Revo_Carrot Stix

AA I hear what you're saying. I've tried a few and I have lost a bunch. The cheaper jigs from retail stores are fine to start off with, but you'll start to recognize the difference with the light wire hooks and few strand skirts. I have had good luck with custom made jigs I've bought on an auction site. I buy 3/8, 1/2, 3/4 oz by the dozen for less than $2/jig and these jigs are heavy wire Mustad/Gammy's hooks, quality skirts, rattles, and paint which would usually be $4-5/jig in a store.

I've seen a few posts mentioning housebrands/knockoffs from BPS which made me remember what I had heard yesterday from the guy who cleans my reels. He needed some parts for a Browning reel he was working on and called Zebco who then directed him to BPS, saying BPS just bought Browning. I just thought that was interesting.

I have a 7'M Carbonlite paired with Johnny Morris Elite spinning reel 10# BPS Fluorocarbon and LOVE this combo. I gauge my $$ spending on rod/reel combos based on my use of a specific technique. I seldom start with this technique unless it's very hot, cold, or nothing else has worked.

S-L-O-W-I-N-G D-O-W-N with finesse presentations and gaining more confidence throwing in cover with square-billed cranks (instead of working around it).

S-L-O-W-I-N-G D-O-W-N with finesse presentations and gaining more confidence throwing in cover with square-billed cranks (instead of working around it).

S-L-O-W-I-N-G D-O-W-N with finesse presentations and gaining more confidence throwing in cover with square-billed cranks (instead of working around it).

I use BPS rod socks and put them in a Flambeau Bazuka Rod case on long trips via pickup truck or airplane. The Bazuka can take a beating from the airlines and gravel/dirt roads (dust). I like the Bazuka because it's adjustable for various rod lengths.

I'm going to give soft swimbaits one more year or until I run out. I've caught a few on them, but nothing consistent. And I need to focus on slowing down, regardless of the technique. Hopefully, that will come with age too!

It sounds like you're pretty set on braid. You may add a mono or fluoro leader for topwaters just to absorb some of the shock. I prefer the "mono-stretch" on most topwaters which gives me an extra second for the fish to take it down, except for frogs in the slop of course. The biggest factor is you and how you handle your rod. I watched Alton Jones last week and he predominately uses braid with fluoro leaders for most of his techniques. I think it was: 30#braid/20#fluoro and 50#braid/25#fluoro.

I just dropped off all my baitcasters today for a well deserved vacation of relaxation and pampering!

So - 70.25% of your total catch on these 3 types of baits - you obviously have good records! Goose - I probably record more information than I should, but it gives me something to do (like now) during the winter.

1. 130 Bass (avg 13.94") Black Buzzbait (mainly Cabela's store brand, BPS black twin tale trailer, 4/0 BPS red trailer hook and some on Cavitron) 2. 95 Bass (avg 12.73") Strike King Zeros (mainly Junebug, some Dirt, Purple Haze) 3. 82 Bass (avg 12.54") Strike King series 3, 4S, 5 and 6; Wiggle Warts; Mann's Baby 1-Minus.

Stained waters in Kansas = Firetiger or anything with chartreuse.

Brent, Welcome from Olathe, KS!!!!

At this moment, I have LH Revo STX 7.1:1. Like others have mentioned, you can't beat the +20# drag. I use LH reels all the time. I know a lot of RH pro's switch to LH reels when they flip to minimize errors in hand-to-hand combat. The Revos are versatile and I find myself switching reels with rods, looking for that perfect combination or to match a techniuqe. Looking at the specs, Ardents are a close second. If Ardent offered LH versions, I would buy one. The only down/upside is it is a dedicated flippin reel by design.

I've kept a pretty detailed fishing log over the past 2 years, including Baro Pressure on the hour (Rising, Steady, Falling) from the previoius hour. 759 Total Bass Rising: 282 (37%) Falling: 273 (36%) Steady:204 (27%) Not sure it's worth my time keeping these stats. I may stop logging Baro Pressure since I really don't see a pattern and weather conditions (esp Baro Pressure) don't dictate when I go fishing...but this gives me something to do when I'm stuck inside during the winter.

I've kept a pretty detailed fishing log over the past 2 years, including Baro Pressure on the hour (Rising, Steady, Falling) from the previoius hour. 759 Total Bass Rising: 282 (37%) Falling: 273 (36%) Steady:204 (27%) Not sure it's worth my time keeping these stats. I may stop logging Baro Pressure since I really don't see a pattern and weather conditions (esp Baro Pressure) don't dictate when I go fishing...but this gives me something to do when I'm stuck inside during the winter.

I've kept a pretty detailed fishing log over the past 2 years, including Baro Pressure on the hour (Rising, Steady, Falling) from the previoius hour. 759 Total Bass Rising: 282 (37%) Falling: 273 (36%) Steady:204 (27%) Not sure it's worth my time keeping these stats. I may stop logging Baro Pressure since I really don't see a pattern and weather conditions (esp Baro Pressure) don't dictate when I go fishing...but this gives me something to do when I'm stuck inside during the winter.

Big Red I have 3 casting rods paired with Revos and love them. Very light and comfortable - I can power fish all day with these. 6'6 MH for buzzbaits/spinnerbaits, 6'9 M for crankin, and 7'6 for flippin. They are stiffer if you're comparing to graphite rods. I can't say much about their sensitivity, but then again, I'm not throwing shaky heads or senkos on them either. Your 6'6 M will be good for crankbaits. You won't need to "set the hook" on 1/4 oz cranks with this rod - just hold steady with a small sweep; otherwise, you'll pull it right out of their mouth. 3/8+ oz cranks - you can sweep a little harder. Good luck!

BB86 Where's Bone Creek and Cedar Creek Lake located? I didn't see any listings on KDWP. Are they in KC metro area?

Where did you catch that fish? Pattern? That is HUGE for Kill Creek!! I think my biggest out there is 18"...with the majority in the 12-14" range. Great job man!

I had it for a year (Plantinum Package which comes with WFN and 10 other HD channels which are junk for an extra $10/month) on top of your programming and basic HD channels. It was hard for me to justify $120/year for one channel. Versus, Sportsman Channel, and Outdoor Channel (250 channel package) cover most of the bass fishing programming you see on WFN. You just won't get all the saltwater and Canadian programs WFN offers.

Black Buzzbaits @ sunrise/set, shallow cranks or jigs in between...pack up all finesse tackle and rigs and get the pool cue's ready. Time to strap on the feed bags!

Cedar Lake is open @ Lone Elm entrance. North entrance (off 159th?) will be closed until the city revamps that end of the park. Lake has been murky every time I go out there, regardless of weather.

I bought 12# on clearance in 2008. Spooled it up and had a miserable time. It seemed to backlash more and actually broke in my hand as I was using my fingers to get rid of the birds nest. Since then, I only use BPS Flouro 8# spinning, 12# cranking/casting.