basser89

For me, I'm a Berkley fan and really like the Trilene Maxx (casts smooth and is VERY durable)! I've used XL in the past, casts pretty good but it's not as abrassion resistant as I'd like. XL would be good in light cover or open water tatics (IMO). I've decided to give the Suffix Elite a try this year. It casts similar to the Maxx. From my limited use of it so far, it is fairly durable too. My only small problem I have here is the availability in the pound test the local stores carry. But that gives me an reason to make a trip to BPS! ;D Don't know much about the other lines, sorry I can't help you there!

For me, in muddy water, I'll throw either black with red flake or black/blue tail. In clear water, it depends on the area I'm fishing. I try to match the bottom as closely as I can the majority of the time so I have several shades of greens and browns. I go that route because I usually and trying to immitate a crawfish.

Another vote for the Gammy Finesse Widegap hooks!

1. The Palomar knot is the one I use, no complaints here! 2. As others have said, NEVER tie on a spinnerbait without a trailer hook! I only add a plastic trailer to my spinnerbaits in muddy water when I want to increase the size of the bait. 3. I choose the color of the bait according to the color of the water. In clear water, I want to use natural color baits. If dirty water or low light conditions, I opt for darker or bold colors. I usually choose the blades the same way (water clarity). Clear water, I'm usually throwing a double willowleaf or a willowleaf colorado combo. Dirty water, I'm throwing a single or double colorado bait or a double oklahoma blade bait.

Way to go! What did you catch it on?

Thanks All! Until yesterday, the few walleyes that I have caught have been right around the keeper limit (15"), so it was a great surprise to see not one but two solid walleyes! The second one was pretty cool as I got to see it come up and take the jerkbait I was throwing for smallies! fishingfourfun, when I fish the Potomac, I fish in Washington county. There are sections you can fish even without an outboard (mine was stolen in the spring). You just have to make sure the flow isn't too fast!!! Cigarlover, congrats for your first Massachusetts walleye! "You must have been fishing with a real river genius to find walleyes like that. " MskSlyr, you need to be a bit more humble since you're the genius I was with!!! ;D Next trip, there won't be any delays getting us out on the water!!!!!!! I checked when I got home and found out citation for walleye is 26" so no citation for that one. That will be a rough one to get!!!! rocknfish, I was using a jointed 6" Believer crank.

My fishing partner and I decided to try our luck on the Potomac this morning. We figured on throwin for some smallies and muskies. We fished a section we've had luck on in the past. We managed a few small smallies and my partner had a musky hit one bait but couldn't get hooked up. While I was musky fishing I had a decent hit and thought at first I had a small musky on. As I got it closer to the boat we realized I had a decent walleye on! My partner assisted me in netting her and there she was! My PB walleye. She was 24" and weighed 4lbs 8oz. Later, while smallie fishing I lucked into another walleye on a jerkbait. Almost thought I had broken my PB again! The second one was 22" and weighed 4lbs 8oz too! Here is a pic of the 24 incher.

Spinnerbaits are my #1 confidence bait! For me, the only time I add a trailer is in stained to muddy water and want to add a bit more size. In those situations, I'll add a 3-4" single tail grub. I have some older BPS Triple Ripple tail grubs that do the trick for me.

I use the Palomar know about 99% of the time and have not had it fail with mono, braid or flurocarbon. You mentioned you use Vanish. I think that may be part of your problem (IMO). Let me say next that I am a HUGE Brekley fan but what I have experienced is that Vanish over the last year and a half, especially the Transition, is VERY brittle!!!!!!!!!!! I won't have Vanish on any reel EVER again! On a handfull of the crystal clear lakes I've fished and need to use a flurocarbon I'm planning on using BSP XPS fluro. I was at a seminar earlier in the year and got to see/hear and talk to Marty Stone. Let me add here, and I quote, that Marty does NOT have a line sponsor. He suggested two differnet fluro's and one of them was BPS' XPS (can't remember what the other was but I do remember it was somewhere around $30 a spool).

During the late part of last summer, I had a lot of luck with walleyes on jerkbaits. Worked them REALLY irractically. The only other bait I've caught them on is a Strike King Rocket Shad. I've caught literally all of mine on the upper Potomac. Nothing of any real size yet but had a few that chased a jerkbait before they saw the boat. >

Thanks for the link! I was able to get into Dick's to use the last one. I'm already thinkin about what I can use this one for! ;D

I've picked up a couple trick worms in pink and methiolate with the intentions of trying them this spring but haven't had a chance to yet. The maroity of the lakes here, the bass have all ready spawned. So unless I head north some, they'll stay in the bag until next year. My BEST prespawn bass the past 4 years have come on a pink and chartruese spinnerbait. The bass in my avatar came on that spinnerbait. Now that the majority of the bass I fish for are post spawn, the majority of the bass I catch are on more natural or dark colored baits.

I've been throwin the Bam Boo's for 3-4 years now. I've actually just picked up my first 3 packs for the regular Tiki's (ever) to try out on the smallies.

I'm another fan of the Mizmo's. My favorite are the Big Boys. I also throw BPS magnum flippin tubes.

Only my fishing partner would come up with that line!!!!! LOL

I wish I could help ya on the rods! Unfortunately, I haven't heard anything about the Berkley Big Game rods. The only musky rods I'm familiar with are St Croix (what my fishing partner uses), Gander Mountain Guide Series (what I use) and Rapala (can't remember the exact model but that is what my Dad uses). I've checked out my the Croixs, they're great rods (IMO) but out of my price range ($120 and up). Depending on which one you'd chose, the Gander Mountain Guide Series start at $50 (unless the price has gone up). Can't remember the price range of the Rapala's. About 98% of the time, I fish for muskies on rivers and don't troll. I'd rather wear my arms out casting!!!! ;D

This one works well for me: http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_37065_100006001_100000000_100006000_100-6-1 Color 01.

I've been using Cortland's Musky Mono the past couple of years and really like it. I have 25lbb test spooled up on both my Abu's and haven't had any problems with it. I also have a Rapala Lok-N-Weigh. The only problem I've had with mine is on BIG fish I have had trouble getting the grip on the fish's mouth. They can tear up the fish as well. Lindey's glove should be another investment to consider! They can save your fingers if you have should slip when you have hold of the gill plate!!!! When my partner first showed me these gloves, he put the glove on and took one of his hooks (that he keeps razor sharp) and jabbed it down in the glove. The hook never went through! I put the glove on and tried the same, felt the pressure but the hook never went through! I have to agree with ghoti on the leader size. 9" is pretty small (IMO). My partner, who's caught a good number of musky in the 45+ inch range, uses a 12" leader. I prefer an 18. Just to give you an idea of why I like the longer leaders, I managed to land a 45 incher last year. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to CPR that fish so I ended up bringing it home. One of the measurement I took was the length from the tip of its mouth to the back of the gill plate (basically what could fit in its mouth). It measured almost 12". If I can find the pic, I'll post it in a bit! You mentioned you're using heavy action rods. Are these heavy action bass rods or heavy action musky rods? A good musky (say 40" or bigger) will probably take all the backbone out of a heavy action bass rod and could break the rod if you're not careful! Hope this helps!

Great story Ceph! You're a better man than I am fightin that fish as long as you did on 6lb test! Best I've ever done with a tiger (on a lake) was a 33" I landed several years ago on a Risto Rap on 10lb test. Talk about a test tryin to keep up with that fish using a 4.3:1 gear ratio reel! If I'm targetting muskies, I prefer to fish for them in a river. Much better fight in my opinion.

There is a small population of tigers on the section of the Potomac I fish and have managed to catch a couple. I usually catch them on a Rebel 6" jointed minnow. The one lake close to me is stocked with tigers as well and have caught the majority of them out of there on 3/8 or 1/2oz spinnerbaits. If you're worried about spooking bass with a steel leader, you can use a hard mono or fluro leader. My fishing partner introduced them to me about 2 years ago, they're about all I use. Most of mine are 65lb test (correct me if I'm wrong MskSlyr) and have not lost a musky due to cut offs.

I've been using Quantum's for about 10 years now. I've only had a problem with one (an Accurist PT and the failure was one I caused). Love the Accurists (I have 6)! Have two Energy PT's as well! Great reels IMO and will buy Quantum again when I need another reel! Quantum falls under the Zebco name, that's probably why it wasn't on the poll.

The only time I use a snap swivel on a spinnerbait is when I am fishing for musky and need to use a steel leader. When I do, I put a split ring just big enough to fit over the R bend and then hook up the leader. Otherwise I tie directly to the spinnerbait. With adding a snap, you're just adding another piece to the puzzle that could fail.

Hey All, Someone just asked me the name of the proper name of the hook that's on the Strike King Rocket Shad. For the life of me, I can't think of what it's called! Can some help me on this? Cause its driving me nuts that I can't come up with it. (yeah, I know its a short drive for me) Thanks!

I tried some a while back and liked it. Been thinkin about getting some again. A couple months ago, I saw Marty Stone at a seminar here in MD and he recommended it as well. Keep in mind, Marty does not have a line sponser.

I really just started experimenting with jerkbaits last year. I was throwing them on both spinning and baitcasting gear for smallies. To me, I felt like I could get a little better action out of the baits on the spinning gear, especially when I needed a real irratic retrieve.