SirSnookalot

Does that mean I would be paying more for your incompetence?

I don't like a L or ML for texas rigging, not enough power to set the hook or pulling a decent fish thru some heavy slop. I do like them for open water fishing using any kind of a lure with exposed hooks and braid. I did have a 1# and a 4# on the same rattle rap the other day on ml clarus spinning, 2 on 1 lure with that rod was a trip.

All of the above........no preference. If I'm fishing current, extremely slow retrieval, I like letting the water do the work for me, I don't over work baits.

I've read a lot of information posted by Alan Hawk, he's probably as good as it gets. Had I read one of his reviews first I may not have bought one of the reels I did.............too late, lol. Some people may find this useful.......... http://www.alanhawk.com/reviews/reviews.html

Hardly a day doesn't go by that I don't use a bucktail, I've used countless number of brands, styles, sizes and prices. For actually catchability, it doesn't make a difference, what sets one brand apart from another is how long they are going to last. Even the cheaper ones have lasted a long time bass fishing, that isn't the case in saltwater, I get couple of fish and they usually are history. I do well with a flats style bucktail, but that may be due to the fact that's pretty much the only one I use in freshwater, I don't contend that's better than another style, but has worked well for me. I'll preface by saying that I haven't tried this, but I think it would great for bass fishing. In saltwater we "tip" them when fishing for certain species. Tipping is merely putting a little piece of squid or shrimp, that scent is a magnet. I wouldn't be surprised, and I'm sure people have already done it, is to use some artificial scent on a bucktail.

I've beaten to the punch.........the @2.99 Blaze Minnow. To my chagrin, they have been discontinued and I can't find them anymore.

I don't recommend specific rods and reels most are pretty darn decent today, and I agree with 0119 regarding the management of anything over 8# mono on a small spool spinning reel. You might be able to get away with 8 or 10# mono on a wide spool 2000 spinner, but I'd still opt for braid for the strength and line capacity advantages.

Can't remember ever using a bass jig for bass, I use the same bucktails I use in saltwater for snook with no trailers, works excellent. IMO a bucktail is the most universal lure there is.

@ Fish Chris............a tarpon is the world's biggest herring and the world's biggest minnow is a white amur aka grass carp.

@ Bankbeater, Whether the other car was speeding or not, a motorist attempting to make a left turn still has to yield to on coming traffic. The speeding was not the sole reason for the accident, your car in the intersection was. The relevant issue was that before making a left turn, a motorist must be sure the intersection is clear, and in this case it wasn't. If the other motorist's insurance company would have paid to fix your car, or your insurance company waived the deductible on your repair, then you won, if not you lost. Not having a traffic ticket issued to you does not mean there is no record with your insurance company.

Exactly ! I probably would never have even thought about or realized until I watched Mark Sosin on tv, he explained it while battling a fish. The next opportunity I had to " experiment " I found he was right, I also credit Mark Sosin for demonstrating how to palm a spinning spool with a fish on to increase the drag without making an adjustment to the reel. A word of caution from my own experience, if you grab the spool don't hold it too long before letting go, I've had fish break 30# braid or that's when my knot might fail. These techniques are are strictly to momentary slow the fish down, full max drag may end in disaster. Nothing replaces using the drag as it was intended to be used. Amazing how strong some of these fish are and they don't have to be huge.

I had to check out Penn's web site and to my surprise the 2000 Fierce weighed in at 8.8 oz, pretty much in the middle of the pack for a reel in that price range. IMO a smooth operating drag is more important than the listed max drag, but Fierce is on the low side of that coming in at 7#. Penn's are great in saltwater and I think they are better suited for open water fishing.

A bucktail...will catch almost any fish in any body of water and moving the bait a few different ways.

I may have used the wrong word, but you got the drift of what I was saying. For the people that didn't comprehend, I thank you for making it clear to them. A change in the rod position will change the amount of pressure on that fish, it's one those things that I may not be able to explain but understand how it works. After a couple of hundred tarpon and many other hard fighting fish, it just comes natural without thought, one does not need a scale to prove that, experience is the best teacher. It isn't always the size of the fish but the power it has. Dialing back the drag may work for a steelhead or salmon, but catch a blackfin tuna of similar size like about 20# and dialing back will get you spooled. This is exactly why people use heavier gear (whether it be conventional or spinning) with line capacity for this kind of fish, that's offshore fishing. Inshore fishing from shore could I catch a 20# snook backing down the drag, well maybe if I got lucky, but a 20# jack crevelle, not a chance in the world. I'd be looking at a 4000 spinning reel with any empty spool on it if I didn't put drag pressure on that fish 200 yds of line just isn't enough if you let it run. It boils down to what you are catching and where at and be able to adjust yourself accordingly.

or spell.........sentence.

You're not alone. I can go out for days and not catch a bass in the summertime here, and can go for 2-3 weeks in the wintertime inshore at the ocean and get nothing. That being said, I have caught some amazing fish where all conditions were against me, you just never know, so keep at it.

That's a saltwater reel, nothing wrong with but for bass fishing a more traditional reel like a Plueger president may be a better choice. I personally would not buy anything less than a conquer in the Penn lineup.

I don't care if I see the line or not. I use old fashioned green braid, even at night. I put hi vis yellow on one reel just because I liked the way it looked.

I've caught a few but haven't found too many places I've enjoyed fishing from shore, pretty much have lost interest in catching them. Saltwater runs to thick in my veins......lol. Haven't done any serious bass fishing in a couple of weeks.

All depends on the fish. Dialing down with a bigger fish like a 40# tarpon will get you spooled pretty quick. I may tighten my drag to about 15# but I'm always palming and releasing the spool to slow it and tire it out. I may add that rod position adds drag too, more at the 11:00 than at 9:00. An amberjacks on the other hand, even a small one like 30 or 40#, caught on one my offshore spinning reels which have 30# of drag may not stop that fish on full drag, we have to run them down with the boat. IMO it's easier to handle a bigger fish from boat than from shore, more open water, no pylons to deal with and the fish can always be chased down. The helmsman may be important than the fisherman.

I never carry a scissors, just extra gear I don't need to carry. Just about any pliers will rip it, and pliers with titanium cutters will make a clean cut. I don't want a clean cut, I burn my braid with a bic, now I have little nib on the end and pull thrus are greatly reduced, I do it this way for hooks and swivels not joining lines. Don't use those aluminum pliers to cut wire, the blades will get a notch in them (I can show you 4 or 5 pairs), use a wire cutter.

That makes perfect sense, break off on a 5# bass but holds a 40# kingfish, cobia or amberjack, I've caught 100# shark on that stuff and I use 20#. I'm not saying one can't get a bad lot of line, but I haven't. I'm not saying it's best line there is but I'm not saying it's the worse either. I have little or no issue with any lines I use.

Jigs catch almost any fish that swims in any body of water, some survivor kits come with a jig or 2.

I'll do it or $17.50 and catch one for you too !

I agree with Fish Chris. I have used 20# flouroclear for my offshore fishing and it worked fine with no major incidents, I have spools left over that I use for my freshwater leaders. My 30 and 40# leaders are cut from Ande or Big Game. For my offshore fishing I only use real leaders, I've given up on florocarbon.