dwardmba

and a squarebill.

This may sound cheap but it works. My dealer still had the white cover the boat was shipped with. I use it. The boat stays on a covered lift 9 to 10 months out of the year so the cover is mainly to keep spider poop off the boat and curious hands out. Dave

Congrats

Just saw this, hope you got it. Great reel for cranking.

1) Go to BPS 2) find the house brand in your budget meeting your needs 3) compare the feel and features of this one to the model above and below the one within your budget (there is about a $25 difference between models +/-sale prices) 4) buy the one that you feel best about 5) repeat with the matching reel I think a carbonlite rod and the last generation carbonlite reel can be had for about $200. Buy a good fluorocarbon (housebrand or invisx). Take 5 minutes to learn how the reel sets up the various cast control aids and enjoy. Dave

Can I keep the change? If yes I'd pick up another BPS carbonlite rod and reel (while on sale). If not, I have no idea. Dave

Depends on what you are fishing but at some point the benefits plateau. Buy a good rod to a point and a good reel to a point. A $200 rod (or reel) with a $50 reel (or rod) seems silly. I would spend $125 on each or $150 and $100. Dave

Put it on a shelf as a collector item.

BPS is running the old PQ on sale for $50 in their spring classic flyer.

Another vote for the plastic worm.

Down

x2 on the electrical tape. Full cork handle and electrical tape = a Tennessee grip.

I wasn't here three years ago. I enjoyed the read, something to be said for the blast from the past.

Non squarebill you can do worse than an XD____ (3, 5, 6... fill in the blank to match the depth). Then again if you're just experimenting a three pack of the Bomber Model A can be had pretty economically and they catch fish. Dave

I think it would be a normal mold, just attach a hook to a wire loop* and insert the wire loop where you would normally put the jig hook. *I am not sure what I am calling a wire loop is correctly called. I am talking about whatever device the line tie & hook attachment point is on the the swing hook jigs. It would be a substitute for the jig hook in the mold. I think it would be a normal mold, just attach a hook to a wire loop* and insert the wire loop where you would normally put the jig hook. *I am not sure what I am calling a wire loop is correctly called. I am talking about whatever device the line tie & hook attachment point is on the the swing hook jigs. It would be a substitute for the jig hook in the mold.

I saw a piece, might have been in the WSJ, that implied Cabellas would continue to focus on the hunter while BPS would continue with the fishing focus. I think both stores did well individually so there is plenty of opportunity for consolidation in corporate overhead and efficiencies in sourcing products, distribution, etc. Suppliers will likely feel the most pressure but as pointed out above have too many alternate channels to reach the consumers. Up until late summer Chattanooga didn't have a BPS, my first stop for lures was Wal-Mart then Sportsman Warehouse then Academy. Wall-Mart almost always had what I was looking for. Rods and such was Sportsman Warehouse or I waited until I could go to the BPS near Birmingham when I was down there. Time will tell. Dave

You might try the simple green / alcohol first, this would not be an "application" that add's grip. More a "cleaning" that is removing accumulated dirt / oils which is reducing grip. If that works then no need to take sandpaper to the grips. I'd always try the non destructive method first.

About the kids.... They are going to eventually need rods. It makes sense for them to get hand me down rods... So if you don't have enough rods today to hand down to them in the future it would be the responsible thing to do to go buy some, so when they are ready you are ready. And frankly, kids can't learn with swiss army knife type of rods. I mean really, you can't expect a nine year old to learn the subtle nuanced chunk, sink, & crank of an A rig with a frog rod.

I've really like the Bass Pro Carbonlite rods. 7'MM for cranks and a 7'MH for jigs / spinnerbaits.

Zoom U tail followed by a mag II or Ole monster

You know they make other boits that would fit? No sense ruining a dream.

KVD 1.5 Squarebill with patterns following seasonally available shallow forage and conditions (late winter / early spring = crawfish, spring to early summer = shad, summer / early fall = bluegill, fall / early winter = shad again and finally add some chartreuse to the above for when the water gets dirty). Dave

Thanks for clearing that up. Appreciate your many posts on reels- a lot of knowledge passed on.

This freaked me out just a bit (ok, freaked me out might be too strong). Just bought two in the past month to pair with a 7'MM carbonlite for cranks and a 7'MHF for spinnerbaits/ jigs (a 5x and a 6x respectively). Nothing like seeing your brand new reels become 1.0 within two weeks of buying them. From what I could see the composite side plates are now carbon fiber and the duraluminum gear is now brass. Think it is now heavier by an ounce?

If someone held a gun to my head and said "catch a fish, next cast or else" I'd throw a nightcrawler. Otherwise... A Texas rig plastic worm, probably a zoom u tail color appropriate to the water clarity.