J Francho

I've got a huge pile of customer reels to work on, but I thought I put a couple pics of what a difference a clean and lube makes. Which reel would you rather fish with? Before: After:

That's a fish of a lifetime, WRB. I can't even imagine it.

www.flowercitysportsmen.com/ We are accepting both boaters and non boaters. We meet at Woody's II every 1st and 3rd Tuesday at 7 PM. Anyone is welcome to check it out.

Big M does some beautiful work.

Awesome fish! Is that ice on your shoe, or "shoe goo"? One word of advice, get a Seal Line drybag, and put a complete change of clothes and a towel. If you dump it, hypothermia can set in real quick.

Kistler recently moved production in house:http://www.tackletour.com/reviewicast2008kistler.html. You're probably right about my Kistlers though, since I bought them last year.

Something occurred to me here...Are we talking about custom or hand made here?

I don't fish particularly pressured water, so I'm not sure a "special" bait would be that much better. I do have baits that do seem to catch more, though, so I don't doubt the concept at all. I have a few repainted old Bagleys that fish well, just not sure if they're really "better" or "super." Bottom line, you really can't figure this stuff out until you really fish the heck out the baits.

I thought I recalled that the scale was certified by one agency, but not the other, and that they also needed a NR or something. I don't know, sounds weird to me.

Just because I'm bored. Its about a 1/3 of the way down the page. http://www.state.me.us/ifw/laws_rules/fishing/openwater/index.htm

Consistency and wait time would be my big questions. Other than that, I'd say its worth a try. Consistency is the niggling point, only because I'm pretty aggressive as to where I throw cranks, and sometimes lose them in the wood, LOL. I'd hope that I can get that lost bait back by simply ordering a new one.

Trying to find a price on that model - any idea? I'm thinking around $150?

The problem with a spring Chatillion Fish & Game or laboratory quality scale, in the 25 lb weight range, is the graduations are in 4 oz increments, with a 2% accuracy. California requires scales to be certified every 4 months if you are selling a product that requires certification, plus there are cost involved. Used a Chatillion for years and the IGFA doesn't accept weights, unless you send them the scale to certify prior to and along with submitting a record, plus have a picture with the weight clearly indicated. Fishermen tend to cheat and the IGFA takes that into consideration. IMO a potential world record bass should be put on ice to eliminate problems. WRB All that is true, though I'm not sure why you need CA's blessing that the scale is kosher, if IGFA says it is with a yearly inspection. That's fine anyway, I don't have to worry about catching a world record LMB here in Western NY, LOL. My point was that it isn't nearly as difficult to get a scale certified as it was to catch that fish, so I still agree that they were unprepared.

For a $30 inspection fee, no doubt! BTW, the weights and measures inspectors used to do mine for free. I worked in a store that sold bulk items by weight, and rebagged bulk items, and the scales had to be certified by them, as well as the rebagged items checked for accuracy.

Actually, since we're talking IGFA, here's their requirements: http://www.igfa.org/ScaleCertificationInfo.pdf

I had a Chatillion certified by two counties' weights and measures offices. It takes effort, but not impossible.

9/10 times its from retrieving with pressure on one side. Unspool, and reel it in with the line straight and you should be good. there is a small chance there is an issue with the pawl or worm gear, but probably not.

In addition to all the great information already posted, we also use a wicked fast twitching retrieve, looks almost like a topwater with tons of splashing. I sometimes nose hook them with a 1/0 finesse or Mosquito hook.

Bagley's and Bite Me and some locally grown jigheads are what I primarily used for past few years.

Lifetime biggest from around home was a shade over 7. Last years biggest just broke 6. Some other notables, including one of my biggest SMB, a 4.5 pounder from '97. The biggest SMB I've seen from around here was a 6.25 caught by an ex GF around the same time frame. No pics, but really a spectacular fish. Can't forget this guy:

I don't do anything with the hooks on Spro frogs, but I do "exercise" the plastic body. You actually get them to a point where they are much softer than straight out of the package. i almost bought a few of the popper models last week, but put them back, since I already have other popper style frogs. When they are toast, maybe I'll try a few. Oh, when picking out colors, look at the belly color and the skirts. Many are the same from that perspective, and the top color is just angler eye candy

I love that rod. I've even been using for cold steel in the tiny ditches I frequent all winter long. The rod feels a bit soft compared to usual bass gear, but I'd say landing a few 8# class chromers is testimony to its backbone. I also used it for dragging tubes for smallies last summer. A little different feel than the usual 7' MH/F spinning gear I usually employ, but just as effective.

That's an 18 Mile slob hen in my avatar, caught on a trout bead last fall:

I use a St. Croix AVC70MM, Daiwa Sol, and 8# P-Line CXX X-tuf to throw medium divers down to Peanuts and PeeWee Wart sized baits.

Good video of a shaky head in action, though not the ONLY way to fish it: