loodkop

I have a Calcutta 150 that I got from my wife after winning the South African artificial lure champs. Although I don't use it that much anymore it is the one reel I could never get rid off.

Like others have posted I need to bid farewell to the banks and get out my deep cranks and c rig.

Buzz frog. When it gets too cold to fish on top I'll drag it on a c/ rig or shakey head. I'm not willing to give up my top water strikes.

I struggle with the deep diving Dying Flutter. On a serious note I don't have any luck with deep cranking.

Most of my fishing is on the larger public waters. However a friend took me to his "secret" pond last week and I had a blast with some old school lures I have not used for years. I started out with a Crazy Crawler and ended up throwing a Lazy Ike. Great fun and a 5lb fish on a Crawler I'd still as addictive as 20 years ago.

I would go with carp as you say you were seeing shadows. Carp feed by blowing in the mud and them picking up what they have disturbed. We actually fish for them using small feathered jigs on the bubbles in water up to 30 feet deep. With experience it is possible to tell the difference between gas and feeding bubbles.

This was really helpful. Thanks.

Braid and frogs are made for each other. I have used just about all of my lures on braid at one time or another. It is all a matter of personal preference. I fish spinnerbaits and buzzbaits on braid while my partner uses braid on cranks. I also use braid for flipping in grass. It is one off those things you have to try and see what works for you.

Those are very nice. I love the photo finishes! I run around with phone in hand showing it to everyone in range. Even my wife is getting into this asking if there is anything new posted. Thanks for sharing.

I have had the misfortune to use an Antix. I will not repeat the mistake. I don't have experience of the others but my gut feeling would be to go with Shimano.

I really love fishing. I guess this means that I would rather be fishing with a cheap rod and reel than not fish at all. That doesn't mean that higher end gear doesn't improve the experience in many ways. At this stage I own a range of tackle collected over 20 something years covering most of the techniques I like to fish. This allows me to be selective in the new tackle I buy. I would rather wait a while longer to buy the rod or reel I really want than be satisfied with the lower end alternative as I'm already covered in whatever I want it for. To people who raise their eyebrows at what I'm willing to pay for equipment I can only point out that there are worse things to spend money on than a healthy outdoors sport I can enjoy with my sons (wife to if they are biting).

This forum is great. In fact I would pay for this if needed. I think I'm addicted. I have to get a daily dose of BR. There is always something to learn, inspire or make me smile. There is even occasions where I feel I can make a contribution out of my personal experience. Thanks goes out to all contributors.

Nice colors. I like the first one best.

I enjoy the devil spear as pitching bait. I have not really fished to much of the others but the grass pig might get a workout tomorrow.

I'm an artlure angler which means that I try to catch as many species as possible on lures in competition day. This often means that there is no time to really chase trophies. This makes a trophy all the more special to me. I agree that size alone doesn't make a trophy. I treasure a number of big Zambezi river bream I have caught more than my national and provincial record fish of other species. Those are lovely fish.

If I can't catch the "train" I have to get a "bus".

Great post. It makes me anxious to try out my 1st spool of YZ.

Some of the flouro brands have the same stretch as mono and will not improve hook setting ability. There are a lot of recent threads about flouro lines you may want to check out. For hook setting power braid is hard to beat with or without a leader.

Looking at my combos I believe that the only one that would be difficult to improve would be my frogging outfit. Kistler LG micro guide frog rod (7.6) with a curado 200DHSV and 65lb P/pro. Bring it on.

Reading this thread I've tried to calculate how much money I've saved in the 20+ years I've used my simple homemade one. While I'm not able to come up with a figure I know I will buy a Core 50 this week with the savings. My sincere thanks to the OP for reminding me to spend all this money I had forgotten about.

I find the color putting me off. It would have to rated higher than a NRX or Z bone before I would even consider buying something that ugly.

Mine definitely don't read the same books and magazines I do. They are hardly ever where they are supposed to be eating the lures they are supposed to eat.

Shimano Bantam Crestfire in the 80's. Have tried other brands since but always come back to Shimano.

That looks good. Perch patterns are killer in my local waters.

Straight black.