The_Natural

The cb50 isn't available unless you order it from overseas. Bass Pro stocks the Moonsault, but don't be shocked when you only see like 4 colors...that's all they make! For some reason, Lucky Craft only makes the Moonsault in Chartreuse Shad, Ghost Minnow, Ayu, and American Shad. Bass Pro doesn't carry the Ayu anymore, so that only gives you three choices...albeit good ones (those are arguably the best colors around). If you fish a lot of ponds and are fishing from the bank; the cb100 is the clear choice. I've had some awesome days at several different ponds with this bait...and it is a killer shallow crank at your local lake as well (it dominates the rip-rap). Crank it fast and don't let the fish have time to decide whether they want to eat it or not...and they usually do.

Just beginners luck...I've screwed up a couple since then :). Well...I don't have a drying wheel yet, so I bought some automotive clear coat to spray on it and and at least seal it. The drying wheel looks like it might be the biggest pain in the *** of starting the painting venture. Seems like it is going to be harder than building the bait in the first place! I'm not sure where I'm going to get the motor, etc., etc.

Thanks. The only problem I have with it is when you leave the bait clear like I did and not prime it (trying to give is a 'ghost' appearance), you can see the dark little circles where the bait is snapped together.

My compressor just got here, and I had some paint ready to go. After screwing around with the consistency of the paint and doodling on some paper to get a feel for how the thing worked...I gave it a whirl on a Moonsault cb50 I had that needed a repaint. I sanded the bait first, then painted, and now I'm getting ready to shoot some clearcoat on it. I don't have any webbing or minnow nets yet to make scale patterns, but I'll probably make a run tonight and pick some up. It's pretty neat...I like it, and now I have a whole heap of baits I want to paint. *Just a note, but the red dot on the lip isn't from me painting it today; I fill in the hole that comes on the cb50's lip and put a dot of red fingernail polish on it.

The Pointer 78 is what started the Lucky Craft craze. The Sammy is probably the second most popular. As far as a sheer numbers bait; Raul is right on with the Moonsault. The Moonsault is a crankbait with action and noise like a rattletrap. It has a super tight wiggle, and 5 different rattle chambers with glass and steel beads. The cb100 is my pic...

Bass Pro's Beaver Bug in Roadkill Camo (actually came out late last year). It's only a matter of time before others find out how deadly this dude is. It is my 'fat ika'.

Like RW said...these will surprise you. Where does all that action come from?! Maybe the most innovative craw design since Gene Larew's Salt Craw.

First make sure backlash control is set to max, and adjust your spool tension knob to where your bait barely trickles down...barely at all. Use a sidearm cast...low trajectory as stated earlier in the thread. You actually want to aim at the water before the intended target, but again...the low trajectory thing is huge. Sidearm with your rod tip hovering a couple of feet over the water. You only want a slight angle...think like you are skipping a rock. Bait choice is important as well. Tubes, Beavers, Ikas, ect. skip a lot better than say...a trickworm or lizard. I generally skip a Beaver.

Carved out a few more on my lunch hour.

Haven't heard of any problems, but if I already owned the reel I probably wouldn't want to hear about any either ;D.

I've still got a lot of work to do though. After I'm done sanding I've got to cut the dam thing in half and make a frame apparently. Thanks for the compliment though...I've got enough balsa for another 10-12 cranks, and it was only $4. If you've ever thought about it...I recommend you go for it.

I like my Carrots as well...they are a great value. They are the lightest rod in the middle rod market, and are a pleasure to fish (except for the guides). If an angler has $150ish to spend on a rod they have some serious work to do for sure! This is the hottest market segment, and there are some great sticks competing for the top spot in the $150 range. I own Carrots, Powells, and Avids and I still haven't come across a rod in the middle rod market that surpasses the IMX. My Powells are the closest thing I think. Just keeping it real...

Yep...my virgin crankbait. It's still in phase 1, but you can start to see it taking shape. I just went to hobby lobby and purchased some 2ft long balsa boards that are about an inch thick. Drew a shape, and cut it out with my dremel tool (I don't have any saws or lathes). I forgot to get sandpaper, but lucky I had a few strips under the sink, but not any real fine sandpaper, so I will have to finish it up tomorrow and install some hardware. The bait is about 1/2-5/8" thick right now, and I plan to sand the sides a little more and shorten the tail. I want micarta lip identical to a BDS3 lip...that's the goal anyway. The bait took about 45min to get it in the shape it's in.

Man...where was I?

Have you guys seen this video?! Talk about balls. I don't think the staff quite knew how to react! http://break.com/index/operation-bass-pro-shop.html

I'd would probably take it out for a spin every now and again for nostalgic purposes, but I wouldn't make it a daily rod. Not due to the rod being inferior...I'd just want to keep it around a long time being an heirloom and all.

+1 If you are wading...I'd go for the vest. You can fit little mini plano boxes in the pockets. Check this deal out... http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat20166-cat20451&id=0030108942772a&navCount=3&podId=0030108&parentId=cat20451&masterpathid=&navAction=push&catalogCode=IJ&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat20451&hasJS=true

Well...if it's a GLX, than it is guaranteed to be >$300.

Pline CX Premium is some limp stuff. It is the 'Trilene XL' of Pline's lineup.

Once you get it down...using your fingernails is the fastest way. I've got a couple of pairs of good split-ring pliers, but I never use them.

Booyah Boogie Bait in Cortez shad is one of my go-to baits.

There has never been US counterpart, all Curado reels in all it 's different stages from A to E have always been manufactured in Japan. You are confusing to which market the reels are aimed, Japan has it 's own line of reels ( japanese domestic models ), in some cases they are better, in others they are not. For example, the Curado 100D is by far a better reel than the Scorpion 1000/1001. The Scorpion 1000 was a a better reel than the Curado 100B in some aspects and it others it wasn 't. See I disagree with the Scorpion being inferior to the 100d...I'd take the scorpion over it. The regular Scorpion is in my top 2 or 3 of the best casting reels ever (casting distance)...right up there with the td-z. Couple it's casting with the external centrifugal brakes and you've got a hot ticket. JMHO of course. Funny you mentioned it, because I was just looking on Ebay for Scorpions; I think they will stop making these very soon and wanted to ****** up a couple. They've been around too long...

You can get a used IWATA on ebay for $40. It won't be a higher model, but getting an IWATA is important.

When you think about it G...you don't really have to artistic. The more basic paint jobs like chartreuse shad, sexy shad, tenessee shad, etc. are really comprised of just painting lines, but you are obviously varying width and paint flow. Scale patterns are done with different forms of webbing, so you don't have to be a master detailer. Good fades are probably not as easy as the look, but I bet you could do it.

Well, my airbrush got here Wednesday, but my dam compressor isn't here yet >. I was pumped to do some painting this weekend