smalljaw67

You could ask on the websire www.tackleunderground.com in the wire baits section or you could go to www.tjstackle.com and get one of his with the pump for about $10 dollars more than what it will cost you to build one. Trust me, the one Tj's sells is made well and it saves a lot of time and it isn't expensive, that is the big question as I've seen them selling for over 100 bucks but not at Tj's.

I'm betting the problem is the rod. You say you have a medium action rod, I have heard that phrase so many times that it makes my ears bleed when I hear someone say it. What I bet you are using is a medium powered rod and most likely a fast action, kind of like what I use for jerkbaits. The problem with that is the fast action of the rod will cost you fish, especially if you are'nt experienced in how you need to use the rods leverage to keep from pulling the hooks free and that is were a crankbait rod is so nice as the parabolic bend keeps pressure on the fish without fail. A fast action rod makes it tough because you only get a little flex before you hit the backbone of the rod and it makes it real easy to overpower the fish and just pull the hooks free from the fish no matter how good the hook set, the medium power is a little more forgiving but for someone who doesn't have a ton of time with treble hooked baits it doesn't make it any easier. A crankbait specific rod will really help but if you can't afford one don't worry, there is still more that you can do but first you need to get rid of the line you have, good flouro or braid with crankbaits on a fast action rod is asking for trouble, get yourself a good mono, the added stretch of mono is a good thing in a case such as yours because when the fish surges and gets to the backbone of the rod the stretch in the line will provide enough give that the fish will stay hooked, you'll still lose the occasional fish but it will be a lot better than what you got going on right now.

There is no single retrieve, size or color that is best, instead you match conditions to what is needed at the time. Take those big colorado bladed spinnerbaits and fish them in clear wat, I've watched guys do that and then claim they aren't hitting a spinnerbait so I tie on a double willow leaf model and burn the bait about a foot under the surface and a 3lb smallie hammers it. Ever wonder why wind makes for a good spinnerbait bite? There are 2 reasons, one, the wind produces waves and it moves the photoplankton around which gets the baitfish moving around and that generally makes the predator fish move also. The other reason has to do with the wave action again but it is ripples affect on light that makes all the difference. I really believe that not only does the ripple action break up the outline of the spinnerbait, it also makes for some massive flash as the light hitting the blades comes from different angles due to the waves and because of it the flash due is sent off in different directions so you get a look of a school of biatfish or maybe the scales shimmering from an injured fish, either way it does get them to bite. Those big colorado blades are great in stained or dirty water, the added vibration helps fish hone in on the target and there fore will generate more strikes than a bait made to produce flash since the light penetration isn't as great in stained water the vibration will be what the fish sense first, not the visual side which is flash. In general a 3/8oz bait is something you can use all the time and a double willow for clear water and a colorado for dirty water, you can even go with an indiana for just stained water as well as clear but there are to many variables to have a single best spinnerbait or retrieve or color period.

I never have done that as presentations vary a lot between seasons but I can tell you I fished a specific body of water about 20 times in a season and not once did I use a soft plastic bait. 2008 I got a late start to the season as I was undergoing cancer treatment for quite some time and by the time I was well enough to fish it was mid spring and the jerkbait bite was on, after that it was post spawn and during that time the fish are spread out so you almost have no choice but to use moving baits as the only way to find fish is by covering water. Once the summer hit I fished the river most of the time and found a lot of rain made the water dark so it was single blade spinnerbaits slow rolled on the bottom and it stayed like that right through the fall and it was back to jerkbaits, spinnerbaits and crankbaits. On small bodies of water you can do that very easily and what will happen is you will start to see patterns of where you're getting bit and where you aren't, you'll also find cover you didn't know was there as it is submerged and then you can slow down when you find those spots. I know you think you need that c-rig to search but thruth be told, it is slow going because even though the bait is moving, it is doing so by means of a slow drag followed by a pause and another slow drag. It will help you find fish but not nearly as fast as a spinnerbait or crankbait will and don't forget topwater, buzzbaits draw a lot of fish to the top and while you may not ccatch all that hit, it will give you a clue as to the location of the fish.

When I find baits that work for me I'll keep a bunch on hand and if I hear of one getting discontinued I'll buy up all I can find so I have enough that will last for a few years. I just found a new craw that works really well on my finesse jig set up and since it is a small company I got 50 bags so I don't run out for at least 2 years.

For me a drop shot rod isn't something you can really swap out for other techniques, at least a really good one. For hair jigs and grubs I like a 6'6" to 6'9" Medium powered fast or extra fast action rod, I would use a fast action rod but in a medium light for drop shotting, right now I use my 6'9" M-XF for drop shot fishing but I don't use that technique very often and when I do it is with 1/4oz weight. My friend loves using a drop shot and his rod has a real soft tip, he likes it because it loads up on a bite and a lot of times all you really feel is weight so it makes sense to have a rod that loads well.

Which models of the G. Loomis rods do you own? I have 4 different models, a CR723 GLX, an MBR783C IMX, a JBR 752C Jerkbait series, and a SJR722 GL3 that I gave to my grandson after I used my Fenwick Elite Tech Smallmouth. I guess I should say I have 3 since I gave the rod but the way you describe Loomis rods snapping easily it makes me wonder which rods you are refering to, and if that is you own why even look at any other rods that are on the lower end of the scale? Most anglers I know with all Loomis rods don't really look at rods under $200 and that is why I'm curious to your collection.

X2 !! If I'm fishing laydowns or rocks or sparse grass like cat tails I use a jig but if the water is clear or warm I'll use the soft plastic. The only time it is different is on points in deep water, then I'll use a football jig, even in clear water.

I keep a medium sized pair of diagonal cuttlers with me, they will cut all but the big thick flipping hooks. While any hook is capable of getting us, it is the treble hooks that worry me most and with my cutters I can cut through a size 1 treble so I'm ok with that. I may be one of the few who carry cutters to free myself rather than the fish, not that I don't want to free the fish but being one who loves fishing jerkbaits, and alot of them having 2 sets of trebels, I imagine myself being hooked more than the fish.

I'm with RW on this one also, and I'll add something that may help you make your decision and that is bottom content. Those little ponds often have muck bottoms just a few feet from shore, anything other than a sandy or gravel type bottom makes the c-rig unuseable simply because the weight digs into the muck and after a few feet it will become almost impossible to drag it so you'll end up picking it up and using a lift and drop and then the value of the c-rig is lost anyway. Why not use crankbaits or spinnerbaits as a search tool, even if the fish don't hit it they will often flash at it so they give their position away allowing you to fish the area with a t-rig.

What you did wrong is you you had the line tension tighter than the drag, as you were spooling the drage was slipping every now and then and when it was doing this you let off the line tension a bit. This caused some of the line to be super tight with looser line in between and it causes loops and a bad cast or two with more loose line over top makes for a disaster. I use a spooling station, it is a cheap alternative to having it machine spooled that works as you will have a consistant tension setting throughtout the spooling process and that is important.

G.Loomis is the way to go and the Ducket isn't even close to any of the Loomis rods except for the new GL2. Loomis made them look nice but they are way over priced, they are heavy and while the guides are more than adequate for bass, it still is considered cheap on a $200 dollar rod. I heard good and bad about Duckett and it is about 50/50, I know the first ones had breakage issues especially on hook sets and then they introduced the White ice rods and since the introduction nobody has even heard a peep as to why they aren't out yet. The carrot sticks have ended up with a bad reputation as the pros left in a mass exodus, even the guy who designed them is gone but most that have them really like them so that may be an option but do your research before buying.

It is a good time of the year to use them but perhaps it imiced the size of the forage in the pond. I own 1, it is a blaze orange bait and to look at it you would not think any kind of fish would hit it but you would be wrong. Fishing dirty water, this thing is great but only in a small window, March to May and only in drty water. That time of year, the waters I fish are usually clear but if there was a good amount of snow a few warm days raises water levels and the waters get dirty as a result and the only thing I'm able to get bit on when that happens is that blaze orange rattlin rapala.

I have the 6'9" M-XF spinning rod and it is one of the best spinning rods I ever used and is very sensitive and light and the reel seat feels better than any other I ever used. I also have the 6'10 MH-MF casting rod, I was amazed at how light it was so I had it weighed on the local butch shop's certified scale, it came in at 3.83oz and it feels fantastic. I'm really impressed at how much feel this rod has, I use it for bigger jerkbaits and crankbaits but I could use spinnerbaits and buzzbaits no problem. I have no idea why the retail on these is onlt $129.99, don't get me wrong, I'm glad they are affordable but I honestly believe they could have sold much higher as the quality of the rod and the blank is incredible not to mention the lifetime warranty. Amazon has these on sale for different prices depending on the model, some you can't less than retail and others you can get for 80 bucks. If you have a model that you were looking at getting but weren't sure I'd tell you don't worry, just get it as they are really good rods at any price but anything less than retail is an absolute steal.

The way the weather is here now by the time you get to the in-laws house you may be better off going after the largemouth depending on you access to a boat. I fish the Susquehanna and Juniata rivers for smallies in the summer, I also fish a few lakes that contain them and I can tell you they head do deep water and are hard to catch that time of the year. If you are going to be in a boat you will need a good sonar unit, if you don't have that then target shallow points with mid depth crankbaits, football jigs or hit the shallows using jigs or some type of soft plastic. The reason I tell you that is those places and techniques will get you bit by a smallies once in awhile, forget topwater, June the smallies have gone deep and can be caught with a drop shot but without sonar you won't be able to find them.

That is kind of a strange question from someone who can use a baitcasting reel. I've used heavier spinning rods and reels and I feel I have more control with bigger lures with casting equipment, I am also a lot more accurate with casting larger lures that I am with spinning which is why my spinning is confined to smaller finesse presentations. My friend uses a MH spinning outfit as he doesn't like casting and I've used it to fish 1/2oz spinnerbaits and the amount of control between the fishing that bait with the spinning reel compared to a casting reel is not even comparable, the casting reel is far better suited for the 3/8oz and up lures. To me it is strange that one would use a casting reel to flip with and a spinning reel for other stuff since it is much easier to flip and pitch with a spinning reel, the only reason I don't is the control factor with the bigger lures using casting gear but to each their own.

I have 3 that are big fish baits, I call them big fish bait because most of the fish that hit them are big fish. You will get the occasional 12" fish but that is rare on these 3 which consist of a buzzbait, a jig-n-pig, and a Zara Spook. I use the old model that is 3/4oz and I have never caught a fish smaller than 14" on it and I now only throw it if I know of think I know there is big fish in an area as I have used it on days when topwater was great but the spook didn't produce a single strike as most of the fish were average size so it is without a doubt a big fish bait.

I think it depends on personal preference, for me it is 12# Silver Thread for most applications and 14# Cajun Clear Lightning for heavy grass, a lot like flouro or braid but I wouldn't use those lines unless you are going to use a moderate action rod and you aren't so you may want to stick with mono.

That isn't a rattle bait, it is a Manns Little George Tail spinner that has been modified. These usually have a single hook with a small wire coming out the back that holds a spinner blade. Someone removed the wire and spinnerblade and then added the hook hanger and treble hook to it. The only problem with this is the little george is a drop bait, it doesn't have much action on the retrieve, it is almost all on the fall, it does have a slight wiggle when you lift the rod up but not enough to fish it like a rattle bait.

Call it what you will but to this day they are accepting responsibility for 1% - 2% of the rods, the rest are just great???? A local dealer has told me every single casting rod he sold has either come back to him or was sent back directly to Loomis. If you accept them telling you 1% - 2% of the rods have minor issues then there isn't a problem but the rest of us aren't banking on lies, sorry. Why didn't they recall the first run they knew had problems? They could have easily put the info on their website saying NRX customers may experience problems, if so please contact us but they chose to answer questions in a forum that maybe all of their customers don't visit and you can't assume just because they fish enough to justify a high end rod that they visit multiple fishing forums. I hate areguing and I'm really glad you are happy with them, my problem is they are trying to downplay the scope of this and by making a statement of 1% of the rods have problems, well that tells me I need to watch because they are unwilling to admit the problem is much more widespread so I too may end up with a bad, but I don't know since they really aren't telling me much info at all and if I buy a rodfor that price I expect to use it, not keep running to a UPS store to send rods back and then wait for a replacement. And I find it strange that there are such unlucky individuals that have got more than one bad rod when after all it was only a 1% or 2% problem, those people better steer clear of cars or traffic in general. I commend you for defending something you truly believe in, I know I'm mad because I can't be on your side but I really want to be its just that I get insulted when a large company like that tells a bald face lie and expects me to be to stupid to add numbers and not be able to figure out they are giving me a line of garbage, in fact they have ruined my faith in them, I should have known Shimano was going to end up changing my opinion of an iconic brand.

I said it somewhere before but I really like the Rage craw on my swim jigs but I fish them a little different than most. I'll use a steady retrieve and run the bait right up tight to cover and if it doesn't produce a strike I'll reapert the process only when I get up on the cover I'll kill the jig and let it hit bottom like a regular jig, and that is where the Rage craw works so well, it has a ton of action on the move but when you stop it, you still have a craw profile and it works, trust me.

What your intial thoughts are is what I expected to hear just because I was looking at the weights of the rods and judging from that and the components it would make sense for it to be more sensitive. I have both an XML and an XMLTi, I think these were one of if not the best rods in their respective price range. My XML is an old 6'3" M-F that I use for topwater poppers and walking baits along with jerkbaits and the XMLTi is the older grey blank model with full cork grip, it is 6'6" MH-F that is a fantastic jig rod, it is strange as it is bottom heavy, which make roll casting a spinnerbait a little tough but really allows me to pitch with it extremely well. I know it may sound weird but I can pitch 25 feet and hit the water with barely a ripple with that short rod but it is balanced in a way that makes it great for that purpose and because it is tip light, it transmits bites very well. I'm expecting the Pltinum ZX to be a great jig and worm rod and I was even thinking of getting the 7' heavy model as a new flipping stick/frog rod, so it would be great to get a detailed review after you have some time fishing it.

The dual braking system is the difference, and then you have the tourney pro which is the same as the tourney but it is light weight at 6.7oz. Performance is pretty close across the board and I'd have to say the $99 dollar speed spool is without a doubt the best value priced reel on the market.

It is a shame that big companies making great lures go this route, I'm tired of buying treble hooks for baits but you are right about the rogues andd they are the bait that made me start buying trebles in the first place. There were times though when they used the Xcalibur rotating trbles but they rusted quick so you had to replace them but I always waited because any fish hooked with them stayed hooked and then the limited series had the gammies but so many other companies doing the cheap hook thing that you just have to replace them. Cabelas makes a really good alternative to the the X-Rap, it is called the Escape minnow but you need to change the hooks on those too as they are weak and bend and break pretty easily. At least the rapala VMC hooks are good enough that there is no need to change them out.

The 2nd one was originally my favorite color which happens to be clown, none of these are vintage, as I said, there is very little difference so unless you are collecting, you may as well get a new one. If you here that someone won a tournament on a vintage rogue, it is probably an old rogue they had and never bought a new one so they decided to use it and it caught fish, the one Van Dam used was a discontinued model but you could get new onews that were the same, just not the same color.