Bass Junkie

Xcalibur Zell Pop.... ***'s store has them I believe.

JFranco..... You're just wrong!!!!

The problem Hooligan stated has occurred on every brand of braid I've used, its not just a brand related issue. But once you learn to handle braid on a baitcaster properly, that problem nearly vanishes.

Hopefully it was one that came with Black Ops codes or Madden 2012...... How exactly did that happen?

I meant the above comment completely in jest, hence the smiley face.... I have no doubt in my mind that any of the lures you mentioned are superior to a Rapala, especially since I have owned and fished three out of the five you mentioned. They are all better than Rapalas, not to mention Bandits, Normans, or any other of the mainstream lures that you'd care to mention. I underlined the Megabass simply because you can get two Lucky Crafts for almost the same price as one Megabass. And yes, the video games are outrageous. Its all in their idea of priorities... Each to his own, but you do have a scarily correct point...

Its cheaper to switch the hooks....

Beautiful! I really love those jerk baits. Great execution on them!

Smallmouth have a cooler preferred temperature range than do largemouth bass so it stands to reason that smallmouth are more likely to bite later in the year or earlier in the spring. And river fish will be more willing to bite per average than lake fish, especially in a tail water.

That looks great to me. The skirt is full, which I prefer. I personally don't use rattles because in my opinion they are useless if you are fishing a jig slow enough. The only exception is on swimming jigs and I usually use those in clearer water, leaving the colored water duties to a spinnerbait or crankbait, so I don't like rattles on those either.

7' Medium action casting rod, 7' ML spinning rod. Bases are covered.

7' MH casting rod, 50lb. Braid.... 12lb. mono leader if needed. I normally run straight braid and straight mono, but if I could only have one, this is how I'd do it. Can't live without my frogs... As for reel, anything with a gear ratio in the sixes.

7' Medium Light action spinning rod. Softer tip, but get some good backbone in the lower half of the rod. 4-12lb. test rating on the blank should do nicely. I used to use a setup exactly like this on a couple of rivers locally and it was absolutely perfect for the live bait application. Just my personal preference, but if I was doing what you're doing that's how I'd be doing it.....

I have tried it, both as a jig trailer, and as a texas rig. As a jig trailer they are about the same as fishing a Rage Craw or similar for a trailer. As a texas rig they aren't my favorite bait, because they usually don't have very good action on a slow retrieve. Plus they are usually more expensive than normal baits.

Because the manufacturer wants to save money. They want to be able to produce a product that the consumer wants to purchase at a price that will cover all costs and make them a decent profit while still retaining the selling ability of the bait to the consumer. Therefore, by buying cheaper hooks in bulk they can save significant money as opposed to using better quality hooks. The hooks found on most baits will suffice for weekend angling, and with a file they can serve you decently. But the pros, fishing for their living, aren't taking any chances. Neither would I. Incidentally, there is a prime example of this in one of the recent Day-On-The-Lakes in Bassmaster Magazine.

Find any spots you can that have a water temperature difference. Drain pipes, spillways, even those small inch and a half pipes that pour overflow water into the lake below resorts and what not. That two degrees of water temperature can make a big difference. Also, rip-rap or concrete is another fish magnet. If you can get below a large motel or summer home where there is an overflow pipe emptying in a spot with rip-rap or concrete you can bet there is fish there, you've just gotta hook 'em. This is where drop-shots and shakey-heads can shine, but a tube or small jerkbait shouldn't be over looked.

Why do you think they make punch skirts with 1 1/2oz. tungsten heads? But seriously, if someone moves in on my spot I usually just move along.... They can go ahead and fish it. The majority of the time I just move ahead of them and they'll fish the spot they saw me catch a fish out of. Meanwhile, I'm already covering the water ahead of them, so unless they're Hooligan they're just wasting their time.

Congratulations!

Beautiful all around on those colors!

They are a very good rod. Light, very sensitive, well crafted, and available in any model you'd like. But make sure you hold one in your hands before you buy it, because their rod rating system is a little different from most companies. But over all they are a very good rod.

Done

The Megabass Ito Vision 110 is a $25-$30 lure.... I just can't justify that

I'm conscious about any lure that cost twice the price of a Lucky Craft..... :blink:

So are they an acceptable substitute for the real deal when you're just out fishing?

Yes, I'd never throw a 6"+ bait in front of a Northern Strain Largemouth........ Not at all recommended.....Just keep finesse fishing... Trust me..... :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

I set as hard as my equipment dictates. (Sometimes harder )