Columbia Craw

That series is for all purposes a Champion 703C split grip with some cosmetic changes. The 703 makes a very good all round rod and should do well for your needs. To be fair and transparent, all Champions are on sale at TW right now. If you paid full MSRP for the Roumbanis you can return it and just order a Champion at 30 percent off and save a bunch. It’s your option. It could free up seventy five bucks.??

They are very different. The Kage has the monocoque body. No side panels with screws. Kage has mag seal bearings. Neither reel has a bearing on the spool shaft but do have large nylon support bushings. The Kage feels more refined and is lighter. You can have the cork knob. If it’s size for size, the Luvias is made in Japan.

As a reel goes, I have two. I bought one from a forum member. That price is really good. They are superb reels. The handle is large. That’s easy to remedy.

What is so utterly amazing is the diversity of it’s members. To think you can read or watch information from folks in Canada, Mexico, New York, the Great Lakes region, the Entire country for that matter is very very special. Even those around Toledo Bend.? I just love it.

I have the 743 C as well. The current generation has a boost of power in the middle third of the blank. During a trip in October I was a back seater with limited room and this was one of the models I relied on. I fished a wide range of baits a weights with success. It was fantastic with a 1/2 ounce Dark Sleeper. It’s funny to think I bought it to pitch unweighted Senkos which it does so well.

I hate line twist more that beets. Braid mitigates that so well it gets the nod. The Ned rig is the truest finesse tactic I fish so 6 FC does the majority of the work. We still don’t have zebra mussels so 6 does fine with the right rod and reel.

Just an FYI, The rotors can also get bound and canted. This caused a screech on a cast. I pulled the rotor out ever so slightly and let it snap back in alignment. Good to go.

I shared this last year. I want to thank everyone for all the information and interactions. I realize that duration doesn’t necessarily mean experience. I have picked up some great tips this last year that will make me a better angler. I hope I did likewise. This site and forum has been one of the few constants during a crazy year. Checking in is like having coffee and shooting the breeze with like minded friends. It’s more than stuff. It’s like therapy. Where else can you get that and not chuck out $200.00 bucks an hour except Tackle Warehouse? So there it is. I appreciate the tackle I bought on the flea market, the suggestions, sharing of experience an humor. Want a refill? CC

They are made in Guatemala but the quality has not suffered. My favorite color pattern is Reverse Crawfish. Good luck finding it though. The secret is out.

A-Jay nailed it. There is one other bait that is rarely or never mentioned and that is the Normans middle N. It has just a bit wider wobble. It’s a much overlooked bait that has caught a ton of fish for me over the years.

My eight year old grandson was over today. We finished his on line studies and he asked to go out to the my bass boat. He climbed in and did his pretend driving as usual. Then he wanted to go through and resort hard bait boxes. Ian looked over in a shipping box and saw several hard baits I received over the past few weeks and started his inspection calling out the brand names. Then he looked sternly at me and said, " Papa, you can't leave these in the boxes their whole lives........we better take them out so you can fish them!" Sage advice. I can't wait until spring so Ian can soak some of the baits he opened with me.

A Champion 705 or 735 would easily meet your needs. At 30 percent off , you are looking at $182.00 and that’s not bad.

I have a package still sitting in Portland mailed 12/7 to another member.

Owner Mosquito Gammi Split Shot/Drop Shot Gammi Wide Gap Finesse Robo Worm Rebarb Gammi EWG finesse These cover all my needs with sizes selected to compliment the bait size and cover type.

Strike King 1.5 Shallow might be an option. I’ve done really well with it.

One of my club members has the Aloha 6-10 drop shot rod and showed it to me. I played with it. It was light with a fast action and that mirrors my DX 702SF. It’s a very simple straight forward build. I’m not a fan of hypolon grips but it was comfortable to hold. My buddy loves the rod and he drop shots a lot. He paid full retail and is happy with it. In all honesty, it’s a very nice rod. Blasted spell check!!!

I purchased three as soon as they were available. It has a tighter wiggle than a square bill, much like it’s deeper brother the Depp Little N. It did well in October in 54 degree water for smallmouth. I see this bait being a great pre spawn bait but won’t hesitate to throw it in warmer temperatures.

This is great dialogue. Blade style and configuration is driven by several factors. First is species. Smallmouth seem to be much more of a sight feeder. A blade configuration the provides the ability to retrieve quickly with flash gets priority. Largemouth and the cover oriented environment and generally less visibility point to a need to increase water displacement and light refraction so the configuration choice will try to provide those attributes. I don’t think the Indians blade, just like the turtle back is an afterthought or a lack of specialty. I agree availability of spinnerbaits with those blades is far less but there are manufacturers that do. Confidence is huge in the type of blade configuration you throw. A side note: I used to place to much emphasis on color but not as much now except blade finishes. Gold versus silver versus copper versus painted is still very important in spinnerbait selection.

I’ve had lithotripsy, lazered stones and one basketed. The pain is so intense I threw up. My Dad had the same issue. It’s difficult to get to the ROOT of the cause.

Single tail Kalins grub and SK Blade Minnow.

A Poes cedar Crankbait.

I love to fish both baits. Each bait shines around cover and each bait becomes so much more effective when it can be deflected off of cover. Both are designed to be worked through cover but are effective in more open water situations. Both can be manipulated to make abrupt changes in their movement. Except when burning a big spinnerbait in choppy water for smallmouth, I apply it to cover. I like to cover water with wood and bump that wood, roll over it, tick the branches and so forth. I also like a spinnerbait in hard vegetation. By that I mean reeds, lilly pads, bog bean, water celery, anything that won't drape over the bend in the wire and line connection. A spinnerbait is also great for fishing softer vegetation by running next to it and or following the contour from shallow to deep. Experiment with sizes, colors and blade configurations. Dirty equals thump and clear equals flash. Squarebills are awesome for rooting round cover like rip rap. it's a great bait for fishing stumps, bushes, over vegetation and hard man made structure. It's amazing how a squarebill can be maneuvered through wood and branches by deflection and allowing the bait to float back and up. Don't hesitate to throw one into trees. I've hung them up and had fish take them off a limb when trying to snap it off. Deflection is your friend. Commit to these baits when the situations present themselves. If you have bluegill and I'm sure your do, these are can't miss lures.

I was talking to my bass club team partner who is forty years my junior. The context was about how I fished when I started and have I changed and how have I changed? After some reflection I realized I’m more of a student of bass fishing. I’m more analytical. I look at fishing as situational and what techniques would best suit each specific situation. I also noted I am far more versatile now than when I started. Part of that is the financial ability to acquire tackle to fish various techniques. I really noted that I fish bigger lures than when I started. I also fish deeper, much deeper than I did thirty plus years ago. My attitude has shifted and I fished more relaxed. I used force feed the bass what I wanted them to bite. I’m more open and let the fish cue me in. I think I’ve matured in my fishing style. I love to learn and seek new options to catch fish. I really value information because intel was hard to get forty years ago and so was tackle. Just some random thoughts now that the boat is put away. Anyone see changes over the years?

I have coverage for tackle and electronics. I have a rider because most policies cap at a grand. I took photos of everything and provided an inventory to my agent. One issue to watch for is coverage in case your boat sinks or submerged to spill oil or fuel . There is a fine of twenty grand if that happens. My policy covers that fine as well.

If it's the weight, try crimping hollow core pencil lead. You can dial in the weight by the length you you cut it. I fish a stretch of the Columbia that is volcanic rock and it eats weights. This practice keeps me fishing.