tholmes

I've bought lure components from both Barlow's ad Lure Parts Online and both are top-notch people to deal with. You might also check out http://www.jannsnetcraft.com/. Sometimes one place will carry something that the others don't. Tom

The Wee Craws are killer baits for big 'gills too. I keep a good supply of both the deep divers and shallow divers on hand. Their little squarebills that Wal-Mart sells for $1.50 are great for shallow bass. Tom

White skirt with silver and/or gold blades, Black skirt with copper blades, chartreuse skirt with gold blades Tom

I probably have $700 - $1000 in my "main" tackle box. I have several smaller boxes that each have $50 to $200 in them. At this point, I spend a couple hundred bucks a year just to maintain my stock. Tom

Same here. I have about 15 baitcasters, all round Ambassadeurs, and about 10 spinning reels. They all get a good cleaning, lube and any worn parts replaced every winter. The ones that I use the most will get periodic bearing flush and lube during the season. Tom

Just in case you missed it. It's officially called Cotton Candy Craw! And it really catches fish! Tom

Basswood, along with alder, would be good choices. Both are easy to work yet tough enough to hold a screw eye. They also have a very even and consistent grain structure and are easy to sand smooth. They also take a finish well. Tom

The double hook doesn't make them snag-proof, but it sure cuts down on the hang-ups, especially if you put the snap in the center hole. That make them run in more of a "nose-down" attitude which lets them flip over obstacles. Tom

This is right in my wheelhouse! Thanks for posting this video! I've been making my own blade baits for years, and IMHO they're among the most versatile (and overlooked) baits. I fish them from the bank a lot (exclusively these days) and A-Jay is right on the money. Stay away from brush and timber or you WILL hang 'em up. One thing I do on the baits that I make - I use an open-shank double hook with the points facing backwards. No split rings, I just clip the hook in the hole in the lure. This cuts down on the snags considerably. Tom

I'm not sure that I agree with that. I'm a bank fisherman and, because I'm limited to the areas that I can fish, I tend to stay in one place for a long time. I've found that after I catch the "eager" fish, if I'm patient and persistent, there are other, usually larger, fish in the area. I'll sometimes spend an hour or more picking through a brushpile with a T-rig or jig and catch fish that I would have missed if I had moved on after a few minutes. THey are there, you just have to convince them to strike. Tom

I've found that reviews on sites like TW sometimes tend to be skewed toward the negative side. Many people who buy a rod and are happy with it never write a review, but people who have a problem are quick to blast the manufacturer in a review. It's just human nature, I guess. Tom

Abu Garcia Vendetta @ ~ $80 is a great rod for the money. Heck, it's a great rod period. The Vengeance is a bargain @ ~ $50 also. I own and use both and, IMHO, they both fish well above their price point. Tom

6 Bandit squarebills, a bunch of bullet weights, some Gamakatsu round bend 4/0 worm hooks and a used Ambassadeur Record 40. Tom

Truth right there. I know what I know today because of past experiences. I've gone through a lot of tackle in the 50+ years I've been fishing. In that process, I learned what I like and what I don't, along with learning that following the latest hot trend doesn't always end well. Tom

I've done it several times with both largemouth and white bass. A pair of chunky white bass hooked up on an ultralight spinning rig can get pretty interesting. Tom

Blade baits like the Silver Buddy, Gay Blade, etc. There's no wrong way to fish them, they'll catch most any fish and they're cheap and easy to make. Tom

I usually get 'em on the bay, the Flea Market, yard sales, etc. The only new reels I've acquired lately have been gifts froom my lovely wife. Tom

Congratulations, lineslinger and tight lines! Tom

your best bet might be to scour ebay for another reel. Sometimes you can buy a complete used reel for less than the cost of new parts. Tom

I'd say red with some glitter in it. But that's just me. Tom

Happy Birthday, youngster! May you celebrate many more! Tom

Always accept a gift with grace. To do otherwise deprives the giver of the joy of giving. Tom

For baitcaasters, I run a pole barn nail through the center hole in the filler spool, clamp the pointed end of the nail in my bench vise, and run the line through a damp rag for tension. Be sure not to overfill the reel. Leave about 1/8" of spool flange showing. For spinning reels, tie the line from the filler spool to the reel spool with the bail open, close the bail, stand the filler spool on its end and turn a few rounds on the reel. If the line is twisting as you put it on, just turn the filler spool over and staand it on the opposite end. Fill to within 1/16" on the lip of the reel spool. Tom

I'll tell others where I've caught fish, no problem. But if someone tells me "their" spot, I won't tell anyone e;se. Tom

I fish hand-tied jigs exclusively. Tholmes custom made, silicone, rubber, bucktail, maribou, etc. All the way from 1/80 oz. trout and panfish jigs to 1 oz. bucktaila for stripers. I haven't bought a jig in 40 years. Tom