Lucky Craft Man

Yeah, losing an 8 pounder would truly suck. I guess the reason for my thinking about this was watching my buddy take a hook down to the bone. The really sucked as well.

My Buddy took a hook past the bard three trips in a row and I unfortunately was there for two of those trips. Two times we went to ER and the third he was able to push it through and cut the hook. This got me thinking. I pinch down the bard on all my flies and I wondered about doing the same on all my lures. This would not only be better for getting any hook out from an accident, but it would probably be better for the fish as well. Since I don't fish tournaments, losing a few extra fish won't bother me. Do any of you guys debarb the hooks you use for bass?

I had the old G Loomis Frog Rod (G Loomis FGR 863), which was by far the worst rod in G Loomis history. I did end up purchasing the new heavy powered G Loomis Frog Rod (G Loomis TWFR 935C) and this is a much much better stick. This is a great rod for fishing heavy slop, but as others have said, it still is a little on the heavy side and trying to work baits all day can get tiring. I recently purchased a G Loomis NRX 916C UBR and this thing has some serious potential as a Frog Rod (preliminary results are good). I am going to give it a little bit of a work out with Frogs this summer to see how it does. As far as the Dobyns rod goes, I have never used either one, so unfortunately, I can't really compare the G Loomis to those.

Here is a post I made a few weeks ago. Even the Main Lake could be bad with boats... http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/138089-erie-etiquette/

Great Looking Fish, A-Jay! Erie has been abysmal this year. I was hoping the late winter would help concentrate the migration, but all it did was totally screw things up. This was one of my worst years. Maybe this bad year will keep some of the hoards and hoards of people away. I've never seen so many boats jammed in a little area.

Driver: G Loomis NRX 916 UBR 3-Wood: G Loomis NRX 895 JWR 5-Wood: G Loomis NRX 873 CRR 3-Iron: G Loomis SWBR 953 4-Iron: G Loomis CBR 896 DF 5-Iron: G Loomis SMR 814C-CB 6-Iron: G Loomis CBR 855 GLX (Custom) 7-Iron: G Loomis NRX 853 JWR 8-Iron: G Loomis SMR 913S-SP 9-Iron: G Loomis SMR 882S-SP PW: G Loomis NRX 852S JWR SW: G Loomis NRX 822S SYR LW: G Loomis NRX 822S DSR Putter: G Loomis GLX 783C

Hahaha! Dwight was smart and avoided the crowds. Unfortunately, I don't have the knowledge of Erie like Dwight, so the spots I do know are known by others. Plus, I don't mind other fishing around us (if proper space is given). It's the purposeful encroachment after you land a fish that drive me nuts.

...or lack there of. I fish in Erie, PA quite a bit (both on Lake Erie and in the Tribs. for Steelhead) and I have to just vent a little about the lack of fishing etiquette that exists. This weekend was a prime example of the lack of etiquette. We were fishing on the main lake and there were about 7 boats in the general area, but you could still get a good drift in as there were about 100 yards between each boat. We located a nice hump, narrowed our drift, and caught a few ok fish off of it (nothing big by any means). Well, within about 15 minutes, those 7 other boats were no longer 100 yards away. They all literally converged onto that hump and you couldn't get a drift of more than 50 feet without having to maneuver around another boat. It was insane and I just can't believe people think this is ok. I know people travel a long way to fish Erie and they want to catch fish. I get that. What I don't get is that normal fishing etiquette goes out the window in order to achieve that goal of hooking up. I never found it appropriate to squeeze in on a spot because someone there was catching fish and I was not. Unfortunately, Steelhead fishing the Tribs is even worse. Guys will front end you or storm right into your hole. It just seems to be the norm up there where other places I have fished, not so much. Granted, Erie is about the only "major" fishery I fish and maybe this is a problem on other big name lakes around the country, but it certainly is annoying. Sorry to vent, but I just had to voice my frustration.

Wow!!! What a great looking fish there! Truly an accomplishment in PA. I have yet to break 6 pounds for a Largemouth, however, those Smallmouth keep calling my name.

It is unlawful in PA to repeatedly cast at bedding fish, so I just don't fish for them.

I purchased a G Loomis NRX 916 UBR and tested it out with some frogs this Fall. That rod has a ton of potential (and versatility). I will give it a true work out this Summer in slop and pad fields, but it definitely will have the power to hoist fish out of heavy slop.

I have never used the Tournament ZX rod, so I can't comment on how that rod fishes.

I have fished with every rod you mentioned. I have since sold or traded in all my BPS Bionic Blades, Cabelas Fish Eagles, and Cabelas Tourny Trials. I not only still have my Cabelas XML rods, but I added more over time and now I am up to 10 of them (7 of which are 2-piece). Really a great rod.

I have 5 pairs of waders. My advice would be to try them on, because even the same size from different manufacturers will fit differently. You can order a pair from Cabelas/Bass Pro using your best guess as to what will fit and if they are too small or big, return them and size up or down accordingly. Both of those stores have a pretty good return policy.

You must spend a lot of tie retying. A drop shot rig is a pain in itself to tie on to start the day let alone to retie this whole rig after every fish.

I don't like when the hooks run against the blank (particularly Jerkbaits and Crankbaits). Where the hook holders are at the base of the blank, that placed all the troubles against the blank. Since almost all of my rods have a foregrip, when I put that rubber ring hook holder around the reel seat and have the lure hooked in it, the other hooks are up against the foregrip and not the blank. I am very careful with my equipment and I don't like to have scratches on the blank.

I have these on every rod I own (even the ones with a hook holder). http://m.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-XPS-Hook-Holders/product/44434/146331

...to put a hurting on those well rested 6+ pound Lake Erie Smallmouth! I fish all year for different species of fish, but my absolute favorite time and species is Pre-Spawn Smallmouth. There is just nothing like a sex-crazed starving Smallmouth on a kamikaze mission for your jerkbait. Just one of the best things (if not the best) in all of fishing. I even put in a leave request to take off from Mid-April through Mid-June. Unfortunately, it was denied. My employer obviously doesn't understand my physical need to be out on the water fishing for these Smallmouth. As a side note, there is no real purpose to this post except to just express my extreme excitement for the upcoming 6 weeks (it has been a long long winter!)

I would love to see one of you two stick that State Record! According to NOAA, the ice should be gone from the PA section of Erie. The season is upon us!!!!!!

Which ever lake I am on at the time.

Man, you know I love those Rod Wraps! Though, this maybe the only rod I own that won't get the wrap, just out of respect for your work (and wishes).

I don't use an indicator much when nymphing and I have found I can detect a bite through either movement in the line or feel through the rod. I don't usually feel it in the line, because it seems that fly line dampens the vibration (but the vibration that does make it to the tip of the rod seems to transmit through the blank better than the line).

If I am casting streamers or dries, I don't mind a Full-Wells Handle, but if I am nymphing, I like to keep a finger on the blank, which is both easy to do and comfortable with a Reverse Half Wells handle.

Look at all the Sage One production rods. Everyone of them have a Full-Wells. I don't get that trend, but I hope it doesn't catch on.

Yup. No debate on that.