J Francho

Any straight shank hook application, from little #10 trout hooks, up to 5/0 BMF hooks. For braid, just add a few more wraps. Here's a set of videos by my friend that shows you how to rig a heavy beaver: http://www.burniehaney.com/blank.html

Pretty much everything within its rating. It really excels at light contact baits, though it does the sissy size soft swimbaits, vibe baits in weeds, spinners, buzzers, even shallow cover banging cranks very well. I've played with the tube, while the specs are similar, its not the same blank. Interesting. I asked the guys at St. Croix and they told me it was the same blank just wrapped for spinning reels. Two different guys when I was deciding to upgrade told me that. Can you please elaborate how the 2 blanks are not similar. Thanks. I have been throwing shallow cranks, buzzbaits, spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, and topwaters with the Tube. They are different blanks....feel different, have different specs, weights and everything. Your boys were mistaken. 4S70MF Tube LTBS70MF 7' 6-12 3/16-5/8 1 FAST 0.460 5.5 1.8 $ 140 4C70MF Teaser LTBC70MF 7' 10-17 1/4-5/8 1 FAST 0.480 5.5 2.2 $ 155 I saw those specs and when I asked the guys at St. Croix, their response was in the construction between spinning and casting gear and with balance points / capabilities of those reels. The guys I talked to were at the HQ/factory location who both said the same blank was used to construct both rods. Just wanted to share my discussion and my impression was the two rods are very close (differences do exist but they said very subtle in overall feel and application). I haven't felt a Teaser so I wouldn't know the feel difference. Regardless, both are good rods. And, back on track, I am still the happiest with the LTBS68MXF. Those specs are for the blanks themselves. No way the same blank starts out with a different weight, tip size and butt diameter, just because its for a spinning rod. The spinning rod feels a bit slower and flexes easier. A very good rod, but not made on the same blank as the casting rod. There isn't anything to argue.

More important, which lenses. Though, its usually the person behind the camera that, not the camera itself that does all the work. Some very nice work. The frog shot is a wall hanger.

Things shut down Sunday afternoon real quick, after the cold front moved in. By tomorrow, three straight days of breezy, sunny weather, and I bet you find biters on any of the bays - take your pick. As far as the lake goes, most spots from years gone are gone. You have to go deep, read electronics, really map out a piece of structure to get a mental picture of what is going, in relation to wind, current, baitfish, etc. I'll admit, I've had limited access to the big lake the past two seasons, but the fish are out there. For me, its boom or bust, literally. You gotta pay your dues rockin' and rollin', though.

Pretty much everything within its rating. It really excels at light contact baits, though it does the sissy size soft swimbaits, vibe baits in weeds, spinners, buzzers, even shallow cover banging cranks very well. I've played with the tube, while the specs are similar, its not the same blank. Interesting. I asked the guys at St. Croix and they told me it was the same blank just wrapped for spinning reels. Two different guys when I was deciding to upgrade told me that. Can you please elaborate how the 2 blanks are not similar. Thanks. I have been throwing shallow cranks, buzzbaits, spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, and topwaters with the Tube. They are different blanks....feel different, have different specs, weights and everything. Your boys were mistaken. 4S70MF Tube LTBS70MF 7' 6-12 3/16-5/8 1 FAST 0.460 5.5 1.8 $ 140 4C70MF Teaser LTBC70MF 7' 10-17 1/4-5/8 1 FAST 0.480 5.5 2.2 $ 155

I use an St. Croix LTB70MF "teaser" to fish vibration baits in weeds. The fast tip really helps detecting and snapping off weeds. For deflecting vibration baits off rocks and wood, I use A St. Croix AVC70MM for baits under 1/2 oz, and AVC70MHM for bigger baits. Line choice is very subjective, I've had good results with 12 lb. Fluoro, or 10 lb. CXX for weeds. For rocks and wood, I use 8 or 10 lb. CXX.

Pretty much everything within its rating. It really excels at light contact baits, though it does the sissy size soft swimbaits, vibe baits in weeds, spinners, buzzers, even shallow cover banging cranks very well. I've played with the tube, while the specs are similar, its not the same blank.

I'm pretty happy with all my gear. One I really like would be my pre IPC Avid AC62MXF saddled with an Alphas Ito Ai and 8 lb. P-line CXX. This rod is great for topwaters, jerkbaits, short target "sniper" spinnerbaits, even makes a great tight quarter light worming rod. Another would be my LTBC70MF "Teaser" with a Daiwa Zillion 7.1 and 12 lb. P-line CXX. This rod can literally cover about 85% of my fishing, if needed. The same can be said for next rod up in power for that line, the Sweeper, LTB70MHF.

Power of the rod is generally described in terms of light, medium, heavy, etc. Taper, or action is described in terms of speed, like fast, moderate, slow.

You don't want to glue the nose to the hook. In a perfect world, the body rotates out of the way on the hookset, exposing greater gap and bite with the hooks. It doesn't always work this way, but with a good hookset, it does more often than not. I'm with Dan, nothing needed, other than the occasional squeeze. Here's what it looks like:

You ever eat one potato chip? Bass will gorge if the opportunity is ripe.

Now that's just cool. Nice Work guys!

Many northern lakes have sculpins, which are similar to gobies. And most fish are simply opportunistic - if it looks like food, it must be food, eat it.

That was my EXACT thought after spending some time with my buddy's two 7' Vendettas, I think one was a mf, and the other a mhf.

I'll ignore the immature quips and insults for only so long, but for now, you're off the hook. Keep it up, though, and I'll take action with the moderators. This whole thread is starting to look like a troll post, started for your own amusement. You say you wondering about the "buzz on braid," and basically say its boring. Some things you said (yes, I can read): "But fishing for an 8lb fish on 30llb test = boring" "I didnt say I had caught an 8 lbr. Did I?" "I dont fish heavy weeds often." "But fishing for an 8lb fish on 30llb test = boring " "I dont have many options for big species in Northern Va." "And you're right, 8lb line for an 8lb fish isnt anything to get excited about." Some things you might want to think about: So, you never caught an 8 lb. bass. Neither have I. An 8 lb. bass is an accomplishment, regardless of gear choice. An 8 lb. bass on 8 lb. line, while fishing timber is simply luck. Since you haven't caught any big fish yet, you have no reference to what is "boring." maybe just the though of "fishing" with 30 lb. braid is boring because you haven't experienced the "catching." BTW, 30 lb. braid is too light for many applications. You have many options for large fish where you are located. I suggest you do some research about the fishing available in your region. So, you don't do heavy line, you don't fish braid, you don't fish weeds, and you think anything else is boring or cheating. This close minded attitude will severely limit your opportunity to catch larger fish, much more than your shore bound status.

If you enjoy a particular style of fishing, and do it a lot, then a specialized rod may make the hobby even more enjoyable. I own four rods for crankbaits. Two of those four can serve other purposes, but the other two.....eh, they're only good for diving cranks. For the most part, any six to seven foot medium or medium heavy, fast action rod will work for just about everything. It may not do some things well, but it'll get it done. There are special circumstances where a specialized rod is virtually a must, and even then, the exact specs are highly debatable. Deep, vertical drop shotting or pitching heavy baits in slop and timber are two such examples.

This judge deserves a medal. Job well done!

I wasn't offended, I was serious. Bass fishing is about solving the puzzle. If its a fight you're after, try northern pike, musky, striper, catfish, or whatever big species are available, not some overgrown sunfish. I'm not really impressed when someone says they caught an 8 lb. bass on 8 lb. line. I've caught fish over 20 lbs. on 4 lb. line, specifically Great Lakes trout. For bass, I fish lines as light as 4 lb. fluorocarbon all the way up to 80 lb. braid. My choice has nothing to do with the size of my quarry, and everything to do with the cover in which that quarry lives. In fact, in some cases, your 8 lb. mono would be a better choice than 50 lb. braid. Zebe encrusted boulder fields would be one example of that situation. Now, take that 8 lb. line to fish wood laydowns in weedy shallows, and you're in for an epic failure. Its all relative. Some are about catching, some are about bragging.

Premature cancer, LOL. When is it the right time for cancer?

Let's see pics of those 8 lb. fish. All I see is a three pounder in the avatar. If you're in it for the fight, pick a different species.

Stir that pot Burley!! Heating the oil? :-/ Before: After: No, I did not eat my son.... ;D ;D

I can't believe you called Yuki Ito "off brand." LMAO....

I think NewAngler should try something simple. Replace a t-rigged Paca Craw with a Rage Craw, or a jig and Paca Chunk with a Rage Chunk. If you fish a 10" Power Worm with a 1/2 oz. weight, try an Anaconda in the same situation. There are some unique baits in the line, and I think sometimes this uniqueness could be your downfall. You're fishing an unproductive spot, heard all the hype, and try a new bait, thinkin its the magic bullet. Problem is, you're already in "retie frequently" mode, and have little confidence that what's tied on will get bit, and really, there is no magic bullet. All this results in lack of focus, impatience, and fickle bait choices. When you get to this point, your bait isn't in the water as much,and when it is, you don't give it a chance, often zipping it back in and retying or casting back to a new spot. I'd say pick a day when fishing is decent. Not great, and not poor. Decent. Rig up two rods, and fish some bread and butter designs side by side, slowly. I think results will be different.

I've watched umpiring go downhill the past few years. I've always felt that bad calls balance out over the course of a long season. There is no balance here. This year, especially, umpires seem to be in the media more than I ever remember. That's wrong. Perhaps Joe West can record a song about this bad call.

I threatened sending him my Ito to use for a month, and then dare to compare it to his Calais. he chickened out, LMAO. Glad to see him expanding his horizons. Someone should slip him a Quantum Mickey on the next trip. :)