Hooligan

It works fine. I started using Ti wire, though. You can use thinner diameters, tie the same knots, and it doesn't kink. It's very easy to use, and other fish won't shy from it as they sometimes will with Tyger.

Oh how I feel you. We were in need of about $3500 work on our Subaru. The car is a '97 with about 250k on it. It just wasn't worth it anymore. It was starting to nickle and dime us to death. Ended up (By my wife's choice) in a '09 F150 that was a dealer owner's demo ride. Since I know the guy and it's got a grand total of 3500 miles on it, I bit. That and the fact that we got it for less than what a used '07 is going for. Now, on my '94 Blazer that had for years been my travel rig, I'm turning the corner on 375k miles and the motor and trans are still strong. The body is rusting around the frame, though, she's falling apart. I'll hate to see that one go. Been good from day one, with nary a problem along the way.

So yeah. My new "career" has me running all over hades, but it appears that I am going to be split primarily between CA and TX. I'm going to complain, but not for long. I was in deep East Texas for 3 weeks, and CA for a week, and am now headed back to CA with the intent of being there for three weeks. I'm sort of "stationed" around the Chowchilla area, and am still getting familiar with the whole thing. I've yet to find what's around there, as far as fishing goes, and wouldn't mind hooking up with someone if they have the time. I'll be back out there on Tuesday, and am taking full gear with me this time, so am looking for an in-road. I know nothing about the area so if anyone has some ideas, PMs would be superb. Thanks in advance!

DINGDINGDING! Northern waters, regardless of where they are, that are "tea stained" are just the place for copper blades. It seems like we catch more fish on copper over chart than any other color in WI rivers like the Eau Claire and Namekagon.

In my experience and in guiding for smallies save the money on leaders, get a spool of Maxima Ultragreen in 15lb, and a spool of 12lb. Rip about four feet off the 15lb and tie it on, then rip about 3 feet of 12lb and double surgeons knot to the 15lb. Voila, tapered leader that will splat a bug better than any tapered leader, it's stiff enough to cast effectively, and there's a lot less hassle and cost in it.

In that price range, I'd spend just a little more and get into a TFO or even a Sage Launch. As far as line weights go, you could fish an 8, 9, or 10. It just depends on where you are an what you're throwing to. A good starting point, though, is an 8 weight. There's enough rod to throw bass bugs and not be tired after thirty minutes, and it will handle smaller stuff as well. You can find a good used reel from Ross or someone similar on Ebay for around $40 a lot of the time.

I don't disagree, but can you think of the last time someone had one that was as all-encompassing as this? You've got to admit that he's got merit, Glenn, and that it is one of the bigger, more notable, cases of this type in a very long time.

I fish them on a Twistlock 3x weighted.

Gar are an amazing fish, often viewed as undesirable because they're most closely associated with low dissolved O2 waters. They're a unique species that fills a unique niche. We will catch them from time to time in sandpits around here. You'll think you've latched on to a really nice fish, and boom, it's a gar. Yet, when it's a slow day and that's what you get, they're still a riot cause they will scrap with the best of them.

Remember when Terminator first came out with them? There was actually a guy that came up with the idea back in the early 1990's. He had a friend in the dental industry that brought something to him, and they came up with being able to use the wire for spinnerbaits. I believe the guy's name was Danny Mayden or Madden, something like that. He built the first baits and prototypes, and was in the process of patenting the design, not the wire. Terminator patented the wire, and Danny's entire business was gone. I don't remember just how it all played out, but that's the gist of it. Edit: Part of the patent that is under question here, too, to my understanding is the actual injection process. Not just the baits, but the process.

Bar none, the best "Bass" rods on the market are the Sage Bass series. The Largemouth rod is the perfect rod for chuckin' hair bugs and splatting big flies around. They're spendy, but worth every penny. I really don't like a 9' rod for most of the bass fishing I do, the exception is smallies on rivers. The 7'11" Sage is much more powerful than the average #8 and far more accurate than a 9' rod. If you're casting for distance, it's a different story altogether.

I really like the rooster. Peg it with a 3/0 EWG and you're gold.

Really depends on the baits and how you're fishing them. The WM rods are a softer rod. In theory, it's nicer to have a little softer rod for situations like C-Rigging where a fish might not swim over the bait to engulf it, more like they inhale it. The rod with a little more give will allow that to happen easier. In theory. I've got a couple of the WM rods and they're an alright rod. They're not spectacular by any means but they're worth the money. The Vendetta seems to be a better all 'round rod for fishing jigs, weighted plastics that are pegged, or pitching. Other than that, I think you'd get pretty similar performance out of the two.

The CUCX72MH is a super rod. I've got two rigged almost all the time. Super Jig rod, great for C-rigs, too. The rod just under that the CUC72MH is a superb Ika/senko rod. I also fish Light T-rigs and 1/4 oz jigs. Love the series.

AFAIK the Cabela's Rad Swimmer has to be fished pretty fast to get anything out of it. I know a couple of guys that bought them and tossed 'em.

I fish a lot of 1/8th oz Xraps on a couple setups.

Metal.

I've got 13 Citicas; I've done nothing to them; I've never had a problem with them. I will continue to buy them as well as Curados. They're one of the most durable reels you can get, and easily the best reel at that price-point.

Sure, a MH can work, but given most of the jerkbaits I fish are 1/2oz and under, I'd really rather have the Med. I've yet to have an issue when it comes to fighting fish on the rods, either.

I'm finding that out.

I got turned on to a product called Renaissance Wax from some of the woodworkers I know. I'm very familiar with the product in that world, but hadn't thought of it on cork. I've used it for a couple years now and like it a lot because it doesn't change the way the grips feel.

http://www.***.com/Seaguar_Tatsu_Fluorocarbon_Line/descpage-STFL.html I got mine locally, BPS has it as well.

Pitzen (16-20) with any fluoro.

All fluoro is a resin; if it's 100% it's a resin. AbrazX- Has a different resin make up that uses a hardener to increase the abrasion resistance. InvizX- softer fluoro, not as abrasion resistant as Abrazx Red Label- lower quality than both the above lines, in terms of Abrasion resistance and level lay. It's also more prone to pretty hefty memory. Carbon Pro-Discontinued. You also run into things like tensile strength and stretch between them. I believe the catalog gives more in depth info on them. Tatsu is awesome, for what it's worth.

LOL Thing is a BEAST. It's a custom pour from a guy up here. What's odd, though, is that I still get 14" fish on the thing. I originally bought them for a Texas trip, but have so much fun fishing them around here that I've hung on to them.