Mbirdsley

I have 3 pfluegar reels and I have had issues with all of them now. I’ve kinda always herd that they were good for the average guy who fished every other week. However, if you start getting serious and fishing 1-2 weeks you just need to buy better equipment

I bought the spinning reel 3 years ago as another trout set up as it came with a 5ft5 rod. It’s a size 30. However, this is the first year I have actually used it. I used it a lot in the spring but, lately not as much. Trip plunger seems like it is moving freely not getting binned up I think it has something to do with this little plastic piece. it’s getting late I’ll dig out my schematics tommrow

Kinda rough week equipment wise FML. First, last Sunday I was throwing cranks with my phuelgar supreme 5;4:1 bait caster. I’m just bombing cranks out there. bomb the next cast out. I start to reel and all of a sudden the reel feels really lose like it wants to fall off the rod. I start to screw down the foam piece on the rod to tighten the reel. hear a pop, look down and the reels only being held by the fishing line spooled through the eye lit. Somehow the ears on the frame that connects the reel to the rod broke. They were made out of some sort of metal not plastic. Sucks because, breaking the frame means it’s terminal and up until that point that reel hand been a work horse. I dunno if had a tiny stress cracks in it from something previous that just got worse over time or what. I don’t baby my stuff but, I don’t beat or abuse it either. finally yesterday I’m using my president spinning reel throwing wacky rigs in my dobyns colt and reel is working fine. I set the rod down pick up the crank rod. Come back to the wacky rig rod throw out a cast. Go to flip the bail back to the reel position and nothing. Awesome, bail won’t flip back or forth. Sweet 2nd reel to die In a week. Luckily I had my abu premier with me so i didn’t need to tear it down. I’m thinking the bail spring hopefully some how just slipped out of position. Should be a fairly simple fix. I was going to buy $250-300 heavier jig rod/reel and $250-300deep cranking rod/reel this winter so I’ll add another higher quality light cranking reel and probably a better spinning reel to the list. I’ve had decent luck with the other Korean made reels however, pfluegars not so much. going to be a expensive winter haha

That was the most intense drop off I’ve fished. Probably went around at least half the lake. All The fish except the last 2 which, were shallow were caught in 10-12 ft of water. If I could find a like 10-15 step midway down the drop off before it went deep I could mark and catch fish. Didn’t even mark any thing on the drop off that went right to 30ft

I swap most of my trebles out to kvd triple grips extra shorts extra strong. Only time I don’t is for instance spro’s already come with gamas installed. If they already have good hooks installed even though, it’s not my preference brand I’m not going take the time to put the triple grips on. I’ll wait until the originals are dull or damaged the Berkley hooks are pretty good for being a stock hook. I hate the hooks that come on the strike king or strike king kvd cranks

Best bass day of they year as far as size and weight. Fished little field lake in Isabella co Michigan. I think this lake was a old gravel pit the drop off goes almost straight down like a cliff from 2ft to 30 ft of water. Water very clear can see almost 16-18 feet down. Caught a 4lber on a strike king 5xd ( forget the name but pictured). The rest came on a arkie jig I make with a googan summer craw bandito bug for a trailer. Glad I took a half day off from work to come up here

I believe I could get the bigger size to fit on a 4/0 hook. smaller size probably 2/0

They work just as good as any craw. I used to use them river fishing for smallies. You can either use a round jig head or t-rig them. I think they work better for more finesse stuff in clear water

Like I said anything spro has been on fire this year. Including the little John’s

Dickerson lake Montcalm county. First 3 photos: came while punching pads with my handmade/home made jig with 6th sense stroker craw green pumpkin burst for a trailer. Fish were 15,15, and 16 inches 4th picture is my punch jig I make. 5th photo is my jig next to a dead craw dad that the 3rd fish ( biggest fish) fish puked up, match the hatch!!!! Photos 6 and 7 are fish I caught while dragging the drop offs with a green pumpkin Arkie jig that I make . Also used a 6th sense striker craw trailer in color green pumpkin burst Last photo is a pike I caught while punching the pads punching pads is probably one of my favorite things to do while, bass fishing

Jig and craws really come into their own late July, August into September. However, when I think of the dog days I think of pitching/punching heavy cover with heavy jigs.

I had some of those storms too. Those were part of what I gave away. ive broken a couple of the circuit board ones before back in the day but, that’s only because it took a direct hit on rock while casting it a 100000mph. Not the cranks fault I guess I should pick some more up. Anything spro has been killer this year for me. They have been worth the extra little bit of money. Plus they come with decent gammy hooks and I don’t swap them out until they get damaged

I do a lot of bigger river fishing. With lots of snags. So there are times I do get hung up a bit. I guess I’d rather loose the jig or t-rig rather than something happening to my rod

Biggest reason I use a leader on my braid rods is just so it is easier to break off if it gets snagged. When I am in northern mi there are a lot of gin clear waters. So a flourish leader is a must imho. Regular water probably not

What is the difference between the 2 types of square bills other than the circuit board is more fragile? I’m throwing square bills more and more especially in rivers. I bought some of the circuit boards 8+ years ago. Never used them and gave them away. Recently bought another one due to liking the color and it has been working well.

launched on the Saginaw, than went up the Shiawassee river, and then up the flint river ( Shiawassee and titabawassee form the Saginaw. The flint dumps into Shiawassee 2 miles south of where the Shiawassee and titabawassee meet) Also, caught my my first fish on a ribbon tail ( Berkeley power bait black blue fleck) worm ever. Another bass milestone in the books. Caught about 15 bass total most came while fishing on the Shiawassee and the walleye came from the flint . Most were 13 inches but, caught 2 over the legal limit. 1 14 inch large mouth and a 15 inch large mouth. The 2 walleyes came on a spro sexy shad square bill. The bigger walleye was only 14. Also caught a nice bow fin. Thought I had a big bass on until he came to the boat Also, hooked into what I think was a big cat. I was using a crank when all of a sudden I thought the crank snagged up hard but, than the snag started moving. Got him close to the boat but , never saw him.

This one was a good one in water with about a foot of visibility and over cast conditions

Fished the mighty titabawassee river yesterday ( Saturday). I wanted to motor up the Shiawassee but, with a 15-20 mph south wind it would have made boat control a pain. So I decided to put in at center street. I caught a just under legal pike. 4-5 small large mouths, another 14 inch smallie and I lost a big smallie on a jig and craw. Lost a walleye at the boat too. This black/red/sparkle spro caught most of the bigger ones. One more week of working 12 hrs than I should be back to 8 hours 6 days a week Not a big fish day but, I’ll consider it a successful day considering how the fishing seasons been So far . apparently I was racing a tornado home. I had just turned south on hemlock coming off swan creek when the wife called. The funnel went through the launch area and where I was fishing about 30 minutes after I left. Storms were forecasted but, we’re supposed to be a little later. I could here thunder in the distance and decided to head back to the launch. Good thing I did

Back on the board after a slow couple of weeks of not catching much. Only day off for the 4th was Saturday. Wife and daughter went to Frankfort while I worked. I decided to go to Au Gres which, is on the west side of the northern part of Saginaw bay. spent 10 hrs and Fished in the cat tails mainly in shallow water. All fish except the perch came on a wacky rigged maxx scent baby bass general worm . the bowfin was also caught with the wacky rig. The perch hit a crank which, ripped its gills up. So I kept him and put him in my cooler. I Fillet him up when I got home. it’s been a rough year kinda. So far I’m the king of 3.0 lbs bass. Haven’t been able to get anything bigger.

Zoom 4 inch green pumkin tube. So far I have had more success on the zoom tubes more than anything else. They Killl smallies and large mouth alike. Fishing lakes I use an internal jig usually 1/4 oz. most rivers I t-rig it unless I’m fishing the Shiawassee I’ll use a 1/8 oz jig. . Cabelas sells a house brand jig heads dirt cheap. The strike king tube jigs are good too just more money

Only used my kayak or canoe to get from spot to spot on the river. Than I would wade short sections than move onto the next promising spot. I guess if you were going to stay in the kayak to fish shorter would be better

Browning made rods too or atleast had thier name slapped on them. I had one as a kid. They were usually cheaper spinning rods

I use to catch a lot of smallies on 6ft6 spinning rods with Xl mono. This was before I knew anything about rods. Now I would prefer a 7ft spinning set up though with keeping the 8 lbs berkly xl mono

Rod or reel color has never entered the equation in my decision. If I pick up a neon rod and I like the way it feels I buy it. If I don’t like how it feels I don’t buy it. However, I do like white rods. I like my carbon light 2.0 a lot for looks and feel. also somthing to be said about the traditional colors like st.croix produced

Frogs and 4 inch yum dingers for mojo rigging . More specifically yum makes a watermelon Pearl laminate 4 inch dinger that his been killer on clear lakes while on a mojo rig. Actually mojo rig is one of my more favorite techniques at the moment