Micro

Yep, Morris Creek in particular. When I die, I want my ashes scattered there. I love that crick.

Thanks. I just wanted to start somewhere. I'm looking forward to trying this. Does it sound feasible to "troll" the drop-shot rig? By that I mean drift with the tide? The tide comes into these creeks very slowly and out again. It seems to me that bouncing that rig off the bottom along that channel with the water as it flows in and out makes sense. Or is the rig supposed to stay planted on the bottom?

I was at BPS the other night and noticed that the "old model" Browning Citori spinning reels are on sale for $49. I know a lot of people here don't care for Browning fishing products. But I have one of these Browning Citori reels and they really are fantastic. The spool is very nice, and is finished very well inside and especially out. The lip of the spool is covered in titanium nitride. The drag knob has a big gasket to keep water out. The drag is very strong and the adjustment has a very precise feel and a nice click. There is a ball bearing under the spool that really reduces spool wobble. The reel is extremely well balanced and it is super smooth. The bail is very traditional - it closes with a satisyfing "click." The line roller is coated in titanium. The reel is finished in a very attractive blue/grey metallic paint and has been very durable. There is no bling on this reel. The handle is a laminated wood handle like on Pfluegers. It is an 8 bearing reel and is made in Korea. This reel used to retail for $89-$99. No it's about 1/2 price. It has been replaced in the BPS line up by a new Citori reel that is dark blue, and covered in shiny bling. It's just not the same. The guy at the coutner told me they only had few in stock since they are not producing it anymore. If you are in the market for a nice reel, check these out - if they have them. They are really very good reels. At $50 bucks, and to a guy that has used this reel, that's a sleeper deal.

I only bought 1/4 oz weights.

It seems they are sort of a hybrid. But since the name is X-Rap, seems to me the intent is that you fish them like a jerkbait or slashbait.

I bought a half dozen or so of both sizes. Can't wait to try them. I especially like the finish - transparent with the reflective material inside. Some of my regular X-Raps have been chewed up by pickerel and feel like sandpaper. But they just keep shining.

Thanks for the replies, guys.

I want to try drop shotting. I don't know much about it except what I've read. But I think it's a technique that may pick up some fish in some of the creeks I like to fish. I bought some red Owner Mosquito Hooks (for drop shotting) in size 1 and 2, and some 1/4 oz cylindrical drop shot weights with the little wire doo-dad at the top that clings to a knot in your line. I also bought some of the BPS XPS hand poured drop shot baits - in shad and watermelon colors. I also have a selection of smaller tubes, grubs, finesse worms, and wobble head worms in various colors. I'm sure I have a rod/reel combo that would do. I have the following spinning outfits: 6'6" medium light/medium fast spinning w/ 6# mono 6'6" medium/medium spinning w/ 8# mono 6'6" medium/fast spinning w/ 8# mono 6'6' medium heavy/fast spinning w/ 10# mono 7' medium/fast spinning w/10# mono 7' medium heavy/fast with 12# mono I realy don't want to buy a new specialty drop shot rig, and I want to stay with mono. Which would be the best choice for this technique in a tidal creek with max depths of about 15-18 feet? Do you tie more than on hook/bait on your line? Or just one? How high above the weight do you tie your hook? Here's some background: The creek(s) I like to fish is a tidal creek that comes off a larger river. The bottom is hard sand/gravel. The depths near the edges of the creek are very shallow for several yards from the bank, then drop off steeply to form a sort of narrow channel in the middle of the creek. As I pass over this channel, my fishfinder indicates larger fish holding at about 8-12 feet. Lately, they have been non-responsive to my crankbaits. The water this time of year is a little milky/cloudy. Any other advice would be appreciated.

Never land a squid with your mouth open

Got mine, too. I foresee hours of bathroom pleasure. I mean reading, Mr. Dirty.

The Curado has "shielded" stainless steel bearings, whereas the Chronarch has anti-rust bearings (ARB) which is an open bearing design.

Grrrr. Our Walmart never has the X-Rap, X-Rap Shad, Glass Rap...

The good thing about the X-Rap is that it has a very good action no matter how you fish it. Fishing it in the manner of a jerkbait is not that hard to learn. Look at the Rapala website and see the video. Find some clear water and practice. Watch the action in the water and you'll get it very quickly. On the other hand, the X-Rap has a nice action on a steady retrieve. It has a nice ungulating action like a lazily swimming fish. I have found this to be EXTREMELY productive for pickerel, especially in the spring. I've caught some whopper pickerel swimming this bait over or next to weeds.

I posted this a few days ago on the exact same questions: All the Revos, regardless of model, open the same way: 1) Start by loosening the knurled screw at the top/front of the handle-side side plate. The screw will not come all the way out. You'll know, though, when it's loose. 2) Twist the brake-side side plate clockwise about 1/8 of the turn then lift off. 3) Once the side plate is off, you'll see the brake. They are little plastic weights on pins - 6 of them. You turn them "on" by pushing the weights up on the pin, or "off" by pushing them down on the pin. There are 6 of them and you can adjust one, any, or all of them to achieve the desired performance. 4) Once you adjust them, place the sideplate back on the reel at the same angle you took it off, then twist it counterclockwise to lock it into place. 5) Re-tighten the screw. DO NOT use a screw driver, only twist it thumb/finger tight.

I'm with Fletch and Raul. I use 15# - 20# mono for all frogging - in my case Stren Original or Trilene XL. I tried braid, didn't like it, and went back to mono. Mono works fine.

You're right Allen, I already bought one ebay in chartreuse shad! ;D I still would like some info on the US shad though. Are those slim shad's available online? That's right. Most of us rely on YOU to tell us how they perform

Looks like a Rapala Glass Shad copy. There' a review of it on TackleTour I believe. Edit: oops, that's the LC Bevy Shad. Looks the same, though.

The 802 is a good size for that.

You can figure that the majority of the sightings are misidentifications. A portion will be sightings of normally colored animals where lighting or some other factor "fool" the observer. A portion will be outright fabrications. Others will be unverified sightings. I didn't see the show, and I've never heard of a melanistic (black) cougar. I've see black jaguars in pictures so we know those exist. So I wouldn't discount the possibility that a black cougar, or a small or scattered population of black cougars exists somewhere. You gotta figure, people have been "sighting" cougars in the east for years where they aren't "supposed" to exist. And these are normally colored animals. So a dark cougar from an area where cougars are known to live doesn't seem like such a stretch to me.

Jaguars are native to the US southwest. Melanism (dark pigmentation) in Jaguars is known. So a melanistic Jaguar in Arizona is quite believeable to me.

How do Norman Speed Clips pop open? You have to force them open to get them on, then the natural spring tension closes them. It can be quite a chore getting them to open. On the contrary normal snaps are tensioned to pop open. You have to squeeze them closed. I've never had a Norman open up on its own. I've reeled up plenty of lures on conventional snaps that have popped open, though. I don't think I've ever lost a bait off a snap, though I've lost plenty of lures WITH THEIR snaps. Get the Normans. As long as you put the lure one right, it's the most secure clip out there.

You found buried treasure!!! Great find

The Max does look a little bigger than the Revo. Probably something to do with the polymeric.

I have 3. 804 on Fenwick HMG 7' HM 802 on Fenwick HMG 7' M 802 on Fenwick HMX 6'6" ML By far the best spinning reels I've used. First, they are very smooth. The bail opens and closes with a refined click. No gear feel. No back play at all. The spools (it comes with an extra) appear to be forged aluminum and are very nicely finished - inside and out. Second, they are build exceedingly well. Everything about them appears overbuilt. The main shaft is stainless steel, with the Abu Everslik coating. The shaft has two stacked ball bearing that support the spool which eliminates spool wobble even under heavy drag pressure. Try wobbling the spool by hand and it's rock solid. The reel is all metal - aluminum body, sideplate, rotor, and bail arms. The bail itself is overbuilt and very thick. The finish is a dull black crinkle finish and appears very tough. My brother in law has several he uses for saltwater striper fishing. They get used extremely hard and get banged around in the boat and look and perform as well now as they did when he got them earlier this year.

That's a fine looking fish, young man. You'll be remembering that fish 50 years from now.