chelboed

I stopped by Lew's a couple days ago to see the new Ozark Fishing Museum and hopefully fondle the new Best Of Show baitcaster from iCast. They had one reel there available to look at. (They're not quite released yet) I gotta admit...it's small, light, and ridiculously smooth. The new brakes are a 4-pin ACB adjustable similar to the adjustable centrifugal brakes from the last few years except the configuration of the brake shoes look like they'll be quieter. The contact points just look wisely refined. You'll see when they release. Anyways...as awesome as my team Lite and Pro-G have performed, this one looks new to be even better.

Call Lew's and they'll fix it for you quickly. + 1.877.470.LEWS (5397)

Well, 9/10 I won't even use a bullet weight anymore. I just use an EWG hook and a plastic. If I need a bullet for finesse, it's likely no heavier than 1/16. If I punch a mat, I'll use a 1/3oz. All of my fishing is from the bank, so I am generally pulling my bait into the weeds versus away. The bead is there to protect the knot from the weight, add some flash, add some sound.

Good suggestion. I forgot about those! I have a couple and they'll bite on them down there.

When I say farm pond, I'm actually saying that it's 300yd long and 180yd across.

Well...I don't have waders, or I would have done that by now. Good suggestion though. I've tried weightless plastics...just can't cast them out far enough fir this place. As far as finding another pond...I've caught several hundred bass here in the last couple years. Many many over 4#. Several over 5#. This is the only pond I get to fish when I stay multiple days at my In-laws...thus I can't ditch it. I was thinking if buying some Mepps Long Cast spinners because I can cast them waaaaaay out there where the bass like to hold in the fall and winter. And like I said...silver Mepps#4 had been one if the most productive baits there. Thanks for the other responses. I'll give some if them a shot.

Probably going to fish a mossy farm pond this weekend. This pond has been known to produce 15-25 LMB/hr in December by myself. Right now though...the water level is low, the grade out to center is shallow, thus I need to cast a mile in the wind and avoid the moss. At least 50yds. Last weekend, I only caught 2x. That was on a 1/4oz Beetlespin. I was using my spinning gear that weekend and the Beetle was the biggest thing I had to chuck it way out there. This time I'm going to go ahead and bring my baitcasting gear and normal bass baits, but I was wondering what you guys think will get them above the moss that they'll likely be hunkered down in. I've got some floating jerks. My Suspending Rat-L-Traps may be a little too light to be able to cast that far out. If I put weight on any sort of plastic, it will be loaded with moss within the first 10feet of retrieve. I have a few big spinnerbaits and Mepps #5's. The best producers on this large pond are Silver Mepp's #4, Green stick worms, Beetlespin's. Last weekend, I also tried some weightless plastics to try to keep above the moss, but I couldn't get them out far enough into the strike zone to reach the fish, and the wind was so horrendous that when the bait hit the water, the wind carried the bait rapidly sideways across the surface of the water to the other bank. TIA

I had terrible luck with jigs. I switched over to swim jigs and caught 3 nice ones right away. Haven't caught a single fish on them since. Back to Senko's and Ika's.

I love gear...gadgetry...I geek out. That said...I get a kick out of listening to people talk about what they "need". Like recent posts around here regarding down sizing to only 4-5 rigs. When I started bass fishing 25 years ago...with baitcasters...with lures, you looked for a good 6'6" Medium or medium heavy rod and some 14# Stren. We caught fish. I don't know that we catch any more fish today on 20 different rigs with hundreds of different lures than we did back then. I'm actually down-sizing my tackle because I catch most of my fish on Stick-O's, Mepps, Frogs, and Lipless cranks. I mean seriously...as a bank fisherman, what am I going to do with a lipped crankbait that dives more than 5'? Get it hung up as I draw it into shallow water? Why do I need a drop shot or shakey head when a Senko dropped I'm the same hole will likely catch the same fish? Any fish I've caught on jigs lately...I could have caught on a Stick-O. Anything I've caught on traditional spinners and chatter baits, I could have caught on Mepps. I really only need 2 colors of stick bait, 3 colors of spinner, 3 colors of Lipless, and 1 frog. Everything else is just marketing. Not really necessary. I love to oogle the new rods and reels out there, but most likely if I buy another new rig...it'll just be another versatile 6'10" MH,F for bank fishing. That's all I use.

Yeah, I wish I would have had the coin to grab a few more of them during the close out sale, but I'm excited about the new ones too. Don't know how I feel about micro wave guides over KR-Concept though.

Ha! You had to go there, hehehe. Those are freakin sweet.

Old round reels are way cool...but not so smooth in comparison.

The new Lew's Team LITE can be found for ~ $175 all day long lately. (Almost $100 less than the Magnesium) That's an excellent price for that much performance. It's also really light for a metal frame reel at 5.6 oz. The Pro G is running in the $165 range because it's fresh on the market. It will be considerably cheaper soon because it's a lesser model than the LITE. All 3 the same reel essentially...just a blue collar model, white collar model, and a "Mommy & Daddy paid my tuition" model. Given the history...the TP hits around $140...the $249 lite is 30% down, this I think you could expect the TPG to be in the $140 range next year. You don't have to put any gas on it at all, just flick your wrist and the bait is figuratively in the next county.

They said the custom speed stick is phenomenal. It's the first one from their new builder. The 2 new ones this year followed suit.

I've got 2 Tournament SL's, a Team hm85, and an American Hero. They make good rods. I like the hm85 better than my Falcon and I only paid $99 for it.

Hmmm...interesting points laid out nicely. I've never fished floro for anything but trout. I bank fish, so a rod locker is not in my vocab. But watching this video...there are days when I'll go hit a small lake and only take 2-3 bags of Senkos and some hooks...that's how confident I am in the bait. I may have to spool up some floro and give it a whirl. Which make/model seems to be the best for abrasion, strength, and line management?

I'm getting pretty tired of seeing arms length pictures of bass held out to "monsterize" the appearance. This image makes it like like an 18# bass instead of 14#. It's not as bad as some though.

It's just a way for them to assure you'll use, lose, and buy more of their product.

Mepps has a cool program that can be sorta like a game. You get a certain size of various species and get an award for each and master level awards for something like your first 4. And so on. The Largemouth bass criteria is pretty small...like 3-4# I'd I remember right. Not a big honor...just a fun game to play of you have a camera phone. I take a picture of about every fish I catch Anyhoo.

I think Tom is on to something

Not reading the whole thread...but have we talked about Mac Weakley and the 25# foul hooked bass from lake Dixon that finally died? Dickerson caught and released the same fish in 2003, when it officially weighed 21.7 pounds. At the time of its demise, city rangers say the renowned fish was a mere 19 pounds, a far cry from the hefty 25.1 pounds it was said to have weighed when Weakley caught, photographed and released it two years ago. Positively identified by the telltale black spot located above its gill-line, the fish had been dead about a day when it was found.

The Master Angler Award, sponsored by the Missouri Department of Conservation, recognizes the accomplishments of anglers who catch memorable fsh in Missouri. To qualify, fsh must meet the minimum weight or length requirements shown on the back of this application. Length requirements are included to promote and accommodate catch and release fshing and are intended to be used for released fsh. Fish must be caught by legal methods conforming to provision of the Missouri Wildlife Code. 22" / 6# for Largemouth.

Ha! I made a point! I've been on here for a couple of years now waiting for this moment! I'm 39. Been target species specific bass fishing with lures and baitcasters since age 14. Only took me 25 years, hahaha. Thanks for the props, peeps.

I bank fish. I only carry one at a time. I have 3 others mounted up. 2x are newer models. I'm good peeps. (It can be easily slipped out and back on the rod that caught the fish) BTW...this is a little hypocritical. How many people on here have 10+ bass reels? Some of you guys have 50+. There's no way you use them all...all the time. 1 retired for a cool memory has little impact.

I'm in Kansas City area. No boat, all bank. Since the beginning of 2014, I've caught hundreds of bass. Summer/early fall is tough. I may get 1/hr. Spring, early summer, fall feeding...I may get 10/hr. Keeper is 15". So during the more fun times, if I don't get at least 2-3 keepers, it's a tough day. But...since the beginning of last year (2014) I've only caught 1x 6lbs, 3x 5 lbs, ~10-12x 4lbs. (1x 8 lbs) We're at that time right now when the heat index is 107deg and the big ones are super lazy. I haven't caught a keeper in a few outings. So this time of year, I often switch to light tackle or ultralight tackle and catch bluegill or enjoy the smaller bass on smaller gear until they pick back up again. Oddly...last Sunday, I was fishing Mepps#4's and caught 3x channel. (Along with 11x dinks) Our state record is 13# 14oz but that's held since 1966, so it was a freak-fish that was super uncommon for this region. Most people that I've talked to that have fished for a long time have a PB somewhere in the 7's. I do have a local lake that I can catch all the dinks I want. Generally 1x every cast to every-other cast. It's way over populated. I also have a farm pond I can go to where I I often catch 10-16/hr. Some in the 4# range.