papajoe222

It seems that every season, or just about, I become infatuated with one new (to me) lure or another and end up reaching for that bait first when conditions call for that type of presentation. Last season, it was the Googan 4.5in. Saucy Swimmer paddle tail paired with a 1/4oz. jig head. This year it was a Bagley Sunny B 05 crank. Maybe it's just my addictive personality. Anyone else get infatuated by a new lure this year?

I've been using them for many years, but I must admit that I only throw one color in one size now. As for orange, I didn't know they were ever offered in orange.

I currently have four cranking sticks. One is dedicated to smaller/shallow runners, another to deep diving cranks and the other two cover most everything else.

B&B jig/June bug trailer

I only have one left. It's a shad colored one that is the wife's favorite crank and she is the only one allowed to use it...........she thinks. If I ever loose it, I'll be sleeping in the car for a long, long time, or until I locate another one.

I prefer the 90 as they give the tube that good, spiral action. The 60 really impairs it, but not as much as an internal weight and a EWG hook does.

My most reliable are basically the same as always; A jig/trailer, tube jig and a crankbait. This year that crank was a bomber FatFree Shad. Surprisingly, the one bait that didn't produce was a Spook. The topwater bite was off this year for some reason and I rarely threw one.

Sure did. In fact, the only fish I caught on Friday was on a 1/4oz. one. The water temp was 38

Braid for flipping jigs and punching mats 30lb. and 60 which I also use for frogs. Braid to fluoro leader for casting/swim jigs 30lb. to 12lb. Braid mainline to mono leader for C-Rigs 30lb. to 20lb. Straight fluoro for cranks and jerkbaits 10lb. or 12lb. Straight fluoro for finesse plastics 8lb. Straight mono for topwater the bigger the bait, the heavier the line. Straight fluoro for paddle tail swimbaits and most worm fishing 14lb. Spinnerbaits are the only bait I will fish with no thought to what line type to use

This season, I actually did better using blade baits vs. lipless cranks. I started fishing them just after ice-out and never really put them away. I'd never fished them very deep until this year and they didn't let me down.

Nice job, as usual

Now that’s one I’d pay for.

You may have a nick, or possibly a groove from using braid, on the inside of one of the guides where the line touches. The easiest way to find out is to take a Q-Tip and run it around inside the guide. Any imperfections will catch the cotton fibers and the guide should be replaced. The fact that it's happening with two rods leads me to believe you have some bad line, but I've never heard of fluorocarbon peeling.

If it's on the outside, the metal frame and not the insert, I'd leave it alone. If it's unsightly, you could attempt to remove it and possibly damage insert in the process.

I'd use straight fluoro, 15.b. It's more than sensitive enough for bite detection and is more abrasion resistant than braid. The problem is, if you've never used straight fluoro, there is a bit of a learning curve and that involves hook-sets and keeping your thumb on the spool during a cast. You'll avoid much of the frustration by using a strong, sweeping hook-set vs. a 'cross their eyes' style.

The emails you get that mention you’ve been hacked and give you a link so you can change information are almost always phishing emails. They’re looking for you to use their link so they can get your information and use it. They use company logos to make them look legit. Always check directly with the company on THEIR website as to the validity of any password hacking.

I use snaps on almost all my hard baits (spinnerbaits excluded). I remove split rings on baits that come with them. That is why I began using them as my line would always work its way into the gap and eventually into split rings. That was one of the reasons I retied regularly. Like feathered trebles, on some baits they will alter the action.

I really like TroKar finesse worm hooks. The advantage for me is a confidence thing as I started fishing with straight shank hooks back in the 70's and used them for years. There is something to be said for the extra bite they have over EWG and even most offset worm hooks.

Brain fart.

For me, it depends on the application. I use straight shank hooks a lot more now, both light and heavy gauge. EWG and round bend worm hooks still have a place, but other than Flukes (round bend) and tubes (EWG), the majority of time I find myself reaching for a straight shank with some type of keeper under the line tie.

It all depends on what you consider to be advancement. One thing, for sure, is lighter weight rods that still have the same power as older versions. One thing I do like is many companies now, rate the power and tip action. That, IMO, makes it easier to choose a rod for specific applications where with older rods, you had to load the rod to determine where the flex was. Some may say today's offerings are more sensitive, but that is all relative to the person holding it.

I just finished reading a thread about breaking rods and high sticking was mentioned. I had heard that fraze years ago, but can’t recall what it is. please school me.

IMO, the two recent improvements that are most noticeable are the reduction in weight and increased drag. You could upgrade to carbon fiber drag washers to increase your older reel’s drag capability and as long as you’re comfortable with the balace of those reels, weight reduction, may not even factor into your decision.

Cordell Super Spot, Strike King RES, my third is no longer in production, so I’ll leave it with just those two.

I've never trolled lipless cranks, mainly because they would be targeting the upper water column. I prefer medium running cranks that, as mentioned, will run up to two times their casting depth. The other style bait I've used is a blade bait. If I pump the rod after reaching trolling speed, they will drop a foot or so before rising back up. That's when the hits come. I think the same would hold true for lipless cranks, but I don't think they'd drop down in the water column as quickly.