bmadd

Ugly baits for sure!

Lots of really good gill patterns on this thread. I like the more simple patterns on cranks but I can't argue with how talented you guys are.

Well when you make a million a year from sponsors alone plus the 5 million in earnings I'm sure you don't have the mental aspect of the game anymore. People keep saying KVD is at the peak and I really think that's because he doesn't have to worry at all about providing for himself and his family. He goes out there and gambles on a win every tournament. At the same time he talks trash in the most polite way haha. He's kind of arrogant if you pay attention. Another example of the mental game he plays with his competitors, last year during that last post season event he told everyone at the first weigh in what he was doing to catch fish and in what type of water. Obviously to help the other 10 anglers get in the way of Skeet. He's devious ;D

All the times have been slightly off on ESPN2 today due to a basketball game than ran over. Day 2 coverage started about 5-10 minutes late earlier today as well.

Don't forget local help. GPS waypoints and boatrides are given out before the cutoff as well.

The PAA is probably closer to your US Open. They have 4 tournaments a year plus a classic and it has pros from both circuits as well as a few who aren't quite at that top level yet. www.fishpaa.com

Mike McClelland won an elite series tournament in 2008 pitching a junebug trick worm to lily pads. In 2007 he won with a football head tipped with a Zoom super chunk. I think Jason Williamson used a super chunk when he won on Clarks Hill last year as well. It happens but because it's not KVD, Skeet, or Ike nobody runs to tell everybody and their brother about it.

I can not fathom the Lucky Craft RC baits being discontinued. LC and Bass Pro have made too much money off that bait. It may get a new name but I can't see that bait going out of production. Then again, Daiwa stopped manufacturing the TD-Z so who knows.

That first bait looks good. Maybe they'll catch a fish!

Zoom 8" Lizard in watermelon seed or junebug.

Strike King Kevin Van Dam Spinnerbait 3/8 oz. tandem blades in chartreuse sexy shad.

Pine was my favorite of the Lexington area lakes. I used to have a tournament every summer to were you could trailer to any lake. I always chose Pine because it was easier to locate fish. Lots of docks on pine that attracted those summer time fish.

I bought one hat that was flex fit and hated it. I prefer The Franchise style hats.

A robot :-/

I remove all of the split rings from the line tie position. Use one or the other.

Some sort of amphetamine? :-X To answer your question honestly, most people around here recommend either a combination of whiskey and honey or whiskey and peppermint.

I bought the Owner Cutting Point XXX strong straight shank hooks and have made my own bait keepers. I bought some small waterproof heat shrink tubing. It has an adhesive coating on the inside. I also place a small bit of paper clip inside before I melt the tubing in place. Works great.

Not to bash on one of the all time greats with a crankbait but Rick Clunn was either trying to push the sales of a certain rod or is stuck in his old ways. Most of the graphite cranking rods today have a nice tip for casting, a nice moderate action and enough backbone to move a big fish away from cover. My first cranking rod was a Team Daiwa S series glass rod. I absolutely loved it until I got a graphite cranking rod. I've tried a few different brands of graphite rods and I haven't been disappointed yet. As for the original question, if you are going to stick with cranks of 3/8 oz or heavier I would probably go with a 7' MH/Mod graphite rod since you are wanting a rod to throw those deep divers with as well. If you're going to try and throw something lighter then that you will encounter some problems but if you a have a spinning rod in a M or M/L power then you can fling those lighter cranks a lot farther then you could even with a M powered casting rod

I like 2,3 and 5 Big M not shabby work there. That black one is sharp too.

I agree with Burley and disagree with the posts about not burning deep cranks or a slower retrieve reel keeping your bait in the strike zone longer. I have noticed zero problems using a 6.3:1 ratio reel for my deep cranking on KY Lake the last three summers. I'm talking baits from 10'-20' diving baits. One of the best ways to get a big school fired up in the summer time is to reel the bait fairly quick and make R Kelley proud with a little bump n' grind on those ledges.

Besides the peas just plain sucking, did anyone else notice how TERRIBLE the sound was? There were several instances where Fergie and the others microphones were not on when they should have. I thought that was the worst part.

As someone who is most noticeably a shallow water, grass fishing expert, where did the confidence come from to fish deep for his win on Kentucky Lake?

That little splatter back bait in your 3rd pic looks REAL good to me nice baits all around though.

I don't have a recipe but crock pot ribs are tasty