bigbassctchr101

Seems like someone is doing exceedingly well at this... ^^^^^

I like my duckett more than any other rod I have. I have only tried two models. 7ft and 7'3" both MH. I have every intentions on trying the cranking version and a smaller model for jerkbaits and topwaters as well. I was suprised that when fishing in below freezing conditions this rod actually does not ice up nearly as much as other rods. I thought it may freeze up all the guides since they were so small, but the first eye acts as a squeegee and wicks most of the water away. great rod all the way around IMO

DINKS!!!! No no no... Try this. Take the smallest one (i can't ever remember the tiny, baby, teeny, etc.) but which ever is the smallest and remove the back treble hook. Then you have a place for the line tie, hook, line tie... Put this about 12-18" in front of a spook or popper or a bass colored torpedo and you have predator chasing prey, or two baitfish, etc. Much like the front runners worked but I think this works better. Also works good in front of a senko or fluke/floating worm since I very rarely throw the senko.

If you swing the fish in quickly with the fishes inertia, there shouldn't be as much load put on to the rod. Yes, there are better methods. But, big fish can be put into the boat even with not so heavy rods. I swing 3-4 pound bass often with a medium rod for rattle traps and cranks. I've put them in the boat as much as 5-6 pounders on the same gear with 10lb test line. If you don't use the fishes inertia and pull it straight up out of the water, you'll prob break something sometime. Just my opinion.

I'm going to go out of the norm I guess. I like the stained, dark, and dirty lakes. It just means an even bigger bait, rattles, etc... My biggest producer on stained and clear lakes at night, blue/black jig with silver scales in skirt, two uncle josh pork chunks, and rattles. Next would be a 13" worm, with a rattle. I do better a little later in the season when the days are hot, but the nights start cooling down with a black buzz bait and sometimes an all white buzzbait right against the bank. My better nights are actually ones with less moon. I keep all lights off the water except the black lights (i've even heard they can spook some following smallmouth though), I make my movements in the boat very quite. If possible, I keep my livewells off while fishing that particular hole. Most of this is just a mind set to make me feel more comfortable. I've had nights I've done just as good with the outboard running while fishing that spot(battery was dying and it was the only way to keep a charge).

If it is his last post it is very sad. Check his profile, more importantly his age. I'm sure some, probably most of us knew how to do this when we were 15. But I have known all kinds of 30yr old that have picked up a rod when they were in my boat for the first time. It would be ashame if he was pushed away because he though he was being heckled. If you dont know the answer, then ask a question. Nothin wrong with that.

Its pretty simple to do man. I wouldn't bother with asking anyone to do it for me. The experience is good to know, and you could probably save enough to be able to buy another spool of line. From the spool, go back thru your guides, tie a decent secure knot to the spool. Hold steady tension as you are filling the spool up. There are usually lines or some sort of mark on the spool, I usually go about 5-7 cranks before or after my line reaches that mark. Not much too it at all.

How heavy is this epoxy? Is there anyway this could be used successfully and be accurately weighted in a way that it could be used for balancing a rod out?

I fished on a college team. There is absolutely no doubt that there are some guys that are quality fisherman. My stance on making it to the classic though... I think its a great publicity thing. Its an awesome way to get young guys to shape up, go to college and fish. But, I don't think that they are competing in the same class as the other pros and elites that make it to the classic. I don't even think they are competing in the same class as the federation guys. I'm definitely not saying that the college kids couldn't compete, and couldn't beat federation, elite series, or classic contenders, but I don't exactly think its fair they get an automatic bye to the top... they do not have the stress, the constant competition, and the different changing conditions of weather, lakes, and different competing individuals as most of the federation guys and definitely the elite guys have. Thats just my opinion though. I really do think its a great thing they get a shot at it. But, I would think it to be a much more fair deal if they were allowed entry into a BASS Open or another big tournament series instead of the most desirable tournament of any fisherman. Should the SEC football championship team be able to play in the super bowl? I raced a bunch of honda civics the other day and won, should I be able to race at Daytona? The thing is, there are a bunch of Elite guys that could most likely beat any of the college guys any day. (Maybe not the one that made it to the classic?) And the Elite pros have to compete against the hardest competition and hardest multiple day tournaments several weeks in a row to be able to have a chance. Elite guys have to climb up the rocky side of the mountain, the college angler gets a straight path with stairs.

I fish a moderately stained/murky lake in east tennessee. Just last week I was practice fishing and got a Spro DD hung in about 18ft of water (says the depth finder) I was stuck on a lay down branch, so make that about 16ft. Well, it being 95 degrees, and the lure being $12 a pop, I dove in to get it. I followed my line down and opened my eyes to see...a greyish white crankbait (i was using sexy shad). I don't know if color matters in day or night, but considering I could still see color would mean than fish would also be able to see it. I haven't been out night diving to very much, but I do know when I've scuba dived at them depths, you can still see objects in my lake at 10-15ft. You may not be able to make them out, but you can tell they are there. A black dive suit will stand out better than a white skinned body and pink dive mask. I do know that. Thats why my choice for black and blue at night stands so strong.

I agree with this ^^^^ to a point. And, this is just my opinion of course. No the shad do not change colors...At least not enough to say you need to switch from a white bait to a black bait. But, there are more times than not than a darker bait will cast a better sillouhette in dark conditions... So, the shad will probably get eaten no matter the color. But, it (in theory) has a better chance of being eaten if it can be seen better than its friend swimming beside it. How many natural prey are actually bubblegum pink or bright chartruese???? However, I would not trade these colors for natural colors in the right conditions....

I usually throw 15lb mono for topwater. Bandits and shallow - mid diving baits I throw 10lb-12lb mono...squarebills i throw 15lb when bumping into cover deep cranking I throw 12lb when using deep divers in less than 12ft of water when using deep divers in over I throw 10lb mono

Sometimes the spool can be set in in correctly and still fit and seem like its functioning correctly, make sure all your screws are tightened down then insert the spool, then the side plate, then the cast control knob. Did you possibly lose a small brass shim in the cast control knob, or was it knocked off center? Are all the centrifigal brakes out of the lock position? These are a few common things that could have happened??? I'd just check it to be sure.

The market for a darker color probably just isn't there as much as the "day time" colors. But, a can of spray paint or a sharpie will not hurt to throw on it. I was always worried about the smell, but I've witnessed that it doesn't matter nearly as much on a moving bait like a crankbait.

You probably didn't have to toss the other reel. But, there are parts that get grease and parts that get oil. Less is more when applying it. For a general rule of thumb... bearings get oil and gears get grease. Reels use a light viscosity oil that allows for a smooth operation, I do not know Motorkote oil, but if it has the word motor in it, i would be afraid. Quantum Hot Sauce is a big favorite of many but there are a vast amount of lubiricants to be used. One drop is usually enough on bearings. You would probably benefit by sending a reel off to a reel repair specialist even a new reel can come over lubricated from the factory. But, your new Diawa should work great as it is. Keep the reel off the ground and store it in a shady dust free environment when possible. Get your brake and tension settings correct. Keep it clean and don't throw it around and it should last a long while. Most guys service their reels about once each season...either before or after the main fishing season. Other guys do it routinely. It will keep the reel in much better mechanical condition if you do this. As for your line twist on spinning reels, when spooling your line, place the line in a bowl of hot water (not boiling hot, just bath water hot) while you spool your line on the reel. When your done, take the line and walk out the entire distance in your yard. When reeling back in have someone pinch the line at the end of your rod with their fingers or between a wash rag...this will let any twist in the line go out the end and freely spin off.

My buddy has one. Its a nice net. Work it in a little bit and it will be a little easier to open. If you have problems with it opening difficultly, just open it up and leave it open like any other net. The more use it sees the looser and worn in it should get.

I think you could easily get by with either rod. I personally use 17lb mono with a heavy rod but have had just as much success with 40-65lb braid with a MH rod.

Fish do see color...They have the same components that we have that allows them to see colors. No, we do not KNOW the extent at which they can see. But, colors are determined by the amount of light that is reflected or absorbed by the object. Which would in turn mean that, no matter what color a certain object is in light, when it loses enough light it will go through a grey stage then eventually black when there is no light to be reflected. Sometimes guys do fish C-rigs in shallow water, but usually it is used for deeper appilications. Reds, orange, yellows, will lose their colors first (all at different depths "light penetration levels")...Flourescent factors may make a bit of difference, but all in all it will still follow the same spectrum. So, if you are fishing this rig deeper than the light can effectively penetrate to make it reflect its orange color, it will be grey...to us and to fish. I have seen color charts that give decent examples of water depth and clarity for colors...I am a diver so I have seen it first hand, but I believe some diving websites actually show some examples. I can see why someone would use a leader with no question when it comes to braid... I hate using braid (mostly because of the areas I fish it), but when I gave it my several test periods I could feel the bottom and strikes significantly better. But it does create weak points, even with a strong knot; the knot or a knick in your line will HAVE to be your weakest link. There is no way around that, but if your fishing, you will always have a weak link with any line. So you just have to measure your trade off in sensitivity with more knots, or less knots but with less sensitivity. People go both ways.

And you won't...Jack his jaws, cross his eyes, etc ... this is the type of fishing where you can really drive home a hookset. If you set it hard enough to turn the fish towards you and out of the water... you ALMOST set it hard enough lol

You say you do not have any "points", but that would determine on how your defining a point. A point can be land, rock, weeds, etc. I think if you look at your weed line, there are propably some variations in it. Some may be 4ft into the water while one or two sections jump out to 5ft. That could be considered a point no matter how small. If there is an island in the lake, then most likely there will "imperfections" in it. It may be flatter on one side, it may have a deep side, a long side, etc... There will probably be a "point" in one way or another on it. If you can't find points, look for different changes in substrate or transitions. Rock to weeds, one species of weed/grass to another, etc... The bass will use anything they can find as an ambush location. But they also want to expend the least amount of energy when they are doing it. Thats why they use points, or hiding areas, or a stump... Because they can get shallow or deep quickly, do there thing quickly, and get back to a resting area quickly. As far as swimbaits go, I have caught them in muddy water on one. I usually use it as a back up approach to a spinnerbait when the fish want something a little more subtle. Slow and steady retrieve work better for me in stained water... I would personally find the different areas that bass will use as ambush points and use the swimbait in slow steady retreives making multiple casts to the same target at varying depths. If you do not have a bite by then, switch to your spinnerbait or crankbait and do the same thing. Then move on to the next target using the swimbait as your primary lure. You have to let the fish tell you what they want. If you don't ask them, they won't volunteer that information.

The blade is turning to one side causing it to veer off. (usually running to the left,(your right?)?) Kind of the reason why a drag car will lift up from the right side first, causing it to run to the left if it was to stay in that initial position. You can use that to your advantage by casting to the side and allowing your bait to bump and run into objects. Or, you could get double proped buzzbaits with two arms with a prop on the end of each, or get one with one arm with a big prop with a small prop turning counter clockwise inside of it. Either one of these will keep your buzzbaits running straight. http://www.***.com/Persuader_Blade_in_Blade_Buzzbaits_12oz/descpage-PBIB.html http://www.***.com/Booyah_Bi_You_Buzzbait/descpage-BYBYBB.html This buzzbait will also propably not run off to one side due to the counter rotating blades http://www.***.com/Pepper_Custom_Bait_Double_Blade_Buzzbait/descpage-PCDB.html Another problem may be the alignment of your blades and wire, you can fix much like you would a spinnerbait... But, the bait is most likely performing the way it was made to perform.

I put the round 600+ yds of line spools in my boot, then run it thru a heavy book. With spinning reels, I just try to get the line on there, because I will walk it all out later so all the twist goes out the end.

I really like my 7' Duckett rod, and I used an APR rod the other evening that I feel in love with also. I used the 7' MH. Felt really sensitive. I don't know about how well they hold up yet. But, I was impressed.

Today is the first day on this tournament... Let us know how you did. Its been taking some huge weights to win over there! I hope it keeps up!