J Francho

Probably more than your deductible. Call your insurance co.

Next time, buy a 3/4 ton pickup with an off road suspension. She won't steal that vehicle.

LOL...I only took a few days off.

2012 was a huge personal challenge for me, and to all my friends at BassResource, a big thanks for this little refuge from all the turmoil. 2013 already looks like things will be taking a huge turn for the better. Happy fishing to all!

Email the company.

This feature is an absolute deal breaker for me. Find a used Sol for about 50% more, and you'll get 3x the reel.

Cheerleading can be a big role for the non boater. Turning a bad attitude around can often make a BIG difference, as you showed. Good work.

6" Hudds, Hudd 68, Matlures Hard Gill, MS Mini Slammer, American Trash Fish, and a custom built High Power Herring are my rotating staples.

Saint Croix Avid. I have a dozen or more of them, and they just take a beating, are light and sensitive. They come in every length, taper, and power under the sun.

Yep, this thread is for those that WANT to try swimbaits, not whether you think they're effective or for you. Any debate along that line is irrelevant. Secret tips? Smear your swimbaits with Megastrike. Use good Hooks. I like Owner Stinger ST-41 with the Cutting Point. Contrary to most methods, start slow, and stay slow. Sometimes speed is the key, but often it's lack of speed.

Unless it's a team format, I wouldn't bother asking to come up front.

5 in the reel, and two on the knobs is a good balance between smoothness and weight.

Having two bearings on on the crank shaft and one for the pinion when the spool is engaged greatly reduces wear on the main gear and pinion. Unless the reel has a non disengaging levelwind (most lopro reel do disengage), There isn't much benefit to having bearings on the worm gear. I like at least one bearing on each knob, as it reduces wear and feels smoother.

I've been in that basement. The pics don't do the collection justice. Just look at the rod labels stuck to the wall around the G. Loomis crest!

Look up Rich Zaleski on FB. He's getting over some recent surgery, but I bet he'd have some words of advice for you. Tell him I sent you.

Here's my co-angler kit. All this goes into a AZ8 bag:

Yes they are! It amazes me that such a foul natured, stinky, slimy, ugly creature could taste so good. You have to know how to fillet them, though. I use the "5 steak" method, One back strap, two sides, and two tail fillets. Just cut around the Y-bones, and get this:

LMAO!!!!!!

Try an umbrella rig decked out with Ragetail grubs.... It was a killer presentation on Oneida this fall.

Not in my boat. My partners keep stealing my tubes!

In weeds, I tie direct. In rocks or cover where the bait might hangup, or the line can suffer from abrasion, I use a leader.

I generally use it as a search bait, on a steady, slow retrieve. That generally gives me the most bites, or follows. I don't do the slow, twitch thing with it. To me it's a big super shallow crankbait, or waker. Bigger baits on the other hand, The twitch is key.

Bobby, you ever make it out west to say Auburn, NY Bass Pro Shops?

Most of the guys on the show aren't pros - just regular guys like you and me. Many are members on the Lunkerville forums, and just about all of them are easily approachable, and willing to to share an open seat. I made long time friends in Burney Haney and Mike Cusano. Seemed like Burney and I were the only guys fishing for steelhead through the winter. We ended up meeting at the Salmon River for Mike's first time trout fishing, and have been friends ever since. Mike "getting his feet wet" for the first time: Burney and my buddy Kase:

Some baits, it seems you have to buy a bunch to find a few keepers that work right.