jimmyjoe

I personally would not pay that much money for a 'glass rod. jj

You mean that sometimes it IS snapping your line? I was going to question whether you had the drag set high enough or not, but I guess now I won't! ? Try holding your rod tip low, as in almost at water level. And hold the rod at about a 45 degree angle to the fish. Both of these tend to even out the acrobatics that some fish exhibit. I've not had that trouble with single hooks, although I did have it with trebles. Those two things helped me quite a bit. Good luck! jj

Worden's Roostertails. I have a whole 3700 box of them, but I got so disgusted with the blankety-blank things not wanting to start spinning (or in some cases, stay spinning) that I don't use them anymore. Pity. They caught fish. jj

Seems to be in the ballpark. You've got nothing to lose by trying it, because it's already paid for. It'll give you an idea whether or not you like BFS. After all, if you find out you don't like it, the less money invested, the better. Good luck! ? jj

I used to have some knot problems, but now I use the SDJ (or the Improved Clinch; yes, I'm an old-timer!) and I've ceased having knot problems. That's with braid, nylon or fluorocarbon. The reason is simple; I tie those reliably and consistently. I'd rather tie 2 knots well than 22 knots poorly. jj

Did you mean "straight (to the) trash though", or was what you said a compliment about it being tough? jj

Suspended, you say? Try a flutter spoon. Drop it (literally) right in the middle of them. It's not necessary to use the big 2 or 3 oz. stuff if you don't want to. Use a Flutterchuck or Milwaukee Minnow. Good luck! jj

My rule of thumb is .011" diameter (eleven mil) no matter what test they put on it. jj

I use toothpaste to clean metal lures, and I use it to clean the guides on my rods after about a month of the Muddy Mississippi. I use any that has baking soda in it. Mind you, I don't go King-Kong-crazy with it though. jj

Stock up! 142b is on the short list, too. I just sold my last jug of R12 last year. Got a new rod, 2 reels and several lures with that money. ? jj

People use SPIRAL WRAPPED rods and notice no loss of distance nor increased stress on the guides. The offset of those rods is many magnitudes worse than the offset on your rod, so you have no problem. It's just cosmetic. jj

^^^ I'm with this. ^^^ The only thing I could add is a spinnerbait. I throw them in riprap, pulling them right over the rocks. I have much better luck that way compared to a steady retrieve where I don't actually hit the rocks. Of course, I lose a lot of spinnerbaits that way, too. Ya gotta pay to play. ? jj p.s. - there are 3 sizes of rocks in riprap; microwave, washing machine or refrigerator. For spinnerbaits, the bigger the rocks the better the results.

No jinx. If you catch a fish first cast, you feel so eager that your natural tendency is to speed up on the next cast. That doesn't work. Rule of thumb: if you catch a fish on the first cast, slow the next retrieve down to what seems like half speed. Then you'll actually be about where you had been the first time. jj

Got my first two bass of the season this afternoon ....... on this: Tried other colors. Nothing worked except this. jj p.s. - 2 days in a row now. jj

FWIW, that's exactly what I have found. jj

"Are Orange and Red Baits The Thing in the Spring ? " For me: In clear water, yeah. Kinda. More red than orange. In muddy water, no. jj

Because I fish from shore, I am restricted to certain locations. In those locations, the only difference I notice between smallmouth and largemouth is that I catch largemouth in slow current locations and faster current locations, but I catch smallmouth in faster current locations ONLY. Same lures. jj

^^^^^ This, exactly. ^^^^^ jj

Could this "stickiness" be caused by the particular diameter of line on the particular spool used? Perhaps it is the precourser to line dig-in, just not quite that bad. Just a thought. jj

I've seen 6'-06" rods that can cast every bit as far as a 7' rod. I've seen 6'-06" rods that set the hook with the same authority as a 7' rod. I've never seen a 6'-06" rod that can do both. jj

That's what King George did after the American Revolution. ??? jj

Please ..... don't hold back. Tell us how you REALLY feel. ?? jj

I think he was. But he died in either 1977 or 1978, in a plane crash. Hard to be a mover and a shaker when you're six feet under. His son Casey, his widow and a guy named Reeves went ahead with the business. Good people, but not the same as Lew. jj

Nope. Not too much at all. Interesting. jj