djmax22

I am looking at painting too to pass the time now that I am unemployed. What model of Iwata brush do you guys suggest and what paint brand? I already have a compressor. I am dying to paint some of these old cranks lying around.

I used to be a soft plastic/jig fisherman, but over the last few years I believe my catch rate has increased using cranks. I don't know what a swim worm is, but if there is any reaction bite at all I typically catch more fish with a crankbait. After you pick off the aggressive fish you can always go back through with a carolina rig/jig/worm. Sometimes I just throw a crank all day if I am getting bit.

I have the Falcon V-6 bag, but around 12 FTO boxes. I just substitute which box I need that day so I don't have to lug around 100lbs of tackle. . I use a two very small plastic boxes for my different hooks and weight and fit them in the side pockets.

Here are a couple floaters that I have tried: Lunker Punker JR.-they now make them in plastic, I picked up a couple but I haven't tried the plastic ones yet. The originals are great. Daiwa Dead or Alive-Tried it a few times last year, picked up a few small fish, but haven't gave it a true workout. Black Dog Shellcracker- its OK, I would much rather have the Punker. Mattlures Hardgill-(I can't wait to fish it). Maybe the best looking swimbait I own. Rago Delta Rat-jury is still out but d**n it looks good in the water. Lucky Craft Bulldog-Caught a toad on this floater last year. BBZ-1-Good if you can keep the fins from falling off. I won't buy another one just out of principle. Something to be said about knockoffs. MS Slammer-what else can be said about maybe the best topwater of all time. Make sure you change out the hooks to Owners. Wake Jr.-The king of topwaters IMO, but out of your price range. You can get them sometimes for ~70 from people that are trying to sell them.

Thats a toad, not a frog, but they are awesome! 8-)

Bobby perfect frog is my favorite frog. It is much easier to walk than the Spro.

Last few years I have used PB and Jelly and green pumpkin, but Black and Blue is hard to beat. It seem to work in any water color.

Oh yeah. They are absolutely killer on suspended fish. I don't think color is important, but I would suggest a 7" or 8" size. I feel like 6" is too small. Well worth the investment and so is a good lure retriever.

I use Blue Fleck and Red Shad {pwerworms. Usually they prefer one or the other. I fish clear water most of the time and the blue fleck has been dominating at times especially at night. Motoroil is another one that I like as well.

I picked up few of them. I have thrown it in the pool initial and it looks good. It is much bigger than a Rattln Rap. It sits nose down, but doesnt flutter down like the strike king sexy shad. This lure is loud. You can really hear it coming through the water much like the 3/4oz strike king diamond shad. I am going out this week and one will be tied on. Hopefully it will get the attention of something other than me.

For future reference you could had a 6" hud for the same price and a blemished 6" Punker Jr. for 8 more.

Perhaps you can trade it when you are through with it. I had one and it rolled, it didn't swim and then I snapped the tail off. I ended up leaving it in the bottom of my friends boat before I skipped town and didn't give him my new address ;D

My experience with the LTB series is that they are more tip heavy than any other rod that I have used. How is it my Loomis rods balance almost under the reel seat to an inch above the nut depending on the models and reel used? My Dobyns rod is perfect right under the reel seat. My Lamiglas balances an inch above the reel seat. Why do people like to use a heavier reel to balance out flipping sticks? Obvious the reel weight does play a role in balancing the rod unless you build a custom which would be awesome. Perhaps our rod builders will be able to answer this better.

Yeap, I had the same problem , the sweeper spinnerbait wouldn't balance with any reel that I had, and the Big Jig rod was ridiculously tip heavy. The two rods that I did like was the Big Gulp flippin stick and the Carolina rig (older full grip model). Losing all of the cork for the split grip models seem to upset the rods balance. I am sure that there are people that love their LTB rods, but after making the switch to Loomis (although you can't compare the GLX to the LTB) I will never go back.

I would suggest any hand poured worm. My favorite worms are Roboworms.

I agree the XPS fluorocarbon is by far my favorite line other Sunline. I have not noticed a yellow tint.

Having owned both the LTB and Loomis rods I would go with the Loomis. No doubt the LTB are awesome rods, but IMO Loomis are a cut above starting with the IMX. Over the last year or so I have sold all of my LTB rods and replaced them with Loomis. I have found the new LTB series to be slightly tip heavy, and Loomis to be a tad more sensitive. Loomis customer service is second to none (although St Croix has treated me well too). Earlier this year I received a Loomis directly from the factory and there was a little rough spot due to the cork filler, not big deal. I called Loomis and they offered to switch it out immediately no questions asked. Two days later the replacement arrived at my door. Their Xpeditor service for broken rods is great too. You can't go wrong with either company and I am sure you will be happy with whatever you decide. I would suggest going to Cabelas/BPS and checking out which models you are interested in before committing to a rod.

Here is my 2 cents. I would set up a little different. I would take the Tour/Truimph combo and use it for soft plastics, jig, and 1/2oz spinerbaits. This would probably be my main setup. I would spool the reel up 12lb fluoro or braid and if you are fishing in clear water use a fluorocarbon leader. And I would use the spinning outfit for finesse presentation. small jigs, shakeyheads/drops shots/ and weightless worms. This rod doesnt have enough backbone for serious frog fishing. Here I would spool w/ 8lb flourocrabon. The other outfit (the ML) I would use for small cranks and topwater. In the future I would try to get a 7' H stick for the quantum accurist for frog, big worms, and big football jigs.

Flipping the reel is engaged at all times whereas pitching I set the brake to a lower setting and use my thumb.

I agree with this statement, but with one exception. Where I live the water gets hard in the winter, and when the water dips below 48 or 46 degrees, I will almost never have a spinnerbait tied on. I do agree that there is no real definite time not to use them if the water is above 46. They are the most versatile bait in my opinion. Ian Ian I think you are missing out. You should try slow rolling them deep or yo-yoing them during the shad die off after the winger thaw. I always had a pointer and big 3/4oz white spinnerbait tied on when I was fishing water temps in upper 30's and lower 40s. Give it a try.

I can't think of one. They are so versatile I should really fish them more. I usually start off the morning with a crank or spinnerbait and go from there.

Ebay is your best shot. A few weeks ago I saw that they had lots of 20 DT Rapalas. You just have to log on once a week and eventually you will find lots that you are interested in.

I'm confused. I would think that for optimum performance you would use a line within the company suggestion printed on the rod blank. For instance if I am using power pro on a rod that is rated for 12-20lb test, wouldnt I want to get a power pro in an equviliant diameter as mono?

Ghost Minnow American Shad Sexy Shad Any Red Craw

I would look at the 802 or 852 GLX. I don't own the shaky head Loomis nor have I tried one, but I do own the 820 GLX dropshot rod. It is an awesome rod no doubt, but I have never fished a shakeyhead on it and I don't feel like this rods tip is suited for shakeyhead fishing. Most of my shakeyhead was done last year with the 853 GLX paired with a Shimano MG. It served my purpose, but it was a little out of its element with the 1/8oz weights. Here, I think that the 802/852 would shine. Most Loomis guys rave about the 802/852 versatility for finesse applications (shakeyhead, dropshot, darthead, tubes). I can't wait to add this rod to my Loomis family. I hope this helps. 8-)