J Francho

Oh, logic! This is a good point. And to add, what you use most frequently, you have the best "feel" for what the bait is and isn't doing.

Who me?

What really helped me was throwing them in the trash.

My favorite pair of Costas are at the bottom Lake Erie. If you find them, you found my spot on the spot on Seneca Shoals, lol.

Flipping is really only one thing, and I can see where the real thing might cause a problem, unless you use a rod with a stripping guide close to the reel. Anyway, I'd be looking for a great condition E7 Curado on the flaw market for this. Solid and reliable.

Haha! The grub makes it totally legit

They win the award for the most frustrating piece of terminal tackle ever created. Hate the Drake!

My Helix 5 has simulator mode. Was just running through a few things last night. I'd recommend a 5 or 7 with SI and a good map chip for any kayak or small boat. No reason to skimp! Works great on my little Commander 140:

I know how to detect the spit out better than the take!

Phhhht! They'll probably bind up, lol.

That does wonders for any non braided line!

Toothpick keeps the bait from sliding, and helps the bait make it through a few fish, instead of just ripping after one.

Manhole sized blue gill beds? First, bass spawn before the blue gill. Second, bluegill beds are small, and closely spaced, resembling a honeycomb on the bottom. A cold front will drive bass off beds.

I stopped using them, shaved my beard, and let my fade grow out WAYYY before it was cool. I'm on to other things now - they'll be cool in a bit. Kidding - I use them because they work. There was nothing as good when they came out. I use a few other baits from them - they are all quality. Still have a few boxes of old spiders that you can have - if you can pry them from my cold, dead hands!

I cannot think of a more ironically named thing than Norman SPEED CLIPS.

So who is ready for some bed fishing?

Unless they're black bullhead caught on a cool April night, I prepare them by removing the hook, and tossing them back in the lake.

Here's how I rig them for durability.

I hope he got two of them. It takes two to chock my boat trailer in his driveway, or else it rolls down the hill.

Yeah, my boss drives an S-class Merc, we all make fun of his success. Get new friends that are less envious.

Best hook for the that bait! Don't swap it out. LOL...

They are/were good hulls. A 17 year old boat leaves lots of questions that you'll have to answer through inspection and an on water test drive. Nothing wrong with an older boat - my Bullet 21XDC is 21 this year.

I use a 7'3" Heavy/Fast jig rod. I'll step up to a flipping stick if the cover is really heavy. I don't feel like taper matters, unless you're more concerned with casting than catching. That's where I think most frog rods fall short. They may cast a frog a mile, fish it with pretty precision, but aren't capable of pulling a toad out of the slop.

A J-Will isn't gonna set itself, MH rod or whatever...the hook is just too thick, so you have to pop them with a hook set.

1/3 of the weakest rated link in your system. So, 50# braid on a 12# drag reel mounted on a 25# rod = around 7-8# of drag. The rod is the weak link. Another example, 6# fluoro on a 10# drag reel mounted to a 12# rod = 2# drag. The line is the weak link. Make sense? This <almost> guarantees you don't snap anything. You can easily feather a spinning reel for more drag, or thumb the spool on a baitcaster. Bass don't make long runs, so no need to worry too much about that.