The_Natural

The Trilene performed 34% better than the average of all the lines in the fluorocarbon shootout. This significantly dropped when the line was soaked, but none of the lines in the fluoro shootout were abrasion tested wet....only dry. This is pretty standard with all lines....soak them for several hours and abrasion and strength drop.

They do look nice....I've seen them. Several folks are sponsored by them here in Texas. It's the fact every rod they build is mod-fast that I can't do. I love mod-fast for cranks, but for everything else I want a fast or X-fast. I have wondered what blank they use to build their rods; I honestly can't think of a blank manufacturer that rolls such a wide range of lengths and powers of mod-fast blanks.

I'm not worried about 'potions'....it's electronic equipment that may make bass fishing a lot easier in 50 years.

The only thing I can add to this thread is the fact that the fish in the pic could have weighed 22#'s easy. It's huge...and way far from the camera. You have the kid for comparison. I'd have guessed it at 3ft. Regardless if that fish is Perry's or not in the pic; it's world record worthy. California anglers may be looking at the fish's gut; the bass in Georgia aren't fed snicker bars.

Check ebay for cheap IWATA brushes. I bought a near-new HP-C for $80 shipped. My compressor was cheap, too (TCP Global.com). It depends on how 'art inclined' you are to judge how long it will take to get 'good'.

Berkley scientists have done the tests...It's up to you if you want to believe the data. The subjects were bass in aquarium tanks that lived on food pellets and were fed at a certain time daily. They switched the food pellets for compressed cotton pellets soaked in salt solution, anise, garlic, and powerbait scent. A cotton pellet unsoaked got spit out nearly immediately. Anise was next....with a 1 or 2 second time I think. Garlic was next, and then salt....I think salt was 7 seconds or so. Powerbait scent was like 27 seconds or something. This test was done a while back, and I had no trouble believing it after using powerbait. My gut-hooked fish rate went up 300% using power worms. I'm convinced scent works, and so is my favorite fisherman (ike). You are going to catch bass either way, I just use every edge I have available, whether it be fluorocarbon, scent, etc. That way I never have to wonder......

I use the clear...

I still buy mine for $8.99 at Cabelas. I just take my 2008 Jann's Netcraft catalog in there, and they match it. They went up in the '09 Jann's catalog though....

Trilene 100% for me. You might check out Tackle Tour's 'Fluorocarbon Shootout' for usefull info on several fluorocarbon lines.

Well...you aren't going to break off running that setup. Thanks for bringing that up, I lost two good fish the other day with 20lb cxx leader. Twas a bad day. Wow...I've never even broken 15lb CXX.

I bet they are catching fish off beds.

The 1-minus is pretty much a staple in a cranking arsenal. Great bait if you need something for super-skinny water or over grass. Wiiide wobble....

Sensitivity a little. No way to prove you get an extra bite or two, but I believe you do.

Well...you aren't going to break off running that setup.

15lb Trilene 100%....17lb for heavier brush. Just switch out Trilene 100% for Pline CXX if you are a mono-man.

That is used cork! That rod has been fished....all the cork filler is gone out of the pits. That is hysterical and sad all at the same time.

Dude....that's an unreal amount of smallie hogs. I'd like to battle a few of those on light line....

That bluegill pattern is sick...just sick. If anyone else wants a bluegill, I'd shoot him a message on ebay...he probably has more. FYI...I forgot to mention you will most likely need to throw split rings and hooks on these guys.

$5 a piece....shipping was only $5

I'll give a side-by-side pic of the two baits in ghost minnow later. And...shallow crank bite waning?! Blasphemy!

What and how many tournys have you won with them, and what is your definition of a lot of money? Eleventy billion dollars.

Mimic Lures made the 'Flat Shad' for years before they were commissioned to make a run of them for Strike King. Very nice flat-sided bait. Strike King priced them at $17....available at Tackle Warehouse. Mimic has a surplus of Flat Shad's (not under the Strike King Label) and he is selling them on Ebay....cheap. Like $5 cheap. I bought 20 and only paid $5 shipping. Best deal I've seen in a long time. I bought 4 each of these colors... Here is the same bait for $17.... http://www.***.com/descpageHRDSTRIKE-SKFS.html#pImage Here is the Ebay link to buy them for $5 http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/kstooks

The Doctor Phil types have a syndrome named for folks like this. Can't remember what it is. The purchase has less to do with need but more about fulfillment of a desire to own and the rush one receives when actually making the purchase. Ultimately, once the initial purchase thrill is gone, the item winds up on a pile with all the other previous purchases. Sometimes much of it never gets used. True condition....that condition is actually treated like an addiction with medication and therapy. That's on the extreme end though...I don't make purchases just to make a purchases. People like that compulsively buy....usually on a daily basis and need that rush like a heroin addict needs heroin. Let's just say I love beer, but I'm not an alcoholic

My thoughts on vehicles have been similar for years. "You're going to buy a Chevy/Ford over a Honda/Toyota? However, American cars and Quantum reels are coming up. The new Quantums have some tight tolerances...I feel they can hang now.

There is no in-between. It's hard for a Tackle Junky like myself to imagine someone not getting super-excited about an equipment purchase, or even just planning an equipment purchase. I keep several catalogs in the crapper...and even though I've memorized them, I still look through them on every trip to the bathroom. I think it all started when I was 12 and saved up for a Berkley Lightning Rod. I was so proud of that darn thing....and nearly slept with it. I think Tackle Junkies represent the minority though, judging by the numerous tournaments I've fished and Bass Clubs I have been a part of. Putting on reel covers and carefully placing your setups so they don't bang together on a run seems natural for me, but I've never seen a partner I was paired with do this. I was born this way I guess....after getting a pair of shoes I thought were awesome in 1st grade....my mom said I just kept staring at them on the way home. I proceeded to tell her that 'I had the same feeling that I got when we went to the Circus'. True story. So who here is a Tackle Junky? If you aren't a Tackle Junky....do you get excited about any purchases? I even get excited when I need to shop for a new electric toothbrush or Razor. How about you?