Munkin

Add white for a swimming jig and these are the only colors you will ever need. Allen

I say build your own SK does not have a lot of options. Allen

Looks like I am going to have to buy some more LC baits? The RC 1.5 are a great bait for me here in Maryland. What does the 1.5 stand for? I heard it was the diving depth but is that feet or meters? Allen

Yard sales? I put the word out to friends and family to call me when they find fishing stuff at yard sales. There is a guy who fishes for catfish on the Upper Potomac with a GLX rod that he picked up at a yard sale with reel for $10. He said that he didn't want to pay that much but it seemed like a decent rod? I have tried to buy it from him 3 times but he is keeping it. Allen

Glad to see I am not the only one buying crazy looking lures off ebay! Check out the Daiwa live cicada(I think that is what it is called) it has two little paddle wheels on its sides. Allen

Rapala OCW color! I know it is not a lure but I love that color especially for fat raps. That Rapala spoon that some of you posted about I have one that is firetiger if anyone wants it let me know what you have to trade? Allen

Just use the same colors for jigs as you do in other soft plastics like tubes? Once I quit using black/blue jigs and started using brownish natural colored jigs my catch rates went up. Allen

Soft plastics: Zoom, Kinami Crankbaits: Bandit, Manns Baby 1- Jig: I make 90% of my own, SK, Eakins Top water: Heddon, LC Jerkbait: LC, TD, xcalibur, Smithwick, Evergreen (I am a jerkbait fanatic and own just about every brand made) Spinnerbait: I make all of my own Allen

Great advice! Sometimes they just want a subdued color blade? I have been using blade nickel blades with success this year. The amount of flash they give off is inbetween a nickel and painted blade. Allen

How can anyone not be a fan of the spinnerbait? They are the lure that first introduced me to bass fishing. All of the things you mentioned are important to a degree. Personally I was tired of buying $4 spinnerbaits and then having to modify them to my requirements. Now I just build them myself so they will be right from the start. I fish mostly in the Upper Potomac river here in Maryland for smallmouth and the best spinnerbait is a compact, 3/8oz, white, double nickel willow. As for the wire size question the thinner wire works a lot better for me but I do not know why? Running depth depends on the weight vs blade size because bigger blades create more lift. In the fall I like to use a 1/2oz shad colored spinnerbait with 3 small silver willows and reel the hell out of it. As for colors the basics are: chartruese/white, white and black but since I make my own I have at least 30 different colors. Allen

This year my two best topwaters were both LC; G-Splash 65 and a Gunfish 95. Allen

Hey Vyron, I am looking for somthing to do this winter when it is too cold to actually fish and I plan on building some jigs, and may do some spinnerbaits as well. Couple of questions for you, do you pour your own heads or buy them with the wire already in them, if you buy them where do you get them. Cabelas used to have them in the store but the store here in KC has severly cut back on the tackle making supplies and I don't want to pour my own heads. Secondly, what tool do you use to make the bend at the end of the wire to hold the blade on? Do you just use needle nose pliers or do I need to invest in a specialized tool? I saw one at Cableas this weekend but I didn't want to spend $20 on a split ring pliers and another $20 on the wire bending pliers. Here are the pliers I was looking at to make the loop at the end of the wire. http://cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat20166-cat20362&id=0001626314024a&navCount=1&podId=0001626&parentId=cat20362&masterpathid=&navAction=push&catalogCode=IG&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat20362&hasJS=true Not Vyron but I do make a lot of spinnerbaits myself so I can answer your questions. I now pour my own heads myself now but if you are just starting out I would purchase them from staminainc.com. The hiddenweight that they sell is my personal favorite but they have several others. http://www.barlowstackle.com/acb/showdetl.cfm?&DID=6&Product_ID=2224&CATID=115 These are the split ring pliers that I use and IMHO are the most important tool for making lures that I own. Yes you can get by without having them but they make life so much easier! http://www.barlowstackle.com/acb/showdetl.cfm?&DID=6&Product_ID=2225&CATID=115 Round nose nesting pliers with the black handle are what I have and yes you can get by using regular pliers but it is hard to get a nice round bend that closes completely. If you have any other questions just let me know. Allen

6-7 On a Zoom super hog creature bait. Allen

The pointers and topwaters are worth it to me. Now the crankbaits do work but not as good as a Bandit. Allen

Smaller lighter hooks and split rings is the only thing that may help? Allen

These are one of my favorite baits! I use all sizes of Zoom brush hogs and the Yamamoto Kreature. Green pumkin is the only color you need where I live. Allen