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Way too short. But thanks.

I've been using Matzuo 5/0 light wire offset shank worm hooks for 10" worms and Horny Toads. I'm down to my last few and I can't find anymore anywhere. I think Matzuo stopped making them? They are about a 1/2" longer than Gamakatsu 5/0 round bend offset shank worm hooks. They have a semi wide-gap. They are, by far, the best hooks I've used for Horny Toads and big worms. Does anyone know where I can get some, or who makes a similar alternative? It needs to be long.

Oh come on, now. Now you're just being silly. I know you have your favorites (which are better than everything else in every way ) but the Spook is ancient and was producing fish when the Sammy was known only to God. I have a few Sammys and they are nice, if expensive lures. But they they don't produce any better for me than my Spooks. And at their premium price, I would expect them to do so. So I can hardly consider them better. Prettier, yeah. I've got a few G-Splashes, too. But they don't hold a candle to my Lucky 13s. I'd take a Lucky 13 over a LC G-Splash any day. This is one area where LC has NOTHING that is substantially better than what Heddon has been prodicing for decades.

My biggest boated is a 90+lb bigeye tuna off Oegon Inlet, NC. Biggest unboated is a sand shark, undetermined weight, off Cape Charles, VA at night. I estimated that at 200+lbs. Caught on a live 10" croaker in about 90 feet of water.

Here's the results of my last shark encounter. Mack fishing on my brother-in-law's boat out of Oregon Inlet, NC.

Spooks have probably caught more bass than all LCs combined.

All octane is is a anti-knock addititve. It causes gasoline to ignite at a higher temperature. The vast majority of car don't need higher than 87 octane. Nowadays, the only cars that specifiy anything higher than 87 are cars with "high performance"' engines that operate at high temperatures.

Probably - it's a lowland species. That map I posted showing the distribution doesn't mean that the snake can be found in every part of the shaded area. Snakes develope and live in isolated populations from each other (some larger than others). Populations can develope, then be seperated by human developement - highways, or houses. Weather events and flooding can disperse populations. And of course, snakes won't be found in unsuitable habitat. Cottonmouths prefer lowland areas with sutiable hibernating areas close to water. You may find hundreds of cottonmouths near a pond or lake, and then not find any 1/2 mile away in some rocky hills. In the reservoir near where I live, cottonmouths can be found in the northern portion of the reservoir, which has become very swampy due to a beaver dam. But you find hardly any in the southern part of the lake which is less than a mile away. I haven't seen any for years outside this reservoir complex.

The Extreme series is a nice series - especially if you can get them on sale. I've seen them on sale for $65 and then they are very good rods. But at their normal price of $99, I think there are better rods. For $90 the All Star American Classic (AC CRC 7' MH/F) is a great choice. This is a my c-rigging rod and it is very sensitive and extremely tough. For around $100 the Team All Star IM10 (TAS 846C) is awesome. I have sever Team All Star rods and they are fantastic.

That map only shows the distribution of the "Eastern" Cottonmouth. You have the "Western Cottonmouth" in Arkansas. Florida has the "Florida" Cottonmouth. This shows the distribution of all three species.

You're supposed to keep them sealed. They'll last a long time if you keep them zipped up in their original bag. I bought some 3" Gulp minnows in black shad two years ago and I just used the last of them last week. I frankly forgot I had them and they were still good. Stinky, though.

I owned a Premier for all of 2 days. I spooled it and cast with it and decided I just liked the STX better and returned it for that. I think the STX feels smoother, and the Premier just felt too light.

It's alright, Mike. It appears some people don't understand nostalgia. It isn't about being better than what's available today, it's about bringing back memories of days long gone. My first spinning reel was a 300, on an old Ted Williams rod. I still have the rod, and I'd give my right pinky toe to have the reel back. For those that don't want to start fishing with their antiques, maybe you should - before you die without having fully appreciated them. As much as I like my new Revos, swimbaits and japanese-made jerkbaits, they don't come close to providing the relaxation of a spincast reel, a simple rod, some aberdeen hooks, a handful of bobbers and a cage full of crickets. I keep some "junk" around just for that purpose.

The Toro looks like an all new reel. The frame is obviously different from the Revo. They look like two different reels.

Abu Garcia Cardinal 600ALB or 700LX. These have the whopper carbon matrix drag of the Revos. The 700 is very similar to the 800s. I have four 800 and my 804 has hauled in several stripers. Someone around here got a 700LX for $49 after all the rebates and discounts. 600ALB 700LX

I'm not saying it's not possible, but it's not likely either. The northernmost population of Eastern Cottonmouth exists here in Virginia, at the confluence of the Appomattox and James River, near Hopewell. The next northernmost population occurs in Newport News, Virginia, where I live. No Eastern Cottonmouths have been found north of Petersburg, VA. None have been found on the Delmarva Peninsula. Ranges (Distribution) are carefully documented through the collection of voucher specimens. Most states have herpatology societies that perform much of these collections through field surveys and followups on rumors. Once a voucher specimen has been collected, it has to be authenticated by an authoritative entity, like a university. Once that it done, a range "extension" can be submitted to some journal or publication. Then it takes time to be accepted by the herp community. On two occassions in 2006 I saw cottonmouths in the swampy northern edge of Chickahominy Reservoir in New Kent County, Virginia. I contacted an environmental scientist at a local university and advised him of my observations. But without a voucher specimen or a good photograph where both species and location can be verified, my observation only amount to an anecdotal account of a snake being where it isn't expected. Where I saw those snakes is half way between Hopewell and Newport News so a snake being there would be VERY close to it's natural range. But it would not be accepted. A cottonmouth in Delaware is so far outside it's known range, over land and water barriers, that a population there is highly doubtful. if one or two exists, they are probably released captured snakes. There is a lot of science that goes into determining the range of a snake. The internet just gives you the broadest result without the science that went into it. Here is a map showing loations where voucher specimens have been collected. The red dot indicates where I saw the cottonmouths in 2006.

I'm going to try that. The parts of my main lake I like the best have about 1-2 feet of relatively clear (if tea colored) water. Everything below that is thick algea. Getting anything into that algea results in a snot covered lure. I have to stay in that 1-2 foot strata or I won't catch fish. I fished GYCB swim senkos and Zoom 10" ribbon tailed worms (fished slowly like a swimbait) and was pretty successful. I had some creatures with me. I wish I had tried them now.

I'd give you mine, but I already gave them away. I tried all five in a bag and the only time they performed as I expected they should was when buzzing them over the water. Otherwise, they all rolled onto their sides or in one case all the way over. Not good performance IMO. Seems like everyone of them had one leg heavier than the others. Nevertheless, I managed to get several strike and saw one bass pick one up. I set the hook and yanked the hole frog out of its mouth. The hook was still in the frog like I just put it there. I never had that problem with Horny Toads or Yum Buzz Frogs.

I bought the Rage Tail toads with great expectations. I love fishing toads. And the Rage Tails looked awesome. I rigged them with a 5/0 Owner wide gap hook with the little corkscrew - just like I do with Zoom Horny Toads. This is what I discovered: 1) It is harder to slip those Rage Tails thru cover than the Horny Toads 2) The Rage Tails work best "buzzed." They do prodice more action than the Horny Tpad when buzzed. However, when slowed down, mine rolled on their sides, and one all the way over on its back. 3) The plastic SEEMS harder than the plastic in the Horny Toad. It seems much harder to push a hook through and I missed three hook sets on three strikes - which is HIGHLY unusual for me and Horny Toads. I know a lot of thought went into these, but I don't care for them. I'm sticking with Horny Toads, which perform and produce very well for me.

That's the same frame material that the Revo Inshore uses. Essentially, it's an Inshore with more and upgraded bearings, and a lower gear ratio. It's got the centrifugal brake. Nice looking reel. Shimano has been on their game for ages. This is just Abu Garcia finally playing some badly needed catch up.

There it is - brutha! I knew a cranking Revo had to be coming - the rumors were correct. Good looking reel, too. http://www.***.com/descpageRLCABUGAR-AGRW.html

I suspect it's going to cost more than the Cardinal 800s.

I'm waiting on the Revo Toro. I need a cranking reel for my new Elite Tech rod. The Reese reel is cool looking, though.

Yes. And also cottonmouth and rattlesanke venom. Not so much coral snake venom.

VERY nice. Those are great snakes to have around.