tholmes

I spend more on reels than rods, but for practical reasons. I'm much more likely to break a rod than a reel. Plus, I can fix a broken reel, but a broken rod is junk. Tom

I rarely ever use just a straight retrieve. Pause, jerk, vary the speed, etc. until you find what works. As far as color, I could (but I probably won't) get by with three colors. Something resembling a shad, a bluegill and a crawfish. If I can't catch 'em on one of those, I probably ain't gonna catch 'em. Tom

I'll use a ball-bearing snap swivel for fishing spoons, but never for anything else. Tom

It's near the top of my list too! Tom

I really like the 5/8 oz. Bandit Squarebill but apparently, it's been discontinued. The Norman Fat Boy is another favorite, along with Strike King KVD series and Rapala DT Fat. The Bass Pro Shops XPS squarebills are also rgeat baits, and at $3.99 ea., are a bargain. Tom

I've bought several reels from ebay sellers, both new and used. I've got some great deals and never been burned. I limit my search to U.S. only and avoid sellers with less than about 97% positive feedback. Only once did I break my own rules and took a flyer on an Ambassadeur 5500C3. It was listed by a seller with zero feedback and the description said only "silver and black". The pictures looked good so I put in a lowball bid and ended up getting it for $10. When it arrived, it was virtually perfect. Tom

For 1/4 - 1/2 oz. baits, 7' Medium/Moderate rod, 6.3:1 reel, 10lb. Big Game. For 3/4 - 1oz. baits, 7' MH / M rod, 5.3:1 reel, 12lb. Big Game. Tom

Just leave that little plastic piece out. The reel will work just fine without it. Tom

Spinning: 6'6" ultralight 7' medium light Casting: 7' MH 7' M 6' MH Tom

For most worms, a round bend offset, 3/0 - 5/0. Big worms (culprit Fat Max, etc.), lizards and craws, EWG 3/0 - 5/0, whatever size fits the bait. Tom

Nice collection, Goose! Love those smaller Ambassadeurs! Tom

So far, this year - about $40 for some line and a few Panter Martin spinners for a trout fishing trip this summer. I've got enough bass tackle to last me for the rest of my life. That's no reason not to buy more, though. Tom

I still have several old reels, and still fish with the round Ambassadeurs, Record 40, Record 50, 4600 CI, and a 5600 CL Rocket all modded with dual ball bearing levelwind and 2 ea. 5600C4 Mags are in the starting lineup. There are about 15 more on the bench. In the "retired" collection are a Shakespeare Wondereel 1920, Shakespeare 1980 President II, Daiwa Millionaire 5H, Pflueger Supreme 511, a couple of Shimanos from the early '80s, my old Mitchell 301, 309, and 409 (yeah, I'm a lefty) and a Daiwa 1300C. Most of these are reels that I have used in the past and retired. I pick up reels at yard sales and overhaul them to give to my grandkids so there's always a fleet of old Zebco 33s laying aound. Tom

I use beeswax. Just rub it on the male end of the ferrule and push it together. It has a higher melting point than parrafin, and doesn't soften in the heat as readily. Tom

Kansas and Colorado. That's not likely to change this year. Tom

I use these from Jann's http://www.jannsnetcraft.com/fishing-reel-lube/038866170469.aspx Tom

I store all of my fishing rods in an unheated shed with temps as low as -5*F and have never had any problems. Tom

I'm also a shore angler and have the need for 6' casting rods as that's the longest rod that will fit in the cab of my truck. I carry a couple of rods to work with me so I can fish during my lunch break, and need to keep them locked in the cab while my truck is in the parking lot. Check BPS, they offer several 6' casting rods in their house brands. Tom oops, Sam beat me to it!

The Secret Life of Pets. With two of my great-grandsons. Fun times. Tom

I've had exactly the same thing happen on two different spinning reels. Both were relatively inexpensive reels, one Mitchell Avocet and one Okuma Avenger. Out of curiousity, I disassembled another Okuma reel of a different size, same model, as the one with the problem and sure enough, that little plastic collar had some "flashing" on the end that goes into the reel body. I trimmed it up with an X-acto knife and it's never given me any problems. You'd think that even the most rudimentary QC inspection would've caught this. Tom

Too add to the confusion, Shakespeare doesn't put a reccommended lure weight on the Ugly Stiks, just a line weight. I have a 7' Ugly Stik casting rod that's labeled "medium" but it fishes more like a medium heavy with moderate to slow action. Tom

There are no hard and fast guidelines re: rod ratings. One manufacturer's "medium" might not be the same as other manufacturers. In my (somewhat limited) experience, Ugly Stiks generally fish a little heavier than other maker's rods of the same rating. Don't put too much stock in what it says on the rod, go by how it feels to you. Tom

Buy and fish whatever spins your fan. I don't own any "high end" fishing gear, but I enjoy fishing with what I have, and don't second guess what others use. Many people would ask me why I would spend 2K+ on a guitar when a $250 guitar will do the same thing. Everybody has different priorities and different means. Doesn't make them right or wrong, just different. Tom

I've been playing guitar for over 50 years. Mostly acoustic these days, since I quit gigging, but there are a couple of electrics and amps gathering dust in my music room. I can find my way around a keyboard, but I'm not really a player. Same with banjo and mandolin. Tom

The BEST one! Tom