J Francho

Texas rigged, 3/0 Owner Wide Gap Plus, and the lightest tungsten weight you can get away with. 1/4 to 3/8 oz. usually does the trick for most thin to moderate cover.

12# line on a spinner? You're always going to have a problem. I don't go over 6# mono or 20# braid on a spinner.

Yep, they're getting bigger and bigger. Someone's got to invent a goby swimbait.

Unbreakable.

Depends on the weight of the jig, the cover, and casting room. Here's what I'll tie a jig to: GL2 803CJWR LTBC70MF LTBC70MHF AVC70MHF Deep South 7'6" XXH Flippin' Pitchin'

Uhhhhh, yup. They work for smallies.

But what about the fish?

Looks like a redhorse sucker, Doug.

Rhino, Goose, and MonteSS whoopin' it up on a Firday night:

Myself:

slonezp showing off his new crocs:

You don't need a key, the only species of black bass in Manitoba are smallmouth and largemouth. The fish in the pics are largemouth.

Keep trying different things until the fish tell you what they want. It's different on different days.

Dude, they're largemouths. Nice catch, congrats!

Check the Maryland DNR website. They are giving away ONE gift certificate. http://dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/news/story.asp?story_id=214

roadwarrior, explaining how big that smallie that got away was:

No gin, that's nasty. Look it up. A customer turned me on to it a couple years ago.

Chris, I had a brown on that dwarfed my PB. Easily over 25#. It was the day after Christmas, and I had already caught the fish below in the same hole. I knew the brown was in there, along with a couple other browns, steelhead, and two straggler Coho salmon. A few drifts later, it's float down, and I set the hook. In an instant, I see one of the biggest browns I've ever seen in person roll -it's on my hook! Well, I choked. My knees buckled, and my grip on the centerpin reel tightened. So much so, that I didn't give that fish any line to run. One flick of it's tail, and 8# leader just snapped. I at least got a 35" steelhead that day.

You're gonna lose some wood fish now and then. Are the fish breaking you off, or are you unable to horse them out of the wood cover? If it's the latter, then sure, a 4 or 5 power rod with 50# braid might help you.

Bigger, deeper, and slower are the keys to bigger fish.

Last thing....tonic water. Have a glass of tonic water with lime to cut the taste. The trace levels of quinine reduce cramping in the extremities. Does wonders for my foot cramps.

The little ones are ALWAYS more aggressive. Think about it, they're little and need to eat to grow.

Fluoroclear is one of the more limp lines. If you are used to that, then many of the tougher copoly lines will probably annoy the heck out of you. I only use them casting gear.

I wish I had a picture of my personal best brown. There I'd be, standing on the pier, in a shirt and tie holding up a 22 lb. brown trout while on my lunch break.

Steve, you're welcome to use mine anytime. We'll be working on getting one of Big Al for you as well.