The_Natural

Oops! Sorry...I honestly don't have a favorite. My favorite is always the one I have a good day with, and that changes all the time .

MBR 843c GLX (x2) MBR 844c GLX (x2) BCR 803 BCR 804 BCR 852 BCR 853 BCR 893 BCFR 894 CBR 843 CBR 845 I need a 6' 3 power to work topwaters pretty badly right now. I do love the new CBR906 also. I'm looking at both.

Like the Airrus N-Sync that won the best of show at ICAST in 2005, we will probably see one model of the Carrot Stick about two years from now. I was super excited about the N-Sync, and waited for it to come out....and waited....and waited. Finally almost 2 years later the 'series' was released....1 flippin' stick! The Carrot Stick is rumored to be heavy (in weight, not power)...which is right in line with the Airrus rods I've held.

Nice dude...nothing more exciting than getting a new rod and reel!

I own a box full of the medium divers, and they work very well in cooler water. Great bait, great price.

There is a reason Tackle Tour uses the mbr783c GLX as a benchmark in rod tests/reviews. It is amazing that even after over 15 years; weight, balance, and sensitivity of the Loomis 783c GLX still set the standard. There are fancier rods, but regarding the afforementioned attributes...it is and always will be the bar that Loomis set.

I've got other baits that fill that niche, such as the Chiggar craw, Sweet Beavers, and Paca Craws. Those things are $1 a bait! I love Yamamoto plastics, but I can't pay $1 for a soft plastic crawdad.

+1 I like that answer...pretty much sums up my favorites like the B2 in Black/Pearl or Tennessee Shad, Fat CB BDS 1 & 2, RC 1.5 and 2.5, etc.

Like all my other favorites, this changes yearly, but right now it is the Reaction Innovations Double Wide Beaver (5.20).

All my cranks except for Lucky Crafts immediately get a pair of Diiachi 4x bleeding trebles. Sharpest, longest lasting, most durable hooks I have found, and even the red stays on longer than other brands.

Paddle Tail worms are deceiving if you have never fished one- the tail looks like it will just glide and maybe push some water as it falls. Not so. The tail has a violent throb on the retrieve...enough to shake your rod tip like a crankbait. They work extremely well in the stained water here in Oklahoma, with my favorite being the Mann's Dragin' Swim Worm. I use the 5" and 7" baits. *** has them for $2.99 a bag. Give 'em a go!

I learned on an Abu Garcia XLT Plus Synchro. It was a bad arse reel at the time. I have to say it doesn't compare to the newer reels...they didn't even have infinite anti-reverse! Still a treasure though...charish them.

I think it will make only a negligable difference in action (.14" vs .15"), but the difference in strength could benefit you quite a bit. I use 10lb CXX (.014") for finesse jigs, and 15lb CXX (.016") for larger jigs or heavier cover.

I've become a self-proclaimed 'Pond Master' since getting into the car business. I work Saturdays, and my only day off is Sunday, so I haven't fished even a club tournament in over a year. I purchased a 2-man Bass Buster a little while ago, but I'm on foot patrol quite a bit also. I fish ponds 3-4 times a week, covering a variety of conditions. If the ponds you fish get little or no pressure, they will eat anything. Seriously...just throw your favorite baits or whatever is on sale. If the ponds you fish get a lot of attention, you have to put some thought into your approach to be successful. There is a pond less than a mile from my house that is old and has some large bass, but it gets pounded by everyone in Norman. 'Everyone' throws your basic spinnerbaits, power worms, and whatever Zoom baits are available at Wal-Mart. I fished it two or three times at the beginning of last season catching one or two bass by slowly working a smallie beaver or other finesse bait trying to be methodical and 'outfish' these ametures. Then it came to me...I'm going to throw a shallow crankbait. Not only a shallow crank, but a humongous B2 that I'm going to crash through every laydown, stickup, and brush pile. It worked! I honestly think I've caught every bass in this pond at least once, including several 4's and 5's, a 6, and my PB of 8lbs. The moral to my story? Do what others aren't...and even if the pond doesn't get much pressure you might want to try a quality shallow balsa bait such as a B2. Works for me .

The 4" Zoom lizard along with the 4" ringworm will catch any bass in any impoundment. It is a great bait to teach someone just learning how to set the hook- it is sure to keep them busy. I like to fish them on a c-rig, but they will catch fish any way you rig them.

Eakins jigs are good, but the single wire weedguard is inadequate for cover situations. Try the Jewel Heavy Cover Finesse Football for pitching.

I received these swimbaits for my birthday. The middle one is a bluegill. They are made by 3:16 lure company, and run $11.99...

I'm with LBH on this one. I owned Stradics for years, and they never failed me. I picked up my Tierra about 2 months ago, and the few times I've used it, I find my myself saying 'wow' every so often. The reel is waaay smooth, and I love the air bail. I don't know what the new stradic will bring, but I did know shimano couldn't compete with the new line of daiwas out...something had to change!

I haven't used the long cbr's, but I would definitely go with the 5 or 6 power...the medium will be too light for those bigger deep runners. I own an 843 and 845, but am looking hard at the 906 myself.

I haven't used the long cbr's, but I would definitely go with the 5 or 6 power...the medium will be too light for those bigger deep runners. I own an 843 and 845, but am looking hard at the 906 myself.

Gamma Copolymer is pretty good, as is the Fluorocarbon. The copolymer is priced where it should be, the fluoro is waaay overpriced...just see where it stacks up against its cheaper (much cheaper) competitors in Tackle Tour's fluorocarbon shootout. Abrasion resistance... Tensile Strength... Stretch...

I just purchased a 'true' flippin' rod, a bcfr894, and it is one of my go-to rods. With a long, heavy action rod...weight is key. Since you are considering higher-end rods, sensitivity is going to be there, but if it isn't light weight, you won't want to pick it up. You don't need to spend $450, but I would handle several to see which one balances in your hand nicely. Just food for thought...

I was actually getting ready to make a post about the new Trilene Fluoro. I read about it and saw it on Tackle Warehouse's website and thought I would give it a try...there have already been a thread or two about it. No big deal...just another fluoro to try. But I spent fathers day having a barbeque at my uncle's house whom is a Skeeter Pro that fishes the Stren Series. He mentioned it, and said the word on the street (the water ) is that it is VERY good...and he currently has no line sponsor (he uses Cabelas No-Vis Extra/Seaguar Inviz-X right now). Berkley has always been a company that promotes value...their powerbaits and Gulp cost no more money than other manufacturers plastics, yet cost more to produce and had a lot of $ in R&D spent to develop them. If they are charging as much as Sunline for their new fluoro, I'd wager it's high quality stuff. I will be ordering some this week, and will post an honest report soon. I was extremely excited that they offer it in 2000yd spools. I've been waiting for a good fluoro that is available in a true bulk spool (15lb Trilene fluoro in a 2k yard spool is $199 I believe). I'm ready to read some reviews from some respected folks.

I've got two Tierra's now, which replaced my two Stradics. They are the finest spinning reel I have owned up to this point. Air bail, digigear, CRBB's, forged handle, etc. Extremely smooth and just feels right...it's hard not to go with it for $115.

I suspect shimano is changing the Stradic...it's way overdue. The Stradic has served well for over a decade, but $119 worth of technology in 1997 isn't what $119 will buy you today. I sold my Stradics at the end of last season, and went with two Daiwa Tierra's. Twice the reel of the Stradic as far as features (at the same price)...I bet Shimano will be trying to answer Daiwa's new lineup.