JohnFromLisbon

I think you'll like it here. It's not giant bass central, but we do have some great spots all over the country with healthy bass populations. Inshore fishing is pretty good, too. We have trout waters up north (rainbows were introduced here years ago and we still have some native browns) and in the mountain regions in the center, there's even some salmon far north on the border with Spain. And we're a tiny country, too. If you're somewhere in central Portugal, especially along the coast, you can reach anywhere in the country in 4 to 5 hours, tops. If you want to know anything else, fishing related or otherwise, let me know ?

Awesome! Can't wait for that bank fishing video. I remember a while ago on a fishing trip, my fishing buddy and I watched your video on the spawn and the "fishing lines" series back to back before, during, and after dinner. Love it!

Definitely. On my braid-to-leader setups I'll use 2 to 3' of mono (12-14lb) if I'm using a stiffer rod than usual (let's say I wanted to beat the bank and didn't feel like carrying 4 or 5 rods, so I bring a 7' heavy casting rod and a lighter spinning one to cover most stuff). On moving baits especially I don't feel like I lose much sensitivity. Unless I'm around sharp rocks, then I go with heavier fluoro because I hate losing baits.

Still have my trusty 201E5 on a MH crankbait rod but I'll definitely be upgrading soon

Pinnacle Solene? I think that's a pinnacle logo on the side, the little mountain top looking thing.

As someone on UTC... *This* ?

Agreed. I always use the finesse ShroomZ in either 1/10 or 1/5 oz, depending on how deep I'm fishing and how fast I want to move the bait. The only caveat is I might try a tungsten head instead of the usual lead ones because I like that sharp hard metal feel against the bottom. As for the bait, Finesse TRDs all the way. California Craw is killer in our southern lakes and that elaztech stuff usually lasts me a whole day unless I get it snagged on something and lose it.

Thanks! I'll look into the 842, I need a decent 2-power casting rod for exactly that sort of stuff, small weighed swimbaits, shaky heads, etc. That way I'll probably still go with an 853 JWR to replace my old MossyBack, use that for t-rigs instead of the 843. Haven't caught a fish on it yet, but loved the 844 for 1/2oz jigs and swing jigs. The only fish of the trip came on a drop shot. That MBR action is sweet though!

Long-arming a 2 and 1/4 lb largemouth, the only fish we caught on Saturday. Bit a drop shot Super Fluke Jr. on a small no. 4 Gamakatsu hook that pinned him perfectly just behind the top row of teeth.

Finally got my two-tone mitts on a Loomis MBR. On my way south to the lake I stopped by the tackle shop, was going in to see if I could finally order one of these now that Shimano distributes their own stuff in Europe, looked at the rods and saw the telltale "fish" outline next to the label. Got the 844 MBR right away, might order an 843 later this month. Also noticed that they're bringing back the old logo instead of the "comic sans" type one the've been using since the previous model GLXs.

Hey everyone I bought a pair of Split Shots about a year ago and the leash has started to show some rust where it touches my head right behind my ears. Has anyone else had this happen? I mean, I sweat like a pig in summer, sure. But I thought these would last a bit longer without looking all dirty. I've tried spraying WD40 on a rag and running the leash through it, and I don't really wanna use anything too harsh considering these spots rest against my skin.

I use an older GLX 785 CBR. 6'6 MH, parabolic action but not a pool noodle, enough to fling 3/8 and 1/2oz chatterbaits in close quarters.

Looking to finally replace my old 853 MossyBack with an IMX-PRO, stock up on terminal tackle, make the switch from lead to tungsten for 90% of applications, a few spools of fluorocarbon and braid, and get a few new packs of soft plastics. And a Plano E-Series backpack to carry everything I need to enter my first tournament!

I'm right handed and I only use left handed reels, be it baitcasting or spinning. Here in Western Europe (at least Portugal and Spain) most casting reels available in shops are left hand retrieve, so it just came as a natural progression. If I go in for a new Curado everyone just assumes I'm after the 201, not the 200.

Hi Florian, welcome! You should give our Portuguese lakes a try when you can, you won't be disappointed. Santa Clara is about 3 hours away from Lisbon airport and totally worth it. If I'm not mistaken, the current European record largemouth came from there in the 90's.

It looks a lot like the Frenzy lipless. The scale pattern matches but that gill looks off and the head is smoother like the RNRs. And the Frenzy had an etched fin too, I think. It's either a knockoff design or a short-lived model, I guess.

Ripley just met the latest member of the family. I wanted one of these things when they came out, I was in my teens and my mom said "There's no way I'm having that thing in the house.". So *adult me* went on eBay last week and got a decent cheap one from some guy in the UK. Here's the video: It's all fun and games until someone gets an animatronic fishtail to the snout Is that Chewbacca wearing bell-botoms? ?

It's 6:30 PM, time to cap off a hectic week

A few years ago in the fall I was fishing a bluegill color DT-6 from the bank, so it would hit bottom midway through the retrieve. I stopped feeling the DT-6 wiggle and got a little resistance, figured it must have been dying grass. As it got closer to the bank it looked like a tube shaped plastic bag, acting like a drift sock on the lure. Except it wasn't a plastic bag. I guess someone had fun there in the summer when the water level was lower, because I hooked a prophylactic. That DT-6 was promptly thanked for its service and retired, as was at least 10 feet of line.

1. How often do you go fishing? Maybe twice a month. I live in a big city, the closest bass lake is at least an hour's drive away and my favorite lake is 3 hours away. 2. What type of fishing do you usually do? Freshwater fishing for largemouth bass. 3. How do you hear about new products? Social media? Friends? Online? Online, mostly. It takes longer for us to get stuff in local stores, so I rely on US sites for info. 4. When buying a new product what makes you finally decide to purchase it? Reviews? Friends Recommendations? I look for every review out there, and might even post here on BassResource to get some of your opinions. I get buyers' remorse when I get batteries, so every purchase is thoroughly vetted. 5. Where did you usually shop pre covid-19? In stores? Online? It's 50/50. I have a few local stores I like to support, but I also make several orders from TW over the year (and get slapped with fees and taxes from customs driving the cost to almost twice what I pay in USD, but it's totally worth it). 6. Does the fishing industry have enough gadgets? There's always room for something new, but the industry is rife with gimmicks. 7. How much do you spend yearly on fishing equipment The last few years I've averaged 1500 EUR (~1750 USD).

1993 Renault Clio, the successor to the famous Renault 5 - which you probably know as the Renault Le Car. My grandparents bought it new and had 4 year old me pick the color. My grandmother stopped driving in late 90s so it just stayed in a garage until I picked it up in 2007. It had a 1.2 liter Renault E-Type engine, the first direct injection with a whopping 60 hp (!), but since the whole thing weighed just over 2000lbs it was fun to drive. It had electrical issues, went through a few starter motors and a head gasket, but the big problem it had was the cooling system. It sat for years without being driven and that started to rot every hose and gasket on it. I was constantly having to replace bits and pieces, spending about $ 600 a year just to keep it running (the car was worth way less than that). Had to get rid of it in 2017, got me a used Mazda 2 (which is basically a Fiesta underneath), but I still miss that little red heap of junk. Here it is in its natural habitat, on top of a tow truck. Good ol' Fifty Shades of Red (cuz the paint started to fade differently in different panels)

That one looks *really* surprised he got caught ?

Headed south on Friday afternoon, went fishing on Saturday. On my very first cast with the new spinning rod I got this 1 and 3/4 lber on a drop shot Super Fluke. About an hour later, caught this 19 incher. I yelled out for my buddy to bring the scale because he had with him but he was too far, so I couldn't get the weight on him. Maybe 3 1/2 lbs? Same deal, but this time on a Super Fluke Jr. Wanted to film the release in slow-mo, but he got antsy as soon as we were near the water so the release part was a little less graceful...

I know they want the use the brands globally but I really miss the good old days when Shimano spinning reel names started with S and casting ones with C. But yes, like everyone said, Vanford is the new Stradic Ci4+, no matter what sales pitch they use.

Me waiting for that "new NRX" to come out when every other rod in their lineup has been updated years ago...