The_Natural

And who said rednecks don't like some gossip! This is more drama than cosmopolitan can dish out! Yeah, Ok, I like it...it's hysterical.

I found Redline's soundboard! http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/cheechchong

i don't know man.... might wanna spark up a spliff, haha. ;D I was thinking of a little younger cheech, but I see it!

Well, my little laptop only has a 12" screen, but that was the first thing I thought of 8-). You might have a little burt reynolds goin' on as well

I didn't know Cheech Marin fished! Cheech "How am I drivin' man?" Chong "I think we're parked."

If I'm fishing really dirty water, such as chocolaty water...I'll just spool up CXX generally. However, in a tournament I would still use Fluoro due to the sensitivity edge; I'll take any advantage I can get no matter how small. Heavy cover doesn't deter me at all...just adjust your line size accordingly as you would with mono/copolymer.

+1 Pro-Grade is the shizzle...

The boogie bait is the one to buy. I hadn't had much luck on the chatterbait on two outings, but purchased a gold shad boogie bait and had a 30 fish morning the first time out with it.

I picked up a couple today at Cabelas. Seems like a quality bait for $10.99.

I should have some serious reproductive problems if I ever choose to have kids; I bet I have bitten closed thousands of lead split shots for Crappie and Catfish. As a kid, crimping them on your line by biting them is just what you did...finding the needlenose wasn't necessary. I'll say I wouldn't do it today I guess, but it was habit in the '80s.

8-12lb CXX, but I will use fluoro occasionally.

This is the only one I would say is embarrassing that is in my photobucket account. First time in umpteen years of fishing that I got a hook in past the barb...way past. My B2 with #2 Bronze EWG's came back at me going mach2, and I blocked it from hitting my face (could've been worse ). I was at a local pond, and I quickly snipped the bait off of my line, cut off a two foot section of line, and grabbed an older lady walking her dogs. "OK" I tell her. "I'm going to press down on the back of this hook, and I need you to jerk on this line REALLY hard." "Ok" she says, looking confused. "Oh...I...didn't see what you were doing." Finally she sees the hook in my finger. She jerks really hard....I say ouch...the hook stays put. So off I go to the house, with my wife in class for another two hours. I chomp 3 of her back pain pills, and start drinking Natural Lights. About 4 or 5 beers in (pain pills + alcohol= superman) I'm feeling good...real good. I grab the pliers and start yanking. That isn't working, so I make an incision with a small pair of fiskars by putting the point in the wound, and the other point of the other side of my skin and SNIP! Now that really hurt...lubed up or not. I decided to give it up, and just waited for my wife to get home. The guy at the ER says they usually just push it though and pull it out. I told him there is no way I was letting him push that #2 though the pad of my thumb. He ended up working it out with some forceps. Pretty embarrassing to be in the ER with a hook in your finger.

Ahh...BDS3. I can see that. I was thinking the BDS2 which is a lot fatter. It weird that Lucky craft went short and fat on the BDS1&2, but long and skinny on the BDS3&4.

I'm one of the old guys that remembers that piece of plastic junk. We would get those things in the shop, take them apart clean re-lube them, and when we went to re-assemble them, they would be so out of tolerance they wouldn't go back together right. They would bind up and be no good, yea I remember having to ship a butt load of them back to Quantum for replacement. The Pro2 and 3C's were another of the Quantum disappointments we ran across. I still have 6 of the QG3501 Competitions that were the precursor to the Energy series reels now that's when Quantum first started to try and get their stuff together. Yup even fished with that Tour Edition Rod, that was a heavy weight rod for sure, it weighed a ton, and is part of the reason I started builing my own. Just my .02¢ Tight Lines!!!! Admittedly, and 15/16yrs old I didn't have the luxury of trying out several reels. Around the time I owned my Pro series Quantums (which I thought were just stellar), I fished with a guy in my club that bought a new Daiwa TD-Hi. He let me try it, and I couldn't believe how far I could cast and how smooth it was. I realized that up until that point, the 1310mg and the Abu XLTplus Synchro were the only reels I had used. My mindset was Quantum was what I owned, so Quantum was the best . The TD-hi put me in my place. It wasn't far from then that the original Calcutta was introduced and everybody went nuts about its performance, but I couldn't afford (and couldn't believe) the $150 it was fetching. What would you consider reels of around 1990 that were great for the money and had tight tolerances? Today I would say the Pro series Quantums were definitely pieces of crap, but the Tour Edition rods were good for back in the day. I remember when the Falcon Original came out, and I thought it was a brick and not as sensitive. A lot of guys I fished with used the BPS rods...definitely wasn't impressed by them. The Original All Star IM6 was comparable I thought...I purchased one later on. The Loomis IM6 was around, but it was so far out of my budget I didn't even pick it up.

Quantum has owned the tournament circuit for more years than any other reel brand with stars like KVD, Hackney, Swindle, Klein, McClelland, Biffle, Grisbsy, and on and on using their reels exclusively. Nobody seems to jump on the Quantum wagon though. I was a Quantum Junkie back in the day...the only true sponsor I ever had. I wrote a letter to Quantum when I was 16 to become a 'pro staff' and got half off all Quantum merchandise including a maximum of 12 reels and 12 rods a year along with bags and other stuff. The 1310mg was a staple in my arsenal, and by mg I don't mean magnesium (the old guys know about the 1310mg). The 1310 was the 5000 Abu of the Quantum line. Indestructible, bulletproof, and reliable. That silver reel was with me in my first tournaments in '90. A couple of years later I saved up for the Pro3c', which were the top of the line. What is amazing, is that in '92; the Tour Edition rod which I used was built on the same blank as the PT Tour Edition rods are today...says right on the shaft 'blank by Lamiglas' HSX54. Same graphite they have used for two decdades. Quantum has since moved production overseas I have read. Anyhoo...I just wanted to chime in on my trial and tribulations with Quantum reels. Quantum once ruled the yard...seriously Quantum was the 'Shimano/Daiwa' of the ciruit.

Never read a good review of it...stay away!

Thanks String...I don't primarily throw flat sided baits in cover; I mainly throw them on rocky points and secondary points during the prespawn. Does it act like a Norman thin N? Wide or tight wobble? I'm a wobbler guy in cover (generally starting in the latter part on the spawn through post spawn). As soon as we hit mid to late 60's I'm throwing the RC...

If you see it in person, it is a duplicate of the RC series. The Fat BDS is well...fatter and has a wider lip. Down here in Texas angler are buying them up.

I did (I think I mentioned)...but I can't spill the beans and ruin any product possiblilities! All I'm saying is the KVD spray is waaay overpriced. I mean crazy overpriced. I will say that their 'polymer bonding' or whatever claim is just marketing. The difference between reel magic and KVD is the fact Reel Magic is pretty much silicone oil and a propellant, and the KVD is a water based silicone with a LOT of filler...aka distilled water. The KVD type of spray workes better because line can absorb water molecules (which are smaller than oil molecules), and therefore alter the properties of the line (much like armor-all minus the oily ingredients that leave a film or greasy feel). The base product of the KVD spray cosists of 2 products that when mixed with distilled water create the spray (regular water will leave residue due to the minerals). The KVD spray is so watered down I couldn't believe it...they are making such a profit it is sick! Why don't you PM me your addy and I will send you a sample to see what you think. I need someone to try it out.

I guess you don't waterfowl hunt. This is old news. I wouldn't be surprised in 10 years if lead is banned altogether. Of course Tungsten may be a lot cheaper then. Until then...I'll use every advantage I can get! Is it more expensive? Sure...so are good lookin' women and nice cars.

Uh...Louisiana Shad sucks...no need to throw that one . Seriously...any shad bait with a dark back such as Tennessee Shad, Chartreuse Shad, or Pearl/Black back are my favorites. I started throwing Louisiana shad after that Bassmaster article a couple of years ago about the Pro's most productive cranks. Among the 5 or so was a very beat up Louisiana shad Bandit 100 that a Pro (can't remember) won the Red River on. He said the fish wouldn't touch anything else during that event. That color has been productive for me in stained water...but so have a lot of shad varieties. Just for those wondering...the Louisiana Shad is a Bandit exclusive (I think).

I'm itching to try it as well...I love flat sided baits.

I was one of the pioneers that recommended the CRC silcone spray. I always hose my filler and bulk spools of line before I put them on the shelf, and noticed the CRC was eating into the plastic on my filler spools...eating in to it as in once the line was off...there were groove marks where the line was and spots where the line had fused to the plastic. What baffled me, was that the CRC was FDA approved for incidental food contact. The CRC uses Acetone in the propellant, which totally evaporates and leaves no residue when dry, but when wet can dissolve plastic. I meant to make a post about it, because I felt I was one of the people that pushed it. If you want a cheaper alternative to reel magic, and a much higher grade of silicone...go with Clearco...the 'Gloomis' of silicone products. Their 'High Performance Silicone Spray' is super fast drying and contains no solvents in the propellant <---- this is important! It like $48 for a case (twelve 16oz cans). Reel Magic is a 4oz can for almost $6. http://www.clearcoproducts.com/injection-mold-release.html#1

It's one of only two lines that showed less stretch than Pline CXX in the line stretch test a couple of years ago (it was close). I had been wanting to try it, and lucked out last month when I saw a brand new bulk spool of 17lb in Cabelas Bargain Cave for $25. It was untouched, so I gladly paid it. I will be giving it a go on a couple of setups this season.

H20 baits are an Academy 'house' bait...they copied several different companies baits, including the Bandits, Lucky Craft RC series, and a couple of others. The RC knockoffs are the best looking of the bunch. They have two loud knocker rattles vs. the silent RC. Several folks have said they run true out of the box, and are very excited about using them this season. They were $3.49 at my Academy...I'm going to pick up a few myself.