fishwizzard

@MDbassin, I have a Native Slayer Propel 10, and while it handles like a bathtub with a rudder, I find it nice and roomy and it's light and pretty easy to handle. No horizontal rod storage, but it fits a crate in the rear well and I can carry four or five rods without feeling too crowded. I am on the western shore by the bridge, let me know if you want to meet up and give it a spin.

Had a bag for years, but have yet to fish them as I never remember to bring them along. They are very thin and soft, was thinking of rigging them wacky to start. I also have a savage gear mayfly, but same story, I never remember to pack it along when I go for smallies.

Lets never talk about that storm anymore. I am going to give spinnerbaits (and chatterbaits) a lot more time this year. I have a bunch of the Sebiert compact 3/8 ones and have already caught a few on a Chart Shad one this year. I was thinking about getting a couple in dark colors and changing the blades out to a single large Colorado blade. It's funny, I fish spinnerbaits all the time for perch/pickerel but never really used them for bass, other than using tiny ones like the Pond Magics when fishing smaller ponds and creeks.

I have got a wide fat head so it is hard to find glasses that fit. I also must have humid eyes as anything remotely wraparound will fog up even in perfect weather. From various internet deal sites I have picked up both a pair of Costas w/ yellow plastic lenses and a pair of Smith w/ pink lenses. I love the lenses in both but for different reasons. The Smiths are super clear and really let me see deep in the water, but are a bit too dark for overcast days or for use as dusk approaches. The Costas don't let me see as far into the water with the clarity of the Smiths, but they let me see movement far far better, even if I can't really tell what's down there. They are also great for over overcast days as they let a ton of light through. Sadly neither pair fits me with a d**n so if anyone can recommend non-wraparound frames to fit a fat head, let me know.

Take a IF and rig it upside down, it thrashes all over the place at most any speed. I do it when I am being cheap and want to keep using a plastic where the tail is still good but the head has ripped out on when rigged on swinghead swimjigs.

Cool, I have not tried any of those, I will pick some up. The action of the RI's is totally different from the Keitechs I normally use, so it will be interesting to see which the bass want more.

I would argue the runt part, but this rig has caught me more fish then about everything else I throw combined.

I have gotten a few custom spinning rods from a local builder and he is all about spiral wraps for casting rods. I might get him to build me a BFS rod this summer and let him spiral wrap it. I figure worst case I can have him remove the guides and replaces with conventional ones if I really hate it. Will I see much if any benefit if my max lure weight is around 5/16oz?

I want to post my rod/reel collection but every time I try to take good pictures they come out awful. I think I need to wait for a nice sunny day, but then why spend it indoors? In any case I am kinda shocked at what I have accumulated in three short years and I should get some pictures for my insurance in any case.

What hooks do you use? I picked up a pack but have not found a hook among my collection that I love.

I finally got to fish the new heads and I am not a fan. The keeper seems somehow worse than the Zman one and the #1 hook is just too big and rolls over and snags very often. I had a mix of Zman, the New, and some Gopher heads and fished them all in the same pond. The New heads would snag far more often and would break off rather than pull out like the other heads would. They also seemed to get hit less but I don't have any real numbers to back that up and was not fishing uniform colors across the different heads. I would try them again if someone offers them with a smaller hook but I am not getting anymore of the #1 sized ones.

6' ML spinning rod, CI4+ 1000 reel, 15lb braid w/ 6 or 8lb floro leader. I know this would limit me a lot but I prefer wading streams to fishing big water and would rather go for numbers rather then size most days in any case. For lures, it would be tough to pick; 1) Ned rig made from a half zlinker and a Gopher #2 1/16oz head. 2) Zoom Super Fluke on a 3/0 SkipGap hook 3) 1/6oz RoosterTail inline spinner

I also fish shallow weedy spots and it works far better if you use the lightest and smallest-hooked jighead you can find. The Zman 1/20oz ones are good as are the Gopher 1/16th with #4-6 hooks. If I am going to be throwing it around wood I use a weedless head like a Owner Ultra or Decoy Nailbomb.

Hook sets are free unless you set your lure into a branch underwater.

I bought a small pile of them in December and have been fishing them sense then. I really like them compared to the Zman ones, I find they start up more reliably and homestly the split ring attatching the blade to body seems to make them a bit more durable/repairable when one accidenty slams them into a dock or standing tree.

What A-Jay posted is my experence as well. I tied to use the Freedoms on the same MH rod I fish normal chatterbaits on and had hookset issues and found the lures were far far heavier than their listed weights.

I have a CI4+ 1000 I picked up this winter. I only have maybe 16-20 hours fishing it so far, but really like it. Beyond the obvious lightweight, it is very smooth to work and the stock drag is very easy to dial in. I am going to piggyback on with question of my own. I have been using 8lb Seaguar Finesse on my Ci4+ and was really like it a lot. Then I had to pull a few snags out one day and it seemed like every time I had to break the line, sometimes 8-10' up from the break would be damaged, almost like it had been over twisted or something. Also, unlike braid/leader, the line would not always break at the lure tie, both costing me more line and leaving more trash in the water. I have yet to decide if the cons outweigh the pros, as I love the way the line handles and fishes and it seems quote strong. My question is, can you comment on any of the issues above as they relate to Tatsu? I would like to keep using a floro mainline on this reel as I almost exclusively fish it in shallow, clear waters, but am not sure if I have realistic expectations for it.

Had the day off and did some pond hopping. Was at the fist spot at 8am. Walked the whole place without a bite. Same deal with the second pond. By the third pond I all my "jig fishing patience" had been used up so I grabbed a spinning rod and tied a Ned on. Ok, atleast I got a fish today. Then like three casts later; Now we are talking. Then almost immediately after; The pic doesn't do him justice, he was a good bit heavier than the first one. Then, two casts later,I got another bite; I may have set the hook a bit hard and sent this little guy flying. Got him washed off and he swam off, so hopefully he is ok. A couple more small bass and a handfull of crappie finished the day off. Sometimes I wonder why I bother with other lures when the Ned works so well in so many conditions. I will send you a PM tonight/tomorrow with some spots that I like. All are a bit south of you but some of them are solid producers for numbers atleast.

After I get the zlinker guled up on the jighead I give a stretch to the part behind the hook. I figure I want action there but I want the plastic to be solid and firm where the hook is in it.

Headed out to Gilbert Run and got this one and a second smaller one yesterday on a LC Pointer78 doing a weird lift/rip retrieve. Tried for a while today at Loch Raven but the wind was too much. Had the same Pointer blow right back at my face and called it quits.

I keep most of mine in an old coffee can to use when trying to match up plastics to terminal tackle. I would rather rig and re-rig a lure with a bite out of it then ruin a good one.

The Impacts are getting eaten but even a little 9" smallie can wreck one. They ususly maybe last two fish at most. They are fragile enough in rivers, but in small ponds a lillypad "V" will rip the tail off of one before I even notice it's snagged. They are cheaper then the Fat Impacts but still a bit pricy. In general, 3-4" swimbaits were some of the first lures I ever really had a lot of success with, but last season my attention wanded away from them. This comming year I want to find ones that work well and really learn them.

Added a pack of the Little Dippers to some an ebay order this evening. I use the Keitech Impacts a lot in small rivers but they get destroyed so quickly. Hopefuly the RI lures are a little more durable.

I have thus far resisted dress-up parts, but those lime knobs are really calling to me.