Blade-Runner

If you have a Dick's Sporting Goods nearby, you might check them out. I got a 2008 model Quantum Energy PTi baitcaster NIB for $89 on clearance a couple weeks ago. They had quite a few other good clearance reels when I was there...

Unfortunately, nothing will prove a more reliable 'overall' river-smallie catcher than a 2.75-3.5" tube jig. Get yourself an assortment of natural craw'ish colored tubes and some 1/16 - 1/4 oz. insert jigheads. You may lose some rigs with the open hook, and hopefully you will recognize the pickup and not gut hook them, but I have yet to encounter anything (in my area) that can annually outfish these baits. I stopped telling folks on my local rivers about them because the fish simply EAT them - as a result, many anglers are killing smallmouths because they have learned to just throw it out and leave it alone. I fish them like a normal bass jig and pay attention to what is happening at all times... This may not be news, as I think most of the fishing world has known about tube jigs for some time now.

Thanks for the warm welcomes, folks. Wish they were accompanied by some warm(er) weather. February... Fished the first iced-out pond I could find after work yesterday and caught two largemouth (11" and 14"). Depth was 6-8 ft. and the water temperature was 40 degrees. Lure was a medium diving Lee Sisson craw-colored crank.

For a medium bass spinning rod, I like either 20/6 Power Pro or 6/8 lb. BPS Excel Clear Monofilament. If you're having problems with the braid maybe try spooling a little bit of mono first, then uni/uni knotting or bloodknot to your braid mainline. Or you use double sided scotch tape as an adhesive backing to the spinning spool. I've never had any handling issues with Power Pro on spinning or baitcasting gear. As far as the monofilament, I would agree with Ron Burley as far as being mindful when spooling up and watching for twist. After starting spooling, check to make sure you're spooling the correct orientation with the bail/line guide and the line itself. I've seen folks fill an entire spool in the wrong direction with spinning reels and the entire spool is full of twisted line. Couple this with the inherently high memory of many monofilaments = ill-handling line. I cannot say much about flouro. I have one spinning setup with fluoro and it is the 8-lb. XPS (Bass Pro Shops) line. It works pretty well but I've had to get accustomed to it. It is excellent for certain presentations. I like it for light spooning, silver buddies, drop shotting, light jigs, walleye work, etc. No matter how much you spend, fluorocarbon is never going to be as limp as monofilament.

Hello Fellow Chunk & Winders, Lip-Rippers, and Jerkbaiters: New to the board after utilizing (viewing) the 'resource for quite some time now. Decided to go ahead and start socializing...I used to spend quite a bit of time on RiverSmallies and would like to start visiting here on a regular basis. I am from Central Indiana and have been fishing for 19 years, "seriously" for the last 9 years (if there is such a thing?). In addition to fishing rivers and lakes in Hoosierland, I also frequent the highland impoundments and flow-controlled rivers of Eastern Tennessee. While catching smallmouths is probably my favorite pastime, I enjoy fishing for many different species. I fish out of a 14' "redneck but quality" converted johnboat/bassboat, a 12' riveted river john, a 13'11" canoe, and a 9.5' kayak. Whilest I try to constantly improve and find success with a variety of techniques, I would say spinnerbaiting shallow cover (grew up watching Jimmy Houston) and pitching jigs are probably my favorite bass techniques. In my years, I've probably caught enough 4-4.15 lb. bass to fill the back of my truck, but I've never broken the 5-lb. mark for a smallmouth or a green bass. I know the Southern guys will laugh at the least...But I've certainly tried hard :-[ For the 2009 season, my fishing goals are to improve my catch rate with suspending jerkbaits, spend more time finding good offshore structure in my local lakes, and to increase my night-fishing during the summertime. Aside from the fishing traits, I enjoy waterfowl hunting, drag-racing, and I work for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. I am volunteering for some local watershed advisory boards and am trying to be the voice for our angling brethren and sportsmen in my county and surrounding area. I will continue to advocate for "conservation and the American angler" in every outlet I find throughout my career... Thank you and I'm looking forward to contributing and learning much more from the members of the Bass Resource.

I really like my BPS Crankin Stick in 7' ML...Coupled with a Curado 200 and some 10-12 lb. test mono it makes a great all-around crankbait combo. Wonderful for the majority of my applications - 1/4 - 3/8 oz. shallow-medium divers, stickbaits, jerkbaits, traps, etc. About the only applications I go elsewhere for in hardbaits is trap ripping (braid, heavier rod, faster reel), heavy cover shallow cranking (heavy mono, heavier rod, faster reel), and deep divers (flouro or medium mono, heavier rod, slow reel).

To a truly premium fishing rod, that is... After many years of staying in the $100 and under well-researched, well-thought out, and applicable bargain bin selections, I made the step up to (what I thought) was a good value in high-quality casting rods. I started researching a good all-around premium bass casting rod several months ago, with the intent of purchasing a 6.5-7 ft. M/MH rod with good versatility and an emphasis on jigs and soft plastic fishing. I had "decided" on a Loomis Mossyback 803 6'8 MH/XF. Unfortunately, I was not able to find one to handle or touch at 2 different BPS and multiple small sporting goods stores. I was prepared to spend no more that $200-250. Somehow, I came across a beauty of a rod that now rests in my arsenal. At a recent trip to South Carolina, I found a clearanced St. Croix Legend Elite 7' MH for $199. I purchased it and am looking forward to utilizing the qualities that I can already tell this rod possesses. I've found a small amount of feedback on this particular rod (with mostly all very favorable) and I can surmise that it will fulfill my expectations. It is a very light, well-balanced rod with many premium features. I own two other St. Croix's (both spinning - Premier & Triumph) and have been relatively happy with their quality and service. A small part of me says that I should have waited on a Loomis, but I think that this will be a great overall bass rod. I've fished for years with decent quality, good bang-for-the-buck rods ; and while I'm not a tournament winner, I'm certainly not a complete novice...This is one of those rare situations where I really think I am at the point where stepping up in equipment might actually allow me to take some of my fishing skills to the next level. By the way, I would also like to say "Hello" to BassResource patrons, as I am - like many others - a relative newcomer (or as they say in radio : long-time listener, first time caller). Best wishes to you all as days get longer and pre-spawn starts to inch it's way northward...

Currently: Frogs - 7' Falcon Original MH, BPS Extreme 7:1, 50 lb. PP Assorted Topwaters - 6'6" Browning Medallion GT Medium Power, 10-lb. Berkley Big Game, Daiwa Viento 6.3:1 On another note: Always loved the excitement of frog fishing. Very successful technique during certain conditions. Absolutely NOTHING has improved my frog fishing success like using braided line. If I could only use braid for 1 application, it would be for fishing frogs and toads. I use my high-test braid setup (one rod/reel) for other techniques (heavy cover pitching, punching hippo pads, night fishing with jigs) but fishing the frog requires that setup at a minimum for me...

Berkley 100% "Professional" Grade and XPS have been decent in my experience...

Patoka, hands down.

Be prepared to catch walleyes on your bass plugs or rigs.

It's not quite as good for heavy grass or "rip" bait fishing, but I like throwing small cranks and traps on a 7' ML BPS Crankin' Stick. I run these lures with an older Curado-200 (5.4:1) w/ 10-lb. mono. It's a great all-arounder for Bandit-size (~1/4 oz) and traps 1/2 oz. and under. It doesn't have the backbone for heavy ripping, but it's served me well as a lighter-weight, non-glass, lower-priced cranking rod. For big traps, larger cranks, or plus-size topwaters I'll use a MH graphite rod.

My favorite "go-to" for those lure choices is a 10/20 size spinning reel on either a 7' ML St. Croix Premier or the old 6'8" ML "Woo Daves" Extreme (BPS) spinning rod. Either 6 or 8 lb. quality clear mono or fluorocarbon. Definitely the go-to for clear-water highland smallies...