J Francho

You are now officially a smallie crackhead! They are very addicting. Smallies vary in coloration quite a bit. Here's two caught from the same spot just a few minutes apart: Contrast those with this one, caught from a different water:

Hopkins Shorty in hammered silver is all I've used.

I had been using 10# P-Line FC, but have switched to 10# CXX for no other reason than its what was in the line drawer when it came time to change out. I'll probably go back to FC when its time again.

After seeing Mike's replica smallie, I gotta say that's the way I'd go.

I have a 7' H and a 7'6" XH that I use for primarily for heavy cover. I would like to add a 7'11" or 8' rod, but it wouldn't be for everyday. Locally, we have some waters with huge, deep flats that are primarily coontail, and as the water level drops, it is just below the surface - great opportunity to work out a long, heavy rod. When you swing, half the swing is setting the hook, and then the second half is lifting the fish from the cover. I found the 7'6" took some adjustment time, but once you get used to it, its like any other specialty rod. I'm only 5'7", BTW.

A flipping contest? Is that a joke? Wow! Can you guys read? You are agreeing with me! Jeez. I said a longer rod helps with flipping. I've got a better proposition, GO FISHING. And perhaps take an Evelyn Woodhead course, LOL. By "flipping," I'll refer to these definitions:"Flipping - best for stained to muddy water or extremely heavy cover. This is more of a short line technique. It's quieter and more accurate than any of the other cast, but can not achieve the distance sometimes needed." -Ike "The Flip-Cast (Flippin') This is intended for pinpoint lure presentation to visible, thick cover between 10 and 20 feet away. Use a heavy-action 6 1/2 to 7 1/2 foot rod. Let out about 15 feet of line. With your free hand, grasp the line between the reel and the first rod guide and straighten your arm to the side. There should now be about 8 feet of line past the front tip. Raise the rod to make the lure swing back close to the body. Lower the rod top to make the lure swing forward. Use only your wrist, roll the butt of the rod to the inside of your arm. As it moves past the rod tip, continue raising the rod as you feed line with your free hand. As the lure nears the target, lower the rod top again and make the bait touch down softly and precisely on target by stopping the bait just before it enters the water. Let go of the line in your free hand and immediately place it on the reel. Make sure you're ready to strike before beginning your retrieve." -Anonymour BR Writer "Flipping. Flipping is a technique that I generally reserve for extremely heavy cover. You use the same rod and reel for flipping as for pitching...just at closer quarters. Flipping basically means to get right on top of the fish and drop the bait on their head." -*** You want more? Ming - Gya! If you can't pitch or flip with any rod you own, then you truly need to practice both.

I've got it on a Daiwa with no ill effect after a year. Just wanted to see what the deal was. From what I can tell, it has only stained some of the gears. Interesting, NO QUANTUM that I have serviced has hot sauce oil or grease in it. Maybe they use it now, but not in anything from the past year or so.

Not really. I've had snakehead in an aquarium that were much larger. Check this one out, LOL:

OK guys, some pics for you to reference: bowfin: snakehead: walleye: sauger: The fish in that picture does not look like a snakehead.

Dude, that really sucks. Sorry to hear that. I have a family member that was bitten by a brown recluse - almost died.

I have to ***** myself about 6 times a day to check my blood glucose levels, and blood draws still make me nearly pass out. Every three days, I have to insert a 2" cannula via a larger needle into my belly for my insulin pump. Shots still make me weak in the knees. The fear of shots seems innate.

I pitch from a jon, my SOT yak, and from TX style bass boats. Makes no difference to me, although its most comfortable from my yak or the bass boat. If you notice, I said a longer rod makes flipping easier, which is what you said anyway, LOL. If you can't pitch a bait with a 6'6" rod, you need to work on your technique. Pitching and flipping are totally different techniques, both of which I actually employ quite a bit, and not just for bass fishing. The flip is great for float fishing for trout. I'm not sure why you need "longer" flips, as I generally reserve this for vertically flipping the bait into somewhat shallow pockets. The amount of line you you can strip off the reel is limited by your arms length, not the length of the rod. A longer rod gets you further from the boat.

Absolutely a Northern Pike, Esox lucius.

12-15# P-line CXX.

I don't think the length has much to do with casting distance, above 6'6". it does make flipping a little better. I like the longer rods to be able to get a good hookset on and lift the fish up and over in one motion without reeling in like a madman. No high speed reel can add as much acceleration as an extra 6" to the end of the rod.

They'd have to get rid of those ugly paint jobs, LOL. ********************************************** I'm one of the "mid level" guys. I just picked up a Daiwa Black Widow II 153H for $38 on ebay. Brand spanking new. I've got a few silver Capricorns that I found at Dick's on clearance for $40. These reels are reliable, easily serviced, built with quality components, and last. They may lack some of the refinement as compared to some of my higher end gear - I also have a pair of TD-X HSDL, Feugo, Sol, and a TD-Z - but really, I don't cast any farther with the high end gear, and it certainly doesn't directly lead to more fish. But, when the reel is easy to use, performs flawlessly, and doesn't let you down, you can spend more time concentrating on getting bit. In that regard, entry level equipment to me is waste of time and money. Spend a tiny bit more, and you'll be rewarded with trouble free fishing. I'm talking in the $80-120 range, less if you look for closeout or discontinued. You can rest assured that going and getting a TD-A or a Citica is not money wasted. A $50 whatever brand plastic BC from the endcap display at Dick's, Gander, or wherever is money down the drain. I've been there, done that.

Let me know if you ever make to my side of the Lake

Crank baits.

I like Roboworms, Berkley Shaky, Zoom Finesse, Gambler Giggy to name a few.

The bait is also more weedless in the perpendicular position.

Great stuff! Living on Lake Ontario affords me with tons of salmon and trout fishing year round. For the past month, the kings have been running strong, though now its petering out a bit. The browns are stacking up in the lake, waiting for the small creeks and streams to open, and a few of the big rainbows have made their way back downstream, after holding in deep pools all summer. Trout fishing, especially winter steelheading, has extended my fishing to a year round hobby . Here's a king from last month:

HEy Young Mook, us older people, people with diabetese(me among them). people with COPD and asthama and people with compromised immune systems all are in danger of getting pnemoina, that is a sizeable portion of the population at risk. One in seven Americans either have Diabetes Type 2, or are on the cusp of it. By the year 2015, experts believe that number will be one in three. Children are being diagnosed in numbers that are growing exponentially by the year.

Having Diabetes Type 1 puts me a great risk, should I contract the real nasty flu that makes its way around the world, mutating as it goes. I say great risk, meaning death, despite being a very fit, and otherwise healthy late 30's guy. I get mine every year. One caveat, despite never having the flu (I don't generally get sick), I go through a very short series of flu like symptoms after my shot, which includes a dry tickle in my throat, a sour throat, cough, runny nose, fever, and muscle soreness and fatigue. here's the weird part: each of these lasts only about ten minutes, and the whole ordeal is about 3 hours long. I am told its not uncommon, LOL.

I think you got it man!

It never ends, despite living in Western NY State. Salmon are in the straggler stage, browns are staging, jack perch are hitting, and I have a bass tourney this weekend. Its like there's too much to choose from this time of year.