djmax22

Curado 300 or Shimano 300TE. It really depends if you want a low profile or round reel.

How about run true out of the box for starters. Not to mention the hooks on bomber and strike king cranks are junk (even KVD changes the hooks out). The only problem I have had with Rapalas is a few X-raps with faulty lips. I wonder if you have ever used a lucky craft. I have no problem with the brands you mention above, but LC are made with high quality components and the patterns are awesome.

Too funny. I found a Crystal Minnow on the bank of Lake of the Ozarks this past weekend. I changed out the hooks and it looks as good as new. I've never tried Yo-Zuri hardbaits, but now I will. That was probably mine ;D

Obviously there is a market for $100 lures when you consider people pay over $100 for a single swimbait. Most of the time you can get LC on ebay for ~ $10 a piece.

I suggest Ebay or the Bassresource Flea market. You can get some killer deals. *** is great also if you are willing to pay retail. They will take good care of you.

Senko.

Fast sink doesnt sink that fast either.

Shhh. Whatever you do don't buy a LC Gunfish in Ghost Minnow pattern unless you want to get your arm broke. That bait flat out doesnt work.

Great action. The only problem that I have found it that it takes forever to sink. I might want to step up and try the 165 model. I really dont care for there color patterns either (natural shiner is cool), but that didnt keep me from buying a few of them ;D Still perfer breaking out the Triple Trout.

X2 Combine that with a BPS 100MPH jacket and you got yourself a winner. The old style jackets are on clearance at BPS.

Tiki Stick June bug color is exactly what you are looking for.

Nope. Never have to worry about anything with LC. They are perfectly tuned coming out of the box and have extra sharp hooks and come in great patterns. Worth every penny. Can get them on ebay cheap at times. Earlier this spring I bought a lot of 6 100sp pointers for $40.

Same here. The fact is the BBZ was a complete knock off the Rago Trout and now the bluegill is a complete knock off of Mattlures bluegill. Obviously it is not the first time a bait/lure has been knocked off to make some money (i.e. senko). My problem is with the consistant pattern of ripping off baits, stamping BBZ on them and calling them your own. This gives the true swimbait innovators little incentive to continue coming out with new lines when they know it will be shipped to China for mass production. djMax22 easy on the knockoff comment! Every time a new bluegill bait comes out it's a knockoff! They're all knockoff of the real thing and there's only so many ways to do a bluegill. Matt makes an awesome bait and he was one of the first to do it right! True, there are only so many ways to do a bluegill, but can you not make it so obvious. Maybe do something better than scanning an original into a computer and adding another hook? At least change the scale pattern and shape. It is laughable.

Yeap go big or go home when it comes to swimbaits. Check out some of the siwmbait forums of fish caught all over the US on monster swimbaits. I have had several 2lbers smack a 8" huddleston. You dont need a 300 series reel and a specific setup for Mattlure swimbaits. A heavy flippn stick with a curado 200 will do the trick.

Like others have already posted, the only time I use 5:1 is for deep cranks.

Had a problem with one of the joints breaking. This seems to be a common problem with the King Shad. I have had some success with SK king kong swimbait. I cant think of any good hard swimbaits in the $20 price range. I would save up a little more and get either a 9"slammer or a 3:16 baby wake.

You mean Bill's knock off of Mattlures Bluegill.

The water has been stained in the Niangua arm most of the year. This spring it was really muddy, but has cleared up over the last month. Typically I like to use fluorocarbon for LOZ or Co-polymer w/ green tint if I am fishing areas of chuck rock. I will be also heading down there again this weekend and will follow up with a report. Most of my fish have come on jigs and finese presentations at night. Although I did get a 5llb on a crankbait last trip.

I have had the same experience. Really dont like the Magic Swimmer, but I would like to try the 165 version.

What is wrong with their rods now? I like the full grips better than the split grips. Cork does seem to get beat up over time so maybe offer a foam grip??? Still the best worm/jig rods I have ever used.

I would get some zoom brush hogs and some power worms. Hard baits. SK Sexy shad, Zara spook, Norman Deep Little N, and Bandit 100 series crank.

Earlier this Spring I was practicing a couple times a week. Lately I havent been prectiving at all. I feel my accuracy has really dropped off.

I use baitcasters for everything. Shimano MG cast the light stuff like a dream.

You have more than enough tackle to put bass in the boat, but it is always nice to develop confidence in new lures and techniques.

Yes. I can bomb a DD22 on the 705R. It s great all around cranking stick.