loomis spookwalker

Duh ???? Chrome/Black Spook with Gamakatsu red hooks.

That's an odd story. Sounds like you probably stepped on it before you casted and it was broke already. For $150.00 i would buy a Shimano Crucial / Compre, G Loomis GL2 or St. Croix Avid. For a good , cheap spinning reel I would buy a Shimano Sonora or a Daiwa Regal XiA. Each are about 50 bucks. I never buy "combos" . You always come out better and have a greater selection if you buy rod/reel separate.

I've determined that the height of your rod tip is the key for depth when using a lipless crank. A Rat-L-Trap is to me one of the best search baits. Just cast and reel in.

I like either a Fat Free Guppy / Shad or Dt's

Downsize and pray.

Hopefully you had an extra set of clothes in your dry storage. I do.

Agreed. Pflueger reels are at the top in their price range. As you probably already know Pflueger is the high end subsidiary of Shakespeare.

Going backpacking in the Smokies... try Lake Fontana it has nice smallmouth.

Well now I see allot of ambition here. Try : http://www.rodbuilding.org/faq.html You will find an abundance of info on all aspects of rodbuilding here. Good luck.

Try a All Star Select or a Shimano Convergence. I have used both and find them to be about the lightest and toughest in that price range.

I find that bass tend to roam around at night hence I use a lure that would act like a searchbait but larger with lots of noise and vibration. Try a 3/4 - 1oz. black spinnerbait or a large topwater plug.

Welcome to Bassresource DADto4. Stick around and you will learn allot.

Wow and owwwwww.

Try a #11 Husky Jerk. I guarantee it.

Man, at Lake Murray all I have to do is find a calm cove with channels and tie on a # 11 Husky Jerk to catch Chain Pickerel. They are about the best fighting freshwater fish out there.

I have a Daiwa Sealine X SurfRod that is 11'3" / 2 pc. that is a great all around rod. I purchased it about 3 years ago and think you can still find a few out there for sale for $40.00 - $60.00 online. I would not trade mine for the world.

My PB bass was caught in a local pond and weighed 7lb. 4oz. and was caught on a 1/2 ounce Terminator T-1 spinnerbait with a white skirt, gold mag willow blade and Gamakatsu trailer hook. Thank God for trailer hooks. I would have lost it without it.

Welcome, Mustangfreak. Good luck and tight lines.

Buy an Abu Revo.

A pretty good reel, but I would buy an Abu Revo.

Go with the Revo.

I agree. The GLX is a guaranteed lifetime rod. You can't go wrong with that.

The main key here is the way you hold your rod? If you palm the reel a low profile would be the best. If you hold only the rod then go for the round. Both types do have their good and bad points. I have both and I palm them.

Take off the slit ring if there is one and use either the surgeons loop or the rapala knot .

I would use a prop bait in windy/choppy conditions and the poppers in calmer instances.