J Francho

There's only two ways to rig them , texas or wacky , take your pick. Have to disagree there. You can rig them wacky, o-ring, weedless, t-rig (weighted), c-rig, Mojo, split shot, DS weedless, DS wacky, DS nose hooked, on a jighead, as a trailer, throw in nail weights, and the possibilities are endless. My two favorites are wacky on a DS, and weedless with a nail in back end, as well as the typical wacky rig. Back to the original question, I've caught rock bass, drum, bowfin, brown trout, perch, silver bass, bullhead, channel cats, as well as SMB and LMB on them.

I loosen the drags at the end of every trip. So yes, loosen the drags and the spool tension.

The best canoe is sit on top kayak. My rig:

I don't remember if it says it on the box or not, but they obviously had the thing in their hands, right? That's the kind of sweet little extra that makes this reel top shelf, all the way. I see where they took points away: no lefty and extra weight. Nitpicking on a $200 reel, if you ask me, but that's what TT is all about: details.

Perhaps its "Flooger" stigma?

When fishing in open water, I like Owner Mosquito hooks and center poke in the nose, where the hook point goes straight into the nose and out the top. In weeds, I use their offset weedless Down Shot hooks. For magnum style or "cannonballing" pads and slop, I use an offset hook appropriate for the bait, usually Owner Round Bend or Wide Gap Plus.

Indexed micro adjustments on the drag and spool control knob will usually bump this value up. I don't think those are on the features list for the Patriarch.

Usual Suspects "What do you get when you cross an owl with a bungee cord?"

to what? Too many topics getting discussed here. Time for a new thread... :-X

BTW, nice looking minnow bait there. I can also recommend the FindBass Mino in alewife.

That's because you were told by someone that uses a DS on finesse gear. You can DS with whatever gear is appropriate. I've used 3/4 oz. drop weights on 65# braid with a 4/0 worm hook and 10" worm in lily pads. its a rigging, not a technique. The main point is that hook is tied directly to the line, and the weight attached to the tag end below. The weight is used either to get a weightless plastic down in the zone quicker, or to pin it in place, and shake away. Don't think of it as a finesse technique, think of it as a creative solution. Imagine waiting for a Senko to get to the bottom 18" of water in 25 FOW. You should use a DS with a 2' drop line to save time. Imagine T-rig worm that can be held in place and shaken from a distance, without leaving that perfect weed pocket. You would use a DS rig with the appropriate line and tackle for the cover. Imagine you keep breaking off smallies in deep water dragging tubes because the zebes and quagga are nicking up your line. Use a DS rig to keep the bait just off the bottom and the line between the hook and you free of damage.

That's incorrect. Bass have been introduced into non endemic waters around the country, and into places as far west as California, as well as Africa and Japan. But they definitely did not come from Europe. I think you are confusing the German strain Brown Trout with bass. BTW, bass are sunfish, belonging to the Centrarchid family.

If they bust on the 1st few casts, then I go back to the store for a replacement. If I fish them a few times, catch fish on them, or they sit in the tackle bag for week or so, then I take the hit. It really isn't that much an issue, and they are somewhat expensive, but not so much that it keeps me from throwing them into truly awful places. By doing so, I catch enough to make it worth it. Rapala must good about accepting returns, if they weren't the retailers wouldn't be so free and easy about defective returns.

Superbad "Nice wax job, Rook!"

DOn't sweat it - I'm sorry, was having a bad day and took it out on one post. Read through the pissiness, and there's still good info in there.

I have a Kistler 7'6" XH/fast with a TD-X HSDL and its fairly light for such a powerful rod.

You didn't say the make/model of the reel. Is it possible that you are over torquing the side plate screws on a plastic reel? Is everything seated properly, according to the schematic?

Just so we have it straight in ID'ing these guys: Northern snakehead ARE an invasive species. Whether they will destroy an ecosystem is debatable. In most cases, a snakehead should be killed and reported to whatever environmental office for your state. Perhaps its snakeheads that we getting mixed up here.

They are a native species, please stop spreading incorrect information. Care and handling for release is similar to large Esox spp, though they considerably more resistant to the stress of handling than the pike family. Their swim bladder is used as a secondary breathing apparatus, and they sometimes "sink" upon release, rather than swim away. They are ill tempered in the boat, and will bite, so use of a fish grip might aid. I usually just unhook and release them in the water. My largest bowfin weighed at just over 11 lbs.

Since lead is no longer for sale in NY, I use tungsten. Steel and tin weights are just WAYYY too big, though I sometimes like a bigger (not heavier) weight with big baits. Watch out for nicks in the paint job - it'll cut your line. If you have a choice, pick the one that fits profile and fall rate you think the fish desire.

I break as many as I lose. DT10 are the main offender of breaking at bill, but the shallower models seem fine. I learned as a kid not to smack the weeds off, after getting chewed out by my dad. My greatest fear is having one break with a fish on. Hasn't happened, yet.

The fact of the matter is that bowfin thrive in conditions that marginally support bass. Bowfin have been around A LOT longer than bass. They've been able to survive despite the success of bass. If you have to remove a bowfin from a small pond in order to improve the bass fishery there, I have no problem with it. While your at it, remove the crappie too, they pose a much larger risk to the bass. To say that all bowfin should be immediately killed is stupid and counter intuitive to conservation efforts.

"Pop" - its a WNY thing.

Just like bass rods, they run anywhere from $40 on up to hundreds. The Lamiglas I use was around $140. The FC leader is very tough material, and much more resistant to breaking than mono. The fish take anywhere from 10-30 minutes to bring in. There were at least three that were over 30# in the pool we were fishing, and they are impossible to land, LOL. My buddy had one of the monsters on for about a half hour, and it broke off at his feet.

That is a myth. If that was the case, then there would be no bass around here.