Chaz Hickcox

Normally I would, but what a lot of people seem to not realize is that most of the things people are saying is stuff I checked out on the water, therefore already debunking a lot of what is said. One thing is that people need to not be offended when a brand they like gives someone a bad experience and that someone says something. I personally like quantums, whith that being said, I know a lot of people have had really bad experiences with them, therefore I don't get angry and abbrasive when people say bad things about them. In all reality anyways we are all on this site to learn from each others' experiences, so why don't people keep some tact in their responses instead of starting something by posting things to make others look like idiots?

Yeah, it's basically a shallow diving crankbait with a lively tail. I've caught some big fish on that. One thing about Castaic though, one has to test it in the water first. Their quality has been shot to heck since they sold out. Castaic has been worthless for awhile ..... Their customer service is pretty good and their catch 22 and hardbaits haven't been an issue for me. I had 3 catch 22's destroyed by gar last year and they replaced all three for free, including shipping. It was a good experience, and I still think back to the days they first came out and their quality was solid. I need to find a new swimbait brand to throw because they're so iffy right now. What would you suggest? I've heard Mattlures, but am cautious about trial and error with $20+ lures. Also, I need something where the whole body moves water, not just a paddle tail. This muddy water sucks, I miss Western Gin Reservoirs and small fish being 3+ pounds.

Bigfoot frog by Scum Frog. Nice part about them is they work as really SSSLLLOOOWWW buzzbaits too.

With spinnerbaits, I don't do a very hard hookset, because the bait is already moving. If you have a sharp hook, a quick snap and applying some pressure should be enough. If you're setting the hook to the point where the bait is flying out of the water at you,your probably setting the hook too hard. In terms of strikes, if it was a bass it could have missed, or hit a blade, or grabbed the skirt... but are you sure you didn't hit a rock, or weed or something? as far as how to fish a spinnerbait, all of the above will work, depending on conditions. you have to feel out the fish, they'll tell you what presentation to use. x2 I use spinners all the time. Usually the hook sets itself, obviously depending on the speed of retrieve. Now as far as your retreieve, it depends. Right now in prespawn/spawn I use a steady retrieve, but not too fast. If you're fishing from shore I would fish it with a medium retrieve but it depends on your water.

Yeah, it's basically a shallow diving crankbait with a lively tail. I've caught some big fish on that. One thing about Castaic though, one has to test it in the water first. Their quality has been shot to heck since they sold out.

Castaic Original Hard Headed Baby Crappie: http://store.castaicswimbait.com/Product/111/Hard-Head-Originals/

Y'all need to come east. North Landing, and the Chowan have been awesome this time of year. Already put over 20lbs in the boat in only four tournements (had one that was a goose egg, but that was also my first time ever on Gaston).

So everyone who competes knows what it's like to be running and gunning, switching baits and all of that. My tournement partner and I are looking to see what you all do to keep organized during the tournement in order to get some ideas. Usually it takes me after the day to go through the boat and find everything that had been shoved into either the glove box or all over the floor in the seating area, then reorganizing our tackleboxes. There has to be a better way. What do you do?

Isn't that really the case? Well said RW!

Spiderwire stealth will have some memory when you initially spool it. It also has a tendency to cut itself on rats nests when new. With that being said. It takes a day of fishing to break it in. Once it is broken in and smooth and supple it is IMHO the best braid out there. You won't get the band saw effect like other braids, nor will it make a lot of noise when it is rubbing against cover like other braids. Therefore one can fish it in all kinds of situations. Some people will swear by powerpro, and it is strong as hell, but I have had some personal issues with it. Some other people will say what they will about those, but (*$ em. Most others will hate Spiderwire because they don't understand the break in period. Also, once it gets to be about 6 months old or so it will start backlashing bad. All you have to do at that point is replace it. Line is a consumable, and most people forget that.

Interesting thought, but that's not the case. Since that particular rod is made for superline I switched my reels around. I put the one with the flouro on another rod and the one with the spiderwire on that rod. Since then I have put at least 10 fish in the boat with that rod with no issues. To all you 'smart' people, like flip from San Fran. Eat me. Just because this ain't happened to you does not mean that was not the case. I'm not worried about losing practice day fish, nor am I making excuses. I'm actually happy it happened then and not on the tournement day. I just thought this was an interesting thing and if anyone else had experienced it. Guess what, using braid brought in half my fish for my last four tournements. I'm pretty sure I know how to use it.

Good thinking. I've done that, and I was thoroughly confused for a few casts. PowerPro does create some extra friction for a few hours until you break it in. It's a little rough straight off the spool, but a terrific line overall. This is to both snoopy and beaver islander - That may have been the issue, though I don't think so. I have been using that same rod/reel/braid set up for all season up until now. I have caught many fish on that and have had issues with that particular reel having a worn drag disc that I had to replace (other times with the same reel and smaller fish I had the opposite issues, the drag was too loose and I had to use my thumb to gain line on the fish, but after replacing the drag I have not had that issue again and no it wasn;t the line slipping on the spool. I tie the braid with a polomar knot threaded into the holes on the spool, not around the spool like most people do). Again today the reel worked fine with the flouro on it. Maybe this is a one time fluke. My tournament partner uses powerpro with no issues whatsoever. So who knows? I am fairly sure this was not user error in this case though.

Muddy water generally means skinny water which means BUZZ THEM!!!! More big bass in my muddy waters on buzzbaits/poppers/and anything else that gets their attention than anything else (including those dam senkos!).

Thanks Wayne. Some people just know too much I guess, huh?

Been using braid since 1999, I think I know what I am doing with the ultra sensitivity. Now Power Pro is new to me and its the roughest braid I've ever touched. I've used Stren, Berkley, Spiderwire, Suffix, etc... without said issue. Like I also said, I initially thought it was the reel. It could have been bad line because I spooled it in November, but I have only used it for this last month since the water became water again.

Friction ~ Really ? I've been a faithful Power Pro user since it came out in 1997 I think. This is the first and only time I have ever heard of this strange friction phenomenon. Sounds bad. A-Jay Never heard of it either so that's why I posted this.

Friction - A force that resists the relative motion or tendency to such motion of two bodies or substances in contact. Friction also means: Fr = [ch956]N "like a bandsaw" basically it was some serious work with the highspeed reel just to keep a constant pace with the spinner. Much the same as if you were to drive down the road with your e-brake partially on. Therefore making it difficult to quickly take up slack and ultimately allowing said lost fish to move faster towards me than I was reeling in, which in turn disallowed me to keep the line taught and subsequently ended in thrown hooks. It's a different situation than you probably have been in. "Friction" is a B*&^ my friend BigRick. The lack thereof would be described as slipping not a friction problem.

In the eyes of the rod apparently. Here's a weird note though. The rod is a Berkley Lighting Rod made specifically for superlines. It's fine with the spiderwire.

X2, I've got an inexpensive Tourney Special and it is smooth and comfortable, easy to cast and very affordable.

Ok, so I have a Quantum Surge Baitcaster (It's basically the same thing as a burst but is coated with salt water anti-erosion stuff). Its one of the burner 7:1 reels and it has been making me mad as heck for the last few months. I cleaned the heck out of it, oiled everything, but could not get it to run smooth. I usually use braid, and on this one I had 50# Power Pro for use in heavy cover and grass. Anyways, I was out yesterday and lost a couple of really nice fish (one was a 24+ inch Chain Pickerel noted for being about twice the size of my Minn Kota lower unit) because I just couldn't get a good hook set due to friction. I thought the friction was in the reel and was ready to trash the darn thing when I, for some reason, had pulled the line from by the reel in. at that moment I felt the exact amount of friction I thought the reel was giving me. I immediately ran my fingers up the line and felt how rough the Power Pro was. I have Spider Wire on my other rod and felt that too. The Power Pro felt like a band saw, whereas the spider wire is smooth and silky. That's when I went back to the marina to see if they had any spider wire. They didn't (only carried Power Pro Braid) so I bought some Trilene 100% Fluoro. As soon as I had the line changed and the Quantum back in the water it ran smooth as silk, like my older Quantum. Who would have thought line would make a difference. Another bass landed with the Fluoro and I could tell that the friction really kicked my butt. So, in short, if you're gonna buy braid Spider wire is the way to go.

Stop whining, I caught a bass last year that was 21 inches long with a 6 1/2 inch head that I was sure was at least 5-6lbs. When we weighed the skinny thing she was only 3-14. Just maybe you have been catching bass a lot smaller than you think. How are you going to judge the weight over a, as you said, verified scale?

Are Shimanos really all that? I am ready to secede that my quantums are ticking me off. Gear monkey keeps whispering about the Abu Garcia Revo series.

Whatever you do you have to find cover and fish around it. By that I mean the wind is providing current. The predators, any and all species will be sitting behind the cover out of the current. Cast the 45 degrees into the wind past the piece of cover you think is holding fish. Then bring your bait behind that cover. You should get nailed then. The predator is waiting for ambush back there (I say predator because I do the same thing here and will pick up LMB, pickerel, white perch, and unfortunately the occasional bowfin). I would say find a lay-down at one of the windswept points of the islands. Anchor on the protected side, and cast into the unprotected side to drag your unsuspecting bait that is running for cover right into the jaws of your sly little ambushing bass.

I have been using Castaic Swim Baits for about 11 years now. I would say go with their rock hard series. For right now all they have are trout, but don't let that bother you. I have no trout in my waters, but I have caught more bass on that little 4 inch thing than anything else. They have every type you could want, soft, hard, paddletail, huge muskie swimbaits, etc... check out their website at www.castaicswimbaits.com, when it comes to swimbaits in clear water don't go with that paddle tail crap. A true swimbait should be able to get the forage to school with it. I have an original hardheaded threadfin shad (I bought it in 1999), and have had shad school with it. The whole body actually swims, not just the tail wiggling like a grub. I also have used the tru-tungston, but have yet to have any luck with it.

Good Lord they're doing well down there. Wish our bass were that healthy.