Megastink

Big M, your cranks have inspired me. I have been thinking of designing my own cranks and jerks. Can you give me, and anyone else interested, a summary of tools/materials needed, as well as some literature and advice?

I second the Fat Free Shad. I am a huge supporter of this bait. Bomber just released a new color: Foxy Shad. Its like the sexy shad color. And i also find strike king crankbaits to be very effective. I would choose either the series 5 or 6, but i prefer Fat Free Shads. Line is also important. I would go with Fluorocarbon, Vanish 12#. you can still fish deeper diving cranks in shallower waters (say 7'-10')by using heavier line, like 17# or 20#. This will cause them to dive shallower.

Ok, i think youre trying to disagree again. In your example, its the DRIVER that makes the difference, reguardless of the car, just like its the FISHERMAN, not the rod. You just agreed with me. Now then, I'm done talking about this, but feel free to debate with yourself.

I don't care if you disagree with me. Fine. The steez is a good rod, but it wont make you a better fisherman.

Hooker, Im my previous post, i never once said thank you for the advice. THANKS!

I understand that, which is why i put the spot in the middle. Bass aim for the eye, or in some cases, like shad or herring, aim for the dot behind the head. Some spiecies developed a tail dot to throw off the bass' aim. Have you ever shot skeet or trap? Its the same concept. You have to lead your target. Its the same concept. Bass aim for the eye because its a point they can see to lead there target. The spot on the tail was developed to throw off their aim. Anyway, im not saying i know more then you. But, if the spot on the tail is meant to cause predators to miss the target, wouldnt you want your fish to aim for the hooks?

Couldnt agree more, it all comes down to confidence.

lol, hey, if you are more confident in ugly sticks, then go ahead... Ill stick with my St.'s.

Look for weedy flats that drop off near the creek channel, and throw jig and grubs to the weedline on the dropoff. I also would head up that river and throw crankbaits on the dropoff of the creek channel, near bends in the channel, and flip some docks whiule youre up there. If you can fly over to Burlington, drop-shot the shipwrecks on the main lake side of the wave wall. Flip jigs all along that marina, and chartruse/blre crankbaits also, being as it is a busy port on the lake, and the big ships stuir up the water. Good luck, and TIGHT LINES!

Thats what i said, exactly, followed by, "In my opinion..." Look, you can disagree with me if you want, well and good. Like i said, its my opinion. Im not saying that the Steez is a bad or lower quality rod. But its just that, a rod. I dont think it would help me catch more fish. I feel that i can do better with a lower priced rod. Its not worth the money. And thats my opinion. Chaddy, remember this: Its not the rod that defines the fisherman, its the fisherman that defines the fisherman.

Doesn't everyone? Look, I have no sponsors, if that is what you're hinting at. I own rods from Berkley, Quantum, Quarrow, Shimano, and St. Croix. All I'm saying is that I don't think ANY rod is worth that much money, I dont care how light or beautiful it is. Fishing is a confidence game, so if throwing a $310 STEEZ is gonna make you more confident, then by all means. But the rod doesn't make you a better fisherman, it is merely an extention of your own two hands. So if you want to go and spend $310+ dollars on a rod, go for it... I just think that you can get more bang for your buck elsewhere.

Like i said, in my opinion (IMO). And yes, i'm for real. $310 may be a steal for that rod, but i don't see the point in spending THAT much on ONE rod, unless you could g. The weight cant be by more then an once or two, annd the bass dont care how beautiful your spinning rod, OR how much you paid for it. Why buy one rod when you can buy 2 of an, (read these next three words carefully) in my opinion, equal quality rod from st. croix, or other top name brand. But then again, i've only been fishing for 15 years, what do i know?

Ok, lets face it, we all have our little tweeks we make to certain lures before we fish them. We feel that it is that addition (or removal), that little extra something we do that we think helps to generate more strikes. For me, i always replace the FRONT hook with a treble on a crankbait. On my deep divers, i shave the front on the lip from rounded to flat, so that it hits the bottom with a little more thud. On my topwaters, i ALWAYS put a black dot bewteen the first and second hooks on the belly, to give the bass a point to aim at when they strike, like painting a target. So, what do YOU do to your lures that puts a few extra fish in your livewell?

IMO, three words come to mind when i think "Steez".... Waste Of Money! Buy a St. Croix. For 1/2 the price of a steez, you can own a equal or superior product (IMO)

I from Milford Pa. I grew up in North Jersey, West Milford then Stockholm. Hopatcobng is my HOME! I love that place. I also fish Greenwood, Merrill Creek, wallenpaupack, and the Delaware....mmmm... gotta love those mid summer River SMALLIES!

I used to live on Champ. What part of the lake are you going to? If you dont now the name of it, then can you at least tell me if it is North, Middle, or South? All parts of the Lake fish differently IMO.

Wow. I really friggin thought there was a Church. lol. Let this be a lesson to all of you: Never believe anything you hear, and only half of what you see.

Lightnings are great rods for the price. They are especially good for any single hook lure, like jigs, spinnerbaits, etc. They Double as GREAT frog rogs. But, if you ever start looking for specialty rods, these do not make the cut for crankbaits, topwaters, or really anything with trebles IMO. But hey, rest assured that you Definately bought a standout rod for most fishing applications. Congrads on the purchase! May your rod always be loaded (in a good way) !

Im from Pa myself, what part are you from. also, if youre going to have a paper tournament, you better make sure you have an official in each spot as an observer. No, i know this isnt the Classic, but you should allow cheating.

Try a tungsten football head and DRAG it. It sounds ridiculous, but it makes a difference. Just drag it, like a Carolina rig. When you feel rocks, crawl it through SLOWLY. Slow is key. Think of it as "Caressing the bottom" .

Ok, lets start with your rod: you need at least a 7' Med Heavy, Fast action rod with some backbone. A 6'6" is ok, but youll want that extra leverage in your hookset, especially in mossy areas. Which brings me to my next advice: your line..... 12 lb mono, or fluoro for that matter, will SNAP under the friction created by rubbing against thick weeds. If you're gonna flip grass, you better throw it on, at least 30 lb braid (i like Power Pro), but 50 is better. Also, Concentrate on the edges of the weeds, or irregular features, like Holes in a thick bed, or a pocket around the edge. Flip it in, shake it a few time, and pick it back out (this is where that long rod comes in handy ) So, good luck, and may your line always be tight!

Good to know. God, I wanna go fishing there again SO BAD! d**n my Nitro for being in the shop.

I fish in Northern NJ, PA, and lower CT, and have been fishing Spider Grubs, Hula Grubs, whatever you call them for a while. I prefer 3.5" Keitechs during the colder months (under 55F) and 5" Yamamoto Spider Grubs in warmer water. These baits are designed to mimic crawfish, and are a near perfect match. They excel around rocks and boulders, but don't be afraid to treat them like a Jig and grub combo. Try a 1/8 oz weedless FOOTBALL jighead (Boo-yah) when the wind is low or your fishing shallow. When the wind is howling, and/or your fishing deeper, try a 3/8-1/2 oz weedless football jighead to maintain contact with the bottom. I choose a 7' Med-Heavy Baitcasting outfit for anything above 1/4 oz, and the same length spinning rod for anything up to and including 1/4 oz. 12 lb. fluorocarbon gets my nod. Now, I have more success DRAGGING this bait, rather then hoping it. You can alternate: Drag it three feet to mimic a craw out for a stroll, then hop it eratically for another 2 feet, as if the craw saw the bass and is trying to get away. This should cause a reaction strike. Also, if you can afford it, or, rather, if you have the guts, Buy tungsten jigheads. They let out a lower toned "tap" when they hit rocks, and being as tungsten is so hard, you can really feel ALL the details of where your fishing. Anyway, GOOD LUCK, AND TIGHT LINES!

I'm not a fan of them. I like Owner Stinger ST-41's. They are AWESOMe. 2x strong and the unique cutting point is just that, a CUTTING POINT! When using these hooks, you need NOT set the hook hard, but just sweep the rod sideways quickly. The hooks do ALL the work. Everyone, check those hooks out! I swear by them.

I tried my hand at a few custom painting tonight. What is the best protective coating to use? I have been using spray-on Acryllic, several layers. Is this good? Or should i get something else?