BassmanDan

Find the shad. Throw a spinnerbait. Set the hook!

I know this is an endless debate so I'll just say...for me being right handed I just learned as a kid to fish with right handed reels and work the rod with my left. I think you can develop your fishing style both ways, but just like I've always thrown a baseball with my right hand and had the glove on my left...my skills greatly diminish when I try to switch.

I've been struggling for about a month now in NC with no big fish and only a few keepers in the boat. Then last weekend I went to a different lake and caught my biggest bass of the year. My advice is to try and fish the most productive waters you can and then try some of the tips others have suggested. Some times it just takes a change of scenery.

I've had a Pinnacle Perfecta rod for 4 months now and it has become my favorite rod...can't wait to get a few more!

I've heard Fritts say that too, but I think Lew's will regret creating the reel with that feature down the road. If it was so great back in the day there would have been other companies producing cranking reels with slop in them. I have one of the original BB1's and have never gotten used to the backplay...it was a well-built and smooth cranking reel otherwise.

I have (and recommend) a Falcon LowRider XG 7ft H Carolina Lizard dragger...awesome c-rig rod!

If it's a big fish in open water I do a couple things- loosen the drag during the fight (I keep it locked down for the hookset) because she will make a couple of big surges when she gets close and sees the boat, and secondly maintain as much pressure as possible without making her jump. If she does come up I try and see if the hook is buried good- if it is then all that is left is playing her out and onto my thumb.

Three over 6 and three over 7. Don't count the dinks.

I almost quit reading at "filet knife". Chuck Norris would have glared at the hook and it would have just fell out. Hope it wasn't as painful as it sounded.

I fished from the back of the boat after my partner had a pot full of chili beans the night before...and he kept me downwind all day.

A little "luck" the night before seems to bring me better results...or maybe I just don't feel as bad about it if the fish don't bite.

I've heard about Little River having big bass, but haven't made the trip yet. Lake Benson in Garner also had some dd's caught "back in the day", but the last few years it's really gone downhill. Same thing at Lake Johnson...probably part of the normal decline in qualify fish as lakes age and cover is lost. I may have to try Little River..thanks for the info.

I would be interested in getting that info.

Harris can definitely be hot or cold...it took 28lbs to win the Piedmont classic tournament last Saturday. You always have a shot at a DD there...and this is the time of year to get one.

That doesn't look like any 8lber I've ever seen.

No complaints here because I got a Zillion two years ago...only reel I've ever owned that's two years old and worth 90 bucks more than I paid for it! As for the Curado's...I got two E7's at Gander mtn last Black Friday for $119..I was the first in the door that morning and wish I would have bought the other ten they had left! Great reel.

I was born in Terre Haute...been here in Raleigh NC 15 years now. Still go back once or twice a year and fish the strip-pits.

The Steez...it's my favorite reel. The price was hard to swallow, but it was worth it performance-wise. It also fits my hand better than any other reel, and that makes a difference. Can't lose with either one though.

My local D**cks finally got the KVD cranks in stock in the classic-winning chartreuse/black back color. I'm not a big crankbait guy, but the bass in my lake are definitely on the ledges in 8-12 feet and you can catch the 2-4 pounders on plastics but I'm having a hard time getting the big girls to bite. They had the 6xd in that color so I bought the last one just for kicks. Got on the water Sunday and pulled up to the ledge and immediately started catching those 2's and 3's...so I thought I might as well try that new crank. Long story shorter I ended up putting two six pounders in the boat and had the best day of the year out there...even the catfish were eating that crank up. ...so is it really a magic color? I don't know but I went back and bought 3 more yesterday. ...what do y'all think?

I have always fished out of rented jon-boats in NC. One March morning I was throwing a spinnerbait on opening weekend for this lake and hooked the biggest bass BY FAR I had ever caught...(had to be over 10). By the time I got her in I was literally shaking with adrenaline. Now the stupid part. My "system" back then was to grab a stringer and put the fish on just long enough to snap a pic and get the weight. But I wanted to leave her in the water and so I unhooked her (1st mistake) and held her in the water (2nd mistake) while I fished for the stringer in my bag with my other hand. I had done this many times before without a problem but been warned by my buddy that one day it would backfire on me. About then she came out of her tiredness from the fight and wallowed that big head and I lost my grip...but she was still out of it and I was able to grab her again!! I was thinking..well actually not thinking at that point about how lucky that was and then CONTINUED to hold her in the water and fish for the stringer (3rd and last act of stupidity). Another two seconds and she shook again and I lost her...again!! My luck was over and I grabbed at her again only to have her slide through my hands and swim off. That day was one of those special pre-spawn days and one boat caught a limit of 6 and 7 pounders...my bass would have ate them for breakfast...and I didn't tell that story at the dock.

I don't "deliberately" hide my stuff...but she did recently find out I have the Visa number memorized...what was I thinking?

I think you guys will really like these rods...I've always used a GLX for my jigs and I this rod was every bit as sensitive....and it was easier to hit targets casting and pitching. I have a steez on it and it's practically weightless. It may not look like a matched combo but it gets purtier every time I use it.

I bought the 7ft MH model also...got my first fish with it last weekend. It's incredibly sensitive and pulled the bass out of a heavy laydown no problem. I really like the tip to backbone ratio of this rod for jigs...it should handle spinnerbaits as well. I can see more of these rods in my future.

...because KVD inspires "bait-***"

a 1/4 oz spot or trap if you are looking shallow.