ww2farmer

Simmer down. Kolb is at best a stronger armed version of Fitzpatrick. I would have rather seen them just keep Fitz.

St Croix Avid 7' MH/F. Got a new St Croix Rage 7'1" MH/F this winter and that will be the frog rod this coming season, so I can leave a jig or t-rig on the Avid all the time.

All year long. Ice out till ice up, and then through the ice. Seriously. If your not catching them, it's because your not around them. I used to do a lot of fishing for bluegills for the first two-three weeks after ice out. My number one method was a waxworm wacky rigged on a #8 hook under a slip bobber. Set the depth on the float to just dangle the bait above them, and use just enough weight to get the bait to slowly sink and pull the line through the float up to the stopper, but not stand it up, set it so the bite stands it up. They bite so light this time of year, often time they just mouth it and sit there, not even taking the float down, but even a light bite would make the float twitch up. But like I said,I would let it sink till the bobber met the stop, let it sit for a little bit, jiggle, then pull the line back up through the bobber, pull the rig 5 feet closer, let it sink and repeat. I was never skunked on this technique on dozens of different ponds, canals, creeks and lakes that I had access to, and would often catch limits in just 2-3 hours after work, but the key is you have to be around them. But when you do find them this time of year they will be stacked big time. I always liked the corners of ponds next to the dike with deep water close or in the deepest water in the BACK of a creek. If you want to catch one in upper 30, low 40 degree water that's the way to go. Leave the spinners at home until it warms up.

Trilene knot.

First of all are you talking about that slimy, bottom hugging, non rooted filamentous algae, or are you calling an actual plant that grows on the lake bottom, like milfoil, hydrilla, ell grass, coon tail, etc.......algae? Knowing what your calling "algae" can help us help you.

I have two Curado 51e's one a 7' Medium power, fast action rod that I use 20lb braid on. Another on a 7' MH power, fast action rod with 30lb braid. I pitch with both. No problems. Match the line to your presentations, rod power, and cover you will be fishing. That reel will handle most any size line for bass fishing.

As I said in my other post, St Croix's customer service is second to none. People tend to get mad when things break, and then get all kinds of stupid about it, because we live in a world now where nothing bad happening to someone/thing is ever their own fault, and if it's not fixed NOW THE WAY I WANT IT, spouting off with mouthfuls of garbage is their only outlet.

I fished Fenwick rods, namely HMX's and Eagle GT's for many years before I switched to St Croix. I had quite a few HMX's including the 7' MH/MF HMX circa 2005-2007, and other than flipping very heavy cover, it was my primary jig/worm, and spinnerbait rod. It was an excellent rod for those applications. I used both fluorocarbon and braided line on it, but mostly braid. It was not quite as stout as a MH powered St Croix, in fact it was closer to my 7' M power, fast action St Croix rods. Sensitivity was on par with any SCII rods I have or have had (Mojo, Triumph, Premier, etc..) But what I liked better about the St Croix's and why I switched was....#1 Availability and selection, St Croix's can be found on every rack, in every store in the area, in all the lengths/powers/actions I want. #2 St Croix's customer service/warranty is second to none. #3 The Fenwicks, after 2-3 years of hard use looked like they had been used hard, St Croix's components, finish, fit, even on their imported rods, is/was superior to Fenwicks. And #4, comparably spec'ed rods, at similar price points the St Croixs are lighter. I made the full switch to St Croix in 2010 after having a mix of the Fenwicks, Croixs, and Kistlers prior to that. So I don't have any first hand knowledge of the latest offerings from Fenwick, but they have always made a good product, I would think the latest generation of HMX's wouldn't be any different, in fact I would hazard to take a guess and say the current line of HMX's are built on similar, if not the same blanks as the 2005-2007 era rods I owned, with only updated "cosmetics".

When I want one that flaps and causes a commotion...Netbait Paca craws. When I want a subtle bait........GYCB craws. I have a few "new to me" craws that I am going to try this year. All from the Berkley Havoc line, the Rocket Craw, the Craw Fatty, and the Slop Craw.

Soft plastics: Straight tail worm Ribbon tail worm Beaver style flipping bait Soft stick bait Fluke type soft jerkbait Hollow body frog Hard baits: 1/2oz. Lipless crank medium sized square bill crank Small mid range diving crank medium sized deep diving crank 5" Suspending jerkbait Walk the dog top water bait Popper top water bait 1/2 ounce flipping jig with a chunk style craw trailer 3/8 ounce finesse jig with a smaller size chunk style craw trailer 3/8 ounce Colorado/willow tandem spinnerbait 3/8 ounce buzzbait. That stuff to me is Bass fishing 101, and you can do very well sticking to the basics. Every one has there favorite brands/colors. They all work.

Both. Spinning gear with 15lb braid and an 8 or 10lb fluorocarbon leader for light cover, clear water situations. Spinning gear with straight 20lb braid for skipping under docks. Casting gear with 20lb braid and 12lb fluoro leader for a little heavier cover, and casting gear with 30lb braid and a 17lb fluoro leader for thick cover. It's important to match your hooks to the line/rod combo your using. I won't use the light wire wacky jigs with the heavy casting gear, just as I wont use the stout heavy hooks I rig them for use in heavy cover on the spinning gear.

I have never used leader material. I buy 200-250 yard spools of Seaguar Red Label and they last a long time. I have posted this "chart" before on how I match my braid to my fluoro. leaders Spinning gear 10lb braid w/ 6, 8,10lb leaders 15lb braid w/ 8,10,12lb leaders 20lb braid w/ 10,+12lb leaders Casting gear 20lb braid w/10,12,15lb leaders 30lb braid w/15,17,20 lb leaders 50lb braid w/17,20lb leaders

You didn't run out to stand elbow to elbow with guys on the creek banks today for freshly stocked swimming dog turds? LOL.

"Nice" days to fish this time of year are often the worst days to fish. The feeding windows are tighter in cold water, and combine high barometric pressure, post frontal conditions, with that cold water and it makes for a long slow day.

That's the same one I use on my ice pack for my graph. With a full charge I have fished for 3 full days before I needed to recharge.

I use several places, I try to buy as much as I can online from places with some form of free shipping, and that do not have NYS stores to save on sales tax. Tackle warehouse is probably #1 for me, followed by L.B.F. Locally Wal-Mart, Dicks, and Gander Mtn.

With the exception of very early, like right after ice out, everything in my arsenal is in play from the pre-spawn till late fall.

Be careful about snowjobing the competition, it will come back to bite you. How do I know??? LOL. Last year I had a couple young guys who's chain I was yanking about how/where I was catching my fish..............well those guys went out and did some of the outlandish things I was dreaming up to mess with them, AND BEAT ME TWICE last fall in tournaments. Or so they said, maybe there just messing with me....it's actually pretty dang funny. Were all friends so no harm no foul, and I think they got wise to it anyways, because the hounding me for info stopped.

Storm was bought by Normark, the parent company of Rapala, a while ago...sometime in the 90's IIRC. They changed a lot of the Storm stuff, namely the original Warts. Instead of having the bill molded as an integral part of the body, they were separate parts. People hated them. They have since gone back to the "original" way of making Warts, but many people say they are not the same as before. I actually liked the Post Rapala "clear bill" Warts. You can't find them anywhere now, and my last one was bitten off a few years ago. I have caught plenty of fish on the "new' original Warts. I like them, and it's been so long since I fished the Pre-Rapala ones, I can't honestly say I recall the differences. Looking at them side by side, they are pretty close, and as long as the new ones are working for me, I see no reason to risk losing the old ones to things with teeth, especially when some people value them dearly and they can be used for future trade/sale bait.

I feel for his family, losing a loved one is never easy, especially on/around a holiday, it's a wound that cuts deep for many years to come on what otherwise should be a happy time......... may you R.I.P. Mr. Hannon.

St Croix Panfish series 6'9" Ultra light power/fast action spinning rod. Been wanting a nice UL set for chasing bluegills, and perch around my home lake for years. Also got a spool of 4lb Power Pro micro braid, and a spool of Seaguar Red Label 4lb fluorocarbon. Now I need to sell or trade one of my extra 2500 sized spinning reels for a 1000 size.

# 4's on the front, #6's on the back. A couple are the old ones, or I assume since I have had them since the late 80's, most are not. The "new" ones I have are all the "original" wart style with the molded in bill, not the clear, separate bill that they had out shortly after Rapala took over. I don't throw the old ones any more unless I am in pike free water. Which is never, but they are sporting new hooks just in case.

I replaced the stock hooks on my warts with Mustad KVD's, they are short shank and work great.

Rub it in. LOL.....Soon, very soon I hope. In WNY, I know there is open water somewhere within an hour drive in any direction from me, but I don't like to go far the first time out, at least till I make sure there are no unseen issues with stuff from sitting around all winter. But ughhhhhhhhhhhhhh.....it's cold and snowing again here today. So that rule might get tossed out the window if it's too much longer.

I like a GYCB fat baby craw on a dropshot, or just a tube.