Columbia Craw

I probably should have qualified my post. I’m fishing large “pools” on the Columbia River that are up to 20 miles long or longer and over a mile wide. I also fish reservoirs that run 8 to 13 miles long with depth well over 100 feet. Large structure features can hold hundreds of bass. The smallest river is the Willamette . No dams there. Current is always present.

A healthy man heals quickly.

Put an old reel on it after cutting it down and use that for your plug knocker rig:

The 7-1 hf skippin has some guts. I had one. You can frog with it.

Constant bottom contact or the attempt to scrape the bottom regardless of how fast the weight or bait is moving.

Black on black and silver on white. Toads at the trailer. That covers it for me.

My experience is smallmouth are roamed, move in packs and are sight based opportunistic feeders. Smallness will take advantage of current to have the food brought to them. They are masters of saving energy by utilizing current breaks and seams. smallies being sight feeders move vertically to feed stations shallower than there deeper safe haunts. Baits coming off a ledge break may be struck with force. You will at times have to answer the question, are they feeding up or feeding down. Figure that out, find current breaks and the success level goes up fast.

That’s passion.

Apples and oranges. The Champion XP 736 is power that delivers a controllable tip to cast accurately. Gary Dobyns designed this model for his style of frog fishing in the Cal Delta and Clear Lake where the cover is nasty and so are the bass.

You might be thinking of the Xtasy. The Xtreme has been around for years. My 745C is actually a Gen 1.

Xtreme 745

Spinnerbait but a Norman’s DLN is really close.

Water displacement.

It’s a unique model within the Dobyns line. The tip locks up much quicker than a 735. It’s a true extra fast and has more power than the other 4 powers. I liken it to a 744.5 power.

I love it. It’s a task that fits me perfectly. It requires no thought or real intelligence. I’ve mowed and edged my neighbors yard for the last nine years. He can’t do it and I enjoy it.

If you want the extra fast action then jump to the DC 744C

Dancin Eel

Carolina Rig

In the over all scope of things, quite a bit.

First of all Luke, you are not alone. PTSD is very real but it impacts each person in it’s own painful way differently. I deal with it in my own way but not alone. The fact you recognize it is huge. There is a very real cause or causes as to why you feel the way you do. The hardest thing to face is the stigma of depression. I encourage you to find a qualified mental health professional that you trust. It’s okay to be treated with medications because your body may not be chemically balanced. It’s not your fault. It’s biology. And give yourself permission to understand you’re in a different kind of battle and talk about it. It’s hard buddy. Very hard but don’t close up and isolate. Reach outward, grab ahold of relationships with people you trust and love you. If you have suffered loss, mourn. It’s not a sign of weakness but strength. It took me some time to realize everything I need to see the good and healthy part of my life is right in front of me. I’ll be thinking of you.

Lews Speed Stik and BB1N. Ambassadeur 5000 on a Fenwick Lunker Stik 555 or Dee Thomas HMG FlippinStik. A Quantum 1310 with the matching rod from K Mart. Very retro. Get you a jump suit, Ranger truckers hat and you’ll be stylin’.

There are a bunch of great squarbill baits available but one sticks out for me, 6th Sense Crush 50 and Crush 100. You can loose you’re mind picking a pattern though.

6th Sense yellow perch pattern is awesome. Cloud 9 and Curve 55 series.