and Zoom stuff................nothing GYCB LOL. Terminal Tackle: VMC Rods: Berkley Lighning Rod Shocks, and Abu Vengeance/Vendetta/Veritas's Reels: Abu Max (casting) Pflueger President (spinning) Line: Power Pro (braid) Seaguar Red Label (Fluoro) Trilene (mono)

Get yourself a BPS pro qualifier. It has the dual brakes(plus the tension knob set to tight enough so the spool doesn't move side to side, tighter in the begining, then looser as you get better). Set the internal pins, two in the on position.Use inexpensive 10 or 12 pound monofilament. Buy a cheap larger spool of line and change line often when you notice it feeling too rough.With the dual breaks you can increase the outer magnetic break for windy conditions or just to keep from backlashing. The reel is a good starter and many people stay with this reel. For $100 or less, on sale they get down to 60, 70, or 80 bucks.Keep the reel clean as you can and periodically oil the spool bearings with quality reel oil/lube(one drop). It may all sound like much but it becomes a labor of love for most of us die hards. Wish I knew all of these tips when I first purchased a baitcaster 30 years ago.(otherwise buy a daiwa or shimano )

That "cheap" sometimes = headaches and not worth the "cheapness". Inexpensive is a different story. That decent quality can be inexpensive if you know where to look (and this site is a great place to look for that).

You don´t "need" baitcasting equipment, you get it because you want it, Suggestion and personal preferences are just that, maybe you have nvever heard about Fish Chris, well the man has caught more 10+ pounders than most guys here will ever be able to catch, actually most guys here will never catch a 10 + pounder and the man fishes exclusively will spinning gear. Sir Snook Alot catches sailfish with spinning gear and fishes almost exclusively with spinning gear. My friend Rigo fishes exclusively wih spinning gear, my nephew also and he has caught a couple of 10 pounders. Spinninig gear not powerful enough ? ------> BS ! You don´t need bc gear, it´s not a must, you can fish with spinning gear the rest of your life. I do own both types, for me it´s exactly the same to fish with one or the other.

If only these were mop jigs. I can get wire tied jigs from Siebert for $3 each. If I buy the 25 pack from this site, I'm paying 3.32 each. On a single jig, which would I pay 50% more to buy from here? Their "team pricing" better be good. I can get Mop jigs from Siebert for $3.70 each too. $3.95 with the best hooks.

I've tried a lot of jerkbaits. I have one box devoted just to them. From Bombers to Husky Jerks, Pointers to KVD....all kinds. Let me tell ya, it's just a tool. I do not believe one is a great deal better than another, under similar conditions. When bass are on the jerkbait bite, it's the fisherman behind the tool that gets the job done. It's like a chisel in the hands of a finish carpenter. A very personalized presentation that can be deadly when properly used.

Not trying to be the devils advocate here, but how big was the flag and are you sure they seen it? People loose hundreds of those college or pro team flags off vehicles and they get hammered pretty quick. Maybe they thought it was one of those? I try to avoid them, but if it says Kstate or anything from Texas, it's roadkill baby