J Francho

Here is the site for the online manuals. You can probably find your model on the list to see the specs for what beams yours uses.

Depends on the model, and the frequency you are running. I run a dual beam, 200 and 83 kHz. The 83 kHz beam is 60°, and would therefore be close to as big around as deep, but a little bigger. But I go with the 200 kHz narrow, 20° beam for better definition.

I start with the cover and the weight of the bait, and work my way back to decide on the right rig, making small compromises along the way. This has led to: 1- 7' Med/Mod 1- 7' MH/Mod 1- 6'2" M/XF 2- 7' M/F 2- 7' MH/F 1- 7'6" H/Mod-Fast 1- 7'-11" XH/Mod-Fast 1- 6'9" ML/XF (spinning) 1- 7' M/Mod (spinning) 1- 6' M/F (spinning) 12 rods and reels that do it all. Toss in a swimbait rod or two next year, and I have everything covered. I would like to to add two each 7'MH/F and 7' M/F, for redundancy's sake. You say spinnerbait, and I have four different combos that will work well. You say jigs, and nearly all of them will work. You say pegged beavers in coontail, I have one rig. You say cranking deep, I have three that will work. Get the picture?

Perhaps it was too strong, Glenn. But I feel pretty strongly about this stuff. Educate? OK. Take a look at last year's boating accident statistics: http://www.uscgboating.org/assets/1/Publications/Boating_Statistics_2008.pdf. Check the bottom of p. 7, line 6. Here is a great resource on what you should have: http://www.safetyseal.net/what_is_vsc.asp

Glad you made it back without incident, and are safe, but.... Nice....you should have gotten a ticket from the CG. No distress signal, no help. Perhaps next time you'll rethink your safety strategy. :

I use KVD L&L.

Ditto what Raul said...I can't think of a better line than 8# CXX for crankbaits. The high strength combined with small diameter makes it perfect for loading up my two Sols with enough line for the long casts often required for cranking.

Its never enough gear...just keep buying But... I think too many get caught up in that PERFECT rig for THROWING a specific bait. I don't hear too much about the perfect rig for CATCHING the fish. Look at dock skipping rods. Wimpy little 5.5' spinning rods toss little Senkos under docks great, but they don't get them out very well. Frog rods are another one. Most have a tip that's way too fast and soft. Yeah, they throw a frog a mile, but try and get a good hookset in.

1. I did buy a pack of "tube rattle hooks" 1/8 oz. Good? I don't generally use rattles. Bit Me and Venom jigs are my preferred brands. 2. I see the term "dragging tubes"- what does it mean? It means just that, dragging them, as the boat slowly drifts. 3. Are tubes money in the winter? They are money year round. 4. What kind (brand if possible) of tubes you guys use? Venom. 5. I would guess to use flouro, but have braid, with a Yo-Zuri leader. Will this suffice? Yep.

Nice work, man. That video is great - he ATE that frog!

Kayak.

Look in the articles for "Co Angler's Clinic."

Smooth Drags is where you want to look.

Yep, be prepared, and don't be dumb. Be prepared for the worst.

Thanks Kent....I hope none of the guys in my club read this, LOL. Yeah, those Swarming Hornets are good with just about any shad type plastic. Take an Albino Super Fluke, put a black dot on its side, and use a bait marker to put a chartreuse stripe on the side.....

Smith Mountain Lake this past spring. Shaky head worm. I was there, pretty much the only thing that worked all week long.

Kudos to Paul for starting yet another great thread! I'm going to spoil my lunch today, and eat my own words, LOL. For years, I've been saying not to set the hook, and just keep reeling in, while applying pressure. The fish will set the hook itself, by resisting. While this is true when they plain eat your bait with gusto...this isn't always the case. Well, this past weekend, I caught myself doing something that must be an unconscious response to a subtle crankbait bite.... Yep, you guessed, I popped the fish with a short, but very quick hookset. I was fishing deep cranks, DT16 to be exact, in 7-10 FOW, and basically fishing them VERY slow, doing something I call "jigsawing" through wood litter. The bites would be very subtle, and might be mistaken for a small clump of sticks at the bottom, except there was "life" there if I stopped reeling. Well, after the third fish, or so, I caught myself givving the rod a slight "pop' of the tip - enough to load the blank, but not anything close to a big swing or sweep set. So, I've actually been setting the hook all along, especially on a subtle bite without even know about it... Thanks for the post Paul, I'm sure I would have not even noticed what I was doing, since I've been fishing so long, much of what I do is muscle memory, and not so intentional, LOL.

I sometimes wonder about this, too. BB, there are a great many players from the Tampa area (I realize that's not exactly near you). Must be something in the water. That or all the great programs in the area, and the ability to play year round. I sometimes wonder if this isn't related to concentration of scouting offices, or is ti the other way around? Here's another one, Derek Jeter and Kevin VanDam both are from Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Tony, lots of success on chatterbaits...fall and spring. Generally, I like black, but there is something about purple. I know they seem that they put out a lot of commotion, but I've always felt they left a subtler signature. maybe I'm off on that. They do work.

Ugh....yeah I heard about it. Come on over to NY, we got the same crap, LOL. Candlewood just got scratched off a great many tounament trails. Too bad...great lake.

I use two: Avid AVC70MM and AVCMHM. They cover everything from little peanuts to big, deep divers. Very light, very sensitive, and have a great, forgiving action ideal for cranking.

Yes, which makes his statement even more qualified.

Check that, here is a list of numbers from their site: http://www.dbm.state.md.us/phonebook/OfficeSub.asp?OID=1975.

Do you have a cell phone? Just put the Maryland DNR number in you speed dial list. I think this is their hotline: 1-877-224-7229. You may want to call and double check.

Unless you are working vertically, any thing <1/2 oz. will not hold the bait in place. I carry a few 3/4 oz. weights just for this. My ML/XF spinning rod is rated to 1/2 oz., and it throws the heavier weights just fine. If I am flinging the rig into heavy cover, then I'll use MH/F casting rig, with appropriate, heavier line.