Steveo-1969

X2 on the Structure Bug. I was on vacation at Kentucky Lake last week and used a Structure Bug on a SK Jointed Structure head fishing ledges, slowly crawling it along the bottom with occasional pauses. My group caught fish on various plastics (SK Rage Craw, SK Space Monkey, big worms, shaky head w/ finesse worm) but all of my fish were caught on the Structure Bug. I just couldn't put it down.

Google "Trilene knot". It's very easy to tie and very reliable knot strength.

My itch and panic start to set in as I'm at the end of my fishing day, look at my phone and realize I have time for "just one more cast". And I know I won't be able to fish again for another week........

First smallie of the year was caught on an 1/8 ounce ball head jig with a 3" Berkley Powerbait Rippleshad. About 12" long.

Yup. And a bullhead is a "mudcat" here.

Yeah, The Doors!!! I've got the logo tattooed on the inside of my right forearm. "No eternal reward will forgive us now for wasting the dawn!"

I agree, rock bass are fun! But now that you live in WV Chris, you have to start calling them "goggle eyes"...

I also put all my fingers in front of the reel stem.

My biggest smallmouth so far this year is 14". (Ok, stop laughing! ha-ha) I hate to say this, but you guys are making me feel better about the smallie I lost on Sunday afternoon. Wading in a river, I threw a jig into a slack area and when I lifted up on the rod thought I was snagged on a rock. Gave it a little tug to free it and it was a fish. She raced at me and I tried to set the hook harder but then she jumped... and then jumped again... Holy crap, this fish is 3+ pounds which is big for me. I might get one shot a year at a smallie this big! I finally caught up to her and she turned and... here came my jig. I'm still a little nauseous over it.

Spike-It makes black. Just saw it on TW in Gamefish, Garlic or unscented.

If you are fishing in Maryland it's possible you may fish some water that has Northern Snakehead. I've never tried it, but people say it's absolutely delicious.

I always use both hands to cast, baitcasting or spinning. Hmmmm... seems I'm in the minority here!

I have 3 "tricks" I use to help minimize line twist with a spinning reel. I actually learned these from watching Bill Dance I think and have been doing them so long they are now automatic on every cast. 1) Always close the bail by hand. 2) After closing the bail gently tug on the line before starting to reel to make sure there is no loop on the spool. 3) When starting to reel, let the line bounce off your extended index finger for 3 or 4 handle turns to make sure you don't bury a loop in the spool. AND with all that being said, I use braid on my spinning reels which doesn't give me line twist problems. :-)

I fished (almost) exactly the same thing this weekend. Curado I 200HG, NRX 893, 3/16 jig with baby Rage Craw trailer, 12# Invizx. 2 internal brakes set and external dial set on 4. Spool tension set for slow fall. No backlashes (even casting into a pretty stiff wind at times) but I had to stay alert with my thumb at times. Overall I'm extremely happy with how this rod/reel casts lighter baits. I was even throwing an 1/8 ounce jig with 3" grub. It wasn't easy and distance wasn't great, but it was doable.

I'll never forget about 25 years ago I was fishing a lake in northern Wisconsin one morning by myself casting a small jig for walleyes. A big musky swam at me and went under the boat right between my feet. I was shaking so badly I had to sit down!

Ditto. I wade fish a lot and every year I take at least one misstep and in I go. I've never worried about my reel though and haven't had any problems yet. But I make a conscious effort NOT to dunk them when I'm in the water.

Nice fish! I had to do a double-take when I saw your picture though because at first glance... you looked... just... like... Karl... Kalonka... (pause) Let's get another one.

Sounds like you've already (kind of) decided on a Revo SX. I've had a Revo S for a couple years and it's a great reel, never fished the SX but I'm sure it's great as well. My newest reel is a Curado I and I love it. Mark down my vote for the Curado!

Words of wisdom right here. I hate to see fish mistreated as well - held wrong, flopping around in the boat, etc. For me personally, I never kiss my fish (that's just gross and may be mistreating the fish as well? ha-ha), but I always say "Thanks buddy" as I gently set them back in the water and watch them swim away. Species and size doesn't matter, they all get the same treatment. My son does the same thing and I chuckle every time he thanks his fish.

For me it depends on the time of year. I don't count casts, but can do the math and get a ballpark figure. In the summer my best day ever was 30 fish in about 8 hours of actual casting. I estimate 2 casts per minute, so that was 1 fish every 32 casts. Now in the winter I've gone 4 months without catching a fish. Averaging 10 hours actual casting per week. That means it took me about 19,200 casts to catch 1 fish.

YUM 3" Mighty Bug. And you can only find them now in bargain bins because (of course) YUM stopped making them in the 3" size. Sigh...

I have not. But Roland Martin loves it...

I thought he said it was some type of blade jig?

^^^^^^ this. Because this thread is just for fun, and it's what I use every fishing trip spinning and casting. :-)

Wow, Chris! Great fish, congrats!!!