piscicidal

Still not even close... In 2010 my biggest bass was 8.5lb, while catching 14bass over 5 lb. A nine pounder is hard to come by (even in Florida). It's worth WAAAYYYYY more than a 6 and a 3.

use live bait

If it's a reel I have no interest in using anymore, I either give it to a neighborhood kid or bring it in to Bass Pro Shops when they have their annual trade-in sale. If it's a good quality reel, I'll replace parts as needed to keep it in the rotation...

Agree 100%... $150 seems to be the inflection point of the hockey stick-shaped cost/quality curve. That is, once you get above $150, you start paying disproportionally more for an incremental increase in performance. I think the best value is to buy rods at/near this "sweet spot". (Avid/Savvy/Crucial) The one exception I have to this is the Veritas rod...IMO that is a $150 rod that just happens to sell for $100.

Eric, that's good info. Thanks. I threw my partner's Dobyns a little this weekend, but mostly on moving baits. I'd love to try pitching jigs/beavers with 733/734 for awhile before pulling the trigger.

Eric, Is your Dobyns a Savvy or Champion? And how do you rate it with respect to your Crucials? You and I usually agree on everything fishing, and I am in the market for a new rod...

I think it depends on the kind of fishing your going to do with it... For techniques involving more "feel" (T-rigs, jigs, etc...) I would go with the $150rod/$100reel split. (i.e. Pro Qualifier/Avid) For moving baits, I would lean more toward a 100rod/150 reel split (i.e. Curado/Veritas) When in doubt, I lean more toward spending the money on the rod. I can ALWAYS find use for a good rod. Lower-tier rods pile up in my garage and I usually end up giving them to a kid or dumping them for $5 at a garage sale. On the flip side, I have $30 EBAY reels (quantum accurist) on Avid rods that get used 3X a week, while having +$200reels (chronarch) sitting in a box awaiting backordered parts. Another reason I will lean toward the rod over the reel, all things considered.

Don't let someone on a message board tell you whether or not you should like a piece of equipment you already have. You already have the rod...use it...then decide whether or not you like it not.

I'd take one nine pounder over 30 three pounders.

Funny...my dad and I fished last week. I was using a 3/8oz PB&J jig with a rage chunk trailer. My Dad was using a northland 3/8oz jig head with a yamamoto hula grub. He was getting bit 2:1 over my setup. I had the two big fish though... Not much of a sample size, but he was definately getting more bites...

Eric, check your PM....

topwaters/jerkbaits Most of my gear is 7'6" or longer...but a shorter length/shorter handled rod is a must for jerkbait/walk-the-dog type baits.

Doug, I wouldn't worry about that too much. Everyone raves about Shimano parts/customer service...but I have a Shimano Chronarch on the injured reserve list right now, because there's a couple parts I can't get for them...Shimano says they are on backorder until May. I've tried everyplace online...(Dad's ole tackle box, David's tackle box, ebay, etc, etc...) I've even posted on several websites (including this one: flea market) asking for old parts reels. I'm not saying this as a shimano bash...i like my shimanos as much as the next guy. Just saying don't let part availablity influence your perception of the reel.

Dave, I'm gonna use that excuse also, if you don't mind. Seriously, though...I think there's something to that statement. The place has been getting hammered pretty good.

Dan, We fished in my partner Jack's (shallow thinker) boat: a yellow maverick. We were in the third flight and weighed in right after the leader...he weighed 17lbs and change. He had a 7.0lber and one just shy of 5. I'm not sure if he won, because I spent the next half hour waiting to load the boat. But judging by the weights, it's hard to imagine anyone beating him.

How'd you guys do at holiday park yesterday? Our day was pretty typical it seems talking to a few guys there. A ton of fish...nothing big. We caught 40-50 fish for sure, but only two over 2lbs. We ended up weighing ~8lbs. We would have been close to 10, but I pulled a real bonehead move. Our biggest fish (~3lbs) jumped straight out of the livewell into the water as I was culling a 1.25lb fish. I was loading the boat when the final teams weighed in...I believe they paid to about sixth place which was in the 12lb range (I'm not positive...)?? Very surprising that the bite was that poor...usually takes 20+ to be in the money. I saw some outstanding anglers weighing in single digits.

I really like it so far. It is a bit stiff, but it limbers up after awhile. I think I get a little better casting distance with the 832 and maybe a little easier to cast into the wind. It does retain color better than PP also. I've only used it on baitcasters...

I have used both a Stradic 2500FI and a Soron STX20 for about three years. I used to rate them about equally, but as I use them more I think I like the Soron a little bit more. The drag and the bail on the Soron is a little smoother. It seems a little more solid. I use them in saltwater and have caught big fish on both. They can both handle any bass you will encounter.

So when we going? The pros are roughing em up a little bit, but with 440,000acres we should be able to find something not too beat up.

Some ridiculous sacks pulled out of Big-O yesterday. #35-3 leading after day 1. 25lbs wouldn't even put you in the top ten. This stable weather combined with the spawn is creating the slugfest we thought it would be. Might take 100lbs to win this...

I like a shorter rod in the 6'6" range, as you are often using a tip-down motion. As JFrancho mentioned...a short-handled rod is a must. I prefer a MH/F action rod. You need a decent amount of backbone as you are using mono/coploy line and neeed to account for the stretch. I have been using the Yo-Zuri Ultra Soft #10 co-poly and so far it has worked great for jerkbaits. I prefer a faster retrieve, baitcast reel for this fishing. It is true the rod moves the bait and the reel speed is not a big factor. However, I like being able to pick up line quickly with this short rod. I have no problem throwing baits as small as 78mm with this setup....I don't really use the smaller ones, but if I did I'd probably consider a spinning reel.

Steve P, That's great news! I believe it was you, Steve, who posted awhile ago showing a small patch of hydrilla forming. Any update on how the hydrilla is coming back??

Me too... Sufix 832 and Yo-zuri ulra soft for everything....

Does Scott Martin do alot of guiding anymore? I know he has a pretty full schedule on the tour. I was watching the Scott Martin Challenge on TIVO this morning. He was fishing Okeechobee and went up against one of his pro buddies fishing Lake Falcon. Scott had a 34lb bag...and lost! I think I've got a couple new waypoints on the TIVO, though!

I see the winner had 1st and 2nd place big fish. He's on different fish than the rest of us, it appears. You guys fishing the KOTG qualifier Sunday...see you out there! Good luck!