FishTank

When I buy jigs, I generally buy 5. Two each of two different colors that are working well for me, usually black and blue and then a green pumpkin color, the other might be something I haven't tried or something that is specific to a certain lake, like a perch or shad color.

@Siebert OutdoorsJust a suggestion.... maybe a pick 5 baits with shipping for one price sale.

I'd say the same. If you are ordering online, go JDM. I would get either the Daiwa Zillion or the Shimano Metanium. I would use the left over cash for line and baits.

In a lake with black crappie this bait would be awesome.

That's it. I use to have a couple of these but not in the black color.

They all do it eventually. I have been liking the ones from Jackall. They have a small one that seems to hook up better than most and a big popper, called the Gavacho. I also like anything from Teckel.

I thought I would share one of my spinnerbaits alterations since I needed to repair one. And just to be clear, I don't fish a spinnerbait as often as I should but when I do I usually bang one up pretty good. This blade was losing paint on one side. To fix this, I had to dive deep into my wife's nail polish box. I try to match a bait that I know catches fish. For this tip, it's a Senko in smoke/ black blue chartreuse. I have used the same polish before on a crankbait and it's pretty killer. I use my wife's Sally Hansen clear gels. The key is to paint only one side with glitter. It's crazy but it works.

For me, it's either loose fish or baits. I'll always risk loosing baits before loosing fish. Also, the type of hook didn't make any difference for me.

Love the Dolive Beavers. I always have one tied on. I use it as jig trailer, on a free rig, and the 3in is killer on a Ned Rig. My favorite color has been green pumpkin chartreuse. I was lucky and found some for $4-5 a pack at a Japanese site early last year but I can't remember which one. I searched my emails and orders but no luck. They are great but I am not sure if they are $10 a pack great. I think for what they are, $7-$8 would not be unreasonable.

Try cleaning the AR bearing (1 way clutch) and oiling. Do no use grease. If it is submerged and just a small piece of debris gets in there, it will give you that geary feeling.

I try to but I am not always successful. With most fish at my lakes if you catch one in a specific area, they scatter like flies. If I get lucky, I go through a set of opposites. If I catch one on a big bait, I go BFS. If I catch one on a fast moving bait, I go with something slow. If I get one on a jig, I go with a wacky senko and so on.

I tend to either loose fish or not get the hook set well to begin with. Some people like them but they have not been for me. I did try them for about two years. I just kept using them because I was tired of the baits tearing or coming off. I was catching fish but every now and then I would loose one. I then went back to not using them and I don't tend to loose fish anymore. I do keep an eye on the bait and move the hook a little if needed. If I catch a fish though, there is a good chance that bait is toast but not always.

I have had no issues with missing fish or fish popping off with this hook. I have used the 2/0 and the #1's. The issue I do have with them is the weed guard doesn't last. It falls apart usually after one or two trips and possibly even after just one really nice fish. Another thought on this hook, I would not use rings or the VMC Crossover Ring. I would just go straight through the worm.

Well it's not all rainbows and butterflies. I got hung up in a tree. I pulled on it a few times and my ned rig came flying back at me and this was the end result. The line is in every crevice of the reel, from the bottom side of the rotor to the tiny gap between the bail and the line roller. With the 30mph winds I was fishing in, it could have been a lot worse. It did all cut out and the reel is fine. My blood pressure is not. I caught a couple of these guys sipping on a 3in Dolive Craw on the same Ned Rig. The reel did make a difference.

I totally forgot about the stop/starting of this reel. It's so fluid, you don't really think about it. It's sort of second nature on most spinning reels. I need to try it with some small jerkbaits and see how it does snapping a lure quickly. So far all I have used are 3 or 4 ned worms on a 1/16 oz jig head.

Typo on my part.... 22lb.

Even though I like the Curado K, it would not be my first choice for 1-3oz swimbaits. For that size I have been using a Daiwa Tatula 300 or a Daiwa Zillion HD. I would also suggest, like above, the Tranx 200. For line, I like 20lb and 25lb Sunline Defier Armilo.

I have been fishing for a few hours each day this week with my new Vanquish C2500S and so far it is amazing. It might be the best spinning reel I have ever used. I knew it would be good but the casting and smoothness are unlike any other reel I have owned or played with, including the new Stella and maybe the Exist. Only time will tell but Shimano hit out of the park with this reel. I have the same overall impression for the Daiwa Zillion SV. It's a game changer for me. I have paired it with a G. Loomis NRX+ 821S NRR. I wasn't sure about this rod as I had it paired with a Daiwa Emeraldas Air FC LT. Even though I like the Emeraldas, the combo just felt off to me but with the new Vanquish C2500S, it's perfect. There are a couple of things that are noticeably different about this reel outside the smoothness and how light weight it is. One is the drag. It has a slow start up and then it tightens down quick so fighting a fish is just different from other spinning reels. Second is the super slow oscillation of the rotor. Next is this little gizmo below the line roller. It is supposed to help with line lay and wind knots. The reel comes with an extra one and is adjustable somehow. I haven't moved mine as it lays the line perfectly out of the box and also, not a single wind knot yet. I am truly amazed at how a simple thing can make my fishing experience that much better. I do have to comment on the line I used as well.... It's YGK Xbraid Ohdragon X4 Sinking Braid in 13lb #0.8. I have never used sinking braid before but supposedly it has a higher specific gravity than regular braid and has a fluorocarbon core. In any case, it too is a game changer for me. It is unlike any other line I have used. It behaves differently than braid but yet it's definitely not anything like FC. It will cut through wind pretty well and sinks as soon as it hits the water, eliminating loose line sitting on top which means feeling that bite on the fall immediately. It also has the same sensitivity as regular braid. Now for the part that blows me away about this line..... with a 1/16oz ned rig head and a 3in finesse TRD I am getting 120-130'+ casts easily. I can't explain it but the line just explodes off of the spool. I have often shared my displeasure with braid but not with this line. I really like it so far. I might try a thicker version for a BFS baitcaster in the future. I have caught 20+ fish this week (all small ones, 14in and under) and this combo of line, reel, and rod have gone well beyond my expectations. I can't put in words how fun it is to fish. I am just dumbfounded and amazed with this one.

I haven't totally stopped pitching tubes but it's rare that I do it anymore. It is a snag magnet at my favorite lake, even when rigged Texas style/stupid tube. I use to like the Manns Hard Nose tube in Green Pumpkin Magic and Venom's Double Dip and Big Shot tube in Junebug.

Same almost. I hooked into a nice one on the first couple of casts but lost it on the way in. I haven't caught anything since. I have better luck with the Megabass Rock Hog.

I can't speak for 2-piece rods but I have the Megabass P5 Kasumi Six Eleven and the Criffhanger. Both good rods, both well made and both can handle an 1/8oz lure but my favorite rod to fish for BFS is the Dobyns Sierra Ultra Finesse 700c. It is definitely made cheaper but for BFS lures, it's just fun to fish. I can throw whatever on it, from crankbaits to soft plastic. I can tell it's not a rod that is going to hold up long term but it brings in the fish on my kayak without issue. When looking at BFS rods from Megabass, I considered the Siglett and the Triza model and looking back I wish I would have gotten the Siglett instead of the Criffhanger. I still may get a Triza but not sure which will suit me for a travel setup yet. This may be next years project.

I use whatever I have left on a spool if it's almost gone but usually I try to make it mono for both casting and spinning.

What GLX rod was it and what didn't you like about it? I have two of the older GLX rods and tend to like them better than the new but some of that is nostalgia on my part. I think it's the cork grip. To me, the 843C and 844C are the no brainers of the line up but I feel the new version is a step down from the old and the new IMX is an improvement over the previous version. A couple of suggestions on rods.. G.Loomis IMX Pro 966CBR Deep Flex- bombs medium and big cranks Megabass Valkyrie 7'1'' Heavy- you can do just about anything with this rod. I use it for Magdrafts, cranks, jigs, topwater. Spiral wrapped guides for long casts. Megabass P5 Windbuster- Another do all rod but spinning. Megabass P5 Kasumi Six Eleven- Do all finesse rod. Great for small 1/4oz cranks and jerkbaits. I have also used it for small finesse swimbaits, small jigs and small Texas rigged plastic.

Blue Back Oikawa