GAMEOVER

Cabelas is the only online retailer ive found to carry them.

Newburg Lake's starting to heat up. Anyone in wayne county care to meet up drop me a PM.

Ah we all know how much I love Fat Ikas. ;D

Just got my CoBra split ring pliers in the other day along with some OWNER trebles to replace on my Daiwa RPMs and One-Tens. These pliers are very well made. They are the perfect size. I highly recommend these pliers to you who are sick of nailing it and even as a more quality alternative to Texas Tackles split ring pliers. They can handle all size split rings ive thrown at them so far. From tiny to #7s.

I agree, they (TT crew) know their stuff. Back on topic though. Hot sauce is the best domestic grease and oil imo. I tried Ardent in my Zillion but didnt care for it. I really like the Daiwa special Red oil and Friction Zero as well. However I just use Hot Sauce in all my reels including me Steez. It adheres well and lasts long. One drop per bearing is all you need any more can actually hinder performance expecially on ceramics.

Hey Bobby could you fill us all in how you turn your product into a gel like substance. I could of sworn I heard it was a liquid with oily propertys in its pure form.

No sweat matt. I believe a lot of things factor in to what scent works best. I believe your location and many other factors can play a role in if it will help or sometimes even turn away fish. This is just my method of making gels that are only available in liquid. I found the YUM Craw to be the best overall then all the other yums, both Megastrike, Carolina Lunker Sauce, smelly jelly, baitmate max and classic as well as gel, kick'n bass, etc.. the only one I havent tried that I can remember off the top my head is that Mustad stuff but those are pheramones and work in a different way then a scent would. If it (Mustads product) works the way pheramones work on humans it may be beneficial to add that to any scent. Just like everyone has a different opinion on who makes the best rod, reel, etc a scent will be no different. So go use what works if this topic helped you good if not thats fine to.

Id like to see you try mixing liquid scent with petroleum jelly unheated in a jar. Let me know how that goes. Its neccessary to melt the jelly so the scent can be fully mixed in. Its like trying to pour water through a window- Its not happening. I know what im doing. I came up with this method after wanting my favorite scent sold in a gel badly. I researched and learned different ways but this is the best way I could come up with that wouldnt change or alter the scent. Megastrike just doesnt show me any solid results to make me say hey this deffinately works. This is what originally started my scent hunt quite some time ago. It (Megastrike) WILL work for some and its proven to but for me it just doesnt. Not to a degree I see with the above scent I use in baby jars. BTW, Im working with Matt from Mattlures on designing a unique Round Goby swimbait for the Great Lakes, been gathering specimens for him. Ill be using it to go after trophy Smallies.. without going off topic YUM LPT has the same stuff youd be sheding off a Bluegill.

Scent attractants. They're everywhere.. some swear by them others wouldn't be caught using them for the life of them. We're all aware they're there but most only come in liquid form leaving baits scentless after only a few casts. Id like to share a little trick I do with my favorite scent that I have found to be the most productive for me on the market. YUM LPT comes in three or four different spray scents my favorite scent to use is craw. Overall I believe craw scents really bring out the best out of all the scents on the market in terms of versatility and use. Without typeing a book ill share how I turn this scent into a long lasting gel. You may use any liquid scent you wish to do this. With all that said lets get started. What you'll need 1) Your favorite liquid scent 2) Petroleum Jelly (Vaseline or company named brand stuff like CVS PJ will do. Make sure its unscented and pure petroleum jelly.) 3) A small pot you can cook with (Soup pot, whatever) 4) A container you would like your scent stored in. (I use empty clean babyfood jars) 5) An empty pop can 6) Oven gloves 7) Scissors 8) Spoon Directions Step 1: Take the scissor and your pop can and cut the top of the can off exposing the inside. After doing this thoroughly clean the can inside and let dry. (Caution: Sharp edges of the can may be exposed handle carefully). Step 2: Take a spoon and scoop a generous amount of Petroleum Jelly inside the can. Continue to pack the jelly down in the can. Do not fill up the can more then half way. It doesnt need to be exact a little more or less is fine. Step 3: Put the can inside the pot holding it down with your hand and fill the pot up with enough water to cover half the height of the can (make sure no water gets in the can). Now put the pot on your stove, start it, and watch the can closely. Stept 4: Take your desired liquid scent and fill up the container of your choice 1/4 to 1/2 its usable capacity. I dont recommend using more then half because if you do you will have a very runny gel that will not stick good to your bait. Continue to keep an eye on the can while your doing this if you can. Step 5: After a little bit you will see that the Petroleum Jelly in the can turned to liquid. Once it's completely turned to liquid shut your stove off. Put your oven glove on and grab the can. Slowly fill up your container with the scent you put in using the can of (whats now) liquid Petroleum Jelly. Return can to pot. Step 6: Stir the mixture in your container for a few seconds. Step 7: Let container sit for a hour or so. The natural cooling process will soon turn the Petroleum Jelly back to gel like state. Step 8: Your done, clean up.. Tips 1) If you want longer lasting gel use less scent. If you want more potent gel use more scent. 2) Put the container in the freezer immediately after mixing. This will speed up the cooling process and be done within 10 minutes tops. 3)Store in a cool dry area. Direct sunlight exposure and/or heat can melt your gel expecially if you used more scent while making. This is how I make my Gels, the basics have been outlined here you ofcourse can vary them or change around somethings after you get the basics down. Good Luck.

Tight wobblers are excellent with slight jerks while cranking. I recommend you pick up some Daiwa Peanut crankbaits. This is by far the crankbait I jerk the most while cranking due to its very aggressive tight wobble that responds very well to slight jerks. Did I mention how productive it is? Try one and I bet you anything youll be buying more. Whoever it was that mentioned the Shad Rap is right to thats another good crank, legendary actually. This isnt really a new method but a tactic thats been used by many crankbait users both beginer and advanced for years.

I have to hand it to you. You deserve that pond and your love you share for Bass is one we all can respect. The gills are nice and healthy. Water looks clean, you are on your way. My only complaint- I dont live near you to fish it (C&R ofcourse). I wish you good luck and may god watch over you and your new little "familly". edit: I thought id throw an idea out there for you. They sell these little spike balls that one can toss to make structure but since you own the pond I dont think you should use them instead if you have some spare time maybe design some pretty neat wood structures you can put off in different areas of the pond. These will create not only ambush points you can target but provide cover for Bass to spawn and effectively ambush the pther forage. Just an idea..

Believe it or not all things have been in favor of Bass in Michigan with all this "global warming" stuff but many MANY species like Salmon and Walleye it is not good for, not at all.

Not bad at all considering, but there deffinately would be costs involved in maintaining it and if your in the Great Lakes area by any chance you will have to add water every few year to keep it stable. We our in the worst drought ever in the history of the Great Lakes. Just watch this and youll be shocked. http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2007/09/30/obrien.great.lakes.cnn

Man I cant believe you made your own pond. How much did it cost you? Id rather have my own pond and a jon boat then buy a boat and fish everywhere else. That has got to be awsome. Ponds can be some of the very BEST places to fish as most people over look them and will catch a few small fish then leave thinking theres nothing. My last two PBs have came from ponds.

Please tell me you are not serious? Not serious about which? I have a man made pond (and 3 others near it) in my backyard that is visable in mapquest/google map if you wish to see it. Nature WILL take its course. Bass were introduced in these ponds years ago simply by ducks flying in with eggs on there feathers. There is now Bluegills, Sunfish, Perch, LMBass, and Pike in this pond. No one has stocked it except for me last year. Im no biologist but I did learn quite a bit because of this. I know nothing about bream though. Bass are very adaptable fish and can live in some of the most unbelieveable ways.

There Northern Strain Bass correct?

Adventually your pond will stabalize on its own. Nature will take its course, but what are the Bream eating?

Im more interested in their Core casters and Cumara rods. I think ill go with the MG7 over the Core though just for the bearing supported knobs. I was thinking about the Crucial lineup for beater sticks (beater only meaning sticks I can use and not worry about and not bad) but there Cumara line up is going to be nice with SiC guides, stealth hook hanger, high mod blank, etc. So Shimano lovers your company is going to shine this year. For you extreme Shimano nuts (I know this forum has lots of them) and for the extreme enthusiasts like myself you can get their scorpion line up of rods from Japan. They're pricey though at 4-600 bucks but thats what we pay for when searching for that extra edge.

Its all in the thumb. Always be aware of your thumb, your thumb is the most important thing when it comes to handleing casting gear. So remember- use your thumb. Thumb, Thumb, Thumb.... Make nice full formed casts. Do not whip your rod with your wrist while making a cast just follow through completely. With bait on line and clutch engaged you want your bait to drop slowly to the water when adjusting spool tension. For perfection seekers- you want the spool to stop as soon as the bait hits the water with no sign of backlash. After tieing on new baits youll have to readjust. Start with your brakes on MAX for the first few times out on the water then gradually decrease them. I prefer Daiwas Magenetic brake system but many prefer Shimanos Centrifugal system. There are advantages to both and it will boil down to personal preference. Like I said dont be intimidated, casting gear is much easyer to use then some make it out to be this is coming from a guy who got into it after 13-14 years of strict spinning gear use. The casting reels themselves are so much for fun to use and tinker with and you can upgrade them like crazy. Good Luck, you wont need it.. edit* One last thing.. dont get cocky casting once you get the hang of it. If you do your casting reel will put you back in your place with a nice size backlash. When you get them (you will everyone does, even pros) dont feel bad/embarassed as it happens to everyone.

The line isnt always cooperative compared to others, if the line crosses while tieing a knot such as the Palomer for example the fluoro will cut into each other partially when tightening down. Knot tieing just isnt as easy with this line compared to others.

Fluoro tends to respond better on casting gear then spinning for me. Braid and Fluorocarbon lines share a lot of the same performance charecteristics such as low strech (not all fluoros have low stretch) and both sink to name a few. Fluoros only downfall in my opinion comes when your tieing knots. It has the lousyest knot strength of all lines ive ever used and while you can use just about any knot when tieing your bait you have to be extremely cautious the line does get bent (like a wire when you bend it) or cut into itself. Fluoros are good for all conditions but excel in clear water where line visability can be an issue or where a sinking line and low strech can be helpful (jigs/plastics/dropshoting). I recently jumped on the Fluoro crazy and spooled some 10# Gamma on my Steez. I like it so far but knot tieing is really a PITA. You might want to take a look at copolymer lines where they usually are harder to see then mono due to a fluorocarbon coating but sink and have low-stretch just like braid. Fluoros are really for the performance enthusiast who just has to have the extremes of things. Youll hate the knot strength and/or just tieing knots with fluoro, I can promise you that but dont let it shy you away from its benefits.

I dont own one but was able to trade one for a few weeks in exchange for a spinning outfit a friend of mine used while on his trip in florida. In my opinion its Daiwas closest reel in their current line-up that resembles their former flagship reel the TDZ minus some bearings.

ReelMech, Thanks for the post.. another thing people seem to do that is very bad for a reel is cast and engage the clutch before the cast is over. I always keep my drag tight when in use but completely disengage it after use, all my reels have the clicking dragstar so when I feel it start to get stiff and harder to click I wont put anymore pressure on it. I dont use braid on my Steez or Zillion only fluoro, mono, or copolyomer lines.

Id go with topwater and jerkbaits.

Great advice. My only issue is that apparently the "no-stretch" aspect of fluorocarbon has been greatly exaggerated. Check out this link for great reviews and a debunking of the no-stretch myth: http://www.tackletour.com/reviewfluorocarbontest.html I frequent that website and have read that article a few times. You are right its no stretch does seem to be over rated according to that preview. When comparing fluoro and other lines (braid aside) it seems to have less stretch overall. Like I said if I could fish one line and one line only itd be braid because I love its charecteristics. Aside from the handling aspect (of some fluoros) the fluoros ive tried so far seem to give me a lot of the same qualitys as braid while being nearly invisable. In my opinion I think fluoros in general got branded "no-stretch" because the density of the line is so great (which is why it sinks), maybe the sensitivity is generated because of line density and not because of no stretch? Copolymers in general seem to have that no stretch charecteristic I love but some reasons the fluoro just feels better on my casting gear. That's a very good recommendation. I cant believe I forgot to include that, its one of the limpest copolys youll ever use.