Megastink

come on, guys, SOMEBODY DVR'd the tournament... post that video!

I use JawJacker Custom Crankbaits. Truly awesome, VERY durable baits. And fish catchers.

Very aggressively! I like to do it over grass. Long cast on 15# fluoro, slow roll until your bait catches in the grass. Then I rip it V-I-O-L-E-N-T-L-Y out of the grass. I mean, get mad at it. Pretend you and that grass are mortal enemies. After you rip it, it falls as you take up the slack. That fall is when they choke it.

Hahaha! Oh, me..... At least I can dance!

Couldn't agree more. Nice grammer.

I love fishing gossip. Hackney just credited his Bassmaster Classic catch to the *new* KVD 1.5 Flat. Makes sense... can't wait to actually see them!

This video is hilarious. Side note: if you don't know what the "Harlem Shake" is, Google it. http://www.bassmaster.com/video/harlem-shake-bassmaster-classic

I hear that you can deduct hobby (fishing) expenses up to the amount of your (tournament) winnings. So, I I won $300, I can deduct $300 worth of gear. My tax preparer at H&R block told me thAt, but you need receipts from your winnings.

Alright, so how about my questions about its effect on GEAR? If its such a great lubricater, why not use it on reel parts?

I just read that the main ingredient in WD-40 is FISH OIL... I never knew that, mostly because I never had a need for WD-40 (I'm young, calm down). I read that it attracts fish, but I've never tested that theory. Here are my questions as they relate to WD-40 and bass fishing: 1) Does it attract fish? 2) Does it work well for lubricating reels? Pros and Cons? 3) If you spray your rod guides with WD-40, will it help you cast longer? 4) Will it keep your guides from freezing this time of year? 5) What is its effect on fishing line? I'd love to hear about your WD-40 experiences. Please, lets hear them! Thanks!

I own a Pflueger Supreme XT. Its light weight, has a great drag and is very smooth. Plus, it's attractive. Ive caught bass on it, and I throw 12# mono on it and head upstate NY for the Salmon run. I've caught dozens of salmon in the 10-30lb range. No sign of fatigue from this reel. You can get one for $120 on ebay right now from Big Fish Sports. Thats the route I would go!

At first. We switched a few times. He still whooped my butt. I dont buy the whole Front vs. Back of the boat theory. He was appealing to the natural tendencies of bass; their predatory instinct. I, however, wasnt doing that as efficently (my crankbait was much slower). He was getting the fish that I was passing to strike his bait because it was going so fast (when I was in front). When he was in front, he made them bite first. The moral of the story is this: Color doesnt matter so much. Choose it based on forage in the area as well as water color. But make sure to bang your bait over every piece of hard cover you can in an effort to get that reaction strike. Burn it. Good luck!

Technique. We were in the same boat. He was burning his wake bait, and was getting genuine reaction strikes. My retrieve was slower, and I think that's why he caught fish that I didn't.

It should, yes.

I have fished lake Norman a little. I actually fished it with BASS Elite pro Brent Chapman. He was throwing a magnum-sized wake bait (a big 1- I think) in a clear/brown back. I was throwing a generic brand crankbait (similar to a Bandit 200) in Red Craw. My retrieve was slow and steady, and I did catch some fish. He was BURNING that crankbait and out fished me five to one. We were fishing docks in creek arms near the channel. That's the best I can do for you. Good luck!

Does anyone have any experience with Halo Reels, rods, hooks, etc? I want to try them, but I'm trying to do my research first. I'm looking for general reviews; google yields nothing.

Join a local club! I have a good buddy of mine up that way, he lives in Simsbury (idk where you are in relation). He and I fish West Hill lake; very deep and clear. Great for trout and bass in deep water. Of course, there's Candlewood in Danbury; one of the best bass lakes in the northeast. Lilly, Zoar are ok. The Farmigton River offers some great trout fishing!

Powell. Hands down. Their 765 is a great flipping stick too. Their 705 glass rod is one of the better cranking rods I've ever used.

You learn something everyday! Thanks!

Wow! Thats a lot of blade for a little wire...

I tie my own jigs, spinnerabaits, buzz, etc... anything with a skirt, I make my own. I can customize colors, sizes, blades. I have a lot of confidence in my baits, AND I prefer mine over massed produced baits because I know mine have the best components (Gamakatsu hooks, for exaple). I swear by my own baits, and I do fairly well in competition.

I practice my flipping and pitching around my house. I set up coffee cups, plates, whatever around various distances and positions. Its a pleasent distraction from work. I also got into luremaking. I tie my own jigs, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, chatterbaits. I'm looking into pouring my own plastics, too. While its not "gaining" confidence, I have great confidence in the baits that I make. I use my favorite components, create customer colors, and they work really well!

I always had right retrieve baitcasters, yet my spinning reels were always lefty retrieve. I bough half a dozen new Gen3 STX's this year, and I got all lefty retrieve reels, because I cast with my right hand, and now I dont have to switch hands pre and post cast. I think over the course of a day, I get my bait in the water a few more times

I fish a lot of grass on the northern Chesapeake Bay and Potomac. I also fish a local trophy bass lake with clear water. Clear to murky, I fish 65# Powerpro and tie direct. For short range work (flipping and pitching), I choose heavier jigs. The fast rate of fall causes a reaction bite, which case line visibility has little to nothing to do with it. I also fish 20# Flouro when I'm tossing football jigs in clear water rock piles. However, 99% of my jig fishing is on some form of shallow cover and is tied to 65# braid.

I have been experimenting with piano wire as a spinnerbait arm lately. I've tried .030", .032" and .035" diameter. I think that's I'm falling for the .032", but I'm not sure that its durable enough. I use .044" wire for my 3/8-3/4oz spinnerbaits, and it handles #4-#7 blades well, but I want something from 1/4-3/8oz for use with #3-#4.5 blades. I want it to be a small frame, high vibration yet durable spinnerbait. What size wire do you use for your "finesse" or small arm spinnerbaits?