Bantam1

I was fishing at Dream Lake last year on a work related trip. I was using the Rapala DT Fat(?) with those Sure Set hooks. I lost more fish than I landed on them. I switched to Owner Stingers and never lost another fish for the remaining 9 days. There were a couple of people from Rapala with us on that trip. They sure gave me a weird look when I yelled out "Sure Set my @**!" after losing another fish. I made it a point to let them see me change the hooks and throw the VMC's in the trash ;D

I find that Gammy hooks are super sharp but the point does roll. I have bent a few in my time as well, but I have bent Owner 2/0 2X trebles too. Its metal and it can bend if not properly tempered. It also depends on the wire they use for that certain batch. From what I have learned is that all the Japanese hook manufacturers get their wire from the same suppliers. I was also told that all the manufacturers are pretty much in the same area of Japan. This could be wrong, but it makes sense. Just like Detroit and car manufacturing. The wire supplier could be running the metal through the mandrels too fast/slow which will create softer or harder wire. The result is a hook that can bend too easy or break with little pressure. I find myself using Mustad and Owner along with Gamakatsu. Each manufacturer makes slightly different hook designs that work for certain lures/situations. This is why I am not loyal to any one brand. I find what works best for me and then stick with it.

Sig P220 is a nice pistol. I should have never sold the one I had.

My experience is that all 1911's need some sort of break in period. Most problems are with magazines or barrel links and slide stops. I have a lot of friends who own both Kimbers and SA and they are all happy. I shot all of them and they all shoot nice. SA has excellent customer service from what I have been told. Anything mechanical can have something happen in production. A tollerance of one part can be off by a few thousands of an inch and cause problems. If you want a basic 1911 with some extras I would look at the Springfield Loaded model. Change out the external trigger lock stuff to the Series 70 parts and you're done. You'll have a nice shooter that will last for a long time. I own a Para and it has been decent and super accurate. Its currently at the gunsmith getting some work done. A little early b-day present to myself I did get a smoking deal from one of our reps so this is why I bought the Para. If I were to do it again I would buy the Springfield TRP. My 1911 has been strictly a target gun, I trust my life and my property to my HK USP 45 because it will always work.

They may have changed reel seat designs but the blank material is still the same.

It used to be made by Toray. They must have changed to Seaguar recently.

I am not a believer but a friend showed me that it can make a difference. He was throwing a Speed Trap for smallmouth on the Columbia River. He ran one red treble on the front and a black nickel on the back. Every smallie he caught on the front hook. I tell him no big deal they are hitting the head of the bait. So he switches the hooks and places the red hook on the back. After that every smallie was hooked on the rear hook. So go figure...time and place for everything I guess. To this day I still only run red hooks on my craw colored cranks.

Move to So-Cal and you'll never have a problem with ice on your guides

They are all different because of the materials used. Dyneema and Spectra are the two materials used and they are very different. I'm not sure how many filaments there are per thread and I'm not sure I could post that data if I had it. RW- I don't post on NY Bass so if someone does they can just copy and paste my data.

I made a mistake and posted the data for new products coming next year. The person in charge sent me a spec sheet but failed to tell me it was for new products and not the current spec. I emailed him after the first thread to find out why some people were saying the data I posted was incorrect. He then told me the sheet was not for the current products. So yes in the very near future there will be 16 strand line available. Thats all I can say right now. So yes I screwed up and Dodgeguy was correct. I have no problem admitting I was wrong. I will apologize to Dodgeguy for the verbal beating he took. However some running changes have been made on some of the line as far as thread count. 80 pound for example is 6 strands and not 4 like it used to be. I know that our line is stronger than comparable braided lines in the same rating and it offers more abrasion resistance. We have tested it all. So to avoid further confusion here are the specs for current production Power Pro. Strength Diameter Thread count 5lbs. 0.004 3 8lbs. 0.005 3 10lbs. 0.006 4 15lbs. 0.008 4 20lbs. 0.009 4 30lbs. 0.011 4 40lbs. 0.012 4 50lbs. 0.014 4 65lbs. 0.016 4 80lbs. 0.017 6 100lbs. 0.018 6 150lbs. 0.022 8 200lbs. 0.030 8 250lbs. 0.035 12 300lbs. .045/.035 12 500lbs. .098/.059 16

I do the same thing but I use a snap swivel instead. I also use a round cannonball type sinker. They work awesome for this and for stuck jigs. Small enough to keep in your pocket when you're out fishing for quick access.

Well said ;D

A long time ago I bought some cranks at the local Walmart for $1 each. They were small, fat bodied cranks that I wanted to use in this thick timber as an experiement, and if I lost one it wasn't a big deal. They turned out to be awesome little cranks that just would not get stuck in some nastly looking timber. I have caught fish all over the US on them. Now I wish I could find more. I found some on Ebay about a year ago and paid $25 for 3 baits with shipping...so yes you get what you pay for ;D

I add a bell sinker to the front treble hook split ring on some of my DD22 baits to make them dive at steeper angles. This is not a permanent deal so I can remove it if I want. So far it has not interfered with hooking fish. You can buy them at Walmart for cheap. I think Water Gremlin makes them. I use the 1/8 ounce size. You can also use the Suspend Dots on the belly of the bait or near where I guess you can call it the throat. Normally lighter line and a longer cast will help get the baits down deeper. Try fluorocarbon line too. Its usually good for an extra foot or two.

I have used it for jerkbaits and its my new jerkbait reel.

I'm a big fan of the Under Armor products. The Heat and Cold gear is just awesome. I use it for fishing and hunting and have just been so impressed I continue to buy more.

If you are good at math then you can use the formula I did on ths website. This is how to calculate IPT http://2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/showthread.php?t=227920

Personally I leave some rods tip heavy for applications where I fish with the rod tip down. I may balance a rod a little different when I am fishing applications that require it to be tip up. Thats just me...

Shoot me a PM with your email. I can send you a form that you can give your friend to send us with his line for testing. We will replace the line under warranty. With the smaller diameter braided line I have seen a backlash cause the line to snap at a later point. The line can dig into itself and make a small cut. This is now the weak spot in the line causing it to fail under a load. The spool could have been mislabeled. The line could be 10 pound but with a 20 pound sticker. Personally I do not fish braided line lighter than 50#, but thats just me.

I'm throwing my bait on a 10' Teramar jig stick ;D

They come with 7/0's but my didn't have Owners. They look like bronze Mustad hooks for Muskie fishing. I changed them out to Owner 3/0 Saltwater type trebles.

I agree Costa's with 580 lenses in the color of your choice. They are all amazing.

The only thing that would make it better is if it had a drive through

32 and I happen to work in the fishing industry. I seem to fish less than people who do not work in the industry :-?

I think he also swore by the pocket fisherman and the helicopter lure : But he does endorse Mega Strike which I love.