rodnreel11

That's the name of the game. Well put! I have found that most of the time, the rate of fall is the most important factor of this technique. The fall rate can be changed by not only changing the size of the jig head, but also the size of the worm, or both. Experiment until the fish tell you which is the right combination.

That's a class act right there. If I were you NewAngler, I wouldn't even think twice about taking him up on that offer...

3000 lbs on a bumper hitch? :-? yes, and it it had a 300lb tongue load limit. i pulled it pretty well but now i have an expedition and i cant tell its behind me. That sounds about right. I have an Explorer Sport that I use to tow my 18' 6" glass rig and it works just fine.

I'm Tim from Jamestown, about 30 minutes east of Dayton. I fish a private lake called Shawnee Lake. Got my first boat a couple of months ago, so I'm currently trying to learn those ropes.

BassCast is a camera that ESPN puts on the back of 2 Elite anglers' boats so folks can follow them online and watch them fish. It's a pretty cool deal, really, that is if the video works. The Martens video wasn't working for me. I'd be able to watch 5-10 minutes or so of him fishing and then it would switch to Hackney from the day before. IMO ESPN does a crappy job of keeping up with the tournaments. With the resources they have they should be able to get a simple live stream working pretty easily.

I used to use the rapala knot all the time on my cranks and jerkbaits. I have since switched to a palomar mainly because it's just easier and quicker to tie. Never had a problem, though, using the rapala knot.

I know what you mean. This has just been a terrible year for me. Me, too

As far as some to try out, I'd recommend Koppers Live Target crankbaits. The first ones they ever came out with were there craw colored ones. I would choose a depth that will allow you to drudge the bottom, so if you're fishing in 5 feet of water use a crank that will dive 8-10 and really bang the bottom hard.

Best buzzbait on the market and the only brand I use. Judging from all the other comments, you should use them too! ;D ;D

I've only been able to take it out once since I got it, but it sure does handle nice! It's one of those boats that has been "babied" for the past 15 years. It was owned by recreational fishermen, not tournament guys who usually run their rigs a little harder than most. I was most surprised that it still had the original seats!! That is definitely rare for a 15 year old boat. Here are a few pics of it when I first got it home, bout halfway down the page: http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1213554116/180

I just bought a 1995 Champion with the original 150 Mariner Magnum EFI. It runs great. I made darn sure that the engine was in tip top shape before I bought it though. I got lucky, too, because the 2 previous owners took very good care of it. I would not consider a 2000 to be too old at all. If it has had regular maintenance and been well taken care of it should last for years. The best money you can spend would be to pay a certified mechanic to look the boat and motor up and down with a fine toothed comb before making any decisions.

If Champion wasn't in jeopardy I would pick them, otherwise I would be in a BassCat

LC Pointer 100 in chartreuse shad

I use Pro-Tec products and they do an amazing job. They have a product called Wash 'n Gloss for washing the boat. After washing use the Sealant Polish to seal up all the pores and add a nice shine to the gel coat. These 2 also do a good job of keeping dirt/dust from sticking to the boat. In between washes, BBS is the best I've found for keeping the water/scum line off the boat.

x2 Great jerkbait rod right there. I prefer a much shorter rod for this application and something with a soft tip so you don't rip the trebles out.