Ryan_Johnson

Here's the Gambler Swim Blade

The package is folded in half, and the directions are on the inside. To use the treble hook, thread the line through the nose using the tube, thread the weight on, then tie the hook on.

This rookie beat me to it.

Get a couple of Storm Subwarts and give those a try. They have a loud rattle and make quite the scene in the water with their big side to side movement. You will loose some to the toothy critters, but the bass hammer them too. Alot of times, you can see the fish's back streaking across the water at it like a shark attack!

I've got to go with Derek Remitz, but I also get a kick out of Shinichi Fukae. That guy comes up with some clever ways to catch fish.

The hard part of owning that rod is putting it down and actually using something else. It's rated pretty light, but when you need to, you can really crank on it and it'll be fine. I know because I use mine for throwing some of the lighter frogs. If you don't want to spend quite as much and you haven't already, check out the Fenwick Techna AV line. You could get two of those for the price of the steez. In my boat, if it's not a Steez, then it's a Techna AV. I haven't tried any of the new Elite Tech series rods yet, they feel pretty nice, but don't really have the wow factor that the AV's have when you hold them.

6'6" Fenwick Techna AV MH. Check out the new Elite Tech skipping rod if you can find it anywhere. I haven't used it or seen it anywhere, but the other models of the ETs seem dialed in, so I have high hopes for that one. I checked out the Kistler skippin rod at the store. It's a 6'3" rod, but they put the reel seat right at the bottom. Compared to the 6'9" Daiwa that I use right now, the Kistler was only 1-2 inches shorter at the tip when you hold both normally. The handle on the Kistler is a little stub, and I tend to use both hands when skipping, so I crossed this one off the list.

The Chigger Craws are great. Texas rig them, or use them as a jig trailer. They catch fish either way. They also seem to be just a little more durable than some other craws.

My two favorties are the All Terrain Tackle swim jig and the Outkast Tackle swim jig. I have not tried the Monsoor jig, but if he designed it, it'll be good.

Here's a couple of things that I've noticed with braid. A uniknot can cut itself off. If there is any gap in the hook eyelet, the knot will find it and pull through when you set the hook.

I had a weighted hook on the swim senko so that I could show that it'll kick when it's falling, but only if it falls faster. Without weight or with less, you can reel it slower and get a bigger kick to it.

I can't narrow it to one. I use these three 95% of the time. Heavy stuff 7:1 Daiwa Zillion on a 7' MH Fenwick Techna AV medium stuff Steez on a 7' M Falcon Cara Spinning Daiwa Tierra on 6'9" Steez

I don't have any of the Strike King version, but alot of the rest including the Bass Magic are there.

I'm not sure if they still make them, but I found a pair of Adida Mali shoes that are awesome! It's a regular looking lowtop tennis shoe, but it has a thick vented squishy insert and drains in the bottom of the shoe. Good traction and comfortable enough for 10 hours on one foot. Just don't step in the puddles with them or the bottom of your socks will be wet.

Try to not setting the hook at all. Bass don't give buzzbaits little taps, they're trying to kill it. By the time you set the hook, it's had it for a second or two. It will set the hook on itself, especially if you're using braid. Try to use a side sweep and just start reeling. I've found that method works well with other topwaters too.