webertime

If you have the Sedona as an option, go with it. I have one from the first year they were produced (1994) and that thing is still in use.

I believe it's a Sedona with a dual handle and without the anti-reverse bearing.

Corn Kernals, Power Dough, etc. Those things are raised on liver or corn pellets so they key in on stuff that looks/smells like that. It takes a bit for them to figure out bugs as food. Use a LONG shank hook to make unhooking easier and prevent swallowing. Stoking isn't that cheap so do your part to preserve the investment.

2010 Models of the Pflueger Supreme and Supreme XT (size 25) are at or under 6.5oz. 2011 I believe are lighter.

Storm Wildeye swimbaits Sebile Magic Swimmer Hard, although I think I just need more time with them to figure them out. Everything else seems to just fade in and out for me. Years ago Torpedos, Spooks and Spinnerbaits were my #1 (2 and 3) baits. Those have been replaced by Rage Shads, Flukes and Ika's.

I started with baitcasters this spring and now have all of the reels mentioned above. The Citica feels (to me) to be the most solid/quality of the group, it's also stone simple to set up and has a great feel in the hand. The Prodigy is a really nice reel though and for $60 it's a bargain. The BPS PQ is a good reel but it just feels loose compared to the others, it doesn't cast as well as either of the above reels.

I worked at a ski/bike shop when they first came out. They are fantastic glasses. Their customer support is great and their optics are great. I have a big head AND a wider nose and finding glasses that fit that sweet combo is hard. Native's have models that can fit most faces.

1 Open MSpaint. 2 Go to googleearth or Bingmaps and get you pond/lake/spot. 3 Hit the print screen button on you keyboard 4 Go back to your MSpaint tab,go to edit and paste. I then used the tool that looks like a square made with dashed lines and used that to highlight/select just the map part I wanted. 5 Go to edit and hit copy. 6 Go to file and select new. 7 Go to edit and hit paste... You should have just the map part there. Then you can add the x's and o's, etc. 8 Save it to your computer then download to here.

1 Open MSpaint. 2 Go to googleearth or Bingmaps and get you pond/lake/spot. 3 Hit the print screen button on you keyboard 4 Go back to your MSpaint tab,go to edit and paste. I then used the tool that looks like a square made with dashed lines and used that to highlight/select just the map part I wanted. 5 Go to edit and hit copy. 6 Go to file and select new. 7 Go to edit and hit paste... You should have just the map part there. Then you can add the x's and o's, etc. 8 Save it to your computer then download to here.

1 Open MSpaint. 2 Go to googleearth or Bingmaps and get you pond/lake/spot. 3 Hit the print screen button on you keyboard 4 Go back to your MSpaint tab,go to edit and paste. I then used the tool that looks like a square made with dashed lines and used that to highlight/select just the map part I wanted. 5 Go to edit and hit copy. 6 Go to file and select new. 7 Go to edit and hit paste... You should have just the map part there. Then you can add the x's and o's, etc. 8 Save it to your computer then download to here.

My honey hole... Red X is parking/launch Orange circle, this year alone... 7lbs, 6.6lbs, and 3 5lbers. Red line, original creek channel, lots of 2lbers Green circle, gets covered in Lily Pads and is where we saw a 36"+ Bowfin and I caught a 13lb Northern. (Rage Shads were invented for this spot). Yellow line is where the Canadian lady forgets her top... a lot. Also a good number of overhanging trees, dropping Ikas under them is guaranteed action. Pink area, this place is just like those National Geographic Anaconda shows. 2-4 feet deep, Lily Pads choking it, LARGE Bass have been seen, and fought there but never landed. And finally anywhere you see water you aren't actually seeing water, it's 10-18" Pickerel, yep it's that thick with them...

My honey hole... Red X is parking/launch Orange circle, this year alone... 7lbs, 6.6lbs, and 3 5lbers. Red line, original creek channel, lots of 2lbers Green circle, gets covered in Lily Pads and is where we saw a 36"+ Bowfin and I caught a 13lb Northern. (Rage Shads were invented for this spot). Yellow line is where the Canadian lady forgets her top... a lot. Also a good number of overhanging trees, dropping Ikas under them is guaranteed action. Pink area, this place is just like those National Geographic Anaconda shows. 2-4 feet deep, Lily Pads choking it, LARGE Bass have been seen, and fought there but never landed. And finally anywhere you see water you aren't actually seeing water, it's 10-18" Pickerel, yep it's that thick with them...

My honey hole... Red X is parking/launch Orange circle, this year alone... 7lbs, 6.6lbs, and 3 5lbers. Red line, original creek channel, lots of 2lbers Green circle, gets covered in Lily Pads and is where we saw a 36"+ Bowfin and I caught a 13lb Northern. (Rage Shads were invented for this spot). Yellow line is where the Canadian lady forgets her top... a lot. Also a good number of overhanging trees, dropping Ikas under them is guaranteed action. Pink area, this place is just like those National Geographic Anaconda shows. 2-4 feet deep, Lily Pads choking it, LARGE Bass have been seen, and fought there but never landed. And finally anywhere you see water you aren't actually seeing water, it's 10-18" Pickerel, yep it's that thick with them...

Go with braid (30-50lb) and a 10lb Fluro leader. Woburn... you have hundreds of cool ponds with insanely tannin stained water, around you. For those you might not even need a leader.

Quantum Pro Tour Edition weighs in at 5.8oz. Not what I would call an XFast action, it is actually has a slightly softer feeling than my Heavy Carrot Stick and that is called a Fast action. I'm pretty happy with it so far (it's November in VT and I've had it out of it's shipping tube for 3 hours.)

6 or 7 weight should do you just fine. Get a reel with 2 spools (or get a spare spool for the reel you are looking at). Trying to flyfish for Trout and Largemouth with the same rod and reel is possible (not ideal) but the flies being completely different nessesitate completely different lines/leaders. Personally I have a 6wt rod with 7wt weight forward line for my bass rod and a 3wt for Trout/sunnies. I like this rod a lot for the $ (and maybe because I'm a Vermont Homer) http://www.orvis.com/store/product.aspx?pf_id=28P4_A&dir_id=758&group_id=759&cat_id=14816&subcat_id=7015

Nemire Red Ripper Spoons and Spin Ripper Spinnerbaits. Trust me on this... a 28lb Northern made me a believer. They kill Small and Largemouth as well. Duel Flukes (Donkey rig) and the Rage Shad both produced good northerns for me this year (8-13lbs). The 13 came out of a little pond (58 acres) after a good rain, right where a creek drains into it. The Rage Shad looked like it was put through a paper shreder.

Lamiglas Excel 734. 7'3" Medium Heavy (barely), American made, light for $120 (shipped free from TW). I got one in the fall and really like it a lot, mine is paired with a Citica E as well.

I don't know about the Clarus, but it seems to me when TW does those little write ups under each model they are pretty spot on with their assessments. If it's rated to toss 3/8oz it should be able to get at least a 4" Spro out there. According to everything I've read on the Quantum its an XF, however it's 1-5oz rating may be over stating what it should be used for, that's fine for me, I'll rarely be tossing anything larger than ~2.5oz. When it arrives this week I'll be glad to let you know more.

7'9" Shimano Clarus at TW 7'9" Quantum Tour Edition Swimbait on ebay 2 nice, very reasonably priced rods for you to try out swimbaits. I got a Quantum last week for less than $40.

Patagonia Deep Wading Jacket. This company is by far and away the greatest outdoor gear/clothing company ever. I have 2 fleece that are going on 14 and 13 years respectively. I spent my 20's in the Cycling, Skiing, Climbing industries and was just amazed by them... One time a biiiiiig dude came in to my shop and the back of his fleece had blown open (think Fat Guy In Little Coat) and asked what we could do. I called Patagonia and they said to send it in... 3 weeks later I get the customers warranty back, in the box was his fleece, it had all the zippers replaced and the back was repaired. Oh and they gave him a new fleece to go with his repaired one. Long story short. Maybe a little pricey to start but they are behind their product 100% should you need them.

Depends on the blank you are getting. Call mudhole when you order and the guys will steer you towards all the appropriate sizes (arbors and reel seat) you'll need for the blank you want.

Tom Kirkman's book should #1 on your list... Idealy you will go spend the $15 on it now then make your shopping list. http://www.mudhole.com/Shop-Our-Catalog/Rod-Building-Books/Rod-Building-Guide-Fly-Cast-Spin While you are there request Mudhole's catalog as well... You don't need a electric wrapper/dryer if you aren't building a bunch of rods. You can build your own wrapper out of 1x4's and some felt, just hang out near the rod after you've applied the epoxy and just give it 1/4 turns every 15 minutes for an hour. Kirkman's book has an ingenious set up for beginners that works very well. Also don't spend a bunch of money for your first rod build (save the St. Croix's until you are 100% confident, a crappy build on a nice blank is a waste). Get a closeout e or s glass blank from Mudhole that matches the weights/line you'll be throwing (Gator blanks). Then some basic Halide guides, a reel seat that fits your hand/grip and some EVA grip, thread size, go with A. Be stealth and go black with everything (easier to cover the inevitable f-ups). If it were ME before I bought all the stuff I'd need for a new rod, I'd try and scrounge up a beat old rod and strip it down and rebuild it. It'll save money and helps move you up the learning curve a bit.

It appears that the Smoke has the same ACS that other Quantum reels (Catalyst,Energy,Accurist) have. You will hit the ACS knob and not realize it and backlash. I watched it happen to a few guys this summer, all had the same complaint, when you palm that reel you will at one point or another knock the ACS off where you had it set. The Carbonlite's is smaller and slightly reccesed. It's a PURE reel (BPS, Browning, Pflueger, Abu).

I use this rig with the back Fluke mounted on a lightly weighted swimbait hood. This reduces the twisting a bit and covers a bit more water. I have it ready on the deck when I'm pitching weedbeds in case the Bass start crashing the baitfish above the weeds. Or when fishing Smallies and my partner gets one on, I'll toss it near his fight because of the usual pack of chasers we have up here. Works like a charm. The only issue I have is Northerns biting one off, thus you have to re-rig. I did have an enormous Northern take both and just left me with a bit of line.