Darren.

Paca chunk jr. Berkley PowerBait Chigger Craw - 3"

No wait. Belay my previous response. Buzzbaits and suspending jerk baits have been no fishy for me.

For me, I think frogs were the last of the lures I've got in active rotation that hadn't caught me fish - until this year. Of course there are plenty I've not tried...

Ok. These guys worked there, too. So I guess we've got conflicting reports. I know the fishing manager at the Hampton store, I can ask him next time. Plus I've got an email in to Bass Pro. I'm quite curious. Hate to see a lineup replaced when there's nothing wrong with them. Didn't like it when Shimano did it, either.

Welcome aboard, Andy!

For me, favorites can change based on my preferences at the moment... That said, if I had to pick one combo right now it would be my Chronarch 50e + ML Carbonlite which allows me to throw most everything I can throw on spinning gear. Predominately, the combo is super light, lighter than any of my spinning combos, and lightness is currently a big thing for me. Not to mention it is super smooth, and with the upgraded bearings, casts incredibly well.

Happy Holidays back atcha! I already bought my "gifts" - just today I picked up my new 15lb Boga Grip, and I also bought a new 6'6" M/F Carbonlite rod (sale). That's about all the fishing goodies I can get away with for the remainder of the year! Oh yeah, also bought 4 ABEC 7 bearings for my Chronarch 50e reels. Amazing upgrades.

Oh man, that is funny!

LOL, yes. When I asked them what "CL" stood for and they said "Carbonlite", I had a "what the" look on my face, they just stared blankly .... One of those "yeah we know it's redundant" moments.

Not a fan of her hair, LOL, but nice rendition!

Thanks, and likewise!

x3 on Japan's lake Biwa. But I'm curious as to the Texas guy who's stocking his lakes with various prawn species in effort to grow a world record LMB. http://www.bassmaster.com/tips/building-world-record-bass We'll see. Edited to add link and change shrimp to prawn.

Most of my gear is bought online or via BPS and DSG. I buy live bait via one local shop, and get any repairs to rods at another local shop with a rod builder. Most of the local shops do a ton of saltwater business, moreso than fresh. No idea how the arrival of BPS impacted them, but none have gone out of business.

So I went to Bass Pro today to pick up my new 15 lb Boga Grip (holy cow that thing is smooth) as well as to pick up a new Carbonlite "CL" casting rod. There were no white Carbonlites on display. They'll be up for Black Friday. There were 6 fishing employees unpacking stuff for BF sales and I asked if the white Carbonlite will be replacing the black models. One guy spoke up and said "No, we will sell the two colors." So the white will be the "Carbonlite" and the black will be the "Carbonlite CL".... "CL" standing for Carbonlite... Hopefully that was accurate info. If anyone else went to BPS and asked, can you confirm?

Fantastic, Mike! And a hearty congratulations! My wife and I are on 20 years, my folks are over 60 years together now. Always an encouragement to see such awesome numbers!

Specifically at DSG, I'd recommend the Daiwa Samurai combos for seniors, kids, and people who just don't fish much and want an inexpensive, but decent combo.

If a fish is, by my eye, long enough and fat enough, I'll measure and weigh. Just for my own tracking. Now that I'm getting a Boga Grip, I think I'll weigh more since it is rather accurate. Might even send it out for certification. Kayak fishing tourneys around here use bump boards - you have to measure your fish and take a photo.

I've bought "cheap" combos at DSG, and BPS. Don't have any of those combos anymore. This was years ago... I prefer to mix and match gear.

I use 10lb braid on spinning gear, 20lb on casting. I use leaders anywhere from 6-15 lbs on all. No problems. I've caught 6 pounders on 6 & 8lb test line on spinning gear. You learn how to play the fish. I've caught beasties in sticks, stumps, downed trees with all the above mentioned. If I'm really concerned about the sticks, I'll put on 15 pound test. It's all about what you feel comfy with, and we've all got opinions on that.

Rain for me! Stay safe all you I-95 peeps.

Hey Mikey, welcome aboard!

I was dock fishing one day and an officer came by checking licenses. Handed him mine and he said it had just expired. Let me off because I promised to renew it ASAP. I did so and have done so on time ever since. Was an honest error on my part. Where I fish not only do you need a license but also either a shoreline permit and/or a boat permit. So I'm always keeping up on those. Worth the effort because a fine is a LOT of money.

She's a beaut! Congrats!

Nice! I'm a righty for baitcasting. But I do practice the ambidextrous approach often, casting lefty and reeling righty as opposed to swapping hands. But that'll be something I mess with for sake of training my casting motion with my left.

Very cool vid. It feels familiar, like the other guys have said.