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I'm convinced that bass don't naturally predate on snakes. I've observed and caught snakes for the better part of the last 30 years and given the numbers of edible sized snakes I see in bass water, I can't draw any other conclusion. Studies have shown that bass see in color. Studies have shown that LMB actually avoid certain species of baby turtle with colors associated with species with particularly foul musks. If you've messed with reptiles for any period of time, you'll find that there isn't a turtle alive that can musk to the degree a snake can. Additonally, many "non-venomous" snakes actually have venom glands and may have venoms or toxic salivas that can be deterimental to fish. I think if bass are hitting plastic snakes, it's purely a reflex response and not a predation strike. If you want to fish plastic snakes, I think Mann's has a new 10" snake... http://www.mannsbait.com/Images/NewProducts_FW_Scaled.jpg ...that looks a lot more versatile. Like a fat-headed worm. Helluva lot cheaper, too.

A lot of people, including myself, like spinning outfits better than baitcasting outfits for throwing really light baits. Some baitcasters, paired with a good rod and spooled with appropriate line, will handle light baits. But I think most people would be better off with a spinning outfit for light lures. Baitcasters shine with moderate to heavy lures, IMO. Baitcasters that sit low on the rod, and have a sort of "football" profile are called low profile reels. There's a lot of variety in low profice reels - some sit high, some sit low. Round ones that sit high are round reels. It's a matter or personal preference as to which to use. I use both. But I prefer low profile reels because mine perform better than my round reels, and are more comfortable to palm. I do use round reels for heavy stuff. My flipping rod has a round reel, and my rods that I use for live bait have round reels. The price of a reel is somewhat indicative of quality and performance. But some lower priced reels are very good, and the equal of some higher priced reels. Abu Garcia, Shimano, Daiwa, Okuma, Quantum make good reels to fit all sorts of budgets. Baitcasters can be tough to master and takes practice. The best thing to do is select a reel that you are interested in and ask about it. If it's a reel, you'll get qualified opinion on this booard about it. Once you make up your mind and buy one, take the time to learn to use is and get good with it. There is no substitute for practice.

I have some small ones. I use mine as cranks. They work well.

I've tried it on my new Johnny Morris Elite rod with Recoil guides. It's my wormin' rod. I like it a lot so far.

Green Top is awesome. I've bought most of my guns and a lot of my fishing tackle from them. If you bust a rod, they will ship it for you. In fact, they warrant the rods they sell for awhile and if you break one during the their warranty period, they will simply swap a new one with you. Green Top is facing some stiff competition now. BPS will be opening in Richmond soon. Gander Mountain opened up just down the street. I hate to say it, but Gander Mountain is a fantastic store. I just bought one of their BIG green tackle bags to replace my old BPS bag. I bought one of there small ones, too, for my panfish stuff. They have a great selection of rods. Full service gunsmithing, too. Nothing will beat the atmosphere of Green Top, though. I love pulling up when they have a bar-b-q going, or some other event. All their sales people are sportsman and can speak on your level, unlike many of the sales people at BPS or Gander Mountain. And like you said, they carry hard to find brands of baits. Green Top deserves our business. I bought one of their decals, the bass with "Green Top" below it and have it on the back window of my truck. I recommend all fans of Green Top do that and give them a plug.

That's what I would use it for.

I'd keep and eat more bass if they tasted better. Bluegill taste much better than bass to me.

I'm 41 and have been wearing a flat top for since my mid 20s. I like it. It's cool. And I can comb it with my hand.

Pheglm is pretty slick.

Dsaavedra, pick a rod.

No complaints at all for the Revo STX. It's a great reel and build very solidly.

In the spirit of Halloween, tell us if you've ever had any "experiences" that you can't explain. I'll start: I've had two odd experiences on some state-owned land in Charles City County, Virginia. Both occurred on the Chickahominy Wildlife Management Area (WMA). A few years ago I had arrived at the WMA at about a 4:45 AM. I was spring-turkey hunting and had parked my truck at the shooting range. I walked about 3/4 mile or so down a gravel road to the "dove fields." At the back end of the dove fields there used to be an old house and barn. Some remnants of the house are still there, the barn has been torn down, and the silo still stands. There is a large oak tree at the end of the gravel road, and I suspect it may have been in the "front yard" of the house that used to stand there. Anyways, I was alone. I had my Remington SP-10 10 gauge with me - not much makes me nervous with that. It was pretty cold, and the moon was high and bright. It was very clear. I walked to the end of the gravel road and stood by the oak tree. I was relieving myself under the shelter of the tree. I looked down the trail that I had just traveled and saw a red light, very subtle, and very diffuse. It was round, about 4-5 feet off the ground. If was brighter in the center, and faded on the edges. I figured it was the taillights of a truck that was pulling into the little parking area. But the light never went out, and I heard no sounds. Then I realized the light was coming towards me. Then I decided if must be a red flashlight another hunter was using as he came down the trail. But the trail was gravel and the sound carries, and this was totally silent. The light kept coming. No sound, no shaking, and nothing that looked like ti was being shone off to the side like a person carrying a flashlight might do. The light kept coming and finally it appeared to be about 50 yards or so from me. The light then drifted off to my left. It hovered across the field and faded out as it reached the wood line. It it faded, it didn't get switched off. I never heard any sound, and had it been someone walking, I would have heard it. I would have been able to see them too, given that the moon was so bright. I was totally dumbfounded. I still don't know what I saw. My second experience wasn't more than a 100 yard or so from that same tree. Thsi time it was fall and I was squirrel hunting. I had passed the tree and made a left and walked into the back fields. There is a small trail there than leads back to Morris Creek. There's lots of hardwoods back there, and lots of squirrels. It was morning, and she sky was just turning orange in the east. I went back to a hardwood stand and chose my seat. It was pretty still. As I sat there, I began to hear voices. It got louder when I realized that I was hearing a conversation between a man and woman. It was as if they were 10 feet away. But there was no one. I couldn't make out what they were saying. But it was very clearly a two-way conversation between a man and woman. I stood up. I could see the Chickahominy River through the trees and deducted there must be some atmospheric anomaly that was allowing sound to carry across the river - there is a house across the river. But that's quite a distance, more than a mile. The conversation continued for what I'm guessing was 15 minutes. I was listening to it like it was happening right next to me. But there was no one around. And I never could understand what was being said, as if there language was completely foreign to me. Laugh if you want. But I'm the most skeptical person around. And these things were really weird and still cannot beging to explain them. The land on which this happened has a long history. Captain John Smith explored it. Indians lived there before Europeans arrived. I guess if a place can be haunted, it would be as good as any. Your turn.

With a 5.8:1 gear ratio, seems the Sol would be hard to beat as a dedicated crankbait reel. I don't think the line capacity would be a limiting factor at all.

As much as I like my Revo STX, my Revo SXs perform just was well, and are $50 less. The STX is prettier, though.

I admire the effort you are putting into this. Seems you will make a good choice whatever you choose. Have you considered a Fenwick? I have two Fenwick HMGs I got on sale, both under $100. They are killer rods. Maybe a bit more sensitive than the AS IM10. HMGs have lifetime warranties, too.

It wasn't my intention to suggest All Star is doing something wrong, or the number of guides are too low. I just wanted you to know about it. I have several Team All Star IM10s as well as several American Classics and they are super rods. By the way, have you considered an All Star American Classic? They are a wee bit less expensive than the IM10s, but they are still extremely sensitve, and I would bet a little tougher. I have a 7'6" flippin' rod, 7' carolina riggin' rod, and a 6'6" spinning rod. They are extremely good rods.

Say, "Get yo butt in the kitchen and bake me a pie."

Best bang for your buck - $100 or less = Abu Garcia Revo S Best bag for your buck - $150 - $225 = Abu Garcia Revo SX.

I'm not sure what your question is. If your question is - should I respool to something else - then I have to ask why. Sufix Elite is good line and unless there's something about it you don't like, why respool? If your questions is - what's my favorite line - then I say Stren Original or Trilene XL. But that doesn't mean I think you should strip off perfectly good Sufix.

I have my first rod right here. If I can still read the writing on it... Ted Williams Professional Model Model No. **35.*0231 6'6" Medium Action Use 3/8-3/4 OZ. Lures and 8 to 20 LB Line Sears, Roebuck and Company It's an orange fiberglass rod with 5 double footed guides held on with brown thread. The grip is some sort of composite cork and the reel seat is black aluminum. It must be more than 30 years old. I don't have the reel anymore, but it was a Mitchell reel that looked soemthing like this... http://www.networkdimension.com/images/gm308.jpg

My hands. They're good looking hands. Some of the finest I've seen. Other than that, my boat.

I think they are the same rod, just different guides. I was actually going to buy a Signature but the Elite was on sale for less - and I wanted to try the recoil guides.

Good deal . I'm sure you will like them as much as I like mine.

Have you checked the spool tension knob? It may be too tight or too loose. If it's too loose, it will emit a noise. If it's too tight, it will reduce your casting distance. I just checked mine and there is no "clicking" noice at all. If it's brand new, I'd take it back. I don't have a lot of patience with new things that can be returned.

I like them, so far. I've only fished it once at a local pond and only caught a couple small fish. But it's an incredibly sensitive rod, and I suppose the guides contribute to that. I have my Revo STX on the rod and spooled with Yo-Zuri Hybrid 12#.