Hooligan

Because very few things are worth making on a production scale for very specific regional usage. In most cases, the fact that it is sold out in your area is inconclusive. Those baits could have been there for five years and just now gotten to the point they got rid of them. More often than not, it's a situation that they aren't that hot for everyone. In terms of when they discontinue a good selling item, it is usually locally that it sells well. There are a lot of instances in which manufacturers make a bait that sells extremely well in a specific area, but outside of that area it doesn't sell at all. I can recall a half dozen baits that were released at a national level that had a total of 2% of sales from outside a specific area. When that happens, it isn't worth it to the manufacturer to have that bait taking up space in their production when it is such a low call. Soft plastics are extremely subject to this. If they don't sell well at a national level, they don't continue to make them in most cases.

No. They're still Ugly. And they're still sticks. They still use the same technology as going out to the oak tree in the back yard and selecting the branch that best meets your needs.

Many pros use ultra fast reels, mid range reels, and slow reels for cranking. It depends on what you want to do. For burning baits, I regularly fish a 7:1 on cranks. Not my favorite thing to do, but sometimes you have to do it. For general cranking I prefer lower ratios like a 5 or 5.5. When I am moving the bait with my rod and not the reel, I usually need to pick up line faster than normal, and use a faster reel. Squarebills, Flats, and traps are usually on a 6.5 or round about there.

Deep cranks up to 6xd or BDS8 20-25 foot baits of one ounce range and down to 1/4 ounce are all fished on 10lb Tatsu, regardless of cover and structure. Squarebills can be fished on anything from 10-25lb fluoro, sometimes on a copolymer but not often. 10xd and Big LC cranks are fished on 15lb Abrazx.

I learned a trick from an old boy in Florida. He trims the fat lead of the keeper back, leaving just the skirt keeper. Then, he puts heat shrink tubing on the hook shank down to about the bend of the hook. That holds immensely well alone, but when you need a little extra, LocTite Gel super glue on that heat shrink will keep your trailer absolutely pinned. The problem, though, that I have, I generally have to replace trailers far more frequently than I takes to wear one out from tearing or movin on the hook shank. I get claws and body tears so quickly that I rarely bother with the glue.

Agree 100%. In newer units, the ability to adjust depths based on current lake levels is essential. Couldn't agree more with that, Catt.

No. You haven't got a primary and secondary there. Primary point is the first point off the main lake, nearest a creek channel usually. Secondary points come after that- there's no further delineation on it. The primary could be the one highlighted in yellow, but without seeing exactly how it is laid out in relation to the rest of the lake, it's tough to tell. The red portions are not points, they create a bit of a hump, but are really just part of the point. They are transitions on the point, which, when I break it down to fish, I would pay particular attention to. Where I would look for fish on that are much like Catt pointed out. The second thing I would look at is where those contour lines are the tightest- any time they get tight like that, they are transition zones. After that, I would be on the tail of the point paralleling the structure up to the channel swing. I wouldn't focus on the point so much, here, as it isn't typically what I am looking for in a point for holding water at various times of the year. Generally, in fishing a point, I'm looking for a longer, flatter structure with fairly steady sharp contours on the sides. I want them to be shallower prespawn, and generally deeper post spawn and in fall. In general, find your tightest contours and you find transitions. Eliminate water by feeling the bottom content and you're off to the races.

6-9 MH XF for 1/2 ounce and larger. 6-9 MXF for 1/8-3/8.

Yes fast action tapers vary from one company to another, but you cannot have a separate action in the tip of the rod alone. You cannot have a moderate rod with a fast tip, it's physically impossible without changing the blank density and taper on the whole. The result of that would be a compound taper which you can't scrim for.

Ahhhhhh! You guys are killing me here! Talking about rod tapers is not exclusive of the "tip". The taper of the rod is the rod as a whole. You canno have a moderate rod with a fast tip, and you can't have an XFAST rod with a moderate tip. It isn't possible. To introduce a parabolic bend in a rod is specific to the parameter of the entire blank- you cannot have a parabolic "tip." It isn't semantics, it IS the physics of rods. Period. A parabola is defined as a symmetrical open plane curve- any point on a parabola is equidistant from a fixed point at the conical entrance to the directrix. You cannot have a parabolic bend in the "tip" of a rod. You just can't. Jerkbaits are best fished on a fast or extra fast rod. The reason being is that you need the rod to move the bait, move to recovery or neutral position, and load as rapidly as possible. A slower rod will not do this effectively. You generally are also after a reasonably powerful butt section in a jerkbait rod, which effectively means that you are after something less flexible. This leads to a fast or extra fast taper- the tip of the rod has nothing to do with it. Look at it this way- the speed of the rod can also be looked at in how rapidly the blank returns to a state of potential energy. As a rod bends more progressively, it is going to take longer to return to rest IE: a slower taper. It is not the power of the rod. The same is true of a rod that does not bend as far down the blank, which is where the misnomer of tip action comes from. When a rod bends only in the very tip section, it is very fast generally. That same rod will also take much less time to return to rest than it's more moderate counterpart. As previously mentioned, fast or XF rods are more desirable for jerkbaits because of how you want to move the bait. There are exceptions to the rule, but most anglers- myself generally included- cannot effectively control a bait with a rod that is too slow. The second aspect of that, is that you are generally unable to feel the subtle takes with a slower rod. When it comes to jerbait rods I would be happy, and am happy, to spend as much on them as I do my jig rods. Essentially, that's what I am looking for, really. I want a rod that is super sensitive, ultra quick in hand as well as in taper, and I want it to respond to everything. The same qualities I look for in a jig rod, albeit in a shorter package. When it comes to length in jerkbait rods, I'm a very firm believer in shorter is better. I've only met one person in my entire life that can effectively fish a 7-0 rod for jerkbaits; and he's 6-10. Too long a rod and you're slapping the gunnel, the water, or you're sweeping the rod too far. I fish a 7-0 for one style of jerkbait, however it's a bait that I work with the reel, not the rod. Optimal length for the average person is something between 6-3 and 6-6. I fish more modified 6-8 rods than anything. They start as 6-8 rods that I have trimmed the butt and handle and refinished. In doing so, I've allowed a handle length that I can still utilize effectively without getting it caught on clothes or my arms, and I still have enough leverage. Sorry for the rant- but I see this come up so often that I can't always hold it in. Look in the jerkbait thread for really good info, as well. Search this forum for jerkbait rod threads, too. There was one somewhat recently that is superb for the information in contains. There are a couple or elite series pros that chimed in on that one, and I think an unnamed rod designer as well.

War Eagle as a deep jigging spoon. I don't like to fish flutter spoons vertically, generally. They take too long to drop and tend not to have the darting action you're after when on vertical structure. Fishing them horizontally, absolutely.

Haven't seen Thornwoods around in ages. Some of their baits were fantastic, some were horrible. They used balsa and cedar, both. The good cedar baits were rock solid and ran true. It is just that it often took a few to get a good one. The middle bait looks like the Suspending Killer B2. Good bait for harassing spots on highland reservoirs. I've caught a lot of fish on them through the years; they were never as popular as the Balsa B. The Balsa B on bottom is a killer bait, period. One of my all time greatest catching cranks.

Uhh... I have 6-6, 6-7, 6-8, 6-9, 6-10 7-0, 7-1, 7-2, 7-3, 7-4, 7-5 jig rods. The lower end of the spectrum is generally in a "finesse" jig line up, sometimes, though, in a MH for pitching docks and shallow fishing. 7-1 and 7-2 are my general purpose jig rods, typically. 7-3 and longer are generally deeper water or bigger jig rods. Most of the time the 7-5 is swim jigs and 3/4 and 1oz football jigs. I also have a 7-11 stick that I fish a lot of jigs on in deep water, too.

Significantly different, yes. Completely different resings. They're not the same blank at all. They have different tapers, as well. The weight of the rods is vastly different, even if you take the guides off. The strain rate of the graphite is the same, but that's where the similarity ends. Reel seat is very different, as well. Hidden Up locking versus a down locking exposed thread- huge difference in where it sits in hand, and where you contact the blank when palming the reel. And yes, yes I have fished them side by side. Too many times to count.

That's fine, but your opinion is wrong. There's no ifs ands or buts about it. The two are so significantly different that it would be considered a complete error to let that "opinion" be treated as truth. In regards to the tip heavy comment, like I said, you're about the only person I've ever heard say that. They're certainly not notorious for it. If you've no experience with the new Cumara, how is it that they're still great rods?

Decent bait, but not my favorite. Zoom Old Monster or Rage Anaconda and Recon have performed better for me.

You're 100% incorrect on both accounts. The rods share the same strain of graphite, nothing else. Different guides, different resins, different tapers. Shimano rods tip heavy? First time I've ever heard that in regards to any of the Crucial or Cumara series. Is the upgrade worth it? Yes, without a doubt. There's a huge difference between the rods.

The only current model quantums worth owning are the KVD Tour reels. All of the others are plagued with issues. Whether it is in the gearing, or bearings, or side plate issues like the EXO. I used to fish, nearly exclusively, Quantum reels. Now, however, they're under built, over priced, and just now worth the hassle and headache.

Best shad rap rod I've ever used is the St Croix Avid 6-8 MXF Spin. It's money on those baits.

There's a difference in MSRP and MAP. Shimano and Daiwa, as well as most other fishing industry companies, do not have MSRP, they technically are defined as a minimum advertised price. In doing so, the dealer is also subject to the clause that, should they sell reels or equipment under MSRP or MAP, such as the case may be, they are in violation of that dealer agreement. There are instances in which there are special considerations made with some retailers, but it's a rare thing. The reason you tend to see it occuring on Fleabay and Amazon is that those are not dealers. They are people that have bought them through a wholesale account, and are turning volume to turn a buck. In most cases, too, it tends to be a one shot deal. Sometimes, it is a wholesale outfit blowing through inventory, or it is a retailer selling then placing the order with a wholesaler. There are a variety of reasons that this occurs and a variety of situations that it can happen with. Most of those, as well, have really been curtailed by the fact that few wholesale accounts are allowed access to entire product lines. It's become more and more rare to see upper mid-range reels through these companies. *** is rare to see because they don't have wholesale accounts. They are the wholesaler to the retailer; there generally is not enough mark-up for another hand in the mix, if you will. Lastly, as well, some of these reels may not be covered by warranty. If it doesn't come from an authorized retailer- you're out.

Usually a flash mob, or something of the sort. I tend to modify them by shortening the two upper wires by an inch or two. I leave the middle long. I tend to leave them fairly compact, rather than full spread. Generally I am throwing 1/4-3/8 ounce heads on one of a variety of swimbaits, with the center arm being 3/4-1" longer bait.

Superb hook for the purpose. I like them a lot for a flip hook where it's a bait that is prone to not lying flat, or twisting. I've done really well with them on big worms and the like, as well.

Hudd 68, Mattlures, MS Slammer, SWaver, Glide Swimmer, Bull Shad- SPRO BBZ. They'll all catch fish. There are no trout in TX, but Fork fish eat Hudds and Triples.

They're two entirely different baits, though. Compare them in the water some time. The XCS is a harder thumping bait, with a lot less roll and it has a considerable about more yaw. The KVD is tighter and runs at a different angle and deflects completely different. I use the Little John a lot, but I don't really consider it a squarebill. It's more of a flatside bait, in my eyes. The FatJohn, however, is a true square. I like them a lot, too.

Bagley B series baits when I need a high floating bait around wood cover and shallow weeds. Lucky Craft BDS 3 when I am banging rocks and around docks and burning through hard cover. Lucky Craft RTO in tree tops KJ Flat in the river, along with Bagley Bs. LC SKT Fat Mini for a couple situations. KVD 1.5 and 2.5 for heavy grass and weeds. KVD 1.0 for pre-spawn shallow work. Bandit Square for general post spawn shallow cranking in a variety of situations. There's no one "Does it all" squarebill. Regardless of what the pros tell you, every single one of them that I know will have at least three of the above listed baits in their box.