BradH

I'm with Chattahoochee. I had similar problems until I slowed down my knot tying. Go slow and use spit.

I like to use braid on the glass cranking rods with more give. I still use a leader to save the line from rocks and such.

Chartreuse & white, painted blades and a trailer hook if there isn't too much junk in the water. When I started rolling my own I bought a couple walleye blade assortments with painted and metallic blades. After I ran out of metallic blades I threw a few together with painted blades. I won't go back, 75% of what I do now is with painted blades. Most of what I use is 3/4 anymore but I think I still have some lighter ones floating around. Dinks will still eat a big spinnerbait. I started putting a small ziptie around the skirt collar a couple years ago, they last longer that way.

Nothing cool at my Walmart. A couple years ago they got rid of all their decent stuff so I scored some ABU C3s for $35 and a Revo S for $75. They still carry the BCX turds though.

I do the same thing but I never catch anything

Yep, roll your own. If you don't want to cast lead Stamina (lurepartsonline) has good heads, skirts, etc. I have caught multiple hammer handle to 20 pound pike and a few muskies on Stamina heads, no issues. I'm not sure about shipping to SA. I also started putting a zip tie over the skirt collar. The skirts last longer that way.

I love the DD22. Regular, suspending and silent. They have a great color selection. I also started fishing the Rapala DT20 last fall. It's listed as a floater but it has a slower rise than the Norman DD22 suspending, which in truth just rises slower than the regular DD22. Thr DT20 is also made of plastic and has rattles unlike the other DT lures. It may not have the bill breakage issues due to its different construction but I have not fished it enough to really know. I've only broke one DT-anything bill anyway. It does catch fish.

I'm with VolFan, I vote bluegill.

I don't know, $16 isn't too bad. You can get the same bearing from another source, such as boca, for much less. I snagged up one of those DSG closeout Citicas for $59, flushed/oiled the spool bearings and tossed a ball bearing on the driveshaft. I admit I stole the bearing from a parts reel so the cost was basically free. Poor Man's Curado G. But yeah, if you don't want to do the work yourself or pay to have it done just send it in for warranty work.

If you send it off you might see if they'll remove the bushing throw a bearing on the driveshaft, assuming you have a 200E. It does not make a huge difference but the bearing is cheap and they'll be down in there anyway.

That's an awesome looking mirror carp.

I snagged one of the 6'10" M Fenwick Smallmouth rods off amazon for $77 to the door. I have not fished with it yet but it feels nice and with a 50e and line the whole package is 11 ounces. I'm guessing I'll like it. http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/95644-fenwick-elite-tech-smallmouth-series-in-depth-review/page__p__1058614__hl__fenwick__fromsearch__1#entry1058614

With the criteria you have listed (small diameter, low stretch, 14+ test, long cast, light lures) you may want to look into braid. I'm thinking 20-30 pound braid might fit the specs you are asking for but maybe someone else will chime in. I have a similar setup I use for basically the same thing and I put 8 pound fluoro on it.

Cabelas might still have some of those camo rods for 29 bucks. I handled one in the store and thought it would have been a great deal if I was in the market for a rod.

Yep, Chompers 4" dropshot worm. They work on jigs and split shot rigs too. I started drop shotting some flies, clousers. The tactic shows promise.

Thanks everyone! I picked up a Curado 50 and it has been looking for a home. I was eyeballing the 6'10" Fenwick but I have not been able to lay my hands on one or read a review. I also had no idea Amazon had such good deals on them!

The last one is a suager, very similar to a walleye.

Army issue nomex/leather flight gloves. I can thumb the reel no problem without hacking up the gloves.

Yep! I agree 100%. For deep crankin' I also like the 5.5 and lower gears. I can't get crankin' done with one setup and be happy, too many comprimises in rod action and reel ratio.

This was probably one of the top 5 fishing days of my life. I had went out with the intention of catching smallmouth but it didn't take much to change my mind. The pike bite was relentless, more doubles than I could count, fish on back to back casts multiple times, pure insanity at 32 degree water temps. Spinnerbaits, cranks, and jerkbaits seemed to be the way to go. Christmas Eve on the SD/NE border. My Dad with his biggest pike ever. 36" on the nose and 12 lb. 7 oz. huge girth. Released. I tried other jerkbaits but a #14 HJ was hands down THE bait to throw by a wide margin. It also happens to be one of my all time favorites. Drop shotting clousers deep on a spinning rod. My new finesse experiment.

Yep, stick jackets on everything. I just bought a bunch more from ***, they might still be on sale. I also love the TW casting reel covers.

Shallow/mid depth cranking- 6'6" M to 7'5" M BPS Crankin' Stick or 7' Reese WM Crank Rod with 6.4:1 Revo S Deep- 7'6" MH BPS Crankin' Stick or 7'10" Reese WM Crank rod with Curado 200E5 or Revo Winch. Those are what I've actually used in the price range given, in fact they just got loaded in the boat for a little trip north tomorrow. There are still some 200E5s out there NIB for 100-150, I see Revo S reels for 100 bucks new. Spool them with 30 lb. powerpro with a fluoro leader and those cranks will get deep fast and you can feel those rocks. If you like mono go a notch heavier on the rods. I like the Reese cranking rods with braid but they are too whippy with mono.

I'd just leave the hooks and fish them 'till they die. A great Rapala for banging riprap up here is the Crankin' Rap CRR5 squarebill. I've been scoring them out of bargain bins cheap this fall. $20 is an awesome deal on 17 DT6 cranks even if they are not as durable as other baits.

Like others have said, you don't have to go small. I only have a couple places I can fish during the winter unless I drill holes but I do best on jerkbaits, straight tail worms fished any way you like, cranks, spinnerbaits, rattle baits, senkos and jigs. Going slow is thew key most of the time but not always. As for a specific lure that works for me my all time favorite is a glass perch husky jerk size 10, 12 or 14. I also like chompers 4" straight tail green pumpkin worms, any rapala DT or crankin' rap in helsinki shad or regal shad, any suspending or floating norman in SX shad. Those work on the bodies of water I fish, I'm not sure about where you are but I'd bet they would be a good start.

This is my favorite time of year to buy rods/reels/tackle. With the off season deals you should be able to find a more sensitive, lighter rod for the same money. If you want one go for it. It will work.