ww2farmer

With a little searching you can find the S for $100 on e-bay, some with free shipping. I have a couple of LH S's, best bang for the buck IMHO in a LP reel. I won't be trying any Orra's, no LH option, and especialy when I can still find/get S's at $100.

After ice out on my lake I go fairly shallow (2-6 feet). Dark bottoms, weeds, close to spawning grounds. Those fish are cold and hungry, they will go to the warmest water. Cloudy and/or windy days I throw a reaction bait like a flat sided crank, suspending jerkbait, lip less crank, sunny calm days I target cover with jigs/plastics etc...

Speed coil???? When they get fried, they go into high bypass. The part is about $60 from MG, add another $100 to it for labor at the repair shop.............if that's your problem.

I like the Super Fluke in white or watermelon, 4/0 EWG super line hook. The extra weight of the superline hook helps it sink a little deeper without messing around with weighted shank hooks. I like the shad shape worm, but as a drop shot bait.

Before buying a bunch of hard baits, buy a few, catch a few fish on them and gainsome confidence, then expand from there. Here are some baits that catch tons of fish inthe right time/place: Sub surface: Manns Baby 1- Shallow : Bandit 100 series Mid Depth: Rapala Shad Rap Lipless: Rat-L-Trap Natural colors like Shad,perch, bluegill, babybass, and craw patterns are standbuys and will catch fish any where. Get a few fish on these lures, learn when/how/why they work and go from there.

Red Eye Shad Rat-L-Trap X- Caliber Spro Aruku Shad Clackin Rap

Husky Jerk X-Rap Original Floating Rapala Thunder Stick Pointer

That rod is going to weight about 60lbs, and have as much sensitivity as a 2x10. Flip with it for 2 mins and you will curse life. If you don't want to spend a ton on a flipping rod, Berkley makes a 7'6" H telescoping flipping rod in the regular Lightning Rod Series for less than $50, they are pretty good "cheap" rods, and a much better choice. Go on e-bay and look for a Quantum Accurist PT or CX reel, they are good aluminum framed reels, and can be had New in box for $35-$60 because they are discontinued.

Finally some one else on here, besides me,who's using those hooks. They are my favorite for 5" and 6" Senkos. I like the 1/16th oz and weightless ones. For 4" baits I use the Gamakatsu finesse EWG in 2/0 both weedless and standard. For wacky rigging small baits on a DS rig I use a #1 Gammy DS hook.

So your a "poor college kid" as you put it, but your buying rods "just to buy them" and for free shirts? Then ask what people think of the rod? Yeah..............that seems like a rational way to buy a rod on a "poor college kid" budget :

Me too, I love to throw a rock at a hornets nest and see what happens.

I dare say that Clunn and Martin were at the top of there game in an era when the compition was of lesser quality. They just can't, and don't compare with with half or more of the top guys today. Martin retired before he embarrassed himself, Clunn, well he makes 1 cut a year maybe in between rambling like a senile old man on all his "zen" like crap. Take KVD, Ike, Skeet, or any of the other top guys and put them in the 1977 classic and the will smoke the field,even with the old time equipment. If you ask me, Larry Nixon, Woo Daves, Paul Ellias, and Gary Klein (to name a few) are the best fisherman to come out of that era, they have at least been relevant in the last 15 years.

I also toss spinnerbaits and shallow/mid depth cranks on the same rod, you'll be fine. Look for something rated for 1/4-3/4 oz baits, and fast action, but with a little "tip". 6'6" to 7' in length and MH power. Fenwicks HMX 6'6" MH is a good rod for less than $100, thats what I used for a few years. I replaced it this winter with a Kistler 6'9" MH Mag Ts "All purpose " special, I know a few guys who recommended that rod for those applications and love it. I have yet to use mine, but I can't see why I wouldn't like it.

Has any one used the new Strike King Hack Attack jigs yet? I just got a bunch in my last TW order. Impressions: #1 That might be the thickest hook I have ever seen on a bass jig, your not going to bend that easy. #2 Looks like a well made jig, nice paint jobs on the heads,good looking skirts #3 the only complaint...........no rattle. I often fish jigs with out a rattle, in fact most of the time I use no rattle, but what the heck Strike king, but a band on there with the removeable rattles for the times a rattle might be needed, at $4 a jig thats a little lame not to include that.

How long of a rod do you want??? I like 21" noodle rods by HT, they are only about $15, but for open water fishing ????? Hey I wouldn't do it, but if it works for you...............

OMG NO!!!!!!!!!!!! You CAN NOT use a rod made for bass fishing for walleye, I doubt you'll even get bit. : Really though, a 7' M spinning rod is a pretty good GP walleye rod. Spool up with some 8lb fluorocarbon, and go at it.

I love Kistlers. I have a Helium flippin stick. I may look for a 7'6" Mag TS. They are reasonable in price. I don't think they make a 7'6" Mag TS, you got a 7' or 7'8" (I know what's 2", but it would mater to me)

I would go with the premier, for the dual breaking and because it's NOT black and yellow.

MAKE SURE THE MOTOR STARTS AND RUNS WHILE STILL ON THE TRAILER!!!!! Either with a set of muffs and hose at home, or back down the ramp with the boat still attached far enough to get the motor in the water and try it. I have seen and waited for more than my fair share of idiots who launch the boat, go park the truck/trailer only to find the boat won't start. They always claim "it started just fine last summer". Probably because I launch 100+ times a season, but I have no tolerance for boat launch retards.......occasional or unforseen problems are one thing, they happen to every one, but man............not making sure the boat starts on day one out of storage is tops in the dum bass catagory

Skip the Mojo, I like St Croix, but that 7'H rod is a broom stick with guides wrapped on it,made for the thickest of thick grass and big lures, unless thats what you want. Almost any 7' H power/Fast action rod would be a great choice. I used a 7'H Fenwick HMX for years and liked it alot, I now have a 7' H Kistler Mag TS "Jig and Toad".......have yet to use, so I "hope" it's an upgrade.

Shallow cranks 12 lb Fluorocarbon or 15 lb Big Game Mid depth cranks 12 lb Fluorocarbon, or 30 lb braid if I am in alot of grass Deep cranks 10 lb fluorcarbon or 30lb braid Spinnerbait 12 or 15 lb fluorocarbon Jerkbait 8 or 10 lb fluoro on suspenders, 30 lb braid on floaters Texas Rig 12 or 15 lb fluorocarbon, or 30lb braid Carolina Rig 15 lb Fluoro, w/ 15 or 12 lb leader Frog/Flipping grass 50lb braid Traps 12lb Fluoro or 30lb Braid Jig 15lb Fluoro, or 50 lb braid. (12 and 30 on smaller/lighter cover jigs) Topwater 30 lb braid

None of the baits used were "new" Red Eye shads have been around for a while, in fact I think they were "new" the last time the Classic was on Lay. If any thing the winning color(s) will be hot for a bit, maybe KVD's new hooks will see a spike in sales. Yeah there will always be the crowd that runs out and buys the classic winning lure thinking it's magic, and have no clue on how/when/why to use it, but I don't see a shortage in lipless cranks any time soon.

Water only on open water................now ice fishing thats another story

Frog on top, beaver or tube punched in the middle, whacky senko on the edge.

I have been using tru-tungsten worm weights for as long as they have been out, not once did that I recall did hey ever cut the line. I have used them with braid, mono, and fluorocarbon, pegged an unpegged, 1/16 oz. -1.5 oz. I could see if you got maybe a sinker or two that slipped past QC. that had a nick in the metal........but to have this happen often is unlikely. You have other issues, bad knots, too light of line with too much rod, poor hook setting technique, or all of the above. Before you get bent out of shape and respond " I have been fishing for years, and tie great knots, or do this perfect or that perfect."...........and on and on. Just look at ALL the factors, we have all been there at point or another, regardless of experience. Just last year I broke off, or had come off a few good fish doing something I shouldn't have been, and yup my first response was to "curse" my equipment, but in all reality I shouldn't have been using a big powerful rod, with light line, a bait with stiff weed guard that need a hard hook set, and around heavy cover. We all make mistakes. Not trying to start anything. Just trying to give you an opinion from my way of thinking.