tentimesover

I certainly agree with "Sam" to forget the baitcaster for skipping and go to spinning. You will save yourself a lot of headaches. IMO spinning gear is the right way to go for skipping. And, the stuff I'm typically skipping is weightless worms and similar that just don't work on baitcasting gear.

My favorite spinnerbait rod is the Shimano Crucial 6'6" rod, MF. The model I have is all cork on the handle which I love. I recommended the rod to a pal and was surprised to see it now has a split cork handle. It seemed OK but I still prefer the all cork. I have the Legend tournament in a 6'9" spinning rod and like it, but, not as well as the Crucial for spinners. I also have the 7' Avid in a MF baitcaster and I love that rod for just about anything -- but, I still would choose the Crucial again for spinnerbaits.

I also have used the 8 lb Hybrid for spinning and the 12 pound for baitcaster. I have a feeling that it's more forgiving on knots than the 100% fluorocarbon -- but, could be wrong about that. It's good stuff.

I use a pair of Shimano Symetre spinning reels. Isn't the line handling pretty much the same on the Symetre and the Stradic?

So, what are the two brands that have never had wind knots. Sounds like those might be desirable additions to a Missouri fisherman's arsenal.

I tried braid on my 2500 series spinning rig several years ago but dropped it after trying YoZuri Hybrid. After the last several days I'm ready to spool up one of my spinning rigs with braid though. It's been very windy and trying to control the boat and dodging boat docks I've not always been able to do the best line control -- and, thus have ended up with loopy line that is cutting into my fishing time. I plan to try the braid with a Hybrid leader. What braid would you suggest for spinning fishing mostly shaky heads and weightless Sinkos? PS - I've heard advice to play the line out behind the boat to relieve the twist. Do people really do this in practice. It seems like a time consuming pain to me that would have to be regularly repeated as the line develops twist again.

As I mentioned in my post, I loved fishing in this boat. There's plenty of room on the front deck and I really liked the storage layout, in particular the tackle storage locker just in front of the icebox/step in the front deck and the rod storage on the port side. Mine had a 74 lb thrust MinnKota Max which was plenty of power even in Missouri winds on big water. Of course when I compare it with my new boat at 21ft 3in I feel like I'm standing on my front porch when I'm on the front casting deck. If you have doubts about the size just stand up there and see what it feels like to you. Like you, the Stratos was my first bass boat and I feel like it was a great boat to start with. You mentioned any other "features." I always gassed up on the lake in the water and found that it was fussy about taking the gas without burping. I found that if I stood opposite the gas fill to tilt the boat a little that it solved the problem and it took the gas just fine. Hope that you have as good an experience with yours as I did with mine.

I just this year traded in my 2005 295 XL Pro for a new Ranger. I loved the 295 XL Pro though and the size was great to fish in tight spots like between docks, but, big enough to handle some pretty rough water. Mine had the 200 Evinrude HO with 6 inch Slidemaster jackplate and hole shot was fantastic and it was fast. As others have pointed out the boat does have a tendency to chine walk, mine would start around 63mph with just me in it, and I never did in three years learn to drive through it. The GPS data said that the boat had been at 72mph before I got it. The layout and storage is excellent in the 295 XL Pro. The specs say that the boat is 19'6"; however, I put a tape from bow tip to furthermost point on the stern and it measured 18'6". I never understood how they called it a foot longer boat -- maybe you can figure it out. It's a great boat that looks good and fishes even better. Let us see some pictures.

2005 was a changeover year for Evinrude. I've got a 05 200HP HO that's not E-tec. Just check to be sure you're getting what you're expecting. The 05 HO has been a great motor for me with my Stratos 295 XLPro and I'd recommend it to anyone.

The water in the coves are black with shad -- but, the thing that working for me are Wacky Senkos and shaky heads with 7 1/2 power worms. Can't buy a bite on a spinner or chatter bait.

Double willow blade spinner bate chart/white with white split tail trailer. It that doesn't work then black Senko fished weightless.

I bought the 6'9" M/F spinning rod a month or so back, on sale then for $172 (including shipping), so wish I'd have waited for a month or so. It's a nice piece of equipment - but, I still prefer the full cork handle over the split grip. I was about to buy the Avid but was tempted because the bargain price put the LTB near the price of the Avid. Wouldn't it be nice if there was some program where you could compare rods fishing before making a final choice.

"Stuck" gives the wrong impression. My Econolift has a single broad tank with galvanized steel cross pieces that support the boat cradle. My bass was flopping around on top of the tank and never got up enough steam to get over the two inch rails.

Went out this morning with my friend and fished all morning without a bite. Came home and put the boat up on the lift and heard a lot of flopping under the boat on the lift. A bass had been brought up and got stuck on the top of the lift. I reached down and grabbed him, a 3 pounder, one of the best bass I've landed in some time. I was able then to shout up to the ladies and brag about the big bass I caught!

I fish on a lake that develops a thermocline each summer -- the experts tell me. This weekend one of these experts told me that fishing was bad in one of my favorite coves because "it was turning over." Indeed I found the fishing was bad there. I also noted that the sonar had an appearance I'm not familiar with, the top 3/4 of the water column had a speckled appearance. Question,can the "turnover" be observed on the sonar, and, was what I saw indicative of turnover?

I do a lot of fishing on rocky bottoms. The hook you describe is the most effective solution I've found to prevent hang ups. I don't know why other hook makers don't have a similar designed hook. I just saw another post on rigging Wacky that described how to make a similar looking weedless rig using leader wire and 1/8 inch shrink wrap. That approach really looked good to me and I can't wait to get the 1/8 inch shrink wrap to make some weedless hooks of my own using other style hooks.

I regularly fish one of the roughest water lakes imaginable, Lake of the Ozarks, where the traffic goes all the way from PWCs up to 50+ footers. It's particularly bad on the weekends with all the "fun" boating. My strategy is to go early first. The players don't normally get started until around 10am. After that look for quiet coves off the main channels, preferably no wake coves. Finally, if you just have to give that spot on the main channel a try after 10am just turn the trolling motor power up and get ready to get beat up with all the wakes coming your way.

I use 12 pound hybrid for all three of my baitcasters and 8 pound hybrid for my two spinning outfits. I have trouble finding the ultrasoft at the places I buy gear. With the normal hybrid I've only have had a few very minor snarls, easily straightened. There may be better line out there but I'm sticking with what I know works well. I wish it were more available.

Using a 3/8oz black with black/blue skirt and trying to keep a slow retrieve - but, I'd say most of what I've caught are 3 to 5 ft deep, sometimes when the lure is on the upswing to the boat. I sure love the action on that lure. I vary the speed sometimes and do a little jigging - but, most of the time the strike is during a steady retrieve.

What I meant - but was not clear from my post - was fishing from the docks out toward the drop off to the main channel with the drop shot. I agree that between docks I use something that covers more water faster. I switch back to my baitcaster between docks. Recently my favorite choice is the Z-man Chatter bait which has replaced my spinnerbaits as my go-to lure for covering a lot of water.

I've been using the Owner 2/0 weedless hook recently to good advantage with the Senkos rigged Wacky style. I also use the "O" rings and believe it makes it easier to get the hook placed in the jaw. The "O" ring does tend to tear the soft Senkos where it is placed. I've just purchased some shrink wrap and am looking forward to see if it is better at maintaining the Senko.

Thanks to a recent poster with a link to a Shimano youtube video I cleaned up one of my Shimano E200 reel and was super impressed with the difference it made in the reel's performance. So I decided to do the same thing to my Johnny Morris series baitcaster. This reel has a button on the plate which, when mashed, is supposed to release the plate. I've mashed and pushed and done a little prying with no luck in getting the plate to release. BPS is a long drive from here. Anyone have a tip on how to get that plate to release so I can clean the reel?

OK, decision made. I want the Avid MXF 6'8".....However, all things considered, the St Croix upgrade would end up costing me $140. Not bad considering the rod retails for $180. However, I see that there is a Tournament Legend on sale for $172.50 with free shipping. I assume the rod is better quality than the Avid. The split grip is a very slight downer for me but not enough to make me not buy it. At least it has cork on the split handle. So, that is the direction I'm going. Maybe I can sell my Mojo on ebay or Craigs List for $30 and I'd be even up with the same deal that St Croix's upgrade program offered.

I definitely recommend having both tools. You have to be pretty good at baitcasting to skip lures under overhanging brush or under docks without backlashing. Also, when the wind is blowing the baitcaster is my tool of choice because the lighter spinning rig gives me "horseshoes" of line to deal with. The baitcaster is my tool of choice, but, I don't hesitate to pick up my spinning gear when I need it.

I'd be pleased to trade in my Mojo - but, I've got to find out how that works. I really have no receipts for the purchase of the Mojo (actually it's my second Mojo since I lost my first overboard while running down the lake). I suppose that st croix's web site will have all the info.