retiredbosn

Oh please, if you eat them they have to die. Besides I know the VA Dept of Inland Fisheries recommends that you keep the strippers that you catch, as they will die if released, at least during certain months. I don't know if there is any truth to that, but the dept wants them kept. I found the quote from the internet her it is Anglers should not release legal size striped bass during the summer months. The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries encourages striped bass anglers to quit fishing after catching their limit in the months of June-September (see Regulations section for split season regulations). Most of these fish released during the summer months will not survive! A voluntary catch-and-release (no harvest) season is recommended for striped bass from October through May to help build population abundance and fish size.

That's hilarious. I think wives are secret agents of PETA, or USHS ;D

We aren't supposed to be talking politics here, but since the moderators allowed your comment: I am a Democrat and I hunt, fish, watch NASCAR, drink beer, change my own oil, sing in the choir at church, love my wife and kids, vote, pay taxes, take my hat off and sing the national anthem, and drive a Ford truck. Oh, and I'm a Southern boy (old man, actually). I did not mean to offend anyone, I didn't even realize I had put that in my original post. I was talking about the west coast, north east, and various other small pockets that this type of activity takes place. Those areas are typically represented by a Democrat in Washington, however there is a huge difference between a Nancy Pelosi, Barney Frank, et al and the main stream Democrat. If you are from the south the party doesn't even call you Democrat, you are a Dixiecrat, because the ideology is so vastly different. I didn't mean to paint the entire democratic party as anti hunting, it just happens that the most vocal antis in politics are democrat, a different democrat than the dixiecrat, and from main stream dems. Again didn't mean to offend. I will edit the post. Now please lets return to the original theme of this thread before it gets locked.

I'm glad you had good luck from Strike King, I purchased a spinner bait, the skirt's band was broken but I didn't notice. The first time I used it the skirt fell off in the water. I called, email, I never got any response at all. The service I got from Strike King sucked. I just purchased another skirt, different company's btw.

All I'm pretty much able to do now is fishing. I go as often as I can, sometimes not as long as I would like but as long as I can stand it. I used to hunt all the time and now it is just to hard on me. I don't saltwater fish, with my back I wouldn't go out in much more than a gentle swell anyway. I don't speak spanish, have a good handgun, and know how to use it well. Thanks for the input.

who is this company? Do they make quality products? Are the reels worth putting on a rod? Any real world experience reports would be appreciated. They seem to have a good record over at tackletour as far as their reviews go, hoping someone who has used the product regularly can chime in. Thanks

Marine grade??? I thought gas was gas was gas, why should it matter if you put it in a boat's tank? I don't think having oil mixed in your gas would matter either, petroleum is petroleum.

I was thinking more around the Austin area, southern Texas. I know how cold it gets in central Texas and north. The humidity isn't much of an issue unless the barometric pressure drops below 30.

Man, what a deal. the local Wal-Mart here wouldn't know a Norman lure if it bit them in the keister.

I don't agree with this at all. Too many I know can both outcast with spinning reels versus bait casters, and pull fish out. Depends on the person. I do agree there are more crankbait specific rods in bc versus spinning, but you'll need to explore, research & choose your rods accordingly. I used to think the same way until I got my first good BC set up. I was never able to cast even half way cross the river with my spinning rod, now I can put my cranks on the other shore with a BC, big difference. There isn't a spinning outfit made that has more drag and more back bone than a bc outfit. Medium spinning rods handle lures from 1/8 to 5/8 oz, a bc medium 1/4 to 1 ounce, no comparision in strength, back bone, or the ablility to pull em out of cover. The main reason I got a BC was that I was sick and tired of poor hooksets with worms, jigs, etc using a spinning set up. Got a BC and the problem disappeared, if I could find a bc that would throw 1/8 ounce trout lures I wouldn't even own a spinning reel. Besides that try throwing a 3/4 ounce deep diver on a spinning rod, just don't work. If you are throwing small and I mean small crankbaits you may consider a spinning rod, but I don't know of any crankbaits that my BC can't handle efficiently.

I would go with the 5:3 reel. I use a 4:7 for my deep divers and a 5:3 for the remaining treble hooks. It is easy to fish buzz baits on my 5:3 without any fatigue, so speeding up a little is no problem. To go deeper with out fatigue just slow down a little. The difference between a 5:3 to a 7:1 is roughly 8" per turn, give or take an inch or so for reel size. The difference between a 6:3 and 5:3 is about 4-5" per turn, now think how fast you reel typically when the reel is taking up 23" per turn (5:3) and the 6:3 is taking up 28" per turn, you see that it would take right at 1/8 turn to make up the difference in speed, not that significant. I find it easier to speed up my retrieve rather than slowing it down.

Lets see if he was at a party in CA, then he can use the medicinal purposes clause, stuff is great for an upset stomach. I bet he doesn't loose any sponsors or anything. Marijuana is so main stream that most people won't think anything about it at all. How many states have a medicinal clause now? You can stretch that medicinal clause thing a far far way. I just read an artical that CA's medicinal clause on marijuana has really affected the street dealer, the dealer just doesn't have the clientel he once had.

Casting reels once you get the hang of them will outcast any spin cast. Add to that the cast reels are much stronger and will enable you to horse the bass out of cover easier.

I doubt he will be banned for it, if he was competing and tested then yeah. On his time outside of competition or training, no. I think it is becoming necessary to be a felon or a thug to compete in sports now.

What is the consensus on these rods? Are they a decent rod, and I don't mean for the money, but are they a good rod. How is the sensitivity, strength, power and all that. I know they have a lifetime guarantee, which I would hope to never have to use, any way let me know your thoughts on these rods. FWIW, I guess I'm cheap but I have a hard time spending more than a 100 bucks on a rod, up to this point the most I've spent is 50 for a new Quantum PT Tour Grade rod. If you knew how hard I am on my rods you would understand why I have a hard time spending a lot of $$ on a rod. I don't think I have a rod that I haven't broke the tip off of. I'm pretty sure I overheated the Quantum rod when replacing the tip on it, so I guess it is ruined.

I prefer the classic look and feel of cork. I'm turning 40 in a couple of weeks, so I'm a young guy, but I like the classics. I drive a HHR because it is designed after the 48 Suburban, I like retro everything. I am even feeling the draw to go with the round reels over the LP's.

FWIW there is a store on Ebay selling PT Tours for 129 delivered to your door. I wish he would sell out as I'm gonna end up buying another reel I don't need. BTW the reels are new, unblemished, not seconds. I purchased my Accurist PT from this guy last summer. Also another store on Ebay is selling the Accurist CX's on clearance you get two reels for 99 bucks. That's a deal

I'm a proud member of PETA- People Eating Tasty Animals!!!! :

People who chuck rocks or swim in the hole I'm fishing in don't bother me a bit. I caught my PB largemouth 7lbs, in the same hole my son was chucking rocks, and I mean big rocks in when I hooked up. My sone was only three at the time. I was as amazed as anyone else, I'm not advocating throwing rocks before you fish, but I would not leave a hole because someone was. You never know you may catch the biggest one that day right under their noses. I also fell down a hill once while deer hunting, and low and behold a buck came running in to see what the ruckus was about, he tasted good, lol.

I emailed the company to check out the reels. Spinning reels are made in Korea and the Casting reels are made in China. In the email I expressly asked which Shimano reel they tried to duplicate in quality and performance, the answer was the Castic line. I have no idea if they matched the quality however, I didn't purchase. But isn't the Castic the entry level Shimano? It took 10 bearings to get the same performance of a 3 bearing reel? That is why I passed, just didn't make sense to me. I spent 20 more dollars and got an new reel that retails for 180 bucks off of ebay.

Here in WV the Conservation Officers are duly commissioned with the same powers as any law enforcement agent. They can even write speeding tickets. The law is STRICTLY enforced here. Basically you call the game warden and turn a person or group in for harassing you while fishing, they will be carted off, or ticketed. So basically if you are in the woods during the first week of hunting season without a firearm, and have noise makers or whatever, you will be arrested. Floating the river in a boat without a pole, and making a fuss around the fishermen, and you will be arrested, or cited at least. Outdoorsmen in this state are very organized and proactive, we take on the anti's locally, by county, and state. We have our own lobbyist at the Capitol and fight them every step of the way, so far we are winning. By that I mean the anti's are thwarted on issue after issue.

I'm a long time lurker and havent posted much here but i would like to comment on this as I am used to dealing with matters of the law I'm a police officer and I have to be honest, how would this would be against the law??? what if you were fishing and someone pulled up next to your boat and started slapping the water with their oars or something. I dont see how thats against the law, but its sure going to screw up your fishing. just because we all have the right to fish with licenses on public water doesnt mean we cant prevent anyone else from being on that same body of water unless they are doing something that is a crime against your person. I would like to know your thoughts Just as a point of reference where are you from Nightstick? Most southern states have laws on the books making it illegal to harass, or impede in anyway people involved in hunting and fishing. Add to that you go in front of a judge that hunts, before a jury that hunts, and it doesn't take much to show that you were intereferred with.

It is always interesting to read post like this. Inevetiably it is always the same. People in the North East, The Left Coast, and Colorado (something about Colorado attracts the nutters), sometime Montana are the areas that have this sort of thing happen. It just doesn't happen in the south to often, there are several reasons for this. For a southern boy there are certain things ingrained into you growing up, the three G's God, Guts and Guns. Sorta like that Hank Jr. song, "A Country Boy Will Survive", the liberal democrats (not all dems are liberal) and anti's just don't get it. To avoid sounding arrogant, or giving the anti's who lurk here ammo, I think I will leave it at that. Anyway Sportsmen are the single greatest conservationist there are, we have a stake in the future of game and fish. I won't bore anyone here with information that most of you would know any how, but the single most dangerous threat to our environment are environmentalists.

I watched Bill Dance today and I don't understand why some here like to criticize him. (fortunately noone on this thread) The show was about prespawn bassin, he never pushed a bait, was fishing out of a johnboat, and was very informative as to what he thought was the most important factors in presenting the jig. The Gamatsu tackle box highlighted what he was fishing with, in writing but he did not go on verbally about it. The man has to pay for air time, so he has sponsors, don't think he sells out, (sorry that is off track), Anway what I like about watching Bill Dance, is that it is like going fishing with a friend. He is constantly teaching his way of catching fish, some may disagree with his methods but his show is always informative. I like the way he shows so much respect for the fish, he seems genuinely excited about every fish he catches, talks about their color, size or whatever. He doesn't jerk em up over the side but handles them with care, doesn't throw em back in but gently lowers them back to the water, or a small low toss, this shows a lot about his character, and consideration for the fishery, and respect for the fish. I think that he is the best ambassador we have for our sport, and respect his intensity, knowledge and accomplishments. Tight Lines Bill and keep making your show. FWIW I started watching Bill Dance in the late 70's early 80's long before he was nationally syndicated, and now 25-30 years later, he is still the same guy that he was on the first shows. I guess I grew up watching him, I was a kid not even a teenager when I started watching his show.

Nobody in Texas got an suggestions, or do you just despise snowbird that much > BTW I'm not your normal snowbird, not rich, not snotty and raised in the south!!!