Willzx225

Just be careful with the "20% off" sale. I too got the flyer but decided to check prices against TW and for most of the items I was going to purchase it would still be cheaper to buy from TW. There are a few items that you would see a savings on though.

Lucky Craft, Rapala, Zoom, Owner, Berkley Line, tru-tungsten, to name a few

Why do you want to call yourself a pro anyways? Just curious. I've always been told that you are only considered a good fisherman when other people call you a good fisherman. It doesn't matter what you say you are. If that makes any sense.

A light definitely goes off when I hear of a non sponsored pro using a certain bait over a similiar one that fits their sponsor portfolio. I know that the bait they are using has to have a certain quality that puts fish in the boat. In the Aaron Martens situation, I would much rather them give credit where credit is due instead of the old cop out "It is a prototye we are working on w/ XYZ company." The worst example was when George Cochran won the Guntersville BASS event on what was obviously a Pointer 100 but claimed it was a Strike King product.

This is an interesting one. I like the idea. I have fished in 8 states. Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi.

I would have to say when either a larger percentage of your income is from fishing, or when you qualify for and fish either the Elite Series or the FLW Tour/ Series.

I have seen where someone will get on a roll and win a few in a row and then be accused of cheating. I've been on the bad side of it myself and it does end up hurting the turn out at times. I used to work for a guy who won 11 tournaments in a row and said he had to lose just to get his friends back! I agree that having a very good knowledge base of a body of water helps push you over the top. The thing that people don't realize is that there were plenty of times where I, or I'm sure anyone who is in that situation, was at the bottom of the standings, wishing that I/they could catch fish like the guys who won. It was because I got my butt kicked that I wanted to work harder to succeed.

Dink, You might check out the 5/0 Owner Wide Gap Plus hooks if you are having a problem getting penetration. I'm no punching expert but I have done it a few times and have had great luck with them. The last time I was punching I had 40-50 bites in two days on the Potomac and landed every one of them. And a few of them were in the 4-5lb range. All of my hooksets were like Brokeju explained basically just sweep setting while reeling.

Thank you for the expensive heads up! ;D

I have a 332c on my console and the original one would turn itself on. Very frustrating to get in the boat for a short trip (without charging the batteries of course) to find that the motor won't start b/c it cut itself on and ran for a few days thus killing the cranking battery.

Are you sure they are saying to have it exposed and not Texposed? If you ask me, it doesn't make sense to have it exposed to punch grass. :-? I use a 5/0 Owner Wide Gap Plus when I punch

Not to sound like a smart A55 or anything but ease off on your hookset also. I know you want to turn the fish when you set the hook but you won't move him if you blow you rod/reel up trying to do it. I don't think it is that the REVO is inferior I just agree with Cart that something needed to give and it just happened to be the reel. For example, I sometimes will tie a knot in my line in order to break it if I don't have anything to cut it with. After I tie my overhand knot, I can pull and pull steadily and not break it but if I give it a quick jerk it will break. The shock of a slamming hookset is having the same effect on your reel.

I like the crucials for anything but spinnerbaits for some reason. I have a 6'10" Quantum KVD spinnerbait rod ( looks like the crankbait rod but all graphite) and LOVE it. My partner in the last tournament made a few casts with it and claimed he liked it more than his Loomis spinnerbait rod! I understand that is a bold statement. I have a STX on mine.

Marty, I'm liking your "light classic" color. Those look great

Just use KVD and don't worry about it. Though it is better when it is applied with enough time to let it dry but it is odorless and does not leave anything greasy feeling. I have not used the Ardent stuff but I have been using KVD for 2+ years and haven't seen a need to change.

Did it break in the middle or where you tied the knots? How old was the line?

Will do. Thanks

No, he just made him buy so much tackle that he was forced to sell the boat to buy more tackle! ;D

x2 on the Mono - I prefer 15lb Trilene Big Game. It is cheap and hasn't let me down in 10 years. Once you get the hang of mono then you can switch to more specialized lines that tend to be more finicky on a baitcaster.

I just got back from Potomac and I flipped for 2 days with the 7'6" HM Crucial and it did good. I boat flipped 2 fish in the 4-5lb range in a BFL and it held up nicely. If I were to be fishing the Potomac all the time and flipping heavy mats I would look into the 7'6" H crucial flipping stick. For a frog rod, I would stick to something in the 7'0" to the 7'2" length. My friend has the 7'2" crucial frog rod and swears by it. He lives in New Orleans and frogs all year long.

Another way to get into the "in crowd" unfortunately is to buy a lot of tackle from either the same place or directly from the manufacturer. Often if you develop a relationship with them they will keep you in mind when they get something that needs to be tested. That might be one of the easiest ways to go about it.

I got plenty of time. Thanks again.

They probably left out the part about Evinrude being a creditor in the Genmar Chap. 11 filings too. I would think that might have something to do with it. Got to love the spin put on reporting these days.

Yeah it looks like a Zoom Fat Albert Twin tail in Sapphire Blue.

Genius idea. I can't believe I didn't think about that! Thanks