Darren.

Welcome back!

If you think he's ready to go for a spinning outfit, get one! Zebco makes some neat ones with cool color combos. http://shop.zebcobrands.com/zebco/combos/splash.html

Scales sure are nice to have hanging around Congrats on the nice bass!

Mr. Velvick on the right, I believe

I have no answer for this. While I have fantasized about fishing the big tournaments, I actually don't fish any tourneys. Prefer the ease of fishing for my own pleasure and my own records. So I'd probably have done nothing different....

I'd pick my most recent acquisition: 6'3" St. Croix Legend Tournament Walleye Spinning Rod 2500 Shimano Stradic FJ 10 or 15 lb Power Pro Yellow Braid + leader

I, too, like Pline Floroclear; however, it gets a lot of "hate" here. But I've used it from 6-15 lb with great success. Currently I have a ton more Yo-Zuri Hybrid that I'm going through now. IMHO, you'll do fine with either of these lines. P-Line is a bit more slick than YZH, so tie some good knots.

Welcome aboard!

Welcome aboard!

If it works for you, use it! That's all folks used for a long time. Me? Braid + a leader....

Two very different baits, but hands down for me, the Trick worm catches more. Now the Zoom Tiny Fluke, that catches everything.

4" senko/knock-off - wacky 4.75" Zoom Finesse Worms - wacky, TX Zoom Tiny Flukes - mojo

Welcome aboard, Brandon!

Great interview - and ditto on the closing comments.

Depending on the rating, MXF or MF would be my choice.

Phew. I'm with Special Engineer, for the cost of your setup, might be worth the price to have someone dive in and look for it.

Welcome aboard! I'd buy it. Wish I could afford one for my kayak. Yeah, I'd have a big one mounted on my gunnel. Why not?

Welcome aboard!

Good news about the PSA test, Bill. Sorry to hear you fell and broke some ribs. I still have to hold my left side when I sneeze thanks to a dumb move I made while playing sand volleyball. Wish they had raked the sand before I fell on it....

Never fished there, but when I lived in TX, I did get to visit Kerrville...many moons ago Great area, and some great land, rivers to fish, I'm sure. Welcome aboard!

I've not been in the store down in Hampton, VA for years. Sorry to hear they've gone the bankruptcy route, but in the face of Bass Pro and DSG's, it may be a tough retail road to hoe, as they say.

Guys, have a read here - the Chic report is partway down the page: http://blog.wildlife.virginia.gov/outdoor-report/2016/02/fishin-report-19/

I mainly fish them, too. I only have some GYCB Senkos for a specific color. The rest are Stik-Os!

I, too, found YUM Dingers to not have the same shimmy as other brands. Specifically, GYCB Senkos, and BPS Stik-Os. The latter of which have a nice shimmy at 4", at least to me.

Agree with this. Though I do think he's quite skilled with his casting!