OldGuyAl

Never fished the P-Line braid but I like some of their other lines (not for spinning reels) like CXX. I'm sure it's good stuff. Braid on spinning reels is great but it will get line twist just like any other line. Now, braid will last you at least a whole year but you're going to have to get the twists out of the line every once in a while or you'll find that it starts wrapping itself around the end of your rod like a snake trying to crawl down your rod to your reel. So, every once in a while, run at least half the line out - in your yard or from a moving boat - and use your fingers to pull tension on it while your reel it back on. Another way cool thing about braid is that you can get extra life out of it by "turning it over" - just spool it from one reel to another and fish the "other end" for a few more months. Braid may be expensive to buy but I think it's the cheapest line to use by far. On my reels that I use mono or flouro, I have to re-spool them every month or two - that gets really expensive!

Oh, man! Sometimes I think I invented the birds nest. Actually, I have perfected a new variation I call "The Mohawk" - I believe my personal best is about 2" tall off the center of the spool. Not limited to baitcasters - after a long day of fishing wacky-rigged senkos on my spinning rigs, I developed what I call a "knitting progect" or sometimes a "full weave". I swear as I am picking through these messes that it must defy all the laws of physics how the line can tie itself in that many places all at the same time! Yep. The guy that finally invents a "line-less" fishing system will be the next Bill Gates but, until then, happy re-spooling everybody!

The Crucials are a top contender in their price range. I prefer St. Croix Avids but I would be very happy with a Crucial in my hands at any time. And, like the other guys, I also own Loomis and Kistler rods that cost more than twice as much. You won't be disappointed with the Crucial but check out the Avids, too.

I fish braid on all my spinning reels except my UL and use a leader of mono, hybrid, or flourocarbon depending upon what baits I'm fishing. I love the Sufix but the PowerPro is also pretty great. Try the 20-lb braid which is the same diameter as 6-lb mono and you'll be quite happy. If you hook a bass over 20-lbs then you've got the wrong rod and reel in your hands to begin with but, keep your drag settings reasonable. Since you're a Georgia boy like me, chances are you fish a lot of heavy cover and the abrasion resistance of both braid and flouro make a HUGE difference when that she-hawg dives under that log and you get into a tug of war with her.

x2. There isn't a better reel under $100. I know stradics and saros reel have been recommended, but at normal price they exceed your budget. So unless the bait monkey tempts and convinces you to increase your budget to acquire a stradic or saros, then the symetre is the ticket, unless you find either under budget. -pround and pleased symetre owner. I'd have to agree. I'm a Stradic-Fanatic - I have 4 right now in different sizes but, for the budget you names, I'd got with the Symetre and put braid on it. I love braid on my spinning reels and I use a swivel/leader combo to reduce line twist and increase stealth.

if you fish mono on a spinning reel then the answer to the question of how often to change it out is one simple word: continuously! ;-) Seriously, I change out about 50 yards or more about every 3rd outing. On baitcasters, about every 4th outing. Braid is actually the cheapest line you can buy over the whole season (or 2 seasons) - it really just kinda lasts forever.

depending upon your level of experience, coordination, talent, and PRACTICE, anybody can backlash any baitcaster or not. seriously, buy the very best reel you can afford - for me, that's a Revo STX and take it slow and easy. Line plays some part in the equation, too. Start with a more limp/soft/flexible line like Trilene XL before you try to spool up with the high-priced flourocarbons and co-polymers. Figure that you're going to be throwing away most of the line you put on your reel when you're first learning it. Stick with a 10 or 12lb line at the most. Braid is really easy to handle but it's pretty expensive if you have to cut a bunch of it off and throw it away after you make a comprehensive bird's nest in your reel - which you ABSOLUTELY will! Consider this - I've seen the best and most experienced anglers create total disasters in their reels due to something totally unrelated to their ability to cast - like accidentally catching your lure on something in the boat on your "back swing" (like your fishing buddy). Once you get those spools spinning, they keep spinning whether the line is going forward or not. ;-) Don't give up!

I used Google and found this: http://www.marlinnut.com/knots/sandiego.shtml another great resource I use is: http://www.animatedknots.com this site has knots for all kinds of applications with animation!

good reading! I've been trying different knots but without any "scientific" testing. I've noticed on a lot of fishing shows and TV tournaments, you'll see some of the pros re-tying a bait and using some kind of twirling motion technique while they're tying. They do this without looking and they do it really fast. So, what kind of knot are they tying when they do that? I just need to practice tying knots a lot faster. Sometimes I don't change baits just because it takes me too long to tie a decent knot. My aging vision isn't helping me with that, either. ;-)

I've been very happy with my BPS rods but I'm careful to only buy them on sale because I don't prefer them to the brand names when the prices are so close. Actually, I've been buying only used rods for a while now. You can look on all the forums and usually find an upright guy selling a barely used rod that you can't afford to buy for full retail and get it for 30% less (or better). There are always guys with a lot more money than me who like to keep upgrading and buying the latest, greatest stuff. I don't want to be like them but I want to be their "wing man". Heck! Who has ever brought a brand new rod home from the first outing that still looked new when you got it home?

Better to play it safe and go with a Revo on a Kistler LTA. ;-) why take chances?

I have the same answer as most folks - I love 'em both for different situations. For me, it's more about the weight of the bait I plan to present than anything. I feel like I can control the lighter baits fished on lighter lines much better with spinning gear. Somewhere around 1/4 oz. if my "break even" point because I can use that weight pretty equally on either. Then, it comes to a choice of line sizes - if it's 8lb line or less then, I'm going with a spinning rod. Above that, a baitcaster. This winter, I've been fishing ponds with almost nothing but spinning rods throwing almost nothing but weightless Senkos in the smaller sizes and have had lots of great bites but, I did have a monster fish break off right next to the shore - her whole back was exposed for just a second and then she bolted and snapped my 8lb line. So, like everything, it's a trade off. You've got the best perspective - the trade-off is making sure you enjoy your limited fishing time so, do it your way! There was a time when folks thought they had to apologize for bass fishing with a spinning rod but we're way past that. ;-)

I was thinking a shark rod or maybe a gun! ;-)

hmmm...I can't figure out the angst about certain companies though I certainly agree with all the "TV lures" and I can't stand to watch Roland or Dance because they just have a serial infomercial - not a fishing show. BTW - that's what I love about Zona and WGF - he never even tells you the name of a brand of gear he's using. The only product that I've ever actually bought that made me downright angry was Berkley Vanish. I still think Berkley should let anybody who bought that crap exchange it for one of their other lines. I happen to like a lot of other Berkley lines.

I fish a great deal with spinning rods/reels in sizes from UL up to MH rods with reels (all Shimano; mostly Stradics) in 750, 1000, 2500, and 4000. I've tied lots of different lines looking for that one perfect line - haven't found it yet. Anyway, braid does not seem to have twist problems and I like it a lot but I don't use it for everything because of my concerns with visibility (which not everyone agrees about). Closing the bail by hand, using a swivel, never reel against the drag, etc. all help but nothing cures line twist in mono, flouro, or hybrids completely. I tend to think of the line on my spinning reels like gas in my car - you eventually use it up and need some more. ;-) Also, I fish a lot of wacky rigs, finesse worms, weightless Senkos, and other kinds of baits that tend to spin on the retrieves - it's just going to twist the line and there's nothing you can do about it other than be prepared. Never overspool your reel! If you put more line on the reel than you should, all that extra line is going to come home with you in your back pocket. You might want to use some line conditioner spray, also. It does help a bit. Also, keep the lip of your spools very clean - same thing goes for your guides on your rod. Dried up pond gunk can catch on the line and create some problems for you. Spinning reel lines need to be of the very limp variety - lots of stiff lines like some flouro and hybrids will just "slinky" right off the reel - much, much worse with smaller diameter spools. Experiment! It's not cheap but I know of no other way to figure out what you will like. I use Trilene XL as my "base" against which I measure my satisfaction. XL always works very well until it gets twisted. BTW - use ratings that are compatible with both your rod and your reel. I use 2lb. on my UL and never go above 12lb on my 4000. Mostly, I use 4, 6, and 8lb on my 1000 and my 2500. Yes, as a matter of fact, I have lost a couple of very large bass on those lighter lines but I catch a lot more than I lose and I still got to play those big fish for a little while before they broke off so, I'm a happy guy. ;-)

Woooohoooo! I finally caught a decent fish this month! Caught a nice one on Lake Oconee but, it was weird - the thing was almost white. I mean, it had almost no color at all. I had to look at it really closely to be sure it was a bass. It was. The markings were very faint but they were there. Weird. Anyway, I got the skunk off me for the first time in over a month! Caught another one, too, but it was that first one that really made my day. Gonna try that Sandy Creek spot this weekend. Al

Cool! I know exactly the spot you're talking about and I have not tried that spot in a couple of months and haven't fished it with 'traps or jerk baits. I'm going to give it a try and let you know. BTW - that lake is basically full pool. It's our backup-backup water source but they haven't had to hit it yet. Thanks! Al

well, for a while, Senkos and flukes fished weightless were just killing 'em. Small, tight wobbling crankbaits were working, too. Spinnerbaits are working for some people but I've had nothing on them and I've tried a bunch of colors, sizes, and retrieves. I gave up on larger baits back in September and went smaller with everything and that's when I thought I had it all figured out. Switched to light line on spinning gear and that worked great until...nothing. I shouldn't complain too much - on the first day of November, I caught one over 7 pounds. Since that fish, I've caught exactly 3 fish that weighed a total of about 1 pound. Lots of days, it's just Skunk City - even on ponds that I know very well. Other ideas?

OK, I've done pretty well this year catching 'em. In fact, it has been one of my best years. Mostly fishing ponds but the occasional trip onto bigger waters. I've been fishing a long time. So, what is going on? I mean, I've caught about 4 bass total in my last 6 trips! I thought I was heading towards being the king of the fall bite around these parts because I was just whackin' 'em silly all through October and then, November came and it was like somebody just flipped a switch and turned off all the fishing. I know some of you guys are catching. I also realize that it's turning colder, the water temp is dropping, and we're in a record drought but, man! That just explains why fishing would be a little slower and a little tougher but not why it's just gone for me. I've been trying smaller baits, slower fishing, drop-shotting, ultralight, on the bottom, on the top, in the middle, etc. I hate to admit just how lost I am right now but, I'm lost. I can't get the skunk off me. I'll take any ideas I can get. I mean, I might even try crappie fishing as a last resort! ;-) Al

I love pond fishing! There are lots of great ponds - some less than an acre (especially since we're in a severe drought) that I can get to in about 15-30 minutes for an easy afternoon fish. They've got lots of bass but they seem really thin these days. I've even caught a couple lately that were just the "wrong" color - sort of gray/purplish with almost no green to them. Here in Georgia, largemouth bass are supposed to be mostly green. I'm concerned and the pond owners are happy to have me help them but I don't know much or anything about what to do. I most certainly don't want to start introducing non-native species! I just feel like I'd like to try to feed these fish that I love to keep fat and healthy for my recreational purposes. Besides, it just feels right to try to help but I know that folks sometimes try to help and end up doing more harm than good and I don't want that, either. We've been trying to cull a little bit - take some of the bass that are kind of all of one size and seem too plentiful and take out the larger bluegills. They all get eaten by somebody when we take them. Does anybody have any suggestions? Is there like a Purina Bass Chow? ;-) Al

Hey! I'm going to fish in Michigan (Portage Lake) in August and I've never even see a walleye except for TV shows. I appreciate this advice because I really want to catch one! Anybody fishing Portage? and specific advice for a southern boy who's been bass fishing for most of his life? Also, what else can I catch using basic bass fishing tackle (I'm taking 2 spinning rods and 2 baitcasters). Thanks! Al

Hey! I'm going to fish in Michigan (Portage Lake) in August and I've never even see a walleye except for TV shows. I appreciate this advice because I really want to catch one! Anybody fishing Portage? and specific advice for a southern boy who's been bass fishing for most of his life? Thanks! Al

I vote Abu Garcia Revos. ;-)

I like them both equally - no preference other than the situation and the bait I'm throwing. I don't know if this is typical or weird but I have all my spinning reels set up for left handed rereive and all my baitcasters are right handed. It just seems natural to me for some reason. It's good to be comfortable with both, I think. I am equally profecient with both and expert with neither.

abrasion resistance and some give is good. Trilene XL or Maxx may not have the greatest abrasion resistance but I like the fact that it's cheap enough that you can just strip off about 100 yards and replace it after a hard weekend. Heck! That stuff is cheaper than a 12-pack of beer and you know that 12-pack ain't gonna be around after the weekend! ;-)