POPRG

I use braid on most,but yo-zuri on a few set ups too..i always use a fluro leader with braid,not for cost reasons,but i tried straight braid throwing the big 3-hook zara spook last week,and the front hook woul'd constantly get tangled up in the braid..!! added a leader and all was o.k.

i believe trilene XT has been reformed this year also..saw a new store display at dicks recently and it states its "softer core" then the original..might help out with some of the line memory issues of past. i also grew up using xl/xt lines and the xt was one very tough line for its pound test!

"cleaned or repaired" is a huge difference..breaking down a reel to its exploded-view schematics,cleaning,lubing and putting back together isn't too bad, most of the time! but to take a reel,trouble-shoot the problem,get the parts[if still available] from any one of hundreds/thousands makes & models of reels can be a reeeal tough research & wait task!

i cant say for sure M-D if its epoxied in or actually set in a mold when the lead is being poured? you could send an e mail over to strike king and they should be able to tell you. i also like the premiere pro model better w/ the black nickle hook.

been using the "out-barb" trebles as replacement hooks on lures a lot lately,and the EWG worm hooks for years without any issues? [had a great topwater bite tonight on super spook jr's w/ #6 outbarbs.] love the 4X perma steels for saltwater too! Did they bend-straight or break in half? Take tom d's advice and shoot em an e mail..i'd like to hear the outcome.

Hey M-D,it looks like a unique jig head design for sure,may be quite a challenge cutting/re-tooling to a stock jig mold to get that design.?? I just looked at an older beat up SK premiere [denny brauer model] that i was gonna toss out today,and remembered this post. I pulled off the remaining few strands from the skirt and it seems like the earlier models have the same exact rattle w/ the small barb at the end,but its "heat-fused" to the hook shank up near the jig head with the same small gap/space to hold a jig trailer.. may be easier to get creative w/ epoxy to fuse the hook & rattle together?

Got 3 tubes of quantum hot sauce oil a few years back thrown in a clearance bin by mistake,but they honored the yellow sticker price of 50% off..was always hesitant to buy it from the mixed reviews i've read on line,but for the price i figured what the heck.. Its been running for over 2 [heavy-use!] seasons in a 200 E7,zillion sha,revos and now recently a lews PT. The difference in my E7 after a complete break-down/re-lube was insane! I never knew it could cast that well! I'm pretty sure any other high quality oil would have worked as well,but i was very impressed and so were a few others that tried it. I work on all my own reels [and curse a lot!] and have never seen any ill effects to them caused by the HS oil..i have NEVER used the grease,still have a huge tub of super-lube & cals,so that may be a different story as to reel damage,but i think many people are getting the 2 mixed up. Not sure if i'll buy it again,there are many good products out there now,but i'm just finishing up the first tube! i know im in the very small minority here,but so far,ive been very pleased with the HS oil performance.

i like the zoom screw-lock hook designed for the HT in 4/0-5/0 size. Works nice for many plastics and seems to extend the life of the bait.

i really like the south-west shallow to quick 14' depth area..lots of options there [8-10' crank,slow dragging football jig,slow roll spinnerbait,t-rig craw..],..gotta be a few hawgs stemming the transition lines there! don't over look the "man-made" structures,get a big arkie head jig and pummel them houses!...wish my local spots were that sweet!!

Very nice work! They all look great! I love the chart. perch & crappie patterns.

if bullfrogs were as big as german shepards,humans would be endangered! they will attack anything which resembles a worthy meal! i caught one so big in my early teen years on a snag proof frog that barely fit inside a 5 gallon bucket..fished a lily pad cove that i would run down to as soon as the car pulled into the cabins,cast the frog out with high hopes of a huge bass from reading the old snag proof mail order ads in the back of field & stream magazine. was so proud that i caught it,grabbed a bucket off the dock at the vacation house and showed it to my dad and neighbors and they were stunned at the size of it ..

If its knots in the line,just pull out most of the line off the spool and see if its knotted/overlapped. is the spool "over-running" on the cast causing a backlash? Thumb-bar locking up? [does it click back to the retrieve position after the line stopping?]

Same here,..exactly what you said.Heard some great feedback about lews reels,so i just could not resist anymore and pulled the trigger on a tournament TP1SH a few weeks ago.Fished it about 5-6 times and i just cant get the reel dialed in! had more backlashes than ever before!!? I like the carbon handle,the paddle grips are nice and it is very light weight and plenty smooth,i just cant get the d**n thing under control! iv'e been thumbing reels for a while now,[fresh & salt water]but that sucker is fast! Will NEVER part w/ my 2 curado 200 E7's,built like a tank,great caster and dependable! Although,i have been fishing my abu STX reels 90% of the time this season..to each his own,but i love the STX.

How can it be "good marketing and over-hyped" if anglers are using the product with great results?? a lot of tourney & "recreational" anglers have great reviews on the veritas series.

Very nice set up doc,sorry i don't know your status as in military,but i want to thank you very much for all you have done for this great country!!. ..she got you an MGX?? you are one lucky dog!! Enjoy it and you deserve it! How is the reel as far as casting distance w/ 3/8th ounce and under ? i heard it doesn't take much weight at all to get the spool spinning crazy?..not sure if its a "finesse-type" reel or just a light-weight revo? Played w/ one for a few minutes in the tackle shop and i had a hard time putting it down....

Its really not that big AA,..the "standard" zoom brush hog comes in @ 6" and the rage hawg is 5". Both are great bass catchers! You'll be surprised at the small fish that will slam this bait too!! I like to peg an okie blue rage hawg,1/4-3/8th tungsten bullet weight and experiment w/ a first slow drag all the way back,and then if no takers, speed it up a bit w/ hops---pause. let the fish tell you,but try a few retrieves before giving up on it if not producing right away..they will take it! you might want to give the SK rodent a shot if your looking for a" less-action/flashy" presentation.I pitch the rodent to some nasty deep grass flats and will just point 9 o'clock at it and slow pull through the grass.......

Heed BB's advise!! a missing guide ring will make short order of any line..,braid or mono...its a defect,call TW and get a new stick.

its been a crazy spring pattern here..started way ahead of schedule early on..had a few bass beds formed on the first-second week of april,only to have a 2 week cold snap move in and never saw a bass guarding on beds at all?? as of today,lots of beds w/ only bluegills standing guard..bass were shallow cruising an crushing spinnerbaits & swim jigs.Could not get over how aggressive the bass were,no real monsters,but even 6-8"ers were hammering the spinnerbaits! saw some big schools of fry VERY shallow..looked to be baby bass..possibly perch,but they were long bodied and skinny w/ a lateral line. Topwater bite is building daily!!

Or cast,,,,,lands..immediate twitch/twitch/twitch.....BAM! Did real good today w/ the gold/chrome super spook..bass slammin schools of golden shiners!!

cast....rest...twitch..twitch....twitch....BAM! repeat.

**Just saw on e bay..luck-e-strike premium worm kit/43 pieces..has the target worm,but in a dark/black color?

Very long,thin-Segmented body and a "zoom-like" speed tail...looks nice! cant say iv'e seen that exact style recently,but i'll be on the lookout and get back if i can find it. i know a few of the big stores [wal-mart,Dicks,etc..] have the luck-e-strike kits still available..last one i saw had buzzbaits and i almost grabbed it off the clearance section.

i'd like to see this info too??

Just went to their website GK because i saw your post and couldn't believe it..they have motor oil listed as "distributors special"!! ??Seems like it should be a standard color for a big production company like ZOOM?? down to my last 2 packs of motor oil trickworms too. .and i'd like to add GRAPE to the list..one of my favorites no longer offered by ZOOM!

I just got back from w-mart and saw the vendetta rod in the racks..played with a 7' M casting rod for a bit and seemed like a nice rod for the price.[$79.00] pac-bay SIC insert guides,fuji reel seat and a nice fast action. I purchased an abu villian 7'6" H rod this past winter and have yet to try it out..can't wait for the heavy braid frog/slop season to begin.thing is a beast in hand,hope it holds up to heavy jigging & frogging!