brandonmccray

Thanks to you all for the advice. My line was a bit slack. I'll be better prepared next time.

A good one to look at is the 3/8 oz. Koppers smallmouth. It has a subtle action and usually can get me one on days when not much is biting. Mine has the flash finish, and although I mainly use it in clearer water, it actually does pretty well in dirty water also.

I do. When in really shallow water I go weightless at times, but usually go with a 3/16 bullet weight. We have a lot of dirty water here, but for clear water the weightless presentation works tends to be more effective more often.

I was catfishing with Magic Bait on 3/0 Eagle Claw circle hooks and was still deep-hooking them. They were extremely subtle biters. I wouldn't even feel most of the bites. I would just see my line slowly moving, set the hook, and get about a 3-4 pound fish. Is the subtlety of the bite causing me to react later, letting them take it in deeper, or something else?

I mainly use lizards, and I've tried to see a difference, but haven't.

The rock bass are just like the Roanoke bass we have here. They're a good fighting fish for their size on light gear. The nicer ones will go for bass cranks and plastics.

I tend to pick up redbreast, green sunfish, and white bass mostly.

I had a chance to go to New River State Park a week ago. It was my first time there, and I have to tell you now that fishing there would be best done by canoe or with waders. The state owns very little land there, and pretty much everything else is private property from the bank. I took my baitcaster, but would definately have been better off with light action gear. More focus is placed on trout in Ashe & Alleghaney Counties than on smallmouth. The best stretches were comparatively deep river sections with slower current, as the temps plummet when the sun goes down. They're still just starting to warm up there.

Took the survey. For me the internet is a powerful tool.

Weather permitting, I'm trying to go to New River State Park sometime nextg week. I'm completely new to smallmouth, but I'll be sure to let you know how things go.

I've been going 1/4 oz. to 5/8 oz. 1/2 o and up are better, but it still happens. I used to have a Rick Clunn reel with magnetic braking and a Sol. With those I never had to set braking above "3." With the Fuego it would only really work consistently from 5 up. It's different, but is this difference in the needed settings normal for this reel, or an indication of a problem?

I'm using a fuego and the thing backlashes like nothing I've ever seen. I tried a strategy of a looser cast control knob with a higher (like 5-7) brake setting. This makes things better, but even then it still backlashes. These overruns aren't small. When it goes, it REALLY goes. It's like all braking force just goes away. Again, the strategy I've tried really made a difference; but is this braking system some insane genious, esoteric contraption, or is this just the way it is, or could have some problem?

Here's something to take into consideration. I was using a palomar knot, directly tied to the lure's split ring. I tried a snap on the main line (I often do this when fishing for quick changes) and the line would break just above the knot. From this I's say there's a Very strong possibility that you would Have to use a good line with a Direct line tie with a really string knot; lest you just break the line on the pull and lose the lure anyways.

I'm new to flukes too. I was watching Zona fishing w/ Aaron Martens on his show and saw Martens use a scrounger jig head w/ the fluke. I'd also saw Icconelli use the jig head on City Limits, but he rigged his on a Berkely Beast sideways for a swimming shad profile. It seemed like a versatile jig head, so I got a couple, and had a chance to try it a week ago. It had really good action on the fluke, like a little soft plastic swimbait. No bites though, but that was the story for the whole day. I was using the Arkansas shiner pattern, and they actually produced a noticeable flash in clear water.

I'd thought I'd try some informal testing to get a better idea about the function of the split rings. I spooled on some Suffix Elite and hooked a lure's treble (a DTF3) to a heavy drawer's handle. The ring is normal until a certain level of pressure is reached. The pressure I exerted was a continuous,slow, steady pull; far different than a fighting fish. Sharp, hard rips did nothing. Also, the pressure it took to make the ring begin to expand was actually way more than what any fish would give you (considering 12#, anything that strong, like 30+# carp would break the line way before the ring would ever give). After it expanded it always popped back and was as strong as it was before. The ring usually stayed on lure also, minus the treble; but not every time.

Spro Aruku Shad- Perch & Red Craw Red Eye Shad- Tennessee Shad Ratt'L Trap- Tennessee Shad Gold

I posted a question about them about two weeks ago with no answer. I own some, but was trying to get opinions from anyone with more experience with them. Basically, the one time I got hung with them, I lost my lure. Line pairing is imperative with them, but I had a match (12#). I was using Trilene Smooth Cast, which I find a weaker line per rating. I've yet to get hung w/ Suffix Elite (my usual line) that is much stronger per rating. My jury's still out too, but won't be long before a verdict's in on it.

For me I'd say the black/gold rattle trap. I had planned on using it in dingy water because I thought that dark a profile would be more visible. After no luck in several attempts in dark water, I eventually started trying it anywhere; and still could catch a cold with it. I kept trying for about a month and a half, before I got snagged and lost it. It was actually pretty funny, because when that happened I almost instantly realised it was for the best. Right after that I went back to my old Tenn. Shad gold rattle trap and caught one. Really, I'd just been so hyped up because I really believed I'd made a sharp, strategic purchase and wanted the plan to work out. I definately learned a lesson in having more realistic expectations from that.

I bought some of these a while ago and just got to test them today. I got snagged, but broke my line and lost my lure. Here's the thing-I was using 12# Trilene XL Smooth Cast with the 12# rings, but to me this line breaks pretty eaisly (I actually think it's breaking strength is probably closer to 10.). I think my Suffix Elite in the same test would have held up better and got me my lure back (I've bent some trebles with it.). Those split rings are pricey, and I'm curious if anyone's faired better with them than I have before I order more for my other lures.

I'm actually looking to get the waders fooman mentioned (BassPro-flyer says they'll be on sale for 69.94 ), but I have a question about sizes. I'm 5'10, 185, but l wear a 13 shoe. Which size would fit me best? I'm thinking a large, but will that work with my foot size?

I started using the Aruku Shad last year to experiment with more premium lures. I like rattle baits, so I focused there. I really just wanted to know if what seemed to be a better lure (that was much pricier) would produce better than a standard one. I'm not one to get on bandwagons, and I don't have a ton of gear, but I thought I'd try the Aruku Shad to see what it was all about--I gradually replaced my Rat-L-Traps for them. For me they literally outfished the Trap about 2.5:1. I know it sounds like a stupid infomercial, but for me it's true. They have a great low-speed action, a different sound, and awesome finishes. Another thing I think that helps is the small profile (3/8 oz.) and the density of the lure. The size gives it almost a multi-species appeal (I've ended up catching nice crappie on them) and comes across as something that's hard to pass up. Additionally, with it being so compact it cast like a bullet--far and with less tumbling (my 1/2 oz. Trap beats it by maybe 10 ft., but is less accurate from the tumbling). I think it deflects slightly better too. My patterns are Old Glory, Perch, and Crawdad (the dark, crimson one). We have a lot of stained water here, and the crawdad's deadly.

I got my Chronarch 101B for $114 off Ebay.

I absolutely love mine. I have the 101B. It has a very low start-up inertia. A roll cast is all that's needed for maximum distance when casting lures 3/8 and up; and the distance is great. Also, it's a very consistent caster. There aren't large variances with distance or accuracy for a given input. It has a very smooth operation on the retrieve. The deposition finish can be brittle, but the reel itself is a tank.

I'm actually new to the flat-sided cranks, and was curious about applications. Under what conditions or situations would a flat-sided crank be best used?

Thanks for the info. It's getting pretty cold out, so at least I won't be missing much during the time it's being repaired.