Marty

Ken, I use #4's on the 5/8. On the belly hook I put the screw eye right between the two screw holes from the hook hangers or else use the frontmost screw hole. On the rear I used to put the screw eye right in its butt so it was sticking straight out the back. However, on the last lure or two I found I couldn't make a hole with an awl and screw the eye in because the plastic seemed too hard. So I put the screw eye in the rearmost hook hanger screw hole. Either way, tangling hooks has not been a problem except maybe very rarely.

Strike King Buzz King Jr. Don't ask me why, but I like a triple-wing blade and this lure produces so I use it. I know other buzzbaits catch fish just as well.

Sorry, I may be the last man in America who doesn't own a digital camera. :'(

Jitterbug is my favorite topwater. I just fish them with a steady retrieve. For most of my Jitterbugging years I used the 3/8 oz., both regular and jointed, but for the last two years I have been using the 5/8 oz. about 85% of the time. Black is the only color I own. I'm not saying that I've tested colors and concluded that black is best, it's just that I have a lot of confidence in it and don't feel that owning more colors would catch me any more fish. I modify the baits by throwing away the hook hangers and adding screw eyes, split rings and decent hooks. I also super-glue the two screws that hold the lip to the body. The 5/8 oz. bait doesn't seem to draw any more or fewer strikes, but it casts farther and is better able to maintain its action when there's a chop on the water compared to the 3/8 oz.

I'd certainly consider Original Stren as one of your options.

You could use a permanent marking pen to write something on the lips or the bodies, but "permanent" is a stretch based on my experience. I tried marking depth on the lips, but eventually it washed off. If you don't have a lot of turnover in your crankbaits, you can stick small adhesive labels on the inside of the lid in positions that correspond to the compartments and cover the labels with clear tape so the ink doesn't wash off. I do this with my hook box. In my personal circumstance, I'm able to remember most of the info that I need about the cranks.

Choosing crankbaits can be difficult because there are so many choices. However, countless brands and styles work very well. Chances are if you get a few of any decent brand that cover the depths you want to fish, you'll be all right.

Maybe you can find a middle ground, but I couldn't enjoy both types of fishing with one combo. I'd want an ultralight with 4# line for panfish and at least a medium with 10# test for Senkos. As has been mentioned, if your outfit is strong enough for Senkos, it'll catch panfish, but won't provide the fun that these scrappy fish can provide on light equipment. Sorry to be negative, but you're talking two different types of fishing.

The April 15 flyer did say that it's a "Dick's exclusive."

Just look under my name, that says it all.

I had one and caught a number of fish with it until I lost it to a snag. I personally couldn't detect much difference between it and a conventional spinnerbait, so I buy spinnerbaits instead for a few bucks less.

I rig a 5" Super Fluke weightless with a 4/0 extra-wide-gap hook. I use a jerk-pause-jerk retrieve around shallow cover. I also like to use it in heavy vegetation, such as lily pads, working it over, around and through the weeds, letting it sink into holes and at the edges. Also walk the dog with it on the surface. Most of my strikes are detected by seeing the line move off to the side, so I'm a constant line-watcher.

I also like lively debate, it's a lot more interesting than blandness.

I had elbow surgery three weeks ago. In my case, I had a compressed ulnar nerve and the procedure was called an "ulnar nerve transposition." I had a splint on for 10 days.

I've used Firefox for a couple of years and have been very pleased. I wouldn't uninstall IE because you may need it for the occasional site that doesn't show well on FF. In fact, I don't even know if IE is uninstallable because it is part of Windows. I can play You Tube on FF.

Yes, but take into account that I am not considered normal by many who know me.

I have one Lightning Rod that I bought a couple of years ago for $25. I think it's a fine rod for the money.

Lay your supply spool on the floor such that the line comes off clockwise and you should be OK.

I believe that catching on the front hook means that the fish are hitting it more aggressively (for whatever reason) than if you're catching them on the rear hook.

I also leave the split rings on.

I don't fish deliberately for pickerel, but they occupy the same places as the bass where I fish, so you could say I'm fishing for either species when I'm in pickerel waters. They will take any lure that exists, from topwaters to bottom draggers and everything in between. If I had to choose one lure, I'd give the nod to spinnerbait, but not by much, as they will readily take anything. They're fun to catch and I've always felt that they fight better than largemouth.

Here's one more choice. http://aquaplant.tamu.edu/database/index.htm

I tried a weighted retriever from the band and it was worthless. Then I bought a telescopic one that extends to 20' and that has saved me over $200. However, I use it where all the snags are rocks. I wonder if the snag was branches, if the branch just wouldn't bend under the pressure and notfree uup the lure.

I think the Senko wasn't patented, but verify if you want to use that fact. This is very unscientific, but in addition to Senkos, I've used Yum Dingers and Zoom Z-Nails and felt just as confident using them as the Senko.

Water warms or cools slowly and air can change very fast, so sometimes there are large differences, such as during a quick warmup in early spring while the water is still cold. Shallow water warms and cools much faster than deep. Here is western NY, bass can be caught shallow from spring through fall, including the mid-summer period. I would think things would be similar in Michigan. Which is not to say there aren't fish deep, just that there are shallow fish too.