Stasher1

I throw my shallow and lipless cranks on a Kistler Magnesium TS 'Alton Jones Crankbait Special" composite rod (MgAJCBSGGM70) It's fairly light and much more sensitive than I had expected when I ordered it. It's a medium with a mod-fast action and a fairly soft tip, so it'll toss a 1/4 oz crank quite a ways, as long as your reel is capable of doing so. It's definitely not the best choice for deep cranks, though.

x2 This is especially true in the Atlanta area. I can't tell you how many Terminator T2 packages I've found on the banks of my local ponds. :

None of those are especially "light". A 5" Senko weighs as much as 7" Power Worm, 3/0 hook, and 1/8 oz bullet weight (according to my little digital scale) and I believe the others weigh about the same, if not more.

My pet turtle does that to some of the faster feeder fish. Biting the tail off slows them down quite a bit, and it makes them swim like a 3.5" Bass Magic swimbait. ;D

I have seasons one, two, and three and I'll pick up season four when it comes out. They're loaded with info and tips from some of the biggest names in bass fishing. My only complaint is with the packaging. I wish they'd list the episodes on the outside of the jacket so you'd know which episodes are on each disc without loading them in the DVD player and scrolling through the main menu. Overall, good stuff though. Highly recommended.

I think it would depend on the length of the rod. A 5'6" ML rod might balance well with a 1500 series reel, but you'd need a larger/heavier reel to achieve the same balance with a 7' rod.

I like fluoro for plastics or spinnerbaits, but I stick with 12# Sufix Elite (mono) for cranks.

My local BPS has last year's Micro Lite graphite rods on clearance for about $28. I picked up a 7' ML spinning model a couple hours ago.

If I were to buy a new BPS reel, it would be the Johnny Morris Signature Series baitcaster for $120, not the Gold Series. First off, I find the gold finish to be pretty tacky. It's a little too pimp-tastic for me. Second, you can pick up a Patriarch or Curado on Ebay for less than $170. Both are lighter and more compact than the JM reels. JM Gold is probably a great reel, but there's just too much competition at that price.

Lol, good question. I have St. Croix on the mind, so I just assumed he meant the Premier rod. :-[

It depends on which plastics you're talking about. The ideal rod for weightless Trick Worms may not be as well suited to weightless Senkos or weightless Flukes which weigh quite a bit more. A weightless Senko, for example, weighs as much as a typical 7" worm t-rigged with an 1/8 oz. bullet weight. I'm actually heading to Dick's in a few minutes to compare the 7' ML/F Premier and Triumph, and see which one is better suited to weightless Trick Worms and floating worms. With the Triumph being assembled in the same Mexican plant that builds the Mojo, there should be very little difference in build quality between it and the Mojo/Premier.

I'm the same way. I have a couple HJs, but I prefer the X Rap's action. Actually, there are several jerk baits that I'll grab out of the box before I even think about tying on a HJ.

In my experience, the Husky Jerk's action isn't quite as erratic as the X Rap's. While they both produce, one may produce better than the other on a given day.

Cork. Foam grips remind me of Ugly Stiks.

In general, a reel designed to hold 6# line will have a small diameter spool which may cause manageability problems with 10# line. If you need stronger line on a small reel, you might want to try 20# braid. It's the same diameter as 6# line.

Cool idea. What size are you using on Chatterbaits, the 3.5" or the 4.5"?

I'll usually bring two; M/F or M/XF spinning rig for weightless plastics, light T-rigs, shaky heads, and jerkbaits MH/F or MH/MF baitcast rig for heavier T-rigs, spinnerbaits, and light jigs Rod length is determined by the lake/pond I'm fishing. I have a Plano 4600 full of terminal tackle, cranks, jigs, and soft plastics that stays in the car/truck all the time along with an insulated lunch box packed full of more soft plastics. I keep a 6'6" M/F spinning rig in the car/truck all the time as well, but if I know I'm going to be fishing, I'll usually grab something else off the rack.

I have two Avids and a Triumph (same blank as the Premier and Mojo, but made in China) and like them so much that I'm going to get rid of a couple of my other rods so I can pick up another Avid and a Mojo or Premier. They're light, sensitive, and feel better in my hand than my Shimano Crucial and Johnny Morris Signature Series rods. My only complaint is the fact that certain length/power/action combinations are not offered in all series. For example, I intend to pick up a 6'9" ML/XF spinning rod for floating/Trick Worms, (where sensitivity isn't important) but I'm not a big fan of split grip rods. Unfortunately, SC only offers that rod in their Legend Extreme ($350 - split grip), Legend Tournament Bass ($230 - split grip), Avid ($180 - full grip), and Mojo ($100 - split grip) lines. I don't see spending $180 for a technique-specific rod where sensitivity isn't an issue just because it has a full grip. It would be nice to see that length/action/power in the Premier series, especially since it's the same blank as the Mojo, or even the Triumph series since they're now built in the same plant in Mexico. Sorry about the mini-rant. :-[ I don't know what you're currently fishing with, but odds are you'll be happy with whatever St. Croix you decide on. That said, I'd take an Avid over a Premier if you can swing the extra $60.

If I plan on carrying several packs of soft plastics with me, I sometimes stick them in an el cheapo insulated lunch box like this... It can easily hold a dozen bags, has a smaller external pocket for my used plastics, and has a shoulder strap for easy transport.

I've heard some good things about them too...Anyone else use this reel? I've been using a Regal 1000 on my ultralight rig for the past couple years without a problem, and I wouldn't hesitate to pick up another.

Depending on the diameter of the holes, solid aluminum rivets might be an option. http://www.rivetsinstock.com/rivet71.htm You'll need a rivet gun/air hammer, bucking bar(s) and the proper rivet sets. Simple job that should only take a few seconds per hole, once you're set up.

If you're looking for a "do it all" reel, then the 6.4:1 would probably be your best bet.

I'd rather have $89 in my pocket than a combo that I can't use, but that's just me...

I went to BPS a couple years ago with the intention of buying a 6'6" MH Compre casting rod, but after handling it in person I wound up leaving with a pair of Extremes instead. Dollar for dollar, I feel the Extremes are a better deal than the Compre, but I'm not overly impressed by the ones I've handled and owned. They're decent rods at that price point, and well worth their sale price, but I wouldn't pay full price for them. I've owned the 6'6" MH/F Woo Daves "Worm" casting rod, the 7' MH/F casting rod, and the 6'9" ML/F Woo Daves dropshot spinning rod and the only one that I'd consider buying again would be the dropshot rod. Imo, it has the perfect tip for floating worms and weightless Trick Worms. FWIW, the St. Croix 'Triumph' runs about the same price as the Extreme's sale price, offer a better warranty, and are more sensitive.

He got caught on camera , he's still on the llam. His last log in on the TT Forum was yesterday evening @ 6:07 PM, so he's still around. I'm quite sure he's lurking and following this thread closely.