Marty

I also replace with the original size. Many crankbaits come with better hooks these days than in the past and don't need to be replaced by my standards. Often just a few strokes with a hook file will be enough for them to meet the sharpness test (thumbnail).

While you can't tell the actual depth, all other things being equal, a bill that's straight, i.e., parallel to the body, will run the deepest. The more the bill angles downward the shallower it will run.

All the ones I've seen include the length of the skirt, including the BPS Tender Tubes.

This site has a forum where you can ask questions. http://www.joeyates.com/

I don't think it would need to be a bird type topwater. Obviously, wintertime is not considered prime time for topwater. However, fish are unpredictable and if you are so inclined, it couldn't harm to spend a few minutes fishing on top just to see if anything happens.

You've listed a lot of factors. My advice is to not overthink it. Dozens of brands and all manner of size, shape, action, color, etc., catch fish. Just make sure you have some that cover the depth you want to fish. As to shallow lakes with good weed growth, there is room for cranks depending on the nature of the weeds. For example, if the weeds come up to within two feet of the surface, shallow crankbaits can be very productive. Or maybe stretches that aren't very weedy. In my favorite pond I can't even think about a crankbait in summer, but in spring (before the weeds come up) or fall (after the weeds are gone) cranks can be the best-producing lures for me.

He didn't play after high school and the "who in their right mind" is Goodell. It's inconceivable that this could happen without his stamp of approval.

Here's an article with the usual BS, but no date is mentioned. http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CFPageC?storeId=10151&catalogId=10051&langId=-1&appID=94&storeID=82&tab=3

I think the odds are about 9 quintillion to 1. That's purely mathematical based on the false assumption that every team has an equal chance to win. A couple of mathematicians have figured that someone who knows the sport and rules out the have-nots, the odds drop to about 125 billion to 1.

Agree, it's a Mourning Dove. If your Dad thought it was something bigger, what did he have it mind? The majority of non-water birds that are bigger than the dove are raptors and the bill clearly rules them out.

Wow, I haven't had a reel come with an arbor in 35 years.

I've always used backing that has ranged in size, as in what I have laying around. Since in the course of fishing, my line has never gotten down to the backing I think that the size doesn't matter.

I don't know what your lure looks like, but the Rapala Countdown is a sinking lure that is nothing like a standard lipless crankbait but it'll catch anything that swims and there's a good chance that your Fishco will too. You can use it in shallow water by running it just under the surface.

Just talking about spinning...I've used for years the number of cranks of the reel times the inches per turn, however, I don't know how accurate it is. My preference has been to use 50-60 yards of the good line on top of the backing.

Hard to say. Some cranks are designed to float and others to sink. Obviously, they're supposed to be like that if your crank was designed to sink or it could be a defective floater.

Many times I've left mono on all winter and used it the following year with no problem. It was stored properly, in a cool basement, not exposed to the elements.

In what part of the country was it caught?

Years ago I visited Suffern many times when my sister used to live there. It wouldn't have been my first guess as to where a "World exposition" of anything would be held.

That's basically what I've been doing for years, but without the tree or fence because I've gotten to know my reels well and can eyeball the procedure.

Good advice. I've been doing brisk walking for about 25 years.

I don't think it matters. If the line gets down to the backing, that means that some monster is taking you for a ride and that thing's gonna pop regardless of knot. I have a President 6935 in addition to some similar size Daiwas and my practice on backing has always been to use cheap mono as backing and leave enough room for 50-60 yards of braid or whatever other kind of line I might be using. Sixty yards will get me five spoolings from a 300-yard spool.

Congratulations to OU. It's not that common for a 17-point underdog to win.

I've never ice fished in my life, but I've been reading about fishing and talking to anglers for 40+ years. A close friend used to ice fish and I often visited with him for a while out on the ice. To the best of my knowledge, bass are not one of the commonly caught fish through the ice. Usually toothy fish and panfish are sought after and caught. However, last I knew, the Massachusetts state record bass came through the ice. Maybe someone who knows a lot more about the subject than me will come along and give you better information.

I don't know what you mean by "side eye." That looks basically like a straight shank hook with the eye bent downward about 45°.I agree that's the type of hook that gets snelled. To me, a side eye would be of the type that comes with keeper hooks, like the one shown here. http://www.basspro.com/Mustad-Ultra-Point-Impact-Hook/product/30055/

There's no doubt that braid (and other lines) would be seen by the bass. The unanswered question is whether that has any effect on whether the fish will strike or not. There are numerous anglers on both sides of that issue. Another unanswered question with many anglers on each side of the issue. I use braid for everything and never use a leader. What you should probably do is to read more opinions on these issues and decide which of them make more sense to you, then go ahead and do what you have confidence in.