OnthePotomac

I keep hearing these horror stories, but my 10 year old Carbonlite bait casters, plus additions for a total on 10 now have really taken a beating on the Tidal Potomac grass beds with snakeheads and 15lb cats and I certainly have never had a problem with any of them. Lovin' the 2.0 version with the graduated line guides and Winn grips. My Army lieutenant grandson did break one he had fishing his neighborhood lake forgetting fishing rods do no move immoveable objects very well. Even though it was over two years old he took it back to BPS on a long shot and they gave him a new Carbonlite with no hassle. No, he was not in uniform.

With any large fish never forget the pump and crank principle. It will wear them down. Landing by cranking only is not a good idea.

I would say you scored really big on that one. Really, really nice.

I also fish them on a 7' MH fast tip rod and only use 3/8 oz since the average river depth where I fish is 6' or less depending on the tide.

When I got into bass fishing 20 years ago I had nothing except a spinning rod and reel. We went to visit my wife's 90 year old aunt in a retirement village in Florida on which there was a small lake. My daughter gave me the a Banjo Minnow kit and a DVD on how to fish it so I took it with me. Caught my first large mouth with the Minnow Kit rig throwing it up under the dock on the lake, which was 6' up off the water. Then I caught another in the canal leading up to the lake and had not further time to fish and that took less than an hour. It works

Just out of curiosity I have been trying out Sufix 14lb Advanced and so far it seems to be fine.

I got this from the Berkley lab many years ago. It was too good to pass up.

He won the Bassmaster Classic and picked up a very big pile of money

Hey now you are talking about my stash of white Carbonlites. My black reels look pretty snappy on them. Now you have offended AbuGarcia, Lews and Boyd Duckett LOL He won the Bassmaster Classic and picked up a very big pile of money

This may be of some help:

This might help. colors to bass at various depths

Just saw what Hank Cherry used to win the Classic. Aways interesting to see what these guys use. Boy, he sure likes 20lb flouro. Notice, no braid. Jerkbait: Megabass 110 w/#5 EWG Fusion trebles fished on a 6'10" medium Abu rod, an Abu STX reel, 15lb 100% flouro Jig: 3/8oz Picasso Dock Rocket fished on a 7'4"ABU MH rod, ABU STX reel, 20lb 100% flouro Crankbait: Bloody Thumb no rattles, 7'4" medium ABU rod, ABU STX reel, 12lb %100 flouro Bladed Jig: 1/2oz Jack Hammer w/3" grubs, 7'4" medium ABU rod, 20lb %100 flouro It all worked for him to win.

I ran an aluminum prop on the tidal Potomac for about six years and after having it put back in to shape several times I switched to SS. The river is a combat zone for an aluminum prop.

Try just a touch of grease on the open/close slide and in the groove into which it slides. Also check the end of the slide to see if a burr has developed. Mine did that and I removed it with a tiny diamond file.

Aha, we call it hull number.

Painted on, that is interesting. In Virgina you get a new registration decal every two years and place it on the bow right below the rub rail. The expiration year is in big numbers and the color changes with each new issue.

If I am correct in what you are asking, I looked at mine today and I guess you are asking about the space under the pressure bracket used to loosen or tighten your TM shaft. If so, I would not attempt to run a sonar cable down through it. I taped my sonar cable on with silicon rescue tape leaving a big loop on top for maximun head rotation.

Never saw the the need for a wacky tool. I just rub on smelly jelly and the O ring slides right on.

Yep, anything in the SK Rage series and anything from Gary Yamamoto

Years ago I gave my now adult grandson one of my Citica 200 reels, in which I had put ABEC7 SS bearings, drive shaft bearing, CarbonTex drags and polished the spool shafts and pinion gear interior with Fabuluster and to this day he is nuts about that reel.

Here is the before and after. I forgot to add that the beige wrap is actually a soft metallic gold. After

I am indeed fortunate then since my two Curado 200IHG reels re now six years old and just as smooth as the day out of the box. No upgrades, just my annual clean and lube. I keep one on my frog rod. No grinding or screeching.

Not trying to be a smart aleck, buy my list would be: 7' Mediums for cranks 7' MH for everything else.

Eddie101 You will soon learn that discussing fishing line preferences is like asking do you prefer blonds, brunettes, or redheads.

I have never hear of braid having to be broken in. I suggest you just fish with it and it should be fine. Boy, that is really fine braid, which may give you some line management problems. Just me because I don't like braid much anyway.