Marty

I don't fish around rocks, but I've read that all superlines have lousy abrasion resistance against rocks. Fireline never broke on me and was incredibly abrasion-resistant against wood and vegetation. My only problem was it didn't cast as well as I would've liked on spinning gear. As stated earlier, Fireline is in the family of superlines, but it's fused, not braided.

Is there a Firewire or do you mean Fireline? I used smoke Fireline for a few years and liked it except it didn't cast as well as I like on spinning, so I switched to Power Pro, which is also strong and just as abrasion resistant, but casts better for me. Certainly they can, as they can also see other types of line. The big question is does it deter strikes? I don't think so, but can't prove anything.

My best guess would be some "midnight stocking."

I use them from time to time. They catch fish, but I can't really notice that they catch any more or less than equivalent size Mepps.

Pickerel will readily hit any lure in the tackle shop, regardless of what it may or may not resemble. If I had to pick one, I'd give a slight edge to spinnerbaits. Bass will also hit anything. I've done a lot of fishing in waters that have both pickerel and bass. Regardless of what lure was being used and regardless of what part of the lake we were fishing, we would catch either species.

I use 15# braid on mine, but I'd use 10 or 12# mono, copolymer, or whatever if you don't use braid.

I don't know the "best" way, but I fish them as a buzzbait almost all of the time, just letting them sink when there's evidence of a fish present. For actual subsurface fishing, I prefer other plastics. If you haven't had any action it's likely you haven't been using it in the right place at the right time. The Ribbit and other buzzing amphibians are very good fish attractors.

They don't seem to have much of anything. But they dipped their toe in the water, maybe they'll take the full plunge someday.

Zoom is the most prominent company that I can think of that doesn't have their own site. It seems that ever since I came online over eight years ago, the Zoom site has been a permanent future happening.

First of all, make sure you're using a spinning-friendly line, i.e., low memory, easy handling, etc. Check the owner's manual. Some reels with anti-twist line rollers recommend holding the supply spool up and down like a baitcaster. This works on these reels, but the traditional way works too. As for the traditional way, every time your reel spool turns, a clockwise twist is put in the line. The idea is to have a counterclockwise twist coming off the supply spool to offset, or partially offset, the clockwise twist. This means the supply spool is on the floor or other flat surface such that the line comes off counterclockwise. Ignore the label position. It has nothing to do with the physics of line spooling and is unreliable. I have in my possession two sizes of Trilene XL with opposite label positions and this has been my experience for years, with other brands as well. Finally, all other things being equal, best line performance comes when you have line on a relatively large reel spool. By this I mean avoiding things like 10 or 12# line line on a reel rated for 4-6-8. Good luck.

The 10# line is not your problem and the size of the Jitterbug isn't either. You've already received advice on those two problems. The snap isn't your problem either. I've used snaps with Jitterbugs for years and never had a gurgling problem. One note: the 2.5" can be a problem in choppy water. The 3" maintains its action better under those conditions.

I don't know the official definition of Texas rigging, but I think of it as a soft plastic bait rigged with the hook buried in the plastic, with or without weight added. The key is the buried hook which gives it weedlessness, not weights.

That looks pretty good and you can try it like that. If it doesn't grab weeds, fine. If it does, then skin-hook it. Don't push the point forward under the skin; instead, pull the plastic up toward the hook eye, then when you release it, release it so some plastic covers the hook point.

I've used duolock snaps size #1 for years. They aren't always easy to find here, so I've bought whatever brand has been available. In recent years I've used Arkie and Gander brands.

Is there a reason you don't use backing? You probably want to respool when you've cut off about 20 yards or so. Do you then just throw away a whole mess of braid? If you're fishing for bass only, you can use about 50 yards of braid on top of backing and make that spool you bought go a lot farther.

Why not ask the sunglass manufacturer or show them to a local optician?

Can't help, but that's a great river name!! 8-)

Horny Toads and most similar frogs/toads won't float, but they are very good at attracting strikes used like buzzbaits on the surface.

I've used leaders frequently and haven't been able to detect any deterrent effect for bass. I wouldn't trust a non-metal leader. Maybe ultra-heavy line is harder to bite off, I don't know, but I've had 14# superlines bit off by dink pike where they went through the line like a hot knife through butter.

I'd be interested in reading the story. Does anyone have a link?

For what it's worth, I use method #2 because I have more confidence when the trailer hook swings freely.

I can't help, but I looked at it out of curiosity and am posting the link. http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_90292____SearchResults

Hey there, fellow Rochesterian, I agree that the Sweet Beavers are pretty good!

Everyone. Deflections = More fish. I disagree that everyone needs to bang it into something. Perhaps it's possible, or probable, that deflections = more fish, but it's not necessary to catch them. I've caught thousands of fish on crankbaits without banging them into anything. Fish are hard-wired to be attracted to motion and crankbaits certainly have attractive motion. One of the things that deflections accomplish is to suddenly change speed and direction and a lot of that can be done with rod and reel. I do try and retrieve erratically.

Sure, anything's possible, although I don't know how likely it would be. I've used some 10# Sensation and didn't have problems, but it certainly was subject to abrasion from vegetation. Might you have gotten abraded and weren't checking the line often enough? Any chance you were executing hooksets that were too strong for that line and the drag setting you were using? Was the line breaking in random places as opposed to breaking at the knot? I don't profess to have any answers, just trying to toss out some possibilities.