gulfcaptain

I would go to Mustad KVD 1X Strong 2X short triple grip hooks. Straightened the stock hooks with 20lb braid. Better question, why are you fishing 5xd's from shore? You want a bigger profile, go with the newer larger 8.0 squarebills.

That's why they make attractant. But then they will still eat a plastic bait that has no scent if they react to it and eat it. They just won't hold it as long.

Could be other species picking at it and not bass. Indiana, may be yellow perch or bigger bluegill picking it as it falls.

Also, if you do look at it, look in the corners under the back hatch and look for any kind of stress cracks....for that purpose, I'd look in all the hatches with a flashlight to see if there is any as well as where the motor is mounted.

I'd try to get it for $3500. It's almost 20yrs old, older motor, and it's 16ft.

Fished them a lot from the end of last summer through early summer this year. #1, if you can only fish 3 baits, use a 5 arm bait and dummy 2 of them. #2 Use varied colors, try and use smaller baits on the dummy heads then on the other 3 with varied sizes. #3, I try and use the lightest jig head I can get away with simply because the swing impacts get better action on smaller sized heads and hooks. #4, you can fish these a lot of ways, only way to learn them is to fish them. Fish them like a spinnerbait, slow roll them deep, hop them off the bottom....etc #5 Blades work great, but be flexible on which styles. Some have thinner wires and give more action but can also be bent and break easier. Sometimes they want a more suttle approach and no blades work better. #6 They break, get snagged. Buy more then one so you have a back up.

Think my most memberable of other speices would be a 100+lb amberjack. Not only is it the biggest amberjack I've caught, I saw the fish when it bit, and we played tug-a-war for 20min on buttoned down 80lb braid before we managed to lip gaff it, get a picture and quickly release her back to fight another day. Not to mention pulled 2 circle hooks out of it's mouth from privious incounters with other anglers that didn't win. Caught a few larger fish then this one....sharks, my only marlin, tuna, but this one was the funnest just because of how mean it was and tying to keep it out of the oil platform we were tied off to about a 100ft away.

8.6oz for the Zillion vs 6.1oz for the ***. Same avg IPT, Zillion holds a bit more line, C has a lot more drag.......two good arguements and excellent reels under the price range while on sale for what your looking for.

Also, make sure you put it on the reel the same way it was laying on the spool. And the KVD line conditioner works great as well.

Right now you can get a Fishing 13 *** for under $200 with a 8:1 ratio at TW with the sale. Have an A and a C concept and they are great, Have 30lb braid and fish frogs with mine as well as punch grass.....probably step it to 40lb, but might look at them.

Could always get your feet wet in the swimbait market.....you know those ones that only work in California.

I crank with braid and a FC leader. Lenght is all personal preference. So if you're wanting to go back to braid use a FC leader. I would probably drop size in braid down to 20lb and then you can vary your FC or mono leaders to achieve the depths you're looking to hit or bring them up a bit.

Have done it with micro's, minima, and standard. Micro's if you're going to use a leader.....18"'s keeps the connection out of the tip and works fine. I don't have to worry about freezing temps. Haven't noticed any difference in all three for pitching and flipping with braid or when using the shorter lenght leader.

If that was a stocker to start with then it's been there long enough that I wouldn't consider it a stocker. Your fish looks great, nice fins and color, even looks as though it's got some shoulders on it. Congrats, nice looking trout either way.

Well I wanted to work on a sportfishing boat after I first started fishing on them. Decided to give it shot, quit doing it for a few years and went back to it since the normal 9-5 wasn't for me. Worked up to running the boat, but the bad news, the fishing regulations make it really hard to make a carrer out of it unless you own the boat. So once I was married and a child my career shifted more toward the comercial marine industry. So working in the Gulf of Mexico running boats in the offshore oil industry isn't a bad way to make a living if you can take the time away from home. But on the bright side, I get a two week vactation every 28 days and make a pretty good living at the same time. So although not fishing for a living anymore, still on the water with a consistant paycheck. But still miss the challenges of findng and putting customers on fish everyday and don't mind doing it from time to time but as a career I'll keep the job I have now.

Black Friday isn't a bad thing. Time to start spending money for Christmas, some deals to be had as well. Normal people out looking to make their money stretch a bit farther with sale items. Now lining up days before, rushing in to buy that cheap 52" flatscreen tv, full contact Thursday "Midnight Fistfight" sale for those special sub par sale items they only sell for that time and never stock otherwise. No thank you, I'll wait till Monday when they are done and most are back to work to start my shopping that must be done in the stores and not online.

Hey, if Gronk shows up late for practice, he'll watch the game just like Gray did. And they beat Cin at Cin and Indy at Indy. If you want to pick the Packers by 3, I'd take that bet and spread to Vegas. Think we will have to discuss this say.....Sunday right after New England gives the keys back to Green Bay and thanks them. Yes they got beaten by KC, but like I said, the media awoke a sleeping giant in the Pat's. Since then every team they have faced has lost by no less then 21 points. But I'll let you believe the Packers win by 3

No, I'm past the bait monkey. I only stopped at $200 because that was all the gift card was good for.

The Deep diving cranks, well that depends on what you consider deep. I would say Storm Wiggle Warts are always good early cranks, and I like Norman's DD-22's, SK 3XD and 5XD's. Throw in the SK 3's with those four baits you are covered from 7ft to about 15ft. Dropshot, I know there are mixed thoughts of the VMC spinshot hooks, and cylinder sinkers....lead would be my choice and some Kietech Live Impacts and robo worms. Have to agree with the Siebert Fogy's for blades as well as some of his football jigs. Small football jigs, I would go with Bass Patrol's football jigs. Don't fish a lot of big worms or shakey heads so no opinion on those two.

I'm going to have to say the Pat's. Brady getting blasted by the media and hearing that he was all done, old, time for him to go, etc. Well the media lit a fire under him and each game since has been a statement. The last few years they have been playing hurt and with rookie players and still getting it done. Now that they are firing on all cylinders with the defense playing great, 3 healthy backs in the offense (ty steelers) and a fired up Brady. This weekend will tell the story if they go into Green Bay and dominate them like they have been, I see a 4th championship.

Just my opinion, maybe it's the person holding the rod. I fish straight braid a lot, seen a lot of others fish FC, finesse, etc and do quite well if not better right there with them. But I can regularly outfish a most of my friends on a consistant basis using braid only. But then there is a time and a place for leaders/topshots also.

I'd start with Raul's advice, and then look at th steeper Northern shores where there is deep water close to the bank....bluff would be good if you could get access down there. Fish can move vertically as the day warms or drop down without ever having to relocate to a different area. The reason for the northern shores....they warm up due to more sunlight through the day. Also docks with black plastic floats if there are any there would be a good stop since they can absorb the heat during the day and the fish can sit right under them and get the benefit of the radiant heat.

Dropshotting, I find you probably won't need anything lighter then 3/16. I use a lot more 1/4 oz dropshot weights more then anything else.

Well stocked up on cranks and jigs that I may need in a few months. Boy that $200 gift card didn't go far. I feel atleast another 2 purchases before TW 20% off sale ends on the 5th. I need another *** and another Concept.

There aren't many "creeks" to fish in around where I live, but there are some bass in some of the flood control channels. Just have to find the right holes. And when you find the right hole it's pretty good fishing in some of those overlooked places. Found dropshottng works really well.