Lucky Craft Man

I just watched one of Dave Mercers Fact of Fishing shows and he mentioned that he uses braid for slack line techniques, because the low stretch of the braid makes it more sensitive. I do agree that braid is probably the most sensitive line for tight line techniques, but I really don't find it sensitive at all for picking up any slack line bites. I find Fluoro to be a lot more able to transmit vibrations while slack than braid. What do you guys think?

Actually, Chautauqua does have it all (docks, shallow and deep weed edges, drop offs, rock points, etc. along with nice Smallmouth and Largemouth), but because of the algy bloom, that limited these guys. I would have loved to have seen this tournament held on Chautauqua in July when all those other patterns could have come into play. Overall, I was really pleased with it and even though the ending was very anticlimactic, I was very satisfied with the results.

Nice trip report, Scott. I always feel that any fishing trip in the winter is a bonus, especially when you do as well as you guys did. I have always wanted to hit that stretch in the early Fall for the Chinook run, but haven't had the time yet. Someday...

For me it would be my NRX DSR 822S. I always have this rod rigged up with a drop shot rig and ready to go, even when I am fishing lakes with a lot of weeds. I maybe buried with this thing.

Without a doubt my boat, but on a fishing gear side, my G Loomis NRX DSR 822S. This rod is incredible in picking up the lightest taps while drop shoting in 30+ ft. of water. I feel it really increased my success drop shot fishing for smallmouth in Lake Erie expenetially.

The G Loomis FRG863 (Their old Frog Rod). I was so pumped up for this rod and when I recieved it in the mail, it felt heavy and fished even worse. I am a big G Loomis fan, but this rod was way out of characture for them. I was able somehow sell it (for a loss, but I didn't care, because I just wanted that 2x4 out of my collection).

Hmmm...Give Kreit a call and ask him if he won.

Welcome to PA. You live where I would describe as fishing Heaven. Presque Isle Bay is great for Largemouth and the Main Lake Erie is unbelievable for Smallmouth. Chautauqua Lake in Western NY (about 45 minutes from you) is a great Smallmouth and Muskie Lake. Also, let's not forget all the tributaries in the Fall through the Winter for Steelhead. Plus, there are a lot of smaller lakes in Erie and Crawford County that are good little bass lakes. As mentioned before, if you join a club, you will meet guys quickly and you will soon discover the treasure trove that you have around you.

I don't think that these scale weren't tested before hand (I actually assume that they were all calibrated equally). But having that scale, I know how critical it is to zero it while holding it vertical, which takes a little bit of time (5 sec. plus). It wouldn't take much for a judge to be hurried by one of the fisherman to weigh his fish and not give the scale time to zero properly (again, I am not saying this is happening, but why not find a scale that would not introduce humen error into it, though, I am not sure if such a scale exists)

I'm a big fan of my Berkley Digital Scale (just like the ones they are using), but I am not relying on my scale readings to determine the outcome of a $100,000 fishing tournament. I do think there has to be little more accurate scales out there they could use. Overall, though, I love this format and really enjoy watching the show (the extended cuts are really great, because these guys get into discussions of what exactly they are doing).

And for it to be almost a 7 pounder is just unheard of. I bet he would have a better chance of winning the lottery than doing that again.

I would pay an extra $40 or $50 for a full grip, which are becoming harder and harder to find. It is just a personal preference.

I fish Chautauqua several times a year and many more times on Erie as well, and there are some fat stout fish out of those places. I guess that was my point. From the side view of the fish, he didn't seem to have that "thick" stout look I am used to seing out of an Erie fish. Again, I am sure that was the true weight, but those fish are pretty rare.

Haha...no, but when that episode comes out in the extended cast, I will be analyzing that fish pretty closely. I also have that exact same scale they are using and if you don't hold it perfectly vertical before it zero's, you can add an easy 6 or 7 ounces to the weight. Again, I am not saying that is what happened here, but for someone to catch a 6 lb. 14 oz. Smallmouth on a body of water that is not the Great Lakes or in Tennessee to me is a HUGE fish and they didn't seem to make too much of a big deal about it, except for Greg Hackney's little spastic move of excitement (I have a feeling Greg wanted to go Ike at that moment, but since he criticized Mike in episode 1 for acting like an idiot, I think Greg restrained himself).

Well, I just watched it and it just didn't look like a 6 lb. 14 oz. Smallmouth. It was big, no doubt, but almost a 7 pounder is hard to believe (though, they never did show a good angle on the fish).

I didn't see it yet, but I heard that Hackney caught a monster smallmouth off one of the docks. Is this true?

Yep, same hook that I T-Rig worms with (only in a smaller size). Like I said, I don't T-Rig my drop shot baits (unless I am in weeds). I usually just nose hook them on the EWG hook.

I use a size 1/0 EWG for all my drop shotting needs (even when I nose hook my bait). I like the very thin wire and because the hook is longer than a traditional drop shot hook, the point seems to penetrate just past that think lip a smallmouth has as opposed to through it. I've tried the Standout Hooks, VMC Spinshot Hooks, Gamakatsu Drop Shot Hooks, TroKar Drop Shot Hook, along with several other offbeat brands. I keep going back to the Gamakatsu size 1/0 EWG hooks and I just feel I lose less fish on these hooks (back to the thin wire hook penetrating deeper in the fishes mouth theory)

That's good to hear, because Zone 2, 3, and 4 have some of my favorite places to fish on that lake. Better Smallmouth habitat in those zones, but with the turnover and pea green water, I don't think many will venture out to find these spots and will just stick with the predictable dock pattern.

If one gets the season pass, is there anyway to save the episodes on your harddrive or do you have to log in everytime to watch one of the episodes? I would love to get all the episodes on DVD (or download them on my computer and burn them to DVD) so I can watch them without having to sit at my computer. Also, I have fished Chautauqua several times and I would say Zone 2 (and part of Zone 3) would be the best chances to see these guys pull out some of the nice size smallmouth that lake has to offer.

Well, I had Scott modify a G Loomis GLX CBR855 for me to create what I think is the ultimate prespawn jerkbait rod, which he did... http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/99721-effects-of-cutting-an-existing-rod-down-in-length/ Then I asked him to create for me a travel 7-peice 9'9" to 10'0" 5 wt. fly rod, but I could only find fly blanks up to 9' long and in 6-piece. Well, he took what I could find and created this... http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/105014-scott-formerly-known-as-shfishinsticks-does-it-again/ Then I thought I would stump Scott with a Muskie Rod project. I wanted a 10' + musky rod that was capable of casting Musky Innovations 2-Pounder (they actually only weigh 26 oz.). The only problem was that I couldn't store or transport a 1-piece rod over 8 ft. so this rod had to be either telescopic or 2 piece. After talking with Scott about this project (he thought I was joking at first) he told me that a telescopic rod over 10 ft. that collapsed down to under 8 ft. would just not work quite right (the guides would just be too far away from the reel seat) so he convinced me that a 2-peice rod was the way to go. Unfortunately, all the 2-piece blanks that were available that could cast the type of weight I was looking for were saltwater blanks, but these were way too heavy to realistically be fished all day casting heavy lures. Scott ended up talking with the owner of Tackle Industries who sold him an already assembled 2-piece 9' XXH rod that was capable of handling 8 to 36 ounces and weighed just over 13 ounces. Both pretty good specs for what I was looking for, but already owning a Tackle Industries 9' XXH Rod (great rods by the way), I knew it couldn't throw a 2-Pounder all that effectively. Well, Scott bought the assembled rod, stripped it down, extended the handle assembly, put on a new reel seat with a fat cork handle, and spiral wrapped the guides. When it was done, he presented to me this 10'3" 2-piece masterpiece of a Muskie Rod... With the added length and upgraded guides, he only added a few ounces extra to the overall rod. He also taped together 30 ounces of lead for me to try and cast. After a few test casts, I almost hurled that 30 ounces over his fence with not much effort. This rod is like a medieval catapult! Here is a close up of his wrap work... Just impeccable workmanship. Scott ceases to amaze me with his skill and creative nature. I am out of crazy ideas. I truly thought this one would stump Scott, since he never built a muskie rod before and I was asking for one that is longer than anything out there and could essentially cast a small dog (not that I would ever cast a dog, unless of course, the bite was really tough ;-) Truly an amazing rod builder. Thanks again, Scott, and I will not rest until I come up with something you can not build.

There are two fish thresholds that I dream of passing. First, a 7 lb. Smallmouth. Second, a 50 in. Musky. If I achieve both those goals before I die, I will consider my fishing career (not that I make any money or even have a fishing) a success.

Yeah, poor Scott. I am a man of function and I don't care much about aesthetics, so I don't really go for all the frills. Scott did really want to do something special with the reel seat, but I didn't quite know what he had up his sleeve. Well, I was blown away with what he created and really can appreciate the beauty in his work (unfortunately, I am going to be hesitant to use it now because it looks so nice). I am very excited for this project (though, I don't think Scott is all that excited). I am headed to St. Clair this Fall and this thing will be a Pounder (and hopefully 2-Pounder) casting machine!

I recently had Scott make a very precise modification for me on a G Loomis GLX CBR855 (how I met Scott and what I had done is all contained in an older thread in this section). Well, I was so pleased with how that project turned out, I thought I would challenge him even further. I do a lot of traveling for work and at times my work takes me out West. I am an avid fly fisherman and when out West, I like to be able to hit some of those great trout streams in what spare time I have. The problem I have is transporting my fly rod. I would have to carry it on an airplane along with my laptop, which would constitute my 2 carry-ons. I always like to carry-on a small suitcase (within specified carry-on dimensions) containing a days worth of clothes just in case my luggage is delayed or lost. When I take my fly rod with me that small suitcase can't make the trip, because I don't think my work would be happy if I checked in my laptop and I wouldn't dare check in my fly rod. This leads to my project. I wanted to find a travel 5 wt. fly rod that was around 9'10" in length (I like to tight line nymph so I like a longer rod) with a fighting butt that could break down and fit into that small carry-on suitcase along with my change of clothes. Upon doing an extensive search, I found plenty of travel fly rods, but none in my specific length (plenty of 9 footers and one 10 footer, but not exactly what I wanted), so I contacted Scott. We brainstormed and I told him I could get a Cabelas Stowaway 6 piece 5-wt blank, but it was only 8'6" long. He told me he had an idea that may work. I ordered the blank and delivered it to Scott. Well, after a few back and forth questions and decisions (type of reel seat, type of handle, type of guides, etc.), Scott produced this... Scott could tell you much better than I, but he took an old piece of a St. Croix blank and made that the seventh piece where the handle and reel seat are on. The overall length is exactly 9'10" and the action is right where I want it. I had him add line-up dots for each section (I think I drove him nuts with that) and snake guides (which I also think drove him nuts). Before he epoxied the fighting butt on, I brought over my reel and he inserted weight into the end of the blank in order to balance it exactly where I wanted it. He really exceeded my expectations (again) and I am blown away by his ability and craftsmanship. I also know this is a bass forum, but I figured you fellow rodmakers can appreciate the craftsmanship that goes into any type of rod (especially one where he has to add a section). Thanks again, Scott, and I will have to think up an even more challenging project next time. Maybe an 11 foot telescopic musky rod that can cast 24 ounce lures...hmmmm.

A Custom rod built on a G Loomis NRX JWR 894 with a Shimano Core 100MgFV. That would quite a dream there.