bigbill

I been buying the strike king polarized glasses from Wal-Mart when there on clearance. I also go for the aviator $10 polarized glasses on eBay that have free shipping too. The darker tinted glasses in the shaded areas gave me problems in seeing clearly. So I just went with the Amber tinted ones. I use the Amber color at night on my motorcycle in the past this color brightens up the darkness. So I'm thinking we need more than one color. I have more polarized glasses to try in all shades but I haven't done it yet. I even have orange polarized glasses too to tryout. It's a matter what color works the best for different lighting conditions.

I knew my 8lb test felt kind of on the light side. Thanks guys I'm setting up my bsitcasters and would like to refine them more.

I just asked Mike of Siebert Outdoors to make me up some chartreuse colored jigs. They look great. I'm thinking the brighter jigs for the darker water conditions.

Do you use a scent? The fish could pick up a foul oders when they get close to your lure. I agree to change speed, try slowing it down. Are you matching the lure color to the water conditions? Clear water natural colors fished faster, stained water a combination of clear,/muddy water conditions but medium sized lures fished slower, muddy waters larger lures brighter colors fished the slowest? Then change colors next. If that doesn't work then go smaller in lure size. Pay attention to the water conditions. When all else fails throw a firetiger. Sometimes when I don't read the water conditions from shore a firetiger color will save me. But if there not committing to striking cranks, change to another lure like an inline spinner, a spinner bait, swimbait, rapala minnow etc.

Yes they do offer lighter weight rods for women but I don't remember where I seen them maybe bass pro shops. Bill

Being out of work in 83, 84 & in 85 during the first so called recession we had I learned to interview every possibly New employer as they interview me. Trust me some I found out later why they were hiring. I figured in the end I wasnt looking for making new friends nor additions to my family I figured after being out of work so many times I'd go for the gusto, the money after all I was going to be there for 8 hours a day anyway. Trust me I've had the worst bosses on the planet. I just took it smiled and laughed all the way to the bank. It's nothing but a game. Don't let anyone break you. I was fresh out of the woods logging. I was at 300lbs, a walking tree trunk. I'd run a 100cc 26lb husqvarna chainsaw over 8 hours a day. I took a new job as a repairman in a sheet metal production shop on the night shift. The very first day the little weasel day boss took me in the repair room and went up one side of me and down the other for no reason. I can't say what I told him but my last words to this little punk was be careful the door opens to the inside and you'll never make it out of here. He was nice after that. He just pushed my buttons. I've learned after that its just not worth it. When I became the boss I treated people the way I wanted to be treated. When the crew is happy they work harder. I bought them breakfast and lunch on somedays. My department had the most output.

Ok I'm looking for what line test you gals and guys use on your baitcasting reels. To me they don't feel right with a lighter test. So I'm looking for an average test of what everyone here uses??

There still available at the culprit website.

Ok remember I purchased this reel online and the friction knob didn't function no matter how hard I tightened it? My new parts arrived today and I received the correct parts. The reel is now functioning. I heard of them sending the wrong parts in the past. But my last two quantum part orders have been the correct parts.

I fancast the area and by the 4th or 5th cast with one lure I know it's not working. But on my first cast my topwater lure goes out with a scent on it. After that I'm testing each lure for it being the correct color and style the bass are wanting.

Ok what's being said I understand. If we make the spool turn more free we then turn up the brakes to stop the over run. That the spool turning faster then the lure is going. Which turns into a bird's nest. My question is why not back off on the brakes and apply our educated thumb sooner to control the over run so the birdsnest doesn't happen. I guess I need to re-educate my thumb brake. But if I can make longer casts in the process then it's worth it. Right now I think there is a fine line of adjustment between the friction knob and the magnetic brakes. I think there is a sweet spot that we can achieve. But once we fine tune it to that weight of the lure its set for that weight. I'm just thinking out loud here. Looking for suggestions or corrections. Thank you. Bigbill

How often do you check and sharpen your treble hooks on your lures? I check and sharpen them over the winter while the snow is piling up. I also check them mid season too.

To me it's the challenge of figuring out which lure size, lure shape and lure color will work at that moment. This is why I throw a variety of different lures, sizes and colors. Plus its fun.

Go to the "General bass fishing" section on the top of the main forum page listing. Click on the hype post. Go to page 3 I posted a list of my variety of baits I throw.

The setup of the spinner bait matters too. I use the gold color single Colorado blade or the twin Colorado blade or the Indiana and a Colorado blade. On the Colorado blade I sometimes go up one size for more thump. I prefer a blue glimmer skirt. Then I add a white 4" mister twister split double tail grub for a trailer plus a trailer hook. Add one shot of yum shad scent and your good to go. I use this setup for clear to slightly stained water. In slightly stained+ to muddy water I setup a chartreuse color spinnerbait with a hot chartreuse skirt with a MT 4" split double tail grub with a trailer hook. Both of these setups seem to be the hot ticket from shore. I stay between the 1/8oz, 3/16oz, 1/4oz to 3/8oz size from shore. I do use the 3/16oz to 1/4oz spinnerbaits more. Probably because of them having less splash in the shallower water not to spook I the bass.

As an old gear head engine builder and drag car builder I'm interested in hopping up my bait caster.

Gosh were so backwards living in the country. We don't have a phone. We use the phone book for toilet paper. kidding

I just ordered the ceramic bearings.

Does anyone here super tune your baitcasting reels like change out the standard bearings for better quality bearings? Then polish this or that for better casting performance?

The parent US Reel Company like corporate headquarters is here in the states and they dictate and set the quality control standards to there manufacturing plant in China. But there engineering group is here. One way to tell is do they still use a USA address. it's the American way now to stay competitive in the market and profit wise. When I worked for Otis Elevator World Headquarters Engineering they have a manufacturing plant in just about every country. They also have joint ventures too. It's the only way they can still oversee all the operations from the US and still cut the manufacturing costs and still survive.

I was taught to put the line thru the pages in a phone book first to tention it. If the phone book is thin then I put books on it till it has enough drag on the line. These is a video where Glenn explains how to install line. There are different ways to install line. It's different on baitcasters and spinning reels. Inspect the guide bar on the line leveled to make sure it's level and not on an angle. It should be parallel to the drive screw. Your line leveler should move all the way right and left.

Fishing in rivers look for still water on the edge of moving water like back washes. This edge of the slower current and the faster current is where the bass will sit there ambushing anything that comes by. There are also slow current areas too away from the main moving channels. Fish this slower moving water. Cast under or along the parked barges too they make good cover. I would set the drop shot 8" to 12" off the bottom.

Creme worm black split shot rigged tossed in the weeds. We would row the boat off the shore till the weeds disappeared, then anchor and fish the weeds and watch the line for movement. I threw the split shot rigged black creme worm not too long ago in a local lake from shore. I caught a 4lb bass. On the first cast I got a thump. I thought the split shot hit a log or a rock. On the second cast he took it. I think the plastic worms are still the number one bass bait even today.

I just found three Finor lite spinning rods. Two are 7' and seem more on the stiffer side with more power while the 6'6" Finor lite with a little less backbone and stiffness. I'm thinking one 7' will be for topwater lures. I'm not sure yet what to use the other two for yet? Does anyone use these?

I did already he is not far from me like two towns away. I'm filling a box with fishing rods now for him. A gift of a fishing rod is a gift that never stops giving. This is an awesome way to give back. Bigbill