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I think I probably established a world record today for the smallest fish ever caught on a crankbait. Hootie

Because there's Daiwa and Shimano, and then there's everyone else.

that might be the record, but the igfa will not recognize it as it was foul hooked.

There's a lot of "record claiming" here...but my fish is the only one so far that's laid out next to a measuring tape for length verification ... ...just sayin'...

That's quite the ultradink, but I've got a challenger for yours Hootie!

My entry was foul hooked as well !

I'd like to challenge you for the title. Caught this guy on the shadow rap shad. Wouldn't fit on my scale. I wanted to post this before, but didn't think anyone would believe it was real. I had a hard time believing it, and I'm the guy that bank flipped him.

did she swim away strongly when you released her?

The DNR frowns when fish have lead in their bellies

and really, really old.

I'd get that pic framed, and just keep replacing it with a pic each time you beat it. Then you can go back and see all the old pics as you progress.

Pretty much says everything that needs to be said. Wanna know why I chose a TDZ over a Calais 100A ? Because the Calais kicks butt and the TDZ kicks butt twice.

Yesterday I was at my local COSTCO buying a large bag of Purina dog chow for my loyal pet, Biscuit, the Wonder Dog and was in the checkout line when a woman behind me asked if I had a dog. What did she think I had, an elephant? So, since I'm retired and have little to do, on impulse I told her that no, I didn't have a dog, I was starting the Purina Diet again. I added that I probably shouldn't, because I ended up in the hospital last time, but that I'd lost 50 pounds before I awakened in an intensive care ward with tubes coming out of most of my orifices and IVs in both arms. I told her that it was essentially a perfect diet and that the way that it works is to load your pants pockets with Purina nuggets and simply eat one or two every time you feel hungry. The food is nutritionally complete so it works well and I was going to try it again. (I have to mention here that practically everyone in line was now enthralled with my story.) Horrified, she asked if I ended up in intensive care because the dog food poisoned me. I told her no, I stepped off a curb to sniff an Irish Setter and a car hit us both. I thought the guy behind her was going to have a heart attack he was laughing so hard. Costco won't let me shop there anymore. Better watch what you ask retired people. They have all the time in the world to think of crazy things to say. Forward this (especially) to all your retired friends.....it will be their Laugh for the day...

Thanks guys. Ended up getting the gun and a scope and he cut me a deal on both. I ended up spending less than I would have at one of the big stores!

seal it later if you don't want to wait for your U40 to be delivered. If it looks dirty (it shouldn't if only used a few times) clean the cork with warm water and Dawn soap as WRB mentioned. Let it dry overnight before sealing.

Baits are not your problem. Deeper water in rivers seldom holds active fish. I'm not sure what you mean by "behind rapids" Does that mean you are fishing above (upstream) or below (downstream) of the rapids? Rapids are great areas to fish while the water is still warm. Cover the water in the fast water of the rapids, and just downstream of the fastest water. Rocks on the bottom provide shelter from the current so let your bait drift right over their head. During sunny days, fish the shaded areas along the shoreline. Work plastics right next to, just downstream of downed trees. Are you fishing from the kayak? Do you stop and fish or continuously float? When fishing current, Throw the bait upstream and let it drift back down through current breaks or through the rapids. Pull the kayak up to shore, stop and make a lot of casts through good looking areas. Right now and for the next several weeks are primetime on rivers. Keep fishing, keep your bait close to cover. River fish can hold tight to rocks, trees, and bridge pilings. River fish don't seem real picky when you put the bait in front of them. Everything you've been using will work. Keep trying, you'll start catching.

Good luck getting a certified weight.

Yeah i heard of dead fish in Blue Lake area as well. Man that sucks. Whats killing the fish? Is it all the spraying they been doing? Wish I was closer and could make your Blessing of the Hunt BF. Sounds like a good time

I didn't keep my 7-2 or 7-1 from NY. I wouldn't bother with a 6-1 from LA. You got a great pic of it - that's more than I have of my 7-2. Been trying to break it for almost 20 years. Here's my 7-1:

Oooo boy, breathables are expensive! Regardless, thank you all for the input, I appreciate it. Man, figure fishing isn't too bad to get into - $40 rod, $50 reel, $10 line and a few lures and you figure you're good. Then you realize... Oh, I need waders, more lures, different line, a float tube that turns into a kayak/boat, top rack for the car for said kayak... lol Things spiral out of control quickly!

I know that there are a lot of people out there like myself and this is why I made this post. Many are wanting to finally move up and get some decent fishing equipment but have no idea what to get or where to start. I spent hundreds, actually thousands of hours researching before I bought my equipment. I visited all of the forums, read the posts, watched the reviews and every youtube video I could find. I went to several stores and paired several reels with several rods to see how they felt. I even borrowed each reel and rod from various friends so that I could try them out on the water. So after all of this, what did I learn? Which one was better? Comfort: I have been using cheap reels for my entire life. In my hands I could tell they were a different size but neither felt better than the other to me. I have large hands so the small difference in size meant nothing to me. Which one flipped, pitched and casted better? Neither. I was able to adjust the brakes and each one performed flawlessly, especially when compared to what I have been used to. Yes I could tell a huge difference between my $25 combo reels and the Tatula and the Curado, but I could tell no real difference between the Tatula and Curado themselves. I am sure that there are people that fish 250 plus days a year that can tell a difference but for an average fisherman wanting to move up in their equipment, I highly doubt you will find a difference in performance. How about dependability? Now I have not personally owned them long enough to tell personally, I have read every forum that I could find that has these two reels in their posts. My conclusion: They are both wonderfully reliable with great customer support and will last you a lifetime if taken care of. Looks: This is the biggest difference I could find between the two. This all comes down to personal preference, as they are both beautiful reels. So why did I choose the Tatula over the Curado? It wasn't features, as they are both packed. It was't performance as they are both evenly matched. It wasn't brand loyalty, before this purchase my best reels were Abu Garcias. So why did I choose the Tatulas? I bought three, two 8.1:1's and a 6:3.1. Simple... Price. I found the Tatulas on sale for $109.95 each. I was able to purchase three Tatulas for less than two of the Curados. Had the Curados been the less expensive reel then they would have been my choice. So in my opinion if anyone is looking at these two reels go for the one that you like the way it looks better or for which one costs less, as they are pretty much evenly matched. If your skill level is great enough that you can tell a huge difference between the two then you are probably not reading forums looking to see which reel you should buy as you probably already know.

This morning I went out to a small local pond to try out a used Dawia PX68 I picked up the other day. I don't have a proper rod for it yet so I threw in on an old Abu medium action I had laying around. I didn't have high hopes for throwing anything really light with it, so I brought an assortment of plastics, hooks and jigs, figuring I would need at least an 1/8-1/4oz weight to make any decent casts. Much to my surprise the combo was able to cast a weightless Rage Menace a very respectable distance with good accuracy. The Menace has become a real favorite of mine over this past season. I have messed with a half dozen ways to rig it, but I have settled on this: The hook is an Owner 2/0 cutting point. It really tears the plastics up quickly but I rarely miss a hookup now and the plastic is about the perfect size and weight for the kind of fishing I like to do. In anycase, this pond is small, way less then an acre and sits on a waterfowl refuge which is about to close for the season. All summer I have had limited luck here, most trips only managing a small fish or two. Today was overcast and wet, last night was our first rain in a week or two. Having never used this reel before, I made my first cast at an open lane in the shallow pads that cover one bank. Surprised at how well it cast, I aimed my next one at the weed line on the far shore. I managed about half a turn of the handle and the rod jumped and at first I thought I had a turtle. The bass imminently jumped and I knew I had something good on. In general at this pond gives up a handful of dinks and keepers per trip, but I have only ever caught a single decent fish out of it. Today I think I caught him again. I was running 8lb YZH and had to run up the bank a bit to get the fish into the open lane, as I was not confident I could pull him through even the sparse pads. I do almost all of my fishing with a spinning combo and without the clicking it took me a bit to realize the fish was pulling drag. Once I had that squared away I manged to land him. He was hooked right in the upper lip and the plastic had slid up the line. I swear I caught this same fish in the spring and the pond is so tiny and shallow I don't see how there can be many of this size in there. Once I got him back in the water I proceeded to catch about a dozen of his smaller friends and maybe another dozen dinks, all on the same lure. Or rather the same type, they were only lasting about 3-4 fish per and sometimes less. I have some Parasite clips from a LD sale but I have not yet messed around with them. Overall I am pleased as hell with both my new reel and this particular presentation and am excited to pick up my new rod this weekend and head back here to see if I can meet the king a third time.

Going out tomorrow and will be a single bait day. Taking 2 rods.......one for nothing but tubes. I haven't spent a lot of time with them and I think it's time I learned about them. Will be Texas rigging them, throwing weightless, drop shot, etc. And my frog rod. Gotta take my frog rod. Any tube pointers to throw my way? I've watched Glenn's excellent tube videos and even bought some of the Shaw Grigsby Tube hooks because of it. I really like those.

Been working over this big flat for a few days now. It's on the edge of the main lake basin so I'm thinking it reloads - Often. It's especially productive when the winds blowing in on it. About 400 yards long & wide there's plenty of room for the fish to move around. I can see them (SMB) chasing bait all over the place, in, around & over isolated weed patches. 4 inch yellow perch carcasses & the occasional crayfish have adorned my live well routinely each trip. A few different baits have taken fish. All Moving baits though so that makes me very happy - I get to Chunk & wind. SK RES, a 1.5 Square Bill, A KVD Perch Jerkbait and a Texas rigged tube, but a Megastrike Strikeback spinnerbait has been the most consistent producer the past few trips and today was no exception. Several 2 & 3 pound smallies came early & often and then later in the day this 5 pound Fatty De-Stroyed my spinnerbait. I Like it when that happens. A-Jay

That thing is so small it's almost invisible.

Yea, the sun hadn't even started to peak over the trees and it was foggy as all get out. When taking pics, the auto flash was going off, so I suspect when there is more light out, it will be better pics/vids. Jeff

The other option might be to move the winch stand up on the trailer if possible. It's usually just U-bolted on so unbolt it, move it up until the stern is not touching the straps once installed.

The best time to go fishing is anytime you can go fishing!

Thanks ~ The vast majority of my spinnerbait fishing for smallies involves burning the bait within at foot or two of or just under the surface. Rarely do I go very sub-surface for them like I'll often do for LMB. My retrieve is a very occasional stop & go but mostly just high speed. Water depth depends on cover & structure. In this case I was covering a very large flat (400 yards long & wide) that has isolated patched of weeds on an other wise sand bottom. Some weed spots are 5 ft x 5 ft & a few feet apart and others are 50 ft x 50 ft and several yards apart. Bass & bait seems to move all over the area when they are active so it pays to cover water. Water depth ranges from 5 - 10 feet and the visibility is very good, can see the bottom easily the whole time. Long casts are key. By getting up wind, casting down wind & letting the boat blow along I can systematically, quietly cover the whole flat. When I reach an area I want to spend some time in or I get bit, I drop the Talons and go to work. Here's what it looks like. . . . . A-Jay

@WIGuide I had you in mind when I shot this video of the scale. Haha. Also I got a Bluetooth remote shutter button for my phone and made a pole to go in the rear seat base hole with a phone mount to it. All from our last conversation. Jeff

hey guys go to the facebook page and look at all the rayburn reports. they have been tearing them up till 10am on frogs! toledo bend / sam rayburn fishing reports

I took a bunch of pics of my PB. They are a lot easier to carry around on my phone.

I seal every cork handled rod I own, top end St.Croix and Loomis rods get the same treatment. I clean them a little with magic eraser and then apply a coat of U-40. I do it to protect the cork, keeps it from ever becoming stained and prevents any filler from coming loose and leaving pits in the handle. Typically I repeat the process over the winter for the following season. If you prefer your handles to be dried out, pitted and dirty I would not mess with it.

So far I have changed 6 reels to Tatula, Tatula Type Rs and 1 Exceller. Over the last three years I have fished them hard in tidal water for bass and stripers with many big blue and channel cats thrown in. I also fish deep clear lakes in Tennessee for largies, Kentucky spots and huge smallies, l am curious for those that did not like their Tatulas what did you dislike? Was it that you always fish Shimano's. I can see Lews owners finding the larger bodied Tats not as comfortable. If you are used to Lew's smaller frames I think the Tatula CT would fill the bill. I am about to get rid of one Chronarch and several other reels to add a total of 5 more Diawas. These things are workhorses. Personally I fished the Chronarch for two years and found it overpriced and overrated.

Simply wash the cork handle in warm water and dawn liquid soap, rinse and dry. No reason to ever seal good quality cork. If the cork get stained with attractants or oils clean with Mr. Clean Magic pads. Tom

Did you weigh it or did you measure it?

Not a fan of the clear. My whiskey needs to be brown

It still worked.....sold it for enough to cover the insurance deductible and bought another.

You do realize you can purchase liquor in every city across the United States?

I thought the sound it made when it committed suicide by drowning itself bothered you more

Smoked my record. Alewifes love cranks.

That´s exactly what I was going to say, LOL: My PB:

Looks more like a roach than a rodent.

Same here. my Lose BB1 Pro was a dud even before it dudded out it didnt perform as well as tatula or my curados chronarchs. That said even my tatula rarely gets used just not liking the reel all that much but the price I got it for cant be beat.

Didn't keep it, threw it back. Took plenty of photos though.

I've seen a few similar pics on this forum, wonder what will pop up? Lol, nice ultra dink! Oh and I think you set the hook a little too hard.

Yeah, if you're looking at Simms or LL Bean, they can be really expensive. I won't spend $500 on waders. I have a pair of Frog Toggs that are a few years old, and went for something like $70.

I had a pair of heavy 5 mil neos, and I'm WAYYYYY warmer in breathables. I wade in some pretty cold weather. So cold, 32° water feels like a relief. Here's one of those days. "I caught you a nice troutsicle, lol." Fish froze in just a few minutes in the sub 0° temps.

I know you are 15 and impatient to look for the boat as people recommended you on other post. If you really want to buy that jon boat, go ahead but be warned that it is not gonna be stable. I show you my boat which is exactly what you want with casting desk on both front and back, so I do have first hand experience. To tell you the truth the first time we took the boat, it scared the hell out of me. If you really gonna buy that jon boat, please save some money and buy life jacket first. When you go out make sure to stand in the middle of the boat not to the side, if possible stand on flat bottom the best. Jon boat is pretty shallow in fact you might not need casting desk at all. Good luck to you.