Chaz Hickcox

Cypress Knees for me too, any depth as long as there's fish.

Foggy morning, Sexy Shad colored One-Knocker Spook, shallow flats.

Been using the cheapo Black Max for about a year, and the Cardinal for almost five. No issues yet and I'm in brackish tidal rivers 90% of the time.

All you're doin is payin for a name.

You may be surprised, bu the Abu Garcia Cardinal is a great spinning reel. And for $31 bucks its a inexpensive choice. In the words of Woo Daves, 'You don't need a spinning reel that costs more than $50.' He said his set up for tournaments is about $130.

I just saw Terry Scroggins show this on Classic Patterns. Wierd.

I just picked one up, I am looking forward to flipping it into some structure. But for the reasons Maneframe mentioned I will most certainly be using braid.

Yeah I picked up one too. It looks to interesting to pass by. I first saw em on *** back in Oct, but from the picture I couldn't tell the size and was a little skittish about them. After seeing them in person I like the compactness of them. Future skipping docks lure I think.

I spoke to Ivan from Bass Cat Boats at the Richmond Fishing Expo and asked him about these. He said that BCB had looked into the process, but there were difficulties in keeping the spray on keel guards consistant in thickness and protection capabilities, so they stick with Hamby's. He then tried to tell me about my Hamby being indestructable only to have me tell him about my ice breaking debacle (it chewed about a six inch long by half an inch deep chunk out of the Hamby). Didn't get to the hull, but still found some kryptonite for the Hamby.

Out of most things mentioned on this thread Hematoma is actually the colors of one. It's one that actually applies. On a further note, I may be lynched for asking, but other than trying to get some contrast with the water, do colors actually matter? I use motoroil types, greens, or blacks in plastics, and chart or white in cranks and firetiger in spinnerbaits. That's about it. Well, on real finicky fish I will go with something off the wall like Zoom's Greentruse on trick worms, but rarely if ever pink and pull fish on a regular basis. I just figure Big-O would know.

Out here in our heavily pressured water silent square bills will out perform the rattling ones. Probably because everyone is throwing noisy baits due to the dingy/murky water. IMO.

deepcreeklures.net I just saw them floating at the Richmond Fishing Expo. Never used them, but they do float so...

Wacked out or innappropriate!! Hematoma is a good name, or the good ol' dirty sanchez.

I will retire at 38 from the Corps. With that, I hope I am good enough by then to make it as an professional angler. Congrats, and know there will be professional retirees to follow.

To second the comments about vanish, that has to be the worst line ever. It became very brittle and retarded weak in a very short time, maybe less than a month. However the Berkely 100% Flouro and both Stren Flouro Cast and 100% have been good for me. I like the minimum stretch compared to mono for flipping and pitching. A good line conditioner will cover the memory issues. In my experience it holds up better than mono to abbrasions. I think that has a lot to do with brand though. I've looked at tests and when it comes to stretch most fluros have as much or more stretch than monos. I think most people have it pounded in their mind by ads that fluros don't have much stretch and they mentaly think its true when they use it. According to tests done by tackle tour Berkley 100% fluro has more stretch than thei own xl mono has. I believe the only thing that would add to the sensitivity of fluro would be that is sinks so you probably don't have as much slack in the line while it sinks That makes sense. I've never done a stretch test, but the concept of density vs. lack of slack means a lot. So, with that being said, I have clearly drank from the flouro coolaid bowl. I do like the sinking factor vs. mono.

That should work. I use my Revo S for Cranks so it should work for Swimbaits. I too have a few Revo SX's that I use for pitching/flipping and spinnerbaits.

To second the comments about vanish, that has to be the worst line ever. It became very brittle and retarded weak in a very short time, maybe less than a month. However the Berkely 100% Flouro and both Stren Flouro Cast and 100% have been good for me. I like the minimum stretch compared to mono for flipping and pitching. A good line conditioner will cover the memory issues. In my experience it holds up better than mono to abbrasions. I think that has a lot to do with brand though.

Have you actually seen that kind of speed on the gps? If you have Id love to hear the setup you or someone else had to achieve it. Ive never head of any legit speeds like that but, Im always trying to squeeze out a little more speed out of my PIV. ;D . No, I wasn't riding in it, and didn't personally see the gps. However, it was from a guy I know who usually gets some craziness out of boats (verified of course). So I'm not questioning it. Nor do I have the time or money to try to recreate the situation. I believe it was an SHO, but not sure. You're right though, most high end speeds seen with a PIV don't cross the 73 threshold. If you look on the BCB Owners' Gallery there is a couple who claim 75-80 with an Evenrude 200 HO and a 25p Tempest. THAT I would have to see no matter who told me they did it. Looking at James Castillo's boat, he claims 75.4 GPS with a 26 Raker II and an E'rude 200 HO. That, I see as achievable due to what that guy I know did. As far as specs for him, I dunno. I also don't know him well enough to call. So in the end, it seems to turn out to a guy I know of who says he did this. Sounds pretty thin to me too.

Was he telling you "Daddy, you need more tackle" or "Daddy, take me fishing"! I think it was "Daddy, I shouldn't be able to sit in here, it should be filled with more lures." Yeah, I think you're right about that one. The conundrum is that I want him to get bigger so I can take him out, but I like him being little and still thinking I'm cool. Don't have any pictures but filled a Plano divider box full of XCal Square Bills for the spring, XCS200 and XCS100 in Chart/Black, Tn Special, Foxy Lady, and Foxy Shad. Also a whole lot of punching gear, XCal One knockers and some replacements for the ol' reliable 1/2 Firetiger SK Premier Plus SB. Hope it works out.

Trout lures work in Brackish water with no trout out here. But there are some good baby bass and panfish immitations out there. Look at Mattlures' website. They have a lot more than just trout.

I could do 75 with a good three blade and a light load, I've seen people do it. With that being said, I want to keep the four blade for controllability so I don't expect to see 75. I just want to beat a Skeeter ZX225. My buddy only gets about 72 out of that. Dozer - This ain't no 85mph Puma. The 200 merc just can't do it. ;D

Has anyone used or heard of Keel-X from Line-X? I saw a post on the Bass Cat Forum and am completely sold on the idea. If they make it smooth for running in the water I just found project # 4 for my PIV!

I think he was telling me something.

Look at the recent swimbaits string.

Sure enough, you're right. Actually to add to this, though. It's not that paddletail grubs don't have their place in the world. In more dingy water with a lot of cover Money Minnows, Swimsenkos or Skinny Dippers are awesome when worked on a weighted hook in the same manner as finesse soft plastics. Twitch/twitch sink.