Cgolf

I just got the first of two Quantum Icons. First impressions is I really like the grips and the reel is super smooth. Really hoping this is as solid as my older Quantum’s.

I have used 10# fireline for years with or without a leader. I use the flouro leader for a little extra abrasion resistance. Leader is 10lb red label and if I need to break off it breaks at the jig and not the main line leader knot.

I will be using it mostly around reed beds so only a 20-30 foot pitch and some around docks, so shallow water. The lake it will be used on if I fish deeper water I will have some setups with larger Pesidents and Regals. Glad to hear this as I think it will really balance well on the shorter eyecon.

I have two Icons on the way and if they are half as good as my old Accurists I will be a happy camper. The Accurists are being phased out for newer longer casting reels, but they still work great and are my backup reels now.

Picked up this reel to use on the local trout stream, but the size and weight seems like it would pair nicely once I got it out of the package with a 6’ 3” M St Croix Eye con spin or maybe a Dobyns 6’ 9”ML Sierra (not sure on this one). Is this size reel stout enough to hold up to bass? Regardless it will be on an ancient uncle bucks crappie rod for trout most of the year.

that doesn’t throw off the action? I thought of using a steel leader but was worried about the extra weight.

How do you avoid musky and pike with these? A few years back on my home water on the opener I caught a few bass on a new shadow rap and got bit off by a musky. About a month later on the 3rd cast with another new shadow rap a trophy musky grabbed the bait and walked off with it. This was doubly heartbreaking as it was a monster and I lost another jerkbait. This is why I shy away from the more expensive baits. If you have a secret I need it lol.

Well I got another 6:3 left handed off of amazon. Had I gotten a normal gift card I may have gone direct from the site, but am happy to get the 2 off of amazon one is a gift from my parents I will see next week that was ordered a while back. This will also help force me to get used to left hand baitcasters now that I have 3. That leaves some cash left to spend on family stuff, win win.

Never tried the BA elite shiner, but really have liked the BA turbo shad for smallies from time to time. The plastic is durable, so guessing the tail might need a bit more speed to get going than the baits you mentioned. I just quit using it because my brain got stuck on the Ned rig and Rage menace as being the only thing for a few years. I am starting to branch out again to other baits that worked and some new stuff.

The problem for me is I have so many plastics to use up, I need to thin it out a bit. I get on average probably 10 fish a soft plastic, some considerably more, some less. If I were just starting out or when I have a few less my thought process might change. My problem is maybe fishing baits too long lol. I even quit buying multi layered colors like moon juice because I can't flip them and still catch fish. So I guess without fixing them, I still get a lot of mileage out of them.

I have seen it with cranks where they killed an Xcalibur SB that pushes a lot of water, but a cold front shut down the bite. I switched to a slightly smaller and more subtle bandit 100 and cleaned up after the fish wouldn't hit the Xcal anymore. I would think the same might apply to swimbaits, will have to experiment to find out. Thanks for the info

Sweet, you found the link to Sheltons Icon offer. I searched and that one never came up, but a lot of non quantum reels did, Amazon can be a PIA. I had already ordered one from them for Christmas and was thinking of doing another. The other sellers reviews aren't great and the first one, at least in the pictures from my parents looks really clean. Glad to see it is still there, thanks!

So the pulse is for more active fish and the Keitech would be more of a finesse bait then?

Anyone know of some baitcaster deals on amazon or other fishing stuff? Got a gift card from work, may just give it to my wife and let her use it.

The rehabilitating plastics thread got me thinking about small plastic swimbaits. My selection is weak, some smash tech smash shads, RI dippers, Zoom swim flukes, GY Swim senkos, grass pigs, BPS swim Os, and yum pulses. The yum pulse I have had good luck with on a swim jig, so I bought 3 more colors of the Jr during the BF sales. For those that have used both, how does the pulse stack up to the Keitech, or is one wild and the other mild? The swim senko really surprised me, as that thing falls way on the wild side. One reason I haven't used baits like this often on a plain head, is the fish I generally target don't hit moving baits other than spinnerbaits. Reelimg back plastics like grubs or a menace don't get hit. Plastics usually just get hit on the drop or on bottom. I will definitely give them a go next year though. Just wondering if I should try a pack of keitechs or just stick with the selection I have.

I am with @Bluebasser86 and just figure that a bait torn beyond use is tossed out. That said over the years I tend to look for plastics that last 6-10 fish and catch them too. Lots of tubes, rage plastics, and grubs for me, and 20 years of bass fishing also means I have some plastics to work through too;). I haven't gotten into the soft swimbait game in a big way yet though. The little bit I have, seems like a tail grab means the bait is junk because the fish now has the tail, so I have shied away from them. That said I really think that baits catch more fish as they get seasoned. I have caught over 20 fish on a menace and an Aresenal assault bug and it seemed the more chewed and torn they got the better they caught them.

The sad part about life is I too stay away from confrontation on the water. I do have a quick temper as well, but honestly worry more about someone coming unglued. Sadly you confront the wrong person nowadays it can end badly. Honestly, the boats that I have chatted with I have been open and helped them out, as long as they were friendly. The locals can also be territorial to on this lake. We were night fishing for walleye and I thought I saw an unlit boat 100 yards away with its lights off. Sure enough 20 minutes later they put their trolling motor down, moved away from the spot quite a ways and flipped on their lights, then proceeded to sit and watch to see if we would move down to their spot for 30 minutes before firing up the big motor and calling it a night. I was really tempted to move down to their spot when they were sitting watching, but it was some strange behavior so we stayed put. We used to shore fish for walleyes and smallies near a busy launch ramp and fueled up guys would get in a argument or light tussle over getting cut off getting inline to land their boats once in a while. Was kind of pathetic to watch.

I would hope they would tell me I was doing it the wrong way lol. That is after getting a good laugh at my expense! This fall sure felt like that till I figured it out on the last trip. Man that was a tough and weird bite. Hoping to do a fall trip next year as well as early summer. Should make it easier to convince the wife to buy land or a cabin up there.

I would notice it but realistically didn’t care too much. Reading another thread triggered the thought to start a thread to see if I should care one way or the other. Pretty sure the answer is no I don’t, but do know for sure I don’t want to be a follower. There is huge satisfaction when you put the pattern together during a tough bite. On the same level for me as catching a large amount of bass, weight or numbers.

To answer the crowding thing here is the setup. There are 4-5 reed beds of varying sizes and yes some folks cut in and squat when they can see you were working in that direction. Most times I just go to another bed or turn around and work the area I just was more thoroughly. That is something I try my best to not do myself. If someone is anchored I will fish the same bed but never get close to them. I also have to remember how people read things on here. The lol after people catching my fish obviously was meant as a joke. I am just from the school I would rather blank learning rather than joining the bent rod followers. Being on this site has helped me become a better angler along with being more versatile on the water. This generated a lot more interest than I expected.

We deal with this a lot. One family in particular, Dad, son, and daughter, like to buzz around everyone with their Sea Doo jet boat. The daughter at least waves lol. Thankfully it doesn’t seem to bother the fish, they must be used to it.

I don’t tourney fish, but I track my catch and the baits that caught them. I have a spreadsheet going back a few years. The baits used helps keep my tackle purchases in check, and looking at the fish counts I can see where my fishing skill blew up. I just want to improve each year is my goal, knowing that number of fish isn’t the best measure for that, because Mother Nature is unpredictable and cruel. Overall I think I find it amusing, unless I had been struggling and just put it together, but yeah I wish people weren’t so lazy lol. At least they were in the right area so they had that much figured out. This year was like that though the plastic and crank bite died and spinnerbaits were the only consistent bite. It was a lot of time and work to get the bite figured out. When I river fish on the bank, I try to help folks out a lot. Best was getting a guy to try the Ned rig and scent for the first time and seeing him land a 17-18” smallie. Local lakes can be nuts, so definitely used to fishing a crowd.

This is where I am at a bit with this lake. I have 20 years worth of weeks on this lake and I learn something every year. Did my first early fall trip and got schooled by a warming trend. I put in a lot of time and work to get these fish dialed in, and I guess it bothers me a little if others don’t and take the easy way. At least it’s not like some musky lakes where if word gets around that a fish was raised somewhere boats magically appear to try and hook that fish lol.

This, the folks that have came and chatted I have given advice too and maybe even a bait or two if plastics. I would say most get close enough to figure out what I am tossing and then replicate it. If it puts them on fish good for them. Heck I have heard pros do this too when they are having a rough day. I like the decoy rod idea. I just wish I could figure out my featureless hometown lake like I have our vacation lake dialed in and I would be good.

Every year I vacation on the same lake and have the lake dialed in. I fish out of a little 16’ deep v I have dialed in for bass fishing as much as possible, but probably don’t initially look the part if you come off plane in a bass boat. Seems like each year at least once a boat full of anglers will be struggling while I am catching my fair share. Not too long after they notice me, I notice they have borrowed my pattern and start throwing similar baits if they are close enough to see. Thankfully none have ever tried to push me off my spot, but man their catching my fish lol. There are folks that don’t communicate at all when fishing smaller cover that can be shared if people work together and communicate, probably my biggest annoyance on the water. I try to be courteous when I can. Should I be flattered or annoyed that people are essentially being lazing and jumping on someone else’s pattern?