Five-Alive

I am throwing my #5 shad raps on a drop shot rod, Dobyns 701 with a Diawa Certate, low gear ratio and the smoothest drag I have ever felt and use 8lb. Berkeley professional grade flouro but have purchased some 7pound Gamma flouro to try this year. This is one of my favorite bites.

I used the alberto knot for years and never had any issues with breakage at the knot, last year I switched to the FG knot, also no issues with breakage but I find it to be a more compact knot. I don't have small guides and use a 10 pound braid and a 6 pound flouro leader. These are the two best braid to flouro knots that l have used. Whichever you go with you should be pleased.

There is one on the flea market page on this site for $180 which is a fair price, I lucked into mine new on clearance for $149 about 4 years ago, I use it to throw the A rig on and it rocks for that.

Heading to the Chowan River for the weekend to visit my parents and do a little fishing. I haven't fished it since I was a kid and would love to hear any tips.

or maybe you need to market those custom jigs??

TW will probably announce one later this week, if my memory is correct it has been 15% off on a lot of items the past 2 years.

hydrowave?

Tackle Warehouse had the old 50 E on sale for $158, other sponsors mnay have them as well. Great reel!!

Clarksville was still muddy last Saturday, the water was 306 but still seems to be being drawn down it was 303 earlier this morning. Going down tomorrow to look around, good luck on Saturday!!

Cool deal, I just wanted to give a warning, I would hate to see you get stuck in the middle of the madness if you weren't fishing the tournament. We will be on my boat, a 1997 Red w/silver stripe Ranger R-80 with a Mercury 150, be sure to say hello if you see us and best of luck. Dewey Knight, Collinsville VA

sounds pricey to me but before I pass judgement I would like to hear from others who have used it. As far as sebile, I am a little bitter ....... I bought a magic swimmer and it will not move freely like my partners will, it hangs to one side after a twitch. I wrote them but with my luck that very week I read about them selling or changing hands and never got a response so I feel $15 bucks in the hole to them.

there is a lot of good advice here!!

clear is my favorite but I haven't use a color that didn't work. They are supposed to be releasing a new spook this year too.

heck yeah!! I like the water to be 60 degrees or more but I know guys that will use it sooner. I like it early or late or anytime it is overcast. My favorite is a cavitron black on black.

Just an FYI, Oconeechee has good ramps and plenty of parking but be advised the Anglers Choice tournament comes out of there on the first Saturday in April. We had 223 boats in our first tournament on Smith Mountain Lake. http://www.anglerschoicemarine.com/tournament-trail/schedule-info-results.html