tyrius.

I think the customer service rep is putting you on. From a programming standpoint the check to your max bid would literally take less than fractions of a second and THAT is assuming that the eBay software even accepts the bid prior to checking other max bids. I wonder what would happen if you called back and talked to a different customer service rep. I'd bet you'd get a different answer.

I was most certainly not trying to bash your opinion. I was trying to figure out why you had it. And I only just got back into it last year. Heck I hadn't even HEARD of a senko until I logged into this site. I too have much more faith in the palomar which is why I use snaps. I tie a palomar to the snap and then snap on the crank. In this way I get the action of a Rapala knot without having to use a knot with a lower breaking point. There has been some other posts where this topic has been discussed. I even started one a few months ago. Some of the custom crank makers specifically said that something is needed between the knot and the lure (split ring, snap, loop knot, etc). I'm terrible at searching this site so maybe someone else can find it. Well Rapala's site recommends the rapala knot (shocking huh?). I emailed bandit. One other thing to think about is why would the crankbait manufacturers go through the added expense of putting a snap on each crank when one of the main purposes of a snap is the ability to change between crankbaits easily. The consumer would have to take the snaps off each of the lures that they buy so it seems to be a waste for them to include one on each lure.

I'm not saying your way is wrong. I'm merely asking questions. Also, I'm pretty sure that muddy's post that you responded to had a typo and his run should've been ruin. I thought you were being sarcastic in your response and continuing with the typo. Sorry about that. From the research that I have done tieing a palomar knot directly to the crank bait inhibits the action. Crankbait makers on this site recommend snaps for their lures. Rapala's website recommends rapala knots for all of their lures. Rapala knots have a loop at the end of the knot which functions the same as a clip/snap in allowing the split ring to move within the knot. I understand the reasoning for this. In asking you questions I am trying to gain an understanding for your position to see if it makes sense to me and if I should reevaluate my own opinion. I'm no bass pro and have LOADS to learn before I even consider myself a good fisherman.

Why would you want to ruin (I'm assuming run means ruin) the action in this way? If you want a tighter wobble why not use a flat sided crank?

And that will be the knot or the line (if damaged) and not the clip.

Pre-sunrise is most certainly an option. I was assuming that I would be on the water pre-sunup. Maybe even nap during the early afternoon! The plan I'm thinking of right now is to get in Thurs night. Fish most of the day on Friday and early Saturday. Then maybe rent a pontoon boat for Saturday afternoon and just relax on the water! Maybe fish some Sunday morning too (can't do too much fishing)! Got any guide recommendations? I found a few on the 'net, but have no one to let me know if they are good or bad. Thanks!

You have any other suggested locations? We'll have 10-12 people and would like to hire guides for at least one day since the lake is so large. Plus, I've never fished with a guide for bass and it would probably help me out a lot.

Those are EXACTLY what I was thinking about. I was looking at them last night and trying to decide if a wide gap was necessary or not and then wondered if there was a reason NOT to use a wide gap in all applications.

Is it better to use a regular hook for worms and such and only use a wide gap hook when necessary or do people just use wide gap hooks for all applications?

What problem did he have with the speed clips? According to his story his line broke and NOT the speed clip.

It is also a sure thing that I would rather be fishin' than workin'!!!

I agree. Too much emphasis is placed upon catch and release, with no regards to its effect upon the fishery. The problem with this statement is that the scientific research and the fisheries management employees disagree with it.

A palomar knot tied directly to the crankbait will INHIBIT the action of the crankbait. It will have less wobble coming through the water because the crankbait has to move the line through the water. When using a snap or a Rapala knot the crankbait can wiggle without having to move the line. The eye of the crankbait will move back and forth within the snap or within the loop of the Rapala knot.

Snaps/speed clips are good. If you don't want to use snaps then you should tie a Rapala knot. Swivels are not. The swivel adds no value and just adds weight to the front of the lure.

I have had zero problems with it.

: Remember your question of "Why" from a short while ago? Your response here is a good example of one of the answers to your question. What's the point of a lonely emoticon?

You can have it!!!! I for one am sick and freaking tired of the snow. We've had enough here in Northern IL to last me a good long time. Oh and 6" of snow and we'd still be working the next day and stores would be open! Wimps.

To answer the actual question, I plan on using the alberto knot.

Maybe someone can help me out. Last night I was spooling up my rods and was trying to tie my mono backing to braid with a blood knot and I couldn't get it to cinch down. What's the best way to cinch it down? When I was trying it I think the braid just wound up and the mono would pull right out of the knot. I tried mono to mono, and that worked just fine. I ended up using the Alberto knot, which is a more difficult knot but at least it worked.

X2 I've got 2 200d's and really like them.

I've seen waters where the bass were very overcrowded and were not healthy because no one kept any. You could fish there and catch a less than 1lb fish on about every other cast. This is not a healthy fishery. On the larger lakes biologists study the fish populations and will typically set slots and limits so that the population of bass can be managed to provide for the best quality and quantity for that specific lake. A broad law requiring the release of all fish would be detrimental to the management of the fisheries. Read up on fisheries management publications from the various state agencies and nearly every one will say that selective harvesting is a GOOD thing for managing a fish population.

Tackle box I've got 6 of those and a lot of people here have a LOT more than that.

If you can get your lure in the water then you can catch fish. It's just a matter of going REAL SLOW and picking the right locations.

Next wednesday we're looking at 48!!! Seriously, this winter has sucked big time. Give me some 50 degree days please! One pond I fish has a bit of open water where a creek runs through it. I may try and get out for a bit of time and at least make some casts.

My farm pond fishing experience would run counter to this. The most productive pond I fished growing up was definately under an acre and we caught bass all day long. We never caught any big ones because the owner wouldn't let us keep any and because we never fished for big fish But the bass were thick in that pond and some should have been harvested. There are also many 1 acre or smaller ponds that have no fish. 1 acre is about the lower limit that the Illinois Department of Natural Resources recommends for being able to manage a fishery in the pond. My thoughts are that from the picture it looks like a pond in a park. There really is no way to know who else is keeping fish from this pond so I wouldn't keep any bass from it. There just isn't anyway to know what the harvest rate is and I wouldn't want to be the one to take the last few fish out of it. Also, if I'm keeping fish to eat then bass is pretty low on the list. They just don't taste as good as bluegill, crappie, or catfish. Just a personal opinion there.