The Rooster

If Shimano says no discounted sales then how is my Walmart getting away with selling the Citica E for $90?? :-?

Actually I would tend to agree with that previous statement about the sensitivity being higher due to less dampening material. But I think we're talking about an increase that's almost completely undetectable to most people. I personally don't buy into the whole split grip/less weight/more sensitive thing. I like the way they look but I don't believe it makes any difference in perceivable sensitivity at all.

You can always return it can't you??

When I watched it I thought it looked highly dangerous. There is a place for boat racing but I don't think it goes along with sport fishing. Combining those two I think sends an overall bad message to others that they DO go together and when they're out on the lake "fishing" then they'll try that themselves cause they saw a pro fisherman do it in a boat similar to their own. When you see speedboat racing those guys have helmets and race suits on in boats that are made for such things and have emergency crews standing by in case of accidents. They're not racing bass boats around in a side cove on a lake where it's normally a no wake zone (as one other person here stated was the case on this particular lake). I think this whole idea was a bad idea and should not have been put into the competition of professional fishing at all. I was also not previously aware that this was happening in B.A.S.S. If it's still going on then I think they need to drop the B. in the title and add an E.S. to the end of it.

What!!! A new BPS rod without a powerhump??

Get crazy with it!! Build a rack with slots to hold them. Put wooden supports under each one like you would a set of shelves in a closet, only the supports will be to hold the box itself WITHOUT a shelf to sit on. That way they slide in and out just like in a tacklebox. There's enough space between each one so it is accessable without having to de-stack the entire stack to pull one out. This can stand vertically so the tray lays flat when inside the slot. Anything laying in the box does not get tangled around, hooks tied up, skirts matted and wadded together, just none of those problems (and this is my biggest pet peave about tackle storage systems made today anyway, the standing of trays on one edge as opposed to laying flat). A rack like this shouldn't require much. a couple of 8' long 1x12's for sides, some plywood for the back, and some furring strips to make the supports from. You'd need one shelf in the middle at least for stability of the thing. Basically build it like an H with a top and bottom also, and fur strips going around above and below the center shelf to hold all the trays on. I'm gonna do something like this here at home now.

THIS......IS......EXACTLY......what I was starting to think recently when I let myself think specifically about the hooks. Up until this time I never gave any thought to it because I bought all those Excalibur baits way back when I was new to fishing and over the years I got into other baits and there are only one or two Excaliburs I use now at all. I mostly use Rapala's and Bandit baits and none of them have a hook like that. Then just yesterday I started thinking about the Tx3 hooks and was thinking on a hookset it would not have the same penetrating pressure as a straight hook would. But way back when I bought them I was thinking only about the twisting action of the hook as it went in. The key there is that this would only occur AFTER hook penetration which the chances of would possibly be reduced by the crooked hook points. Now having said that, I do have to say I've never missed a strike on one of these baits, all hits have resulted in hookups and not coming off. However, I've only had a few fish on them in all these years. Also, that said, I have not fished them much at all because as I said earlier I mostly stick with Rapalas and others. SO........end result........more fishing is necessary to see how they differ from standard hooks. Darn.......that means I'll have to go fishing. ;D

Pro Lite is still showing on their site. But......could this be a potential replacement??? Line capacity is a bit heavy though compared to the Pro Lite http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_10204721_100001001_100000000_100001000_100-1-1

I watched those videos. Seem like some good advice there. I also like those rods at Dick's but I'm into Shimano rods now and since he did mention a butt cap to protect cork I think I'd look also at the Shimano Clarus rod. The MH rod is nice and stiff and should work well for frogs, but these rods come from the factory with a butt cap glued onto the handle that's similar to the one he shows in the video instead of just the cork only so that may help with the cork breaking away when you set a hook with it in your gut. Since you won't be on the cork it shouldn't break. Those rods sell for $70 in the 6'6" range, $80 in the 7' range. They also have lifetime (repeat LIFETIME) warranties so if they do ever break (handle or otherwise) you can get them replaced. As I understand it, paying $15 at the store to cover the shipping of the rod back to the manufacturer will get you a replacement immediately. They have hardloy guide inserts so they can handle braided line as well. On the reels, I looked at them too and I honestly did not trust them so I passed on them. Sorry. I have no experience with them to really comment other than holding it in the store I just did not like it.

Walleye and Trout are cold water fish. If they are hitting when the bass aren't then you can always fish for them.

Man, you're making me want to go fishing BAD seeing fish of good quality along with a picture of the main ramp. I can look at pics of strange lakes all day long and it doesn't bother me but when I see one of my home waters it just flips a switch. I'll take a look at Walmart for those. Thanks. It might wiggle or wobble a little different from the X-Rap so it won't hurt to own one or two. Do you know where Border's Sporting Goods is?? I'm sure I can get them there too, they have just about everything.

I don't know if it's the Tx3 or not but I have some older Excalibur baits from the late 90's and they all had rotating hooks on them. At the time I seemed to think that these hooks would drive in and twist as they went in making it harder for a fish to come off.

Does the rotating treble work any better than a standard treble hook?? I read about them when they first came out that they set themselves. I don't believe that about them, but is there any advantage at all having the points bent sideways some??

So far I've been stocking up on the X-Raps, got a trout colored one too. Just wondered if buying the Long A would be a basic repeat of the X-Rap or if it swims any differently. I typically fish these baits with a jerking motion only. Never a steady retrieve. If the Long A is going to do the same thing as the X-Rap does then I don't need to get it also, I can just stick with the X-Rap only.

Will the Bomber suspending Long A do anything that the Rapala X-Rap won't handle?? Just wondered if it's worth owning both or not. I've never used a Long A before.

This thread might still be going then. Christmas is coming, combos will be received, and photographed, and likely posted about on here.

My BPS Extreme reels are reliable and affordable. If I were to get another one though I'd upgrade to the current Pro Qualifier model, with dual brakes. The current Extreme is magnetic braking only now. My Extremes are the prior model that had ITB braking, which I think were better (for me). Quality though should be the same with brass gearing, aluminum frame, smooth japanese ball bearings. This time of year they're usually on sale too. Available in..... 5.4:1 ratio - 23" IPT (Extreme only) 6.4:1 ratio - 28" IPT (Extreme and Pro Qualifier) 7.1:1 ratio - 31" IPT (Extreme and Pro Qualifier) Take your pick!

Overall I'd have to say I like the rattles better, but I use both when the situation calls for it (or so I think). :-?

Why thank ya!!! I believe the background I chose though helped add to the pizazz of the pictures. Looks "outdoorsy". Now I wish I had cleaned the handles of the rods before I took them. I was in a hurry though.

Awesome!!! You think like me!!!

I had my hands on one of these today and was about to get it but had this exact same thought so I put it back. Glad I'm not alone thinking the X-rap will do the same thing. I may get one later anyway, but for now I'm still building my supply of X-raps in different colors, sizes, and diving depths.

Ahh.....I went ahead and bought one today anyway, and I was the original sexy shad skeptic in this thread I think. I got a knockoff color, it's the foxy shad in the Excalibur lipless cranks line.

Fishing tip of the year winner here!!! That's gotta be the best thing I've read on this site.

Sebile soft plastic magic swimmers. And Storm's version of the Sebile magic swimmer, they call it the Kickin' Stick and it's in more traditional colors than the magic swimmer is and cost a lot less per bait.

With my luck I think it's odd to see one with my lure in it's mouth. ;D