Team9nine

2015, from a multi-species standpoint (which I focus my efforts on more and more as I get older), was my best ever. Over 3,000 fish landed this year (1500+ were bass) Got much better with several different presentation/techniques Got a new boat, which I love Got much better with my mapping and interpretations For 2016, just like last year, I'm not setting any goals or expectations. Sometime during the year I'll find something specific to focus on, I always do, but as I get older, I've learned to not saddle myself with any preordained fishing targets. Life is short - I now just fish when I want, where I want, and how I want. I did enough of the commitment thing with bass tourneys when I was much younger. -T9

X2 on the Keitechs - larger for hooked baits, smaller for teasers if required in your state. -T9

It is possible. Several years back, we are fairly certain someone on Ebay ran an LCPointer scam. Everything looked normal - packaging, looks, even the name on the bait - only way we were able to suspect something fishy was because the larger versions required as many as 9 SuspenStrips to get them to balance near neutral in the water, very unusual. So I wouldn't rule out anything at this point. Like us, you could create a work around and catch fish, but it's the idea of being scammed that ultimately didn't sit well with us. -T9

Congrats! I'm sure you'll love it. The Lund Fury XL was my first choice when I started looking this past winter. Unfortunately, my local dealer wouldn't budge a cent on price or options (never even got to talk trade-in), so I ended up going with my 2nd choice. Too bad you'll have to wait all winter before you can take it out on the water though -T9

I've done that test and compared them side by side, and Sensation has a bit less stretch (for the same force applied) than XT does, even though the XT was .0005" thicker. All tests were performed dry. As it turns out, of the 9 lines I tested in that experiment, XT and Sensation were the two lowest "stretchers" of the bunch. Interestingly, they also had the lowest overall percent deformity ("creep") of the bunch after 24 hrs of applied force. As for tensile strength for the two, I haven't seen them compared head-to-head, and I didn't test that myself. I have seen a bunch of line data over the years, and it seems like a majority of the good, or at least popular lines all tend to fall in the 120k-130k psi range, including brands such as Izorline XXX, Trilene XT, Sufix Elite, Yozuri Hybrid, and Big Game. One final note. I know frydog62 did a similar stretch test on the two lines (along with a bunch of others), and XT came out as the least amount of stretch among the 18 lines tested (Sensation was 8th). However, if I read his data correctly, XT was also the largest diameter line tested (greater diameter generally = less stretch), and the XT sample diameter was at least .002" greater than the Sensation sample, a pretty sizable difference, relatively speaking. -T9

16# Toray SH or 20# InvizX for me most of the time... -T9

Any specific applications? For the longest time (about 20 years) I simply used Big Game for most everything bass. A solid all-around line, though it can get a little wirey in cold weather or if it dries out in hot weather. Used to not come in anything less than 10 pound test. I believe several well respected members of this site have also been heavy users of Big Game over the years. Certainly worth a try if you haven't used it before. For anything under 10 lbs., I used BPS Excel. Not certain if the formula/maker has changed over the years, but other than lots of stretch, it was a good all around line for the money. Beyond that, it's been odds and ends just to try specific lines here and there, but nothing so much better than the two previously mentioned that I ever stuck with them. -T9

I've used it and tested it against a bunch of other lines, and it does have much less stretch for the same diameter/amount of force than most lines (including Big Game, XT or InvizX). Stren original is one of the more "stretchy" lines on the market. Sensation has considerably less. Otherwise, nothing outstanding about the line that comes to mind, except if you are a line watcher, they make Sensation in a tangerine orange color which is kind of cool. I use it in lighter pound tests for crappie fishing, or as leader material with braid mostly. -T9

It's a Jaguar Guapote... Look it up on the Internet for more info and pics (here's one: Guapote link). -T9

Another vote for lighter...much lighter. Depending on what I'm fishing for, all my ML outfits run 3#-10# braid with 4#-8# leaders, fluoro or copoly. If you are gearing more toward bass exclusively, then go with 8#-10# braid and 6#-8# leaders. If you want to fish with straight copoly/fluoro, then I'd recommend not going above 8#. 20# is going to be overkill for dropshots and Ned rigs...

No changes or adaptations needed here. Doing the same thing we always do early winter - hair jigs, jerkbaits and blade baits - just getting to do it in late December. Same bite prolonged since we don't have ice cover yet. Had 54 in 4 hours Sunday afternoon throwing the aforementioned baits in 42-43 water. -T9

I've had them unravel before too, but I pretty much do a version of what Wayne has suggested and after tying a couple hitch knots initially, I cinch the last knot down with multiple wraps, what basically seems like a uni knot at that point. As to Jolly Green's comment, I don't try and see if I can get it to unravel or loosen by playing with the knot. After cinching everything down and then giving it a good pull in the same basic direction(s) as if I was fighting a fish, I leave everything alone figuring it is cinched as good as it's going to get at that point. Perhaps it's in the way you're tying the knot? I cinch the braid more frequently than most suggest as I tie. Seems to hold everything well doing it that way. -T9

When it comes down to it, fishing is pretty much nothing but one big physics lesson.

On baitcasters, nearly 100% fluoro for everything. I think I have one outfit with mono or copoly on it. For spinning, nearly all braid with various leaders (mono/copoly/fluoro). -T9

How many crappie can you squeeze into a shopping cart - LOL ???

Same here - issues all day...and when I could get in this morning, the 20% discount wasn't showing up in my cart - so I wait.

The one thing I haven't seen mentioned that I always do. After trimming the engine all the way down and letting the water drain out (after coming off the water), I always flip/pull the kill switch and then try and turn the engine over a few short times to allow the lines to completely be expelled of water. It's likely where the "extra" water is coming from that doesn't drain off quickly on its own. Just be sure to remember and hook the kill switch back up after doing this. -T9

On structure, breaks and breaklines....with whatever baits will allow you to properly control your depth and speed for the water being fished.

As already mentioned, this should not be happening with any regularity. Either isolate the issue to a specific bad spool (or brand) of line, or double check your knot and tying method. I use a lot of fluoro from 2# up to 20# test, straight and as leaders, and have only once ran into the issue described, and it turned out to be a bad spool/brand issue. -T9

Ditto - When I first started figuring out the pattern I was walleye fishing with spinning gear and 8# fluoro. You knew immediately what you hooked and there was nothing you could do about it. Even when I thought I was clear of the flat and its isolated cover, I had one take me down into 26' of water and hang me on some trash. Fortunately I got that one in along with a few others on the spinning gear. Really don't like hooking them on gear that light because it simply prolongs the fight, and these guys won't give up until they exert themselves to death (literally). Much happier now that I've dialed in the pattern better and can use heavier gear to fight them. Only takes a few minutes now (3-5) in most cases, and I feel a lot better about their chances of survival, especially with the colder water temps. I recorded 14 DD wipers this year, and to the best of my knowledge, every one survived after release. Much too special a fish to see one floating after a prolonged fight.

These most recent ones have almost all been caught on heavy baitcasting gear (Denali 7'4" XHvy w/Shimano Castaic and 16# Toray SH fluoro) throwing swimbaits and large soft plastics. I've been fortunate to be properly geared to handle these more recent fish, but you still pretty much just hang on for the first minute or two hoping they don't take you somewhere bad.

Pretty much this. One other knot that hasn't been mentioned that has shown to test out in line with the Alberto is the J knot. Worth checking out. -T9

Large jerkbaits and soft plastic swimbaits are what I've caught most on. One or two on jigging spoon and smaller tubes. Life expectancy is my concern. These fish were stocked in 2007, so they are already 8 years old, unless there was a backcross somewhere. Most everybody typically pins the average lifespan at 5-6 years, much more similar to their white bass side of lineage.

Been having a blast this past month catching some big hybrid striped bass (wipers). These fish have ranged from about 13 up to 19 pounds, and our state record is 22. Hoping if they survive the winter for one more year that I'll get lucky in 2016. Here are a few pics of some of them...

DItto ^^^ pretty much this above. I always carry a tiny trailer with me when I fish hair jigs for most of the reasons stated above. I always start with it on, and then remove if I'm not getting the bites I think I should or need to remove it for some specific presentation need. Don't overthink it - the fish will let you know. -T9