Team9nine

This ^^ Tried the 3.8s very early on and they were just too slow. That said, I love my 4.4 - 4.7 ratio reels I've had over the years for deep cranking. Honestly never checked IPT on any of them though. -T9

The 2-oz resolution is exactly why I bought the IN12. In Indiana, I'm never going to catch a bass or walleye bigger than 12 pounds anyway. They do make an IN10 version, but it was only accurate to 4 oz., so that was another reason why I went with the IN12 instead. -T9

No doubt that is a Chatillon IN Series brass scale...and yes, they are IGFA certifiable and very accurate. A couple points need to be clarified though from the video. The scale they are using is either the IN30 (lb.) or the IN50 (lb.) scale. Both have accuracy to 1/2 pound (8 oz.). There are no hidden or missing hashmarks. Makes sense since they are up north and probably use it for weighing pike, musky or giant walleye, too. They would need the larger capacity. From the video, and they give a pretty good, level close-up shot of the weight, they appear to have read the scale wrong. The correct weight should be 8.5 pounds, not "over 9." The proper way to read these scales is to use the very top edge/lip of the brass "indicator" as the actual weight/reading. If the indicator meets or exceeds a hash mark, but doesn't make the next mark, then the lowest mark met or exceeded is the proper weight. In this case. It appears to pretty much nail the 8.5 lb. mark almost exactly. So my opinion based on the video is that this was "only" an 8.5 lb smallie - still one h*!! of a fish. I personally use a certified Chatillon IN-12 model which is accurate to within 2 oz. There is one model between that model and the one they are using, which is an IN15, accurate to within a quarter pound (4 oz). They also make smaller panfish models (IN2, IN4, IN6) accurate to within 1 ounce. -T9

It's going to be nearly a wash. I use them both (mono and fluoro) as leaders. The reason is because the "feel" advantage you get with fluorocarbon is due largely to density, and you're sticking 50-100 feet of low density braid between you (your rod) and your leader. The sensitivity of braid comes from its near lack of stretch. So you are basically dealing with two different lines and line properties, and the joint (connection between the two) becomes a disconnect. Mono has no sensitivity advantages over either of the other two. The main advantages, as has already been stated, are abrasion resistance, transparency, and density for extra weight (with a fluoro leader) to offset the braid. There are a couple other things like line savings (use less braid due to retying) and unsnagging benefits. -T9

....Not quite. Tried pulling it up in a search function to give you links, but came up empty for some reason. It has been discussed a few times on here before. If you really stick to what Ned recommends, then you need to try and use mostly Z-Man plastics, including the half ZinkerZ (or now the TRD), or possibly the half Strike King Ocho. Any other plastic isn't the same, though they do sometimes go with regular plastics if Z-Man doesn't have a particular shape they like. Also, use with a mushroom jighead, mostly 1/16-oz. but sometimes 1/32 (more frequently) or 3/32nd (less frequently). And the hook isn't oversized, but rather undersized. Ned keeps 'em small around a #4 (1/16-oz) or #6 (1/32-oz). Some guys prefer going slightly larger up to a #2 or #1, or even larger. If there is a "trick" behind it other than the Z-Man plastic, I'd say it is the "no feel" retrieve with shorter casts. This is the basic setup Ned throws the majority of the time. Beyond that, others have started improvising on the system for specific situations or preferences including larger hooks, weedless heads, heavier heads, etc. My personal recommendation is if you're new to the system, to always start with exactly what Ned suggests and uses so you can get an honest feel for what "baseline" truly is with this technique. After that, then you can alter components as you will have that (original system) for comparison, and know how your alteration affects the original presentation. The more you read, the more you'll see Ned rarely ever deviates. -T9

If this report is correct, the NRC shot it down. Has a Kim Stricker Hook'N Look video also: http://www.freep.com/story/sports/outdoors/2015/03/22/lydia-lohrer-fisheries-order-upended/25176389/ -T9

Everything...if you get right down to it - way too much to even begin trying to reply. -T9

Crawdad colored Bandit 100 got the first... -T9

Agree with all the above. Err to the side of larger (instead of smaller) and you'll be fine. Company size ratings vary, but I tend to stick to 25/2500 and above. -T9

^^ This ^^ - used it almost exclusively for about 1.5 years. Throws like a dream and was very sensitive. Also loved the newer chartreuse color they came out with, but in the end, its weakness (knot strength) simply overshadowed its strengths for me. -T9

I routinely throw 6# fluoro, and sometimes go to 4# (fluoro & mono). Lightest I have used is 2# and 2.5#. Works in open water with the right setup, but not around cover. Throw a lot of 3# micro braid also - good stuff! -T9

Whichever bait I happen to grab first or have with me. If the bass are so smart that they'll reject my bait over flake color, I'd rather move along and find stupider fish Better than trying to rotate through a dozen flake colors to figure out the right one to get bit. If I'm not getting bit, for all I know it might be because the fish simply aren't there - may have nothing to do with flake color -T9

Simple - I don't carry a back pack. When I pond hop, I only bring whatever will fit into a jacket pocket or two. One rod, a couple basic presentations in basic colors. For me, mobility and simplicity is much more important from the bank. -T9

Ice just left our lakes for the first time all winter just over a week ago. Right now we're getting a mix of snow/sleet/rain. Short answer - spawn is at least a month away or more. Not rushing it - would like to enjoy the pre-spawn a while -T9

I used to live in a housing addition that had 5 different ponds on the premises, all stocked with bass and generally lightly fished. What I found through experience, as well as what has been documented via studies, is that as pressure increases, catchability decreases. The solution that worked best turned out to be a small combination of things. Rotate effort across the ponds - Don't hit every pond every trip. Rotate through them allowing certain ponds to "rest." Shorten trips - Don't sit there and fish for hours at a time on a given pond. Even at the largest one I fished, I never spent more than 30-40 minutes max before moving on. Many of the smallest ones might end up only getting 15-20 minutes each. Restrict presentations - Bass learn through repeated exposure. I always just chose a single presentation for every trip so as not to show bass "the kitchen sink" every time. One day it might be nothing but shallow cranks, and the next day tubes. After that maybe buzzbaits on the third trip, then the following trip jigs. This way you catch what will bite that bait in a given day, but don't show them what's coming next trip. By incorporating some form of the above into your routine, I believe you'll maximize your overall catch rate across an entire season. -T9

All of mine have now been covered...except one (#5) 1. Spoonplugging by Buck Perry - the foundation upon which to build everything else, if I only got to pick one. 2. In Pursuit of Giant Bass - written by one of the original Chicago area Spoonpluggers. 3. Lunkers Love Nightcrawlers - based on Bill Binkelman's original works along with a bunch of Perry influence. The original "book" on finesse. 4. Original In' Fisherman Study Reports - not a book, but much more detailed than most every book out there. Grounbreaking stuff. 5. Catching Fish - The original compilation of everything the Lindner's did up to the point of launching In' Fish magazine in 1975. Over 380 pages of compiled genius. 6. Lunker by Bob Underwood - No theory, just 1200 hours of scuba observations on bass and their behavior, plain and simple. Referenced several times in the Lindner's early stuff. -T9

No idea what "the standard" is, but I have no plans of changing from my 4.4:1 and 5.0:1 reels for any of my deep crankin'...

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Good stuff frydog62 - I've done a ton of line testing on my own also, so I can appreciate the effort and interest. Lots of ways to dissect the data and run the tests, all of which will give different results, but will also help answer one small part of the puzzle. Another interesting test you might try, beside the 1/2 rated test (I've run it before and you should see some slight differences there), is to soak all lines in water for about 1 hour before testing to better simulate "field" conditions. This is important because nylon lines absorb water, and some tests show changes to stretch increase by as much as 20% or more (vs. dry) depending upon exact test. Theoretically, all 100% fluorocarbons shouldn't absorb water, and therefore, you shouldn't see any change in stretch between samples tested "dry" vs. samples tested "wet." My guess is that if you did this, you'd see a difference in results, with many of the monos and copolys stretching more than your original set of data, quite possibly more than the fluoros at that point. Additionally, there is a pretty strong inverse correlation between line diameter and stretch, so the closer you can keep the lines paired and tested in that regard, the better the quality of your data. -T9

J-knot is a very good knot for connecting the two. Only slightly less strong than the modified Albright/Alberto, both of which though test much stronger (~20%) than the uni-uni. Pick whichever one you tie best and go with it. -T9

Got a 3000 Series and have had no problems with it. Like the oversized spool for line management. Seems like a solid reel for the money. -T9

Not really "rare," but old school and somewhat expensive. Some of my Bagley Diving Bs, the large majority of which are older brass wire/lead tuning bill lures. -T9

That little line they put on the spools about an 1/8 inch down is there to let you know it's time to add more line when you see it JK - but I always overspool my baitcasters. Bugs me to no end when I grab a buddies rod/reel and the line is just 3/4 spooled - LOL. Spinning reels I tend to abide by "the guideline" a bit more because the nature of that type setup is more prone to spool issues when overfilled. Not so with baitcasters. -T9

While I'm not a fan of pros being able to do this, even preferring that they'd make a rule against it, the simple fact is that, A.), it's not presently against the rules on either professional circuit, B.) it was no secret that Casey had done this previous to the tournament, and C.) every other pro could have done the same thing, though not quite as easily. We only need look back to the last FLW Cup, also won on a herring lake (Murray), where Anthony Gagliardi (who lived on the lake) took the title and the $500,000. He did the exact same thing as Casey (see media excerpt below), yet I don't recall a single post in this forum condemning him and how he won. It's all just part of life on the professional bass tournament trail. if you want to direct your frustration at someone, it should be to the powers at B.A.S.S. and FLW to try and get them to change their rules, not at the anglers who simply followed those rules.

LOL - nope. My understanding is they are spot checked at the ramp once you check in for the day to note how many are alive/dead. That info is passed on to officials at the stadium where actual weights are taken and scored, and appropriate penalties (if any) applied. -T9