Basseditor

The O H Ivie phenomenal fishing is the result of a "not-so-perfect" storm. I knew the fish are there — I wrote about 10 pounders being caught last August in my magazine fishing column. Normally, the winter warms gradually here. A warm stretch followed by cold spells spreads out the big bass coming shallow. Not too warm and not too cold and both are short lived. This year we had almost a week of single digit temperatures — then it warmed quickly in one week. All the big ones turned on at once. IMO

I have an old analog one. Is the one in this PDF digital?

Guess I'll have to go find my old color selector. It's in a box some where.

If I use a $500 reel and still don't catch fish, I can't blame my equipment. But it looks impressive to my 100 YouTube followers. ? ?

1) Gitzit — special rigging (exposed hook facing backwards and stainless steel screw pushed in the nose). 2) Bubblegum Senko

For me too: Red Ambassadeur 5000 in 1963. For my 10th birthday.

I got 3 from Tackle Trap.

I have been working like crazy all year and not fishing much so I got my fix by collecting gear.

I got some thin copper wire and wrapped some. But it seemed like too much work for me. So, I put a small zip tie on all my spinnerbaits and jigs that aren't already wire tied. The wire looks better and may last longer but zip ties are working so far.

I have many identical set ups in threes. Once you get dialed in, nothing wrong with having three of everything. You never know when you'll break off or get a backlash so bad you can't save it on the water. There's time for fixing when you're off the water. In fact, when I find combos I like, I try to have three rods/reels all the same of each. Some I have four, actually. (That's how I ended up with 75 combos.)

basseditor — I came up with the idea when I was editor at BASSWEST magazine. I'm still an editor and bass fish, so I continue to use it on all my social media, forum and YouTube accounts.

LMH (3 power for lighter baits and weightless Senkos). I got two Heliums on the last sale and I had forgotten how nice they are. I usually use Zbones. I like the action of the Zbone because I don't use fast action much. The two Heliums I bought are 6'9" MH/Fast. That rounds out my collection nicely. It's a big nut to crack when you try to get to the deepest 50% discount, so I save up and buy once a year or so when they have the really big discounts. I like the KLX for some moving baits but for hard core chatter baits, medium crankbaits, I go with the Feel-N-Reel. I'm surprised how much vibration I can feel through that tip.

I hate moving too. A neighbor who moved went down to where the day workers mill about and he hired two to help load the truck. It was cheap labor. He bought pizza for lunch too. The hardest part is boxing stuff and protecting furniture with blankets. If you can, get some large rolls of plastic cling wrap to hold blankets in place.

I would make sure to get permission first, before using anyone's logo.

I have 20+ 8.1:1 for Texas rigs, weightless flukes and Senkos, buzz baits, Toads, etc.

May I suggest checking out Kistler Rods sale going on until Saturday. I know not on your list but the sale price will get you to your ballpark budget.

Just seconds before seeing this thread, I ordered two new Kistler Rods (shorter than I normally get) to get this skipping down better. Some of our tournament lakes have a lot of docks. BTW, Kistler has a sale going on until Saturday. I've been debating whether to pull the trigger so I got two so I can go and blow up reels faster.

What is needed: 1) a big commitment from a community (upfront money) 2) large convention center 3) lots of hotel rooms 4) restaurants 5) a big population center nearby

I’m with you. I prefer closed loop. I’ve had line slide down the r-bend when fighting big fish. I use a snap so closed is faster. On the r -bend I put a piece of tubing over the bend so I can attach a snap.

I just wrapped some copper wire (craft store type) around some spinner baits tonight but got frustrated with how tedious it is. So, I went back to using small zip ties. It’s pretty fast and easy.

I’ve been in the outdoor “industry” full time since 1978. I had just finished college and began working with an outdoor magazine (ad sales and editing). Pay was very low. So, I started off working for a hunting guide doing grunt work. Cleaning, cooking, taking care of horses, etc. He didn’t have fishing guide clients so I did that in summer on my own. My first year, I was only home 5 nights. After 5 years, I was burned out. But... I made a little money and began a sporting goods store. Lost all my savings. Closed up. A friend got me a job at a leasing company. I lasted 3 months but did make some good deals that paid well. I wanted a bass boat but no one in the area carried the one I wanted. I went to a small boat dealer and told him what I was looking for. He called the factory with me in his office. He had to buy 4 boats to get started, but didn’t know the bass boat market so was leery. I had been fishing tournaments for a couple of years so I knew people. I pledged to pay for the four boats (no motors) and he became a Mercury dealer and got the motors needed through Mercury’s flooring company. I sold all 4 before they even arrived (including mine). He made me his sales manager and I spent 10 years selling boats. It was feast or famine though. Someday I’ll tell how I transitioned back to the magazine business where I’ve been for the past 25 years.

1963 Chevrolet Impala. It was white with a 283. It was mint, even though it was a few years old. My dad helped me get it for $600. (I worked in his cabinet shop since I was 10 so he’d buy stuff rather than give me a wage.) When I came home from my first year of college, my younger brother and his friends had painted it turquoise and put in a 327. It never ran very good after that. They tried, unsuccessfully, to soup it up. My brother claimed that because I was off to college, I had “abandoned” it so it was his. Then a couple years later I bought a ‘71 Pontiac GT. (Poor mans GTO.) I loved that car but as you know, the gas embargo made a 6 mpg car impracticable. Both those cars would be worth some money now.

The latest model doesn’t have the white tip. The rods are perfect for moving baits.

I started following this forum and read a lot of talk about high end reels like the Steez. I bought one used from someone on here. I now have more than 10. I have close to 10 Zillions too. When I compare those to my Tatula models, although there is nothing wrong with the Tatulas, I usually reach for the Steez equipped rods. I must say, however, the Tatula Elite P/F is perfect for how I like to fish heavy cover. I don’t think I’d use a Steez for that.

I’ve liked a lot of different brands since my first Abu (1963). But I committed to Daiwa a few years ago because I like to play with different spools, bearings, etc. With one brand I can keep a smaller stock of parts. I have more than 60 Daiwa bait cast reels now. I’m relatively new to customizing reels so I wish I had started sooner before the ZPI spools were gone. I have ZPI spools I’ve been trying in different reels. I bought two used reels that have ZPI spools in them, just to get the spools. I love the Elite P/F I just tried, but I have Steez and Zillions too. There are three more models I want still, one is the new Alphas. But I’m placing myself in buying hiatus until I sell some I don’t use.