bassin is addicting

as many have said.... it is the members... the sponsors...and not so "patronize", but the administrators too. i have learned so much in the past couple years and it's because there is genuine willingness to share info and ideas. the feedback is amazing! i'm sure i have asked some "mr. obvious" questions but no one has ever come back with a demeaning response. truly only helpful answers. everyone has been really nice and i have been able to get some good deals thru the flea market too. i have been able to really expand my techniques and i can definitley see an improvement in my results. i have recommended BR to many friends....but only to a couple in my club...only because i don't want them to learn as much as i have from here...lol!! there are some secrets that no one in my club needs to know

thanks.. i think i'll look into making my own... RM... i'm not sure what you mean by "cup holders"?

What is the best way to store rods? I know I don't want to lean them up against a wall. Right? When the weather turns cold enough that I won't be fishing for a while, I'll take the reels off. If I don't have a rod rack/holder, should I find a place to lay them flat? Is that best? What type of rod rack/holder would you recommend? I'll be close to a BPS late next month and I can pick one up. Thanks for your help..

i fish from the bank 3-4 times a week... and my approach is... i look for cover, rip rap, weeds, points...the same as a boater looks for i seem to lose a jig within 5 casts from the bank... and crankbaits that dive more than 3ft are not much different.. so.... i use a lot of: weightless or 1/8oz t-rigged plastics...worms, craws, beavers, hula grubs, swim senko..etc.. hollow bodied frog rage shad buzzbait jitterbug popper spook spinnerbait scrounger shallow running crankbaits good luck

i fish from the bank 90% of the time.. i don't own a boat but fish as a non-boater in a bass club. i fish 3-4 times a week from the bank.. i usually take one rod (spinning) and have a duo-lock snap tied on so i can change baits quick and easy. i have a decent sized tackle bag with a shoulder strap for ease of carrying. i take 3-4 soft plastics each out of their original package and put in a zip lock baggie. i'll have maybe 5-6 different types of plastics....worms, beaver, hula-grub, craw..etc. i'll have 3-4 spinner baits and a few top water baits...popper, buzzbait, spook..etc. i take very few crank baits...if you get hung up..you're not gonna get them back. i've had a lot of luck...i cast parallel to the bank to start...then fan cast...working different depths..looking for cover..i fish most of my plastics weightless so i don't get hung up as much. my favorite bait right now is a lake fork tackle live magic shad rigged on a scrounger head. i can cover a lot of water and get a decent distance too. i used to carry 2 rods but it just was too much hassle and i couldn't be as mobile to cover more distance..so i went to the duo-lock snap..good luck

i've always been able to get them to match it... the BPS i go to is about 2 hours away... i've always called and asked about matching on-line prices and if the 1st person i get says "no"... i hang up and call again...until i get someone to say "yes".... and get that persons name..

honestly... the last 2 times out... fishing from the bank by myself...each time i had been out for about 5 hours up and down the bank of my local lake..i had some success...maybe a dozen fish both times...nothing of any size to speak of... 1st time out i said "last cast"...and caught a decent 2 1/2lb'er then the next day..same thing...different location..i had walked up to my car and was done...and i decided to walk across the road to another little cove i had fished before and said "one cast"...bang!! about a 4 1/2lb'er both times i gotta admit..i wanted to keep fishing...but i had been out for so long and convinced myself to actaully end the day with those 2 "last casts" on a good note..

finesse.. zoom u-tail, zoom finesse worm, zoom ultra-vibe speed craw or a 7" power worm. weighted as light as possible.

1/0 ewg try rigging one sideways on a scrounger head....

i picked one up on TW when they had 15% off and then a $20 rebate...and thought that was a good deal.. so you did good.. mine is M and i wish i had got a MH... i haven't used mine much yet...maybe 3-4 times... but wish i had the MH btw.. GO ILLINI!!! good win over ASU

i can't speak for the mitchell..... but i have 2 presidents that i've used pretty heavy in the past 3 years and have had no problems at all....i would recommend it to anyone thats looking in that price range... on a side note.... i saw on another thread here that the Plueger Supreme is on sale for $52 on FFO. that almost 50% off. so....the bait monkey bit me and i picked one up. i haven't got it yet but am hoping it performs as well as the President for the same price.

Interesting reply. I've gone through 2 pkgs. of the 5" Magic Shads with nothing to show for it. I keep casting off the tails! Using a lightly weighted swimbait hook (screw type). Not even a follow mind you! I do love the action though. I still have a rod rigged with it, being an optimistic sort of guy Crest....try those magic shads on a scrounger head....thats been a go to bait for me for the past few months..they swallow that thing.... i like the swim senko for the paddle tail...rigged a number of ways.. last weekend fished it weightless over the top of some pretty nasty grassbeds and let it die when i came to pockets

i own 2 Presidents and love the wooden handle... great feel and the best value under $60 imo although i did just pick up a Supreme for $52 off FFO..i'm hoping it performs as well as the Presidents.

good 'ol trilene xl is a great all around line.. but i know what you mean... i've went with Yo-Zuri ultra-soft in 6lb and getting ready to try 8lb..use KVD line conditioner.. i've also got 2 spools rigged with Power Pro 20lb braid (6lb mono diameter) and like it real well.

thanks....the bait monkey just bit me....i went a bought that Supreme on sale for $52. i've got 2 of the President's and never had a problem out of either one of them... hopefully the Supreme will be great also.

thanks guys.. the 4/0 worked well so far.. the action on those is really great....now i know why it gets rave reviews here..

i know... late to the party.. i had to use up my sizeable inventory of zoom speed craws before i allowed myself to pick up the Rage craws... what is the best hook size to use? i 1st rigged it with a 4/0ewg but that almost seems like too much hook?? what do you like/use the most? thanks...

thanks... i picked some up with my TW order. should save some money in the long run...and kinda looking forward to what "weird science" creations i may come up with...

i use a spinning rod with my pop-r for a long cast also. right now i've got McCoy 8lb copolymer on it... i picked that up on sale on TW a while back and really like it. it has been a good all around line for me. it may not be the best for that application....but i also use that rod for multiple set-ups... i don't have the luxury of having specific set-ups for every application.

i swappewd them out for Owner #6 dressed trail hook and Owner stinger #6 on the other... very pleased with hook-up...

i've read that this stuff works really well....question... does it dry hard or when it dries is it pliable/soft like the original soft plastic you use it on? it seems that most of the tears come at the end of the bait where the hook is put in...so if the repair is done there, can you easily put the hook back in the end and reuse the bait as new? is it that good? thanks...

an Iconelli trick has been killing them for me lately.. try a strike king baby rodent rigged on its side....great swimming action and something they haven't seen...

if you attach the trailer to the weedguard.... doesn't that affect the hookup?? how does the hook get to the fish?

great lure... change the hooks. i've got a night tourney this weekend and it will be tied on to one of my rigs for sure. as stated... wait for the weight... no need to "set the hook".. feel the weight and start reeling...keep tension and you should be fine... if you are new to the jitterbug it may be hard to not overreact when you hear a blow-up....

J agree.. i've got split ring pliers... good for their intent.. but certainly won't cut a hook off a lure. thanks.. i appreciate your input.. i'll pick up a pair of the linesmans at Lowes tonight..