SirSnookalot

I would only buy a rod that I liked, wouldn't cut it down to my own specs. For using top lures shorter butts seem to work well for people, I often use 8' rods with longer butts, I'm so used to it I don't give it a thought. I will choose a rod with a longer butt every time, also I will not buy a rod without a foregrip, I use nothing but spinning. Some of my reasons, I have better casting control with longer butt, bigger fish on the line when I'm the jettie or a boat quite often that butt is under my armpit, on the beach or shore the butt is pushed into my waist like a fighting belt. I cast with my hand on the foregrip, moves the balance point my rod doesn't feel as tip heavy. I have more control working lures with my hand higher on the grip and way less wrist fatigue. My hand is in strike position, I have more leverage on the fish, very useful to me in bass fishing to set the hook with less effort. All this works for me.

The only advantage I see with a longer leader is more reties before the leader has to be replaced. I seldom tie line to leader for most of my fishing, it's just my own personal way of doing things, my leaders are about 20" and I like swivels. When I do tie line to leader I use about 4', it may take some getting used to the noise going thru the top guide but never have experienced any damage.

Is it important to stay within rod parameters, no but with limitations not too go to high. Not only myself but everyone I have ever been with does this everyday in saltwater with no issues, but we are dealing with freshwater. Freshwater is different as casting is more target orientated, I don't feel it's necessary to over load a rod while bass fishing, I don't do it myself.

Quite common and I'm experiencing this myself now with a different kind of issue. The mailing departments are not always in sync, probably a remote possibility as this company most likely is small. You have no contract until you have a signed copy by both parties in your possession. Not saying that this is the situation, but this person just may be cutting you out, happens all the time business can be cutthroat. I'd be looking at what 5% means of a product line in 1 store and what potential you may have to develop other outlets for the company. Over 40 years worth business experience and more common today as people have instant communication with them at all times via computers and smart phones, when someone doesn't respond to a phone call or email it's because they don't want to. No one is that busy they can't take a few seconds to respond, if only to say I'll call you next week or something like that. You have made 4 attempts 3 by phone and 1 by email, based on this track record it doesn't sound like they are very serious.

Jaws of steel...........small 3 #jack crevalle this morning, mirrorlure catch 2000 twitchbait

We have guys here that fish for moonfish (pretty small but fight hard) using crappie jigs 10 for buck and half that hook an 8 lb snook once in a while and don't bend, nothing is a cheaply made as those jigs. Only hooks I have bent are when removing with my pliers from a fishes mouth.

I buy 65# heavy duty split rings for making my barracuda tubes, they weight 5 grains which is not very much compared to a 3/4 oz lure and a lot heavier than I would need for bass fishing. Don't think the weight of a smaller split ring is going to make much difference. I save my split rings from my bass lures before I toss them out.

I've used them a lot on xraps, I never change a hook until I need to. I recently bought 15 Krocodile spoons, all came with sure set hooks, they have not bent when catching some of my inshore fish. If I had a problem with lines breaking, knots not holding, or hooks bending (which I do not), I'd be looking at too tight a drag. I can't think of any other reason a 4lb fish would do that to a hook unless it was defective.

I don't tighten my drags down very often, the stock ones last a long time. Over the last 10 years I've replaced the drag washers in only one reel, a 4000 stradic used in saltwater, it's caught a lot of fish, this is my most used reel. The reel probably is about 5 years old, I just replaced the washers recently with ones from my backup spool which I never use anyway, back to performing like the reel was new.

Whether it's a light or ml rod with the appropriate reel it's like fishing with a toothpick, very light and comfortable. I use them in ponds down here, sometimes in canals void of vegetation and it's a lot of fun, especially when a sizable fish is hooked. Can't seem to get interested in dropshotting, too slow for me I like fishing fast with moving lures.

At least most I know that own their own business never fall asleep, just too much to do and too much responsibility. I was always up by 4:am doing clerical things before I started my days, then it was non stop go until I was done. Doctors are incredible, early morning rounds at the hospital, office hours, later afternoon rounds again at the hospital and many do some surgeries as well, very high stress occupation. A busy lawyer is going to be at it as much as 12 hours a day, sometimes that doesn't include research they do at home, I know scores of attorneys, many are family members. I fall asleep before the 4:00 Sunday football game is over, it's 1:30 am and I'm getting ready to go fishing, as I do almost everyday.

A split ring common to a lure in the 1/4 ounce range probably weighs less than 2 grains, as there are 109 grains in a quarter ounce I do not believe that split ring would have much of an affect, if any. But if comfortable in removing it, then by all means do it. I personally would not use a heavier hard lure with 2 lb line, regardless of knot.

^^Advice doesn't get any better.^^ Abrasion doesn't enter into my equation enough when bass fishing to be concerned. I fish with braid and leader because I like it, I'd be just as successful using any other kind of line. If I don't catch fish it's because the bite is off, it isn't the line.

Our winter is not very cold here, not that I haven't fished in cold weather when I lived in Michigan. When it gets cool here I have a rock pile that will always produce bass, I do believe they seek the heat from the rocks. Fishing near an area with warmer water flowing seems to produce well too. In winter the snook bite comes to a standstill, water too cold, in the ICW there is a power plant, snook heaven in the winter. Catching a great fish when the weather is against you quite often is more luck than anything else. I caught my best peacock ever during the freeze several years ago where I saw countless numbers of floaters. Caught one of my best jacks off the beach in flat water with no bait around, fish just happen to be there. Caught a permit on a bucktail in the ICW and they don't live there and feed on crabs. These were all luck catches, being in the right place at the right time, skill played no part.

Fish with a bad back everyday.

Between inshore fishing and just getting serious for my yearly bass fishing now, I'm hauling in some nice fish, it's like the bass looked at the calender and said it's time. After catching some mediocre canal bass I stop by one of my community ponds before calling it a day and hook the nicest bass I've caught so far. I do the opposite of what I should have using my ml spinning outfit, decreased the pressure. I loosen my drag to get all I could from this roughly 5 pounder, my goal is to have as much fun with them as I can. Not a doubt in my mind I'll be catching a larger one soon, so losing it would not have been a big deal. I did have 4 snook earlier in the day.

If it were a choice between the 2, I'd go with the rod. I believe the rod has more to do with casting distance than the reel, the rod fights the fish in open water and pulls them out of cover. If sensitivity is an issue, the feed back comes from the rod not the reel. If I thought an $600 reel to pull in an 8-10# fish with a battle that was measured in seconds rather than minutes or hours, would more fun than a $300 reel I'd be hallucinating. As long as the reel was smooth on retrieve with a good functioning drag, my fun and pleasure comes from the rod.

Francho's spoon proves a point, fish don't care what it really looks like. Every time I see that spoon it doesn't look any better, I'd would have thrown it out, lol................but is still catches fish and that's the bottom line. I was out yesterday using a wide flat profiled gold saltwater spoon for bass, as always it was productive.

If my line pulls out when I'm setting the hook while bottom dragging a bait, it's a little to loose for my taste, I seldom fish that way. When using a moving bait the fish are more aggressive and they are coming to strike, my drag is probably on the lighter side then. It doesn't take a lot of experience to hone it on where you want your drag to be. I do know some that set by scale and it's crucial for their target species, tuna, marlin, large tarpon. Whether I'm bass fishing or inshore fishing I don't have the need to scale my drag.

Surprised to see the lack of use with the loopknot for hard lure use, especially when using a leader. With the more seasoned fishermen and guides I've been with that's pretty much what me and them use.

Probably not. On one of my SW forums they do have a recipes section devoted to fish and seafood. Granted there are far less members but most sw anglers keep their legal catch, there is action on that board but not all that much. Try barracuda, you would be amazed how great they taste, flakey white meat with a wonderful flavor, but do they stink when you land them, lol.

I agree, just pulling on the drag it's hard to equate what the poundage is unless one has an idea of say what 5# feels like. True about max drag, seldom does it got locked down anyway. As far as where I set it, that will vary depending on my target species, current of the water, heavier vegetation. type of lure and my gut feeling, and I usually will make a minor adjustment or palm my spool when I have a fish on. My heaviest line is 20 lb braid, that's fine for most inshore species using the proper drag.

Being primarily a saltwater fisherman spoons make up a huge part of our arsenal and I use them a lot, bass fishing too. There are so many varieties of spoons it would be difficult to list them all, one thing they all have in common is they catch a lot of fish. Some spoons come with nothing, others just a split rig and some come with a swivel. I quite often will attach a swivel if not supplied, use a leader for shock and attached using a BB swivel. Even still I'm careful of the style of spoon I'm using, I have gotten away from spoons that revolve a lot like a drone spoon or J-spoon, that is line twist personified especially when trolling. My favorites are krocodiles and redfish key spoon (I use these for bass), they waver back and forth and don't turn over. Not a new spoon but quite this year are sling jig types, every manufacturer calls them something different. Diamond jigs, sweedish pimple, sling jig, jig fish and so on, they are thin profile and heavy for their length, I have never casted a lure that goes so far, 80+ yards is not out of the question.

Florida being a tourist destination and snowbirds coming down for the season, food is not cheap like it used to be. I do find the rib places to be very reasonable, we go here and the food is excellent. http://www.badtothebonebbq.com/ribs.html In South Florida you can eat 3 meals a day in a different restaurant for a year and never eat in the same one twice, if it isn't good they don't stay in business too long.

Users reviews on new equipment do not sway me one way or the other. The only user reviews that are worth anything to me are the ones where the gear has been in service for an extended period of time, fished hard and in all types of weather conditions. I may pay more attention to a review from an expert, as a rule they catch more a bigger fish than I do.