tholmes

Rig up the Premier and try it. I would think that it would be up to the task, but you won't know for sure until you try. Personally, I would prefer a moderate action over the fast for treble hook baits, but the fast action may be alright. Tom

I like to keep a couple of shorter (6' and 6 1/2') medium/moderate rods in the arsenal for tight quarter casting. I'm more accurate with the shorter rods also. Tom

Plano boxes in my tackle box and zip-loc (or original) bags in plastic totes in my storage shed. Tom

If you throw away everything that has a label like that on it, you're house is gonna be pretty empty. Tom

I caught my PB on a Mann's Jelly Worm in 1971, 9 lbs. 9 oz. from Clarks Hill ( now called Strom Thurmond Lake, but it will always be Clarks Hill to me), I've been fishing them for over 40 years and they still catch bass as well as ever. Tom

I'll be praying for a successful surgery and a quick recovery. All the best to you! Tom

Me too. 1/4 oz. squarebills along rip-rap banks have been good. 1/2 oz. blade baits in deeper water have also paid off. Tom

The major difference is in the quality of components. Gear Ratio has little to do with it. As ScottF alluded to in his post, the more costly reel will likely outlast the cheaper reel by a significant margin. As far as gear ratio, it's just as easy to make cheap high-speed reels as it is to make cheap slower reels. The more expensive reel will likely have higher quality bearings, gears and other components that will make for a longer, more trouble-free life. At least, that's been my experience. Tom

Looking at the video, I'm pretty sure that is a white bass. A HUGE white bass. Congrats on a very nice catch! Tom

Fixed it for ya! Tom

If that's a white bass, it's a MONSTER! Tom

I've bought lure components from both Barlow's ad Lure Parts Online and both are top-notch people to deal with. You might also check out http://www.jannsnetcraft.com/. Sometimes one place will carry something that the others don't. Tom

The Wee Craws are killer baits for big 'gills too. I keep a good supply of both the deep divers and shallow divers on hand. Their little squarebills that Wal-Mart sells for $1.50 are great for shallow bass. Tom

White skirt with silver and/or gold blades, Black skirt with copper blades, chartreuse skirt with gold blades Tom

I probably have $700 - $1000 in my "main" tackle box. I have several smaller boxes that each have $50 to $200 in them. At this point, I spend a couple hundred bucks a year just to maintain my stock. Tom

Same here. I have about 15 baitcasters, all round Ambassadeurs, and about 10 spinning reels. They all get a good cleaning, lube and any worn parts replaced every winter. The ones that I use the most will get periodic bearing flush and lube during the season. Tom

Just in case you missed it. It's officially called Cotton Candy Craw! And it really catches fish! Tom

Basswood, along with alder, would be good choices. Both are easy to work yet tough enough to hold a screw eye. They also have a very even and consistent grain structure and are easy to sand smooth. They also take a finish well. Tom

The double hook doesn't make them snag-proof, but it sure cuts down on the hang-ups, especially if you put the snap in the center hole. That make them run in more of a "nose-down" attitude which lets them flip over obstacles. Tom

This is right in my wheelhouse! Thanks for posting this video! I've been making my own blade baits for years, and IMHO they're among the most versatile (and overlooked) baits. I fish them from the bank a lot (exclusively these days) and A-Jay is right on the money. Stay away from brush and timber or you WILL hang 'em up. One thing I do on the baits that I make - I use an open-shank double hook with the points facing backwards. No split rings, I just clip the hook in the hole in the lure. This cuts down on the snags considerably. Tom

I'm not sure that I agree with that. I'm a bank fisherman and, because I'm limited to the areas that I can fish, I tend to stay in one place for a long time. I've found that after I catch the "eager" fish, if I'm patient and persistent, there are other, usually larger, fish in the area. I'll sometimes spend an hour or more picking through a brushpile with a T-rig or jig and catch fish that I would have missed if I had moved on after a few minutes. THey are there, you just have to convince them to strike. Tom

I've found that reviews on sites like TW sometimes tend to be skewed toward the negative side. Many people who buy a rod and are happy with it never write a review, but people who have a problem are quick to blast the manufacturer in a review. It's just human nature, I guess. Tom

Abu Garcia Vendetta @ ~ $80 is a great rod for the money. Heck, it's a great rod period. The Vengeance is a bargain @ ~ $50 also. I own and use both and, IMHO, they both fish well above their price point. Tom

6 Bandit squarebills, a bunch of bullet weights, some Gamakatsu round bend 4/0 worm hooks and a used Ambassadeur Record 40. Tom

Truth right there. I know what I know today because of past experiences. I've gone through a lot of tackle in the 50+ years I've been fishing. In that process, I learned what I like and what I don't, along with learning that following the latest hot trend doesn't always end well. Tom