RobE

Oh, you bet! My fave is a 1/4 oz Rooster Tail in various shades of white/silver/black. Warren's Double Loon is also a fave in the smaller sizes. I've probably caught more 'accidental' fish on in-lines than any other lure.

I haven't lost sleep over this... just curious. On this and other forums, it seems that there is always someone dissing Eagle Claw. I'll be the first to admit that they aren't my hook of choice for TX rigs and jigs, etc. But to knock a company as a whole doesn't seem fair. I use ECs gold aberdeens when fishing for crappie and other panfish with minnows and can't say that I've ever missed a hookset due to the hook itself. They also make nice dressed trebles for the $$. And they're American! I have an older 7535 spinning reel that is my backup for walleye trolling. Will use it 'til it dies. What brought this up, I guess, is a buddy making fun of me wearing an EC ballcap. Asked if I really used that 'junk'. Did Eagle Claw do something that I'm not aware of that soured everyone or is it merely a case of brand-snobbery??

Well, Craiger... if that's your idea of a beginners combo, I'd hate to be your wallet two years from now! 8-) That rig should give you years of great fishing!

My guess is that the cooler is empty by this point and they think there is more on the camera boat.

Wayne. My dry humor plum evaded you. huh?

Cart - while that was an interesting read and we Thank You for finding it ... I might need to go there and offer a correction. Unless the info is really ancient, Starboard side refers to the side of a ship from which navagational bearings were taken using a sextant. Using Stars. Personally, I think that that modern boats are steered from the Right because the steering linkage on outboard motors is on the Right. Or maybe I got that mixed up and it's because you want your fishing partner to your left where you can see him with your good eye. Difficult question.

Is it an early Autumn there, too? In north-central AR, we haven't had a day over 90 in two weeks and several cool showers. Very strange for this time of year! It's almost like late September.

Did you ever think about 'worm hunting' on a morning after a good rain when they're all over your driveway trying not to drown? Maybe even collecting them to start your own Worm Farm? It's not hard to do. www.redwormcountry.com There are times when Live vs Fake will find that one out-produces the other. Just don't try to mix them. The fake ones are sterile.

Provided I don't have to work (oops, bad word!) the next day, there's nothing I enjoy more during the Summer than an all-nighter. I get on the water about an hour before sunset and cruise over some of my fave holes checking on activity. By sunset, I've usually found where I want to start and will anchor there until dark. I'll throw a few non-disturbing baits (T-rigged worms, etc) just to get a feel of the bottom and see if there's any interest. Or I may not anchor and probe nearby brushpiles for Crappie until dark. Whatever I do, I'm quiet about it. On Lake Norfork, I've found that the bite usually turns on about 10 pm and may last until 2 am under a big moon. If I'm not getting hit in that spot, I'll try a couple of others. If that fails, I'll pull out the Walleye gear and give that a go. If that fails, it's back to crappie on brushpiles. I like to eat at about 2 unless I'm busy 8-) . About 4 am, things usually pick up again until the Sun hits the water. This period can often be stretched by fishing west-facing bluffs that cast morning shadows. On the rare occasion that I just CAN NOT leave, the Crappie keep me entertained until almost Noon except on the hottest of days. I say, Go for it, dday!

Personally, I think you could spend the $$ on baits rather than line. I know all about the hype over fluoro lines and such but, I've been using mono in very clear water for a very long time. Never had a fish pop up beside the boat and offer his opinion. I do use fluoro line in certain applications but mono is still my mainstay (and I keep my cell phone turned OFF).

hey Joe! Welcome! Originally from Memphis area, too. Southaven to be exact. Moved to AR in '79. The fishing's better.

So... my take on this is that Catch & Release does, infact, work. Would it be 'jumping to a conclusion' to suggest that we eat all fish that we have never caught before? Now I'm really confused.

MotorOil / Orange is another color that works well on overcast days in clear water over rocky bottoms. Mister Twister seems to have phased this one out. Bummer.

Shimano and a lot of other Mfrs will often designate reels designed for more/heavier line, within a Series, with larger numbers. Is that what you are asking?

Got two quarters? Start flipping. This is one of those questions that leads to a light wallet and lack of storage space. :-/

Junkie - I fish 2 very clear and heavily fished lakes called Norfork and Bull Shoals in Arkansas. My best luck with these are daytime fished shallow (<15'), tex-rigged Smoke/ Chart tail in feeder creeks when the water starts to clear after a heavy rain. I don't have any luck with any over 8"; 6" seems the best. On overcast days, Blue Glitter/ Pink tail works well.

I'll echo that! Kids like visuals and teaching them to work a top-water will be easier than something that they have to imagine what is going under the surface. Someone else mentioned pre-rigged worms. I still fish the 4" Creme's. Buy him a few patches that his mom can sew on a windbreaker so that he has a 'fishing jacket'. If you're in a situation where you live nearby and can also fish with him, you might ask around at tackle shops or marinas to see if they have those "3 LB CLUB" patches that he can add to his jacket. Keep a couple with you because, if Uncle Berkley is taking him fishing, he's gonna need one!

I forget where smallmouths came into the thread but I remember reading it up there. My smallie rig also doubles as my #2 night-time Walleye rig and sounds a lot like Hammers. A 6'6" Shimano Compre (CPS66MH) with a Sahara 2000 strung with 8# mono. If I had to start over, though, I'd go with the Medium in a 7. These rods are really sensitive for $100. The Sahara reels are just SO smooth and absolutely Zero backplay. I think I have about $180 in it.

That's a great way to get a ticket and possibly get someone killed. : x2! Pardon me, Sirs. I wasn't aware that the tactics employed on my lake would endanger the lives of those on bodies of water infested with Water Lice (jet skis) at midnight. my mistake. No. I take that back.

A recent nationwide survey found that, while one-piece rods were more likely to fall victim to accidental breakage in GMC Jimmy rear windows, the ratio of intentional breakage by owners of Ford F-250s far exceeded the expected results.

Oh man.. one area of discussion that I never dreamed that I would see here. Since you seem genuinely interested though, Ben, I'll lay some basic business info on you and wish you the best in your potential endeavor. There are three major factors that play into the sucess of any business, of any size. The first two are Overhead and Tunover which are directly related to the third which is Purchasing Power. There is also a fourth element, which should actually be #1, called Customer Service. Overhead is your cost of doing business. Rent, advertising, insurance, payroll, utilities, etc. These cost' are not fixed and you have no control over them once you are dedicated - other than budgeting out advertising or not having heat in the Winter. Not a good idea. Turnover refers to the dollar-amount of product that you are able to move within a period of time as specified in a contract with a supplier. When you order more, you get a larger price break. That's where Turnover meets Purchasing Power. One crankbait cost' $3. Two cost' $2.50 each. If you want 50, they're $1 each. If you can't sell all that you bought, tough luck. I don't want them back. You're more than welcome to sell them for less than you paid for them on your SALE! shelf. That's where a lot of business owners make thier biggest mistake. Don't ride on the advertising hype of ANY product. Stick with what your customers show a need for via repeat purchaces. There's your Turnover. Buying 1000 of the newest jig that KVD loves, but don't fit your market, might find you selling 600 of them 'at cost' or less, just to generate cash flow and make room for the next Hyped-Up thing. We call that a Managerial ****-**. It happens. And it will happen to you. It's part of learning your business... fishing supplies, bicycles or stereo equipment. Doesn't matter. Keep it to a minimum. Customer Service is your KEY! The Customer isn't always right, but you must let them think so. If a particular customer tries to take advantage of you, you'll know it. You'll know what to do. Don't be afraid to do Special-Orders for good customers that might like to try a certain product that you don't stock. Let them know that you appreciate thier business and that you will gladly order the item for them and sell it at your cost plus a little for shipping. All you should ask for in return is an honest evaluation of the product and how highly they would recommend it to others. You are now generating Consumer Loyalty. Not in the product but, in your Business! EDIT - In any business, the minimum profit margin to stay afloat and expand (slowly) is 20%. Profits are not usually recognized until 35+% for brick and mortar stores. On-line stores may profit in the 15% margin range but greatly suffer in knowlegeable folks on the phone. What is Customer Service from a guy that you Turkey-hunt with worth? Keep the little guys in business, America!

Wow. Why didn't I ever think of that!? Thx for the idea, WRB! I have a tac light on a shotgun, why not a net? Jason - my best advice is to make your first trip or two on a moon-lit night. That way, your lake will look somewhat familiar and if you have a mishap, you'll at least have some light. Also, while fishing, I like to keep all lights off unless another boat is approaching. Then, I turn on the white transom lamp until I'm sure they are aware of me. Next - practice tying knots while perusing the bassresource forums. DON'T LOOK! Get to where you can do it by feel. Once you use a light of any kind, even Red, your night-vision is greatly reduced. Last - know your boat. If you can wake up at 2 am and get to the bathroom with no lights, you know your house. Boats are the same. Except for house-boats. ;D

I've never fished a water-hazard, but I'll certainly vouch for the fact that you can find frog legs there. Not much worry of getting hit by an errant ball at midnight, either!

While I do stash a few 6s and 7s in my box, it's rare that I ever use larger than a 5, even with a worm that large. You don't want a hook so big that a 'keeper' can't get his lips around it. Have you thought of rigging with two hooks, like a Creme worm rig? I know you know what I mean. 4 in front, 2 or 3 at the tail?

Congrats XL, on the XL bass!