Marty

Agree with RW, but it's still a matter of personal preference. Some use a 7:1 reel for cranking and others use a much smaller ratio.

Sure. I have no problem with two-handed casting with an 8" handle.

I doubt that you're one of a few, because there are so many long-handled rods out there that people must be buying them. I'd want to cut the handle, but the problem is that with, say, a 7' rod, the 1.5' handle just leaves 5.5' on the business end of the rod, certainly not what one probably wanted when he bought a 7' rod.

Texas' economy is large and growing. Just Google "Texas economy" (without the quotes) for more info.

Two thumbs up for Mom!!

Well said John.

I've used both the Rapala and Berkleys. Right now it's the inexpensive Berkley. It's actually been pretty good. But eventually they seem to go bad. Whatever you get make sure you test it a few times every year by weighing stuff that's already been weighed on a certified scale, such as scales in a supermarket. If you're unwilling to risk the possibility of your scale malfunctioning when you have a good fish to weigh, I'd carry at least two of the digitals or one high-quality spring scale. Unfortunately, earlier this month, my partner's scale malfunctioned when he tried to weigh the biggest bass he ever caught and the guy he was with didn't have a scale of his own. Like the bumper sticker says (cleaned-up version), "Stuff happens."

I can't help with your questions, but I hate long-handled rods. It's the first thing I look for when buying a rod. I did shorten a rod handle that a manufacturer sent me as a replacement, but it wasn't a split handle.

Agree with Tom. Virtually any camera with a brand that's well known can yield a very nice picture of someone holding a fish. On the other hand, if you want to do other things with the camera, such as shooting wildlife you see from the boat, that's a whole nother ballgame.

For those who don't know what Hydrowave is (I'd never heard of it), http://www.hydrowave.com/index.htm Being a skeptic, I'm suspicious of any product that claims to "ignite a feeding frenzy." Just think of all the tournaments one could win with a Hydrowave and fishing with an Alabama rig baited with Yum plastics!!

Agree with Brad. You can leave them in that tackle binder assuming that there are zipper-type bags in it.

Great fish. The few lakers that I've caught haven't fought much. In fact, my biggest, a 7.5#'er, came in with -0- fight, like a gob of weeds. Glad you had the fun of a good fight. Nice fish.

Two thumbs up!

I've read recommendations on drag that range from very light to very heavy. You can measure drag by tying the line to the hook of a scale and walking back taking out line while reading the scale. My drag is light, probably ranging from about 15–25%. However, I haven't measured in quite some time because I know what I want just from the feel of pulling out line with my hand.

You're not insane and none of us can can tell you what to do. They're your lures and you should do whatever you're more comfortable doing with them.

Chris, that's exactly what I do, lean forward and press the shutter. However, focus is not a problem because the lens is wide open (27 or 35 mm, depending on which camera) and the large depth of field keeps me in focus.

You can find a link to a buyer's guide on any sunglasses page on Cabela's site. Whatever you get, make sure they block 100% of both UVA and UVB.

You didn't say whether you'll be on shore or in a boat, but it doesn't matter, you can get a good picture either way. It goes without saying that regardless of where you are, you should shoot some practice pictures so you'll know what needs to be done when you have a fish. On shore I put a utility box on the ground and lean the camera against it at the proper angle. In a boat it depends on the kind of boat. Maybe you have access to a deck or seat or something else. In my canoe I have a gizmo that I cobbled together and put on the yoke such that the camera sits at the necessary angle. My avatar picture was taken that way, although it got distorted when the forum changed format awhile back. As far as I know, just about all cameras have self-timers, so that shouldn't be a problem. Don't hesitate to use flash, even on a sunny day. It will illuminate a back-lit subject and fill in shadows on a front or side lit subject.

Try Googling spiderwire backpack and you'll find sellers. To each his own. I greatly prefer a shoulder bag for easy one-hand access to whatever I need while holding a bass.

Personally, I'm not that much into specific brands as the features I want. I've done a lot of bank fishing and for a general purpose rod I'd recommend a 6'6" or 7' with fast action and M or MH power. It's extremely important to me to have a handle that's relatively short, so when I find one I want I'll buy it regardless of brand. There are loads of brands out there that will perform well.

Bass Pro has one negative customer review and Amazon has two reviews, both positive, and Tackle Warehouse has a negative review. Obviously a mixed bag. You can Google econoscale review.

Interesting article. I love crankbaits, but I fish some waters that are so weed-choked that I can't even think about cranks. Is Bill Wilcox a name I'm supposed to know?

I use a stream thermometer--it's about the size of a ball-point pen.

I wouldn't go medium light for those kinds of lures, I'd go M or MH with some backbone and fast action.

Have you fished there under the higher percentage conditions, like early morning, late evening, night and overcast days? If you haven't, I'd certainly try it.