J Francho

There's nothing that "tightens" this to anything. There's a cap that holds the pawl, but go too tight, and it breaks. Most line guides are a bit loose, but I'm not sure what you mean by bounce?

Very cool.

I have the APC 6-9 caster, and I love it. It's got a "not so fast" taper that makes a great everything rod. Lately I've been slaying fish on it throwing a Popmax. It's currently saddled with a Daiwa Sol. Not a bad package.

Slonezp, I bet your Lund can go 50 when I'm stuck pointing the bow of my Bullet to heaven.

I have an Xpress and a Bullet. I also have fishing kayaks and a rowboat. There things I can do with each, and places I can go in each that I can't with the other. Where you fish and how you fish determines what is best for you.

I'm already having a tough day if I'm down to color choice. I generally only have a few colors of a certain bait. Cranks even less - usually only one color, MS American Shad.

Smooth Drags will have the bearings and drags. I wonder what you actually need, though. A proper cleaning should bring to better than out of the box.

Can't get to the middle of the pond? Fish for the ones you can get to. I watched everyone catch nothing the other evening at the pond, bombing their baits toward the middle. Meanwhile, I caught a couple dozen nice fish on a popper, casting parallel to shore, between everyone. They all wanted know what magic bait I was using. Wasn't the bait.

Think he was referring to the lack of stretch as "stiff." Not the word I'd have used.

In the club I fished and served as an officer, trolling a bait was considered moving a bait via one of the boats propulsion systems, be it gas, electric or otherwise. Wind did not count. The instance described above is grey. In high winds, boat control is difficult. It would have to boil down to the angler's intent. Did he mean to move the bait via the motor? Of course, that angler could lie. I don't see it as trolling or trolling. Cheating usually affords an unfair advantage, so that would figure in. Could there be unfair gains? Could, not was - there's a difference. I think we're splitting hairs here though. At a club level, this is something I'd bring up at a meeting for rules clarification, not necessarily something I'd lodge a complaint or accusation to a TX director.

One pond as a side gig for off days? Run what you got, until that doesn't work. Then tell us the problem and we can make a better recommendation on what will work better.

I'm not sure I'm clear. Are you fishing a tournament? If not, why the big sack as your yardstick? I'd be looking at the biggest fish if it's not a tournament. Otherwise, my mentality in a tournament is getting five big bites that are bigger than everyone else's. It only takes five.

Your're only going to fish one pond? Ever?

Slayed them on topwater yesterday again. It was warm, little to no breeze, beight sun. All day, slow pops got bit. Easiest fishing I've had in a long time.

I throw a topwater when they hit my bait as soon as it hits the water. If that's where they want it, then I'll throw a bait that stays there.

I didn't really think about it. I didn't start getting paid decent money until a few years ago. I don't have a degree, and my fallback plan b is working at my family's restaurant. I wouldn't say I went for broke, but I spent most my life broke, lol.

9/10 of "liking" something you bought is getting used to it.

I never considered the lucrative side of music. I focussed on the path, not the destination. Same goes for fishing. http://theconcussed.bandcamp.com/track/champlain-dervish

I start big, and downsize if there's no bite. Sometimes I downsize just because the smallies won't choke it down. They often try to maim bigger lures first. A small lure gets a better hook up rate in that circumstance.

I destroyed them on a Popmax this past Monday. They work now, and up north.

I guess. Tatsu is a better line than Invisx. Invisx is better than most.

I have some three year old Invisx and two year old Tatsu in 6# size on two spinning setups that get use quite a bit. No need to change either yet. Wonder what costs more?

The NY record is from private water. Total Bologna. I'd love to be the one that breaks just to get that bogus thing off the books.

Clip the line as close to the surface as possible, and snap one of those red and white bobbers on the line. Drop a way point. Keep fishing and retreive the lyre when time isn't as pressing.

You don't have this in your list: http://www.amazon.com/The-Bass-Book-Complete-Illustrated/dp/0879309245