T-Billy

I took a 3/8 tungsten to the elbow cap a few weeks ago. That one sucked pretty bad. Whacked my teenage boy in the back of the head with a flying pound and a halfer a couple years ago. That one was pretty dang funny. I never fish without glasses and insist anyone else in the boat wear them too. Keep your eyes safe. Everything else is merely a flesh wound.

Original UV speed craw gets my vote.

Don't use fluorocarbon unless breaking off the fish of a lifetime is something you find enjoyable.

I'm a big fan of my Curado BFS and Phenix Feather combos. 7'1" L and ML. They're a joy to fish with.

6'10" ML XF, super sensitive 40Ton blank, Fuji guides, very comfy reel seat, $129 retail. I love it for neds too.

BG is underrated and large diameter for it's claimed test. 8# BG is 10# lots of other mono. I wouldn't be a bit afraid to crank with 8# BG.

That's a cool old rod QED. Enjoy. One of those little Abu's all hotrodded like @bulldog1935 has would be sweet on that thing.

I've always heard brittleness was the reason they quit making them as well. I had a Fenwick boron 5.5' M spinning rod in the early 90's. I loved it for wading, chasing river smallies. Broke it trying to poke a snag loose. I've broken several rods this way. I'm not a smart man.?

Lew's Super Duty, 40# Sufix 832.

I have the new model BB1 and agree with those above size wise. It's feels a bit bigger than the standard LFS but it's very comfortable. It casts a mile and is very smooth. I also have an SLX XT. It's more comparable to the Lews SLP frame IMO. It's small and sits very low. I like it alot. I think it's found it's forever home on my 744 Kaden. It was my first modern Shimano purchase. On its second season and still very smooth. Long casting too. I wouldn't purchase another though unless I ran across a really good deal. I'd pony up the extra $$$ for the Curado 150.

I purchased the Scorpion and recieved it today. It's as described and Dave shipped next day. Happy customer here. Thanks, Dave.

I found tubes work great for catching them in the river when it gets low in summer and they school up in pools. Like the Z-Man baits they have a hard time letting go of a tube, and as soon as you put pressure on them the roll several times and lasso their jaws shut around it. Slimy suckers are a handfull when you land them.

I can't remember the last time I went over 1/4 with a worm. Usually 1/8 or 3/16. If wind or current require something heavier, I'll switch to a trigged creature or a jig.

I hit 'em as soon as I feel 'em generally. Circumstantial though. Yesterday, I had one pick up my trig beside a laydown and charge the boat. By the time I could catch up and get tight, it was a nearly vertical hookset and boat flip all in one motion.

I lock mine down when fishing heavy cover. Lew's Super Duty with 40# braid. Never broken a rod or reel from it, and I've had big flatheads crush my bait and run back into wood piles with it. I've made some scary sounds come out of my flippin stick when I clamped my thumb down on the spool trying to stop them though.

That's the spot. I set it and forget it.

This should be marked as the solution. Well done Choporoz. ?

I sure wish someone would remedy this situation. Given their popularity, you's think someone would produce them. My two Fuego's with shallow braid spools perform well with 1/8oz and up, but they sure don't palm like an LFS. I mostly use them for light Trigs, shakey heads, and weightless worms on 7' MH XF rods, 20# 832. They're putting a lot of fish in the boat this year.

BFS reels are great for throwing light Trigs, shakey heads, weightless worms etc. on a medium rod. I had the same issue with my KK Zephyr as everyone else. Loose line loops getting between the spool and the frame when using 6# mono or less, or light braid. The reel is very smooth and casts great however. I paired it with my 6'8" M XF St Croix Avid, and spooled it with 8# XT. 8# is large enough diameter to eliminate the line issue while still being small enough to get a good amount on the spool. This combo is a joy to fish with. It throws 1/8+ small plastic very well, while giving me a bit more power than my ML Feather.

Sounds like a good combo for small cranks, poppers, grubs, keitechs...

You're not the first person I've heard say this. I don't fish either, but I know the RB is a fish catcher. Not many seem to speak highly of the DB. I roll my own and am partial to the Ultra Molds Sweet Craw 3.5, and the Do-It Molds, Baby Berry for my Creature baits.

I wonder if there's a Bait Monkey strain? Hmmm.

Chuck ushered in a new era with his own style gleaned from the R&B guys who came before him. Those you mentioned and most everyone who came later built on the foundation Chuck laid. It's tough to pick a greatest of all time. Chuck probably made the greatest contribution to RnR. Lots of great players. When I think of greatest pickers, Roy Clark always comes to mind. That guy could flat out rip on anything with strings on it.