Chaz Hickcox

Try it on EVERYTHING! If they keep swatting at topwater, ie spooks and poppers, put some megastrike on. If they are just nipping crankbaits and barely getting the back hook, put a glob right on the backside of the bill where it meets the bait. Flip a spinnerbait upside down and put a big glob under the skirt where the hook meets the lead. Actually, can someone tell me something megastrike DOES NOT help? Seems like that would be a shorter list.

I've done it, but I prefer baitcasters. They seem to winch them out of the cover better and more efficiently, IMO.

I used to feel the same way until I had a BPS's anti-reverse blow up on me during a hook set this past weekend. Fish took the frog, waited, and set hard. The spool popped then went backwards. Went straight over to my Revo SX (that I bought used on EBAY for less than a BPS reel) and no more problems. I'm with you on saving money. I won't buy hardly anything brand new anymore because I can get lightly used for less than half the price. All of my Revo's I got for $80 or less. The fall is the big time to get that stuff. People will buy new in the spring and want to offload for the next year's models so they ditch them in the fall. Only problem there is most companies won't transfer the warranties. Quality is my motivating factor in all of that. Keep that in mind.

Your looking for knees on the cypress trees. If you have wood next to grass you're better off. On the rivers you need to be beating the banks, for right now. Windy points with a lot of wood on it is good too. Had another high count fishing day today. Lots of short fish though. Out of about 20 fish I only had one keeper. The best spots usually have some cypress trees away from the shoreline. Even if it's only a small area toss your worm, frog or buzzbait behind the tree.

I second this. I use both the Tech Specs and the Lightning rod shocks and love the hell out of them. Most of my budget for gear is in my boat payments so I have to be tight as well. Also look at Ebay for some used stuff. I just got a Veritas for $58 bucks.

Try the Fin-Tech Title Shot Series of jigs. You get the weedlessness of a T-rig with the presentation of a compact jig. You have to add skirts yourself though.

NE rivers are on right now. From the Chowan to the Currituck, any river on the north side of the Abermarle is on fire. 30-40 fish day on Saturday (lost count).

X2 I have three, love em. Also to add to their durability, I have yet to buy a new SX. I always buy slightly used on EBAY to save a few bucks and the first one I got was three years ago.

I would start with a C-Rig that will keep the bait at the tops of the weeds. Or a crankbait that just knicks them. That's just me.

No worries Tom. I was hoping you'd chime in anyways. I like hearing from the experts in glass on the subject. I moved the boat to be over some slanted concrete trying to get some radiant heat on it during the day. I think it's working. How will I know when I can sand it down? Right now the surfaces seem fairly solid and if I tap them it makes the same sound as the rest of the gel coat around it. Thanks in advance.

You should be good. I don't really know HB stuff, but I do know that the hotmaps products do work with em.

Thats why I am asking.

A 2000 with only 150hrs. Not bad at all. I just bought a 2004 Bass Cat with 300 hrs and that is about medium on the hours. If it's clean and the price is right, why not? KVD uses a Nitro, they can't be all bad. I do have to say I absolutely love my Bass Cat, and the company's customer service is top notch, and I only bought mine from a private seller. I will say that every Nitro I have been in is very tight in the cockpit. Not the most comfortable rides ever. Nitros are not terrible boats, but the company is known to cut stupid little corners here and there. I have a couple friends who own them, and they like them ok, but they're always talking about when they're going to upgrade to a Bass Cat, Ranger, Skeeter, or Triton. I would do some shopping and if I could find a boat in one of those four brands in good shape I would do that. You may want to shy away from Skeeter cause they're powered by Yammies and the price on parts is going up due to the tragedy in Japan. Just a thought.

Should be. What year is it?

Hey all, just a quick question. I filled some gouges in my clear coat with Marine Tex Putty today and I forgot to check the weather. It's supposed to drop to 47* tonight. Is that going to cause any serious issues, or will it just mean it will take longer to cure? Thanks in advance.

Dude, three panel views on my 7's! Yup I'm stoked. Oh and by the way, I PM'd you awhile back about water in my HDS-7. Good news was that the Warranty transferred to me and they replaced the unit completely. I have heard bad things about Lowrance Customer Service in the past, but my experience over the last month and a half was actually extremely good. Keep improving and you will knock HB's out of the water.

You have a point about the action, but honestly the darting and deflection properties, in my experience has been much better with the XCals. Not to say the SK's aren't good baits, I think that was proven in Louisiana, but they're not my personal favorite. I catch a lot of fish on Chart with blue or black back XCS100 or XCS200's, but then again I don't have any SK's in those colors so who knows? With word about the rust issue I don't see myself buying any, my confidence baits just ain't broke.

For the same price you could go with the XCaliburs. I am using those constantly down here in the sounds and have yet to have any rust problems. Lots of fish too. One of the reasons that I don't like SK Crankbaits is they just look like they're cheaply made. Their spinnerbaits are money though.

What's the salinity on your part of the Patomac? Brackish water is hell on a lot of things.

I have to second that. I was pitching with a 6'6" MHF last year (had no choice at the time) and could not get the fish away from the trees, nor could I get any decent hook sets. Too many lost fish. I went out the next week (and didn't forget my 7'6" flippin stick and didn't lose a single one. That extra leverage means a hell of a lot. Also, those sort saltwater rods are for bottom bouncing heavy, heavy weighted rigs One pound plus weights and 100+ pound fish. That's when you almost need a 2x4 so you don't lose the rod.

If they had something heavier than 12# I'd try it. Maybe 15-20, seems like it would be great for pitching.

Depends on the water you are in. If the fish are shallow <4ft then it doesn't matter. Any deeper I'd wait till high 50's low 60's.

Your water pump or thermostats are out and she is overheating. I had this happen about once a year with my '93 150 Johnson. The loss in power is the engine protecting you from blowing it.

Va Beach is getting warmer by the day. Spawn should be on.

I saw it today. It was awesome. That is all.