J Francho

Sure it can. http://www.marksprops.com/about.html

Agreed, I second the motion!

Doesn't really matter, when you're fishing from shore and releasing your catch. This was early spring, and it's catch and immediate release in NY. There's no rules against sight fishing either. The regs I know of about foul hooked fish in NY are for trout and salmon, and walleye in some specific rivers. Snatching, snagging, and lifting are illegal.

Clearly, because there's plenty of freedom for up and down movement of the trailer hook. How do you think they get hooked in the chin when they crash the blades? You only have to hold on in your hand to see this, but I digress. This is about crankbaits, and I must not really know what I've seen with my own eyes. I'm done debating every fine detail of the angle a trailer hook can possibly move.

I'm talking about the trailer hook, which does swing free. The rest of what you said sounds right. Good stuff.

Small zip ties work for a temporary repair.

They tear easily. You gotta be gentle with rubber and silicone netting material. I suppose it's possible the pick did it. More likely it got caught on a cleat or something and tore.

Burt could be anywhere....

I think there's something here, too. Raul's fish are probably typically bigger than my average fish, and Sword is using a smaller spinnerbait. I use big honking baits. I start at 1/2 oz., my favorite being 5/8 oz. I also fish them very low in the water column, almost and sometimes, contacting the bottom. Perhaps position of the bait, relative size of the bait to the fishes mouth, and dumb luck play a part?

I know it's technically "wrong," but I still pop them with a hookset. Nothing like if I was fishing a jig. You're also right about that nothing feel. That's what I like about moving baits - the pulse. It's a good way to teach beginners, too.

In many of those sequences, the hooks are bent in. I'd argue that many fish are caught on the initial engulfment or rejection.

If you see the bill at 90°, then I'd say you're working too hard with those deep divers. Unless you're talking about when you're digging into bottom. My best results with any diving crank is when I'm moving slow, and making contact. Often I'll pause after contact. That slow rise often triggers a bite, if the deflection doesn't. Of course, there are times when you absolutely have to burn them to get bit. I find those days pretty rare. I'm not sure what this has to do with the OP, but it's just my observations after being a crankbait fiend for many years.

I guess it would all depend on whether they were chasing, ambushing, or intercepting the bait?

I don't in your particular case, but I do know something about spinnerbaits. Often, I hear of missed fish on spinnerbaits, from those that don't use trailer hooks. The excuse is always that they are short striking the bait. Maybe, but I ALWAYS use a trailer hook. I rarely miss strikes. Sometimes, and it happens with several fish in a row doing this, they will be hooked in the chin with only the trailer. Why? My feeling, somewhat confirmed a few times visually, is that they are crashing the blades, not the skirt, and not the whole bait.

Reel speed doesn't matter with frogs. You move the frog with the rod tip. Sure, you can reel them marginally faster with a higher speed reel, but you're missing out if you don't work the frog all the way back to the boat. Other than that, all you need is a strong, aluminum frame, and a decent drag power. I agree, the Lexa 300 and Tatula CT couldn't on farther ends of the spectrum. Have you held the Lexa 300? It's a big boy.

I think you're barking up the wrong tree with the reel. I wouldn't call 10-12# line finesse either. I'd drop to 8# line, and go with the 2017 Shimano Scorpion BFS. I haven't held the rods, but man, they look great and the price is right.

He seems like he'd be a talker.

Let us know, and have fun!

There will be some outliers, but the general consensus is to use 4 and 5" senkos.

High bearing counts on budget priced reels are a necessity. Often, the tolerances are not as tight and materials not as strong as a high end reel, and the bearings help strengthen the reel, and keep moving parts in alignment. There are probably four bearings in the knobs, and this is a very typical way to increase the bearing count.

Totally legal, helmet up. Knocked right off his feet. At first, hilarious. Then horrifying, and painful!

Sorry to hear it, David! I'm 45, broke my foot early this summer, tackling my 18 year old son. It's just a stress fracture, but really slowed me down, too. It's clear to me that while I feel young, my body isn't quite up to things like that anymore. Rest up, get well and fishing soon!

Man, I'm glad you figured it out!

Their main product line is geared toward the trout sector, so I see quite a bit of their stuff up here, too. I don't use their bass products, but their line egg cures and colors are decent, and work well. I use to their stuff exclusively, until I started just curing with kosher salt. Even back then, I'd add Megastrike to my cured eggs, though.

Not just in this thread...