OkobojiEagle

shorten your leader...

"You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. It's just a b*tch when the dehydrated horse tells you later, he should have had a drink.", anonymous oe

I've used EZ-lap sharpeners, but found them to wear out quickly. I do own and would recommend the Rapala retractable sharpener that ATA pictured above. My favorite is: https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-43323-VN43323-Hunting-Camping/dp/B000AR7AKG/ref=sr_1_6?dchild=1&keywords=Victorinox+knife+sharpener&qid=1585569592&sr=8-6 a good double duty sharpener for my pocket knives, as well as, hooks. What's important is owning one and using it frequently. oe

This topic often becomes an adversarial discussion... either back-reel or use the drag. To back-reel adds a method of line/fish control along with the reel's drag. The drag is never dis-engaged when back-reeling. Hold the reel handle in place, the drag will function. I believe most "back-reelers" will lessen the drag setting slightly before flipping the anti-reverse switch. oe

FishWizzard... the learning curve is similar to that of fishing with a bait casting reel. oe

At about 2:19 he sums it up pretty well... oe

Where's PowerPro made? oe

I'm happy to report my lifetime hasn't concluded yet... I'll report when I get there. oe

I had better results with my drop shot hare pattern when I weighted the hook shaft with two suspend strips. oe

After I'm done cleaning the spool bearing and have replaced the pin, I carefully dab a little fingernail polish on the larger end. This helps me determine which end to push from next time... as mentioned, that pin is tiny! oe

I use MegaStrike as a lubricant on the hook when weedless hooking. When applied to the hook and worked into the bait, the bait slides up the hook shank and out of the way more easily. oe

The Cutters catch fish... bass and walleye. I don't throw them as often as other jerkbaits because they don't have a weight transfer system that helps them cast without tumbling. oe

LC Slender Pointer 97... (down size the braid) oe

colors bleed

Ok, you all win. I boat-carry 4 spinning combos, 2 casting combos and a soft tackle bag that holds 2 3600 boxes (1 with hard plastic baits and 1 box filled with terminal tackle; various styles of jig heads in 1/8, 3/16, 1/4 & 3/8oz sizes; and hair jigs). The bag's pockets contain 4 small freezer bags of soft plastics; several spinnerbaits; and some necessary tools, first-aid supplies, ect. Most fishing days I have too many choices with me. oe

How many of you can remember the local "paper boy" who delivered the morning newspaper to your front door 7 days a week... then knocked on your door each Saturday morning to collect the few cents you owed him for the previous weeks deliveries? I began delivering papers at age 8 or 9 and can count on my brother-in-law's hand the number of Saturday mornings since that I've not been working. (He cut two of those fingers off in a beef production line accident.) Cable came to our little town about the time my wife was birthing our family, so we treated ourselves to a new 19" color TV and subscribed. A few years later we could afford a VCR machine and my bro-mance with Larry Nixon began. 40 years later I'd love to sit down and watch every one of those episodes. oe

hair jigs hand tied by Phil Schafer

I want to be sure in my head... 5 wraps around one jig shank not 5 plumes wrapped around one jig shank? oe

The hair/hare jigs I tie are complete at the vise... no plastic trailers needed. oe

Ice out brings the clearest water and slowest metabolism of fish... long casts & very slow retrieves of very light baits. 1/8 oz or less jig weight, tied with buoyant material(s). Long limber spinning rods throwing 6 or 8lb braid mainline with a 10lb low stretch nylon leader to help control depth at such a slow retrieve speed. Retrieve as steady as possible in the bottom 1/3 of water column and also try retrieves in the top 1/3. oe

A-Jay... just wondering what perks you receive for being social media's #1 tackle "influencer"? oe

Braided PE line is as different from nylon or fluoro line as a Freightliner is from a Toyota. You need to abide by different rules from spooling, to drag setting, to casting, to hook setting, to landing... oe

I haven't caught my PB yet, but when I do I'll be drinking a Dos Equis... oe

Yes they do... and so do the bugs! oe

My preference is a rabbit zonker strip tied in a streamer pattern on a 1/0 2x long down turned eye hook. (tip: very lightly weight the hook shank before tying on the zonker strip. oe