Northern Strain

never fished the white river...? You really better walk over there. I got 2 five lb smallies this year over there, maybe get one more trip in tomorrow, before the winter.

Wow thats nice! I do practice catch and release, but some times when you get a big one like 7lb or better, it is fine to mount that hawg!

looks good but I think it would look better with different eyes, just me tho.

I do like the eyes

Well you said you didn't want something bulky but i love my fingerless mittens, they are mittens but you can take the mitten part off your fingers and then velcro it to the back, to make them fingerless. I think they were orriginally for huntin, but I got them at dicks and love them. They are so warm, and the palm of the mittens is leather so they are sturdy. These mittens are a picture from the internet.

If you want to catch the really bigones use the biggest lures. There are some articles out there that talk about fishing musky lures for bass. http://www.mepps.com/fishing_articles/article.php?id=256 http://www.mepps.com/fishing_articles/article.php?id=257 I think that a big swim bait or spinner would be best, but it may be getting to cold in tennessee to use fast baits. Good luck.

i guess i will put mine out there i just wanted to see what you guys thought. I use a bait caster for heavier jigs and cranks, which is most of the time. I have my bait caster on a 6 foot m rod, and 12# test to get them out of he current. Also i have a 5'6 spinning rod with a shimano sedona reel. I put 4# test on this because i like the challenge to use as light of line possible, also smallies have good eye sight and i feel when you a finesse fishing it helps if they cant see the line. I am going out today in about ten minutes and think i am just going to take the spinning rod, I wade too!

well during the summer I caught a five pounder on a all silver metallic rattle trap, but now that it is getting cold I would use a jig, or a senko.

I was just curious what is everyone's favorite: Rod- Reel- and Line- for fishing smallies?

I am still looking into this and really it comes down to the code or the exceller.

I live in Indianapolis and fish on the white river, i don't know if any of you have heard of it but the deepest parts I fish are maybe 12-16 feet at most. The weather is getting colder,and I was just wondering what your ideas were on catching them in the winter.

What does anyone think about the pflueger purist or the diawa exceller and the quantum code or burst?

The minnows work great. I seemed to have more luck with them in the spring, and i probly caught 60% of my fish with them. I also rig them on a jig head.

That basically sums it up... it truly does come down to one thing and that is fish in the boat...

It sure sucks to get a $15 LC snagged, or lost...

I caught 1...

I am interested in what people think are the best lures for the money. I am also interested in the lures you think are over priced, or the ones that catch fisherman not fish, here is my list. Best lure for the price: Strike King series 3 sexy shad crankbait $3.99 Over priced: Strike king sexy swimmer $14.98 Catches Fisherman not fish: X-rap

Quantum or the revo s the... by the way citica's are junk compared to revo's ;D

Those would be so sweet with a revo premier!

I think that you might want to consider taking the rod back.

One tip I got is don't try to cast to hard, I am not saying you can't cast far, but if you put to much arm into it you will get a backlash, start out simple maybe only ten yards, in a couple of days move to fifteen yards, etc. Then you will be ready to take it to the water.

I live in Indianapolis, but recently I spent the fourth of July weekend on lake Wawasee in northern Indiana, which is around lake Webster, anyways i caught 7 bass and a pike, when I finally got out on the water. the biggest of which being a smallmouth pushing 3 lbs, no monsters, but it sure beat fishing off the docks, I was just wondering if any other anglers where having decent luck in Indiana.

Anything shad patterned, black on top silver on the sides is my go to color... also emerald shiner patterns work well for me.

going back to the fenwick... i snapped a $120 hmg in the middle setting the hook the other day... but they are nice rods otherwise... they got a life time warranty so ill see if they can replace it

unless i am throwing an inline spinner for smallies i never ever use a snap swivel they make a lure have poor action especially top water lures because it causes them to sink slightly deeper than they are intended to causing them to have terrible action. Also you need to re-tie knots after you catch fish or the line starts to fray, so if you are depending on a snap swivel to not tie knots then that is just plain lazy. By the way how many pro anglers do you see using a snap swivel. The bottom line is get good at tying a knot you trust and take the time to tie that knot on any lure you use, it will pay of because you will catch more fish.