Team9nine

Neither here nor there on the subject, but I immediately thought of this BBZ/Siemantel statement when I saw the title and read your post: "Remember this and remember you heard it in the Big Bass Zone because this is the motto we live by: EVERYTHING MATTERS, YET NOTHING MATTERS. If you've made a good presentation and a big bass is locked in, NOTHING MATTERS. A fish will swim through a wall of fire to eat your bait. If things aren't quite right, EVERYTHING MATTERS. Now you should start thinking about the details - things like crouching down as the bait approaches your boat or the shoreline, shadows, bait tuning, line diameter, lure speed, cadence, directional changes or anything else that just might affect your success." Bill Siemantel, BBZ

If you feel you need scent to give you confidence in what you're doing and to get bit, go ahead and use it. If you believe it can't hurt and might help, good for you - I'm not that confident in that line of thinking. I find much more power (psychologically) in not using it at all and still catching fish, though I do agree with a couple of the practical uses mentioned above, none of which involves the scent/attraction aspect of the formulas.

Great stuff. Depending on how you spool, you'll get 4-6 reels filled, and you can easily get 3 years use per reel fill if stored properly making it fairly cost effective.

Most any current ML setup you own in the 6’-7’ ft range will work fine with standard crappie lures. If you plan on using primarily live bait, I’d lean toward longer and lighter (7-7.5’ L). Most any popular brand in the $60-$75 price range will be fine for crappie.

It depends. For deep water contour trolling, then deeper running plugs on shorter lines is often the best way to go. The deepest depths on the shortest lines require wire. However, there are situations where longer lines and more traditional diving depth plugs can excel - straight line passes, clear water, cold water, S-curves, maximum diving depth; any situation where the fish might be spooked by the boat and need a brief period of time to resettle before the lure comes through the area. You really need to be able to do both to properly cover all situations.

Yes, but make sure you’re wearing safety glasses at all times while fishing just in case the rod explodes on a hook set from the extra force jk - you’re good

For all around mid- to deep cranking, I prefer 12lb. I base that decision on diameter. I will use 10# at times for finesse or some deep cranking, just like I’ll also use 15# when pushing more shallow squarebill type stuff.

Jackall, but I’ve also caught a ton just using my regular mushroom heads for that application.

I’ve never heard a bass angler refer to it as a strike indicator - that's purely trout talk right there. The most technical you'll get from a basser is ‘float’ ?

I’m ‘old school’ with a healthy respect for the sport’s history. Charlie Brewer coined the term “finesse” as it applies to bass fishing (note: not saying he ‘invented’ finesse fishing) specifically in regards to his Slider Fishing system, and it’s what the two previous posters stated above ^^

Yep - strong winds usually help my bite, but even these winds didn't stir up my ponds any - nor did the 0.4" of rain we got last night. Bring on the 'frog strangler' storms tonight - I need some mud in my lakes

Lucky you - LOL Not sure why, but I can hardly get bit out of the few I fish. Went again today and got one dink and one crappie. Shut out two days ago. Hoping the downpour muddies things up and gives the fish a reason to bite again.

I think that’s the 3rd time he’s been knocked out of the Championship round, finishing 11th, in the final minutes.

Pretty sure it was just Vanish that had the bad rep. T100 has always been a solid line from what I recall. I used it early in the process with no issues, and with BOGO, should be a good deal on a good all-around line.

That sounds like as good a plan as any to me…though I’m personally about 90% straight tail worms year round these days.

Well, I’m not much help here… ? I don’t fish “Senkos,” unless they’ve been cut in half - lol - and its probably been at least 6 years or more since I last “Texas rigged” a soft plastic. I do wacky rig a ton every year, but always jighead wacky, if that counts.

Green is my backup when I can't get clear. I don't believe it makes any difference. I'm currently spooled with green this week

Not many of these little ponds stocked with crappie of any worth. You might have found you a little goldmine - lol.

Ned (MF style) and/or a tiny black marabou/synthetic/hair jig have both proven to be as close to 100% year-round for me as I can get.

Probably Daiwa 1127 ACG Surf Rod 8'10" 2pc. USA - most frequently referenced as fiberglass construction, though some ACGs were listed as composite. ‘A’ might have meant “Apollo,” one of their brand names. “G” might be “Gold” in reference to the color. I’d have to do more digging.

I use either Stren or some old BPS Excel I still have around. Key off of diameter, not line rating. I’d generally be one step above where you’re at based on that.

I’ve switched almost completely over to mono leaders on everything (spinning) for the past two years. On the waters I fish, and the cover and conditions, there is basically no advantage to using fluoro - actually a slight advantage to mono for me. Literally down to just ‘one-off’ circumstances at this point for fluoro leader use.

Not a fan of big worms in pre-spawn. I’d rather throw a jig or a down-sized finesse worm, but I do like them in post-spawn and summer.

I cast them to shallower water (8-10 ft or less) all the time, working them over flats and down drops, but also vertical jig them in anywhere from 12’ to 35 ft of water.

First, I’d never carry 10+ bags from the bank, but if I did, I’d go this route (and it would be my only tackle bag): Here’s what I do carry all my plastics in when walking the bank: