WI_Angler1989

Thank you, I'm glad to hear it serves you well. I do a uni to uni knot as well so that's good news.

I know there are a lot of threads on braided lines on here, but I couldn't find exactly what I was looking for. So, does anyone have experience with the PP Super Slick? How is the knot strength on it with the slicker coating? How does it compare to suffix 832? I'm asking about these specifically because of their a availability in stores around here.

Awesome, I know you'll love them too! Really the only time I ever get hung up is when the line wedges in between 2 rocks, which is impossible to avoid, and when I keep fishing a tube or something even after its torn up and the point does that stay buried.

You're very welcome. Yes, I am a big fan of their Draggin' Heads. They are very weedless and don't get snagged often at all, even when I fish rocky, fast moving rivers with lots of cover.

The Paca chunks officially do not float. I have some and tried. Yum craw daddys do float very well however. Cabin Creek Express Craws float a little but not as well.

I was bored, so check it out!

I do the exact same thing. I always work it slow on the bottom, just dragging or hopping depending on water temp. Letting it sit is the key here too. I llay around with how lkng and all. Sometines i let it sit for a longggg time if its cold. When those claws float up it looks just like it's trying to protect itself and they wave and move from the smallest current or rod shake. Try some out and you won't be disappointed. I believe the paca craws and chunk craws float as well too but don't quite me on it.

Confidence baits battle stance craw. It isn't the same profile, but it is 3" roughly. The body is durable and ridged so you can pack scent into it well, the claws float and hold up really well. The thicker profile makes it cast a mile too. I don't use it as a trailer though. Just on the same company's weedless jig.

The only thing I don't like about the Rage Craws is that they don't float. Floating claws are great around here for river smallies. It mimics a defensive crawfish perfectly. I had an outing last year where I was fishing one craw that didn't have floating g claws and had 2 fish after 40 min, put on on with floating claws and started catching smallie after smallie, 2 perch and a walleye. It's just a Confidence booster for me now. Down get me wrong, Rage has awesome action and when fish are hitting on the fall they've worked wonders, but I rarely have smallies hit on the fall for me.

Die. We would die.

I hear ya, A-Jay. This thread should be renamed "so, you thought you were sick of winter already..."

Well, I probably fish a Livetarget frog the most and most successfully. There's a nice big lily pad bay here that's good early. There are very few lures that get my heart pumping harder than a old school Jitterbug though! I use either the normal blue green with yellow belly color or black if it's cloudy or dark. The anticipation as you're getting the lure closer and closer to the sunken log... ......listening to the "plop plop plop" is exhilarating. Another that I like but haven't used as much as I should, is a buzzbait. Same deal as the jitterbug, awesome anticipation, but in a MUCH more versatile and weedless package. And just for fun, one that I want to learn and have on its way here from Amazon....the Spook. They're killer for smallies and I've watched countless (literally) videos of smallmouth anglers using them very effectively. I'm looking forward to using on my own local rivers.

I'm keeping my eyes peeled. I don't have many stores around here sadly, just scheels and gander which have next to nothing yak wise.

Hi, my name is Nik and I have a tackle addiction. Today I was at a store and didn't buy the thing I wanted because I "don't need it". I feel like I'm making progress.

Dang Bait Monkey! I'd think that's his permanent home...no better place to stay than by cheap St Croixs. Then again....it is tax season....

Sound slide it would be. I know i would notice any cosmetic errors, but they don't make any difference on the water after all haha. Same problem still stands right now though, I'm super broke.

I should start keeping a small log too. Anything to help me learn, right. Not to mention going over it in the winter sounds pretty fun, like right now it would be nice haha. Heck yeah, man! When/if I get a kayak Id love to make a trip. Fun but nerve wracking, I've never fished a tourney.

Very nhce. I'm assuming you keep track of all your catches? You can add me to wanting to kayak fish, sadly I can't afford a decent one but I wanna!

That's great! I've had a few chances to use a friends kayak and its always a lot of fun and, like you said, opens up so much. I feel so much more peaceful in one too. I hope to be able to afford my own someday. Good luck!

I agree that you should take advantage somehow, however........

I was at my local Scheels yesterday and they have a new 2016 Legend Elite 7MF spinning rod. Holy *****! They are incredibly light. I can see how the OP could note they seemed impossibly light. I want one now. Bad. Haha

Thanks a lot guys, I appreciate it!

How do you guys decide what topwater lure to use? What conditions, water temp, season, etc make you pick between poppers, spooks, buzzbaits and prop baits. Those are my main choices.

There are a lot of good suggestions so far, and many that I use too. One that I love that's not mentioned, Confidence Baits floating Bird. Don't let the name fool you, it's finesse sized, floating paddle Tail worm with a subtle profile and action. Sadly I don't have pics and am not home.

Hahaha very nice. Not many people throw out a Conan reference.