RichF

I think the first flipping jig I ever threw (when I was 10 or 11) was 3/4 oz. That's still my go to and I have a lot of success. I almost never go less than 1/2 oz. I'm just too impatient for the finessy, light weight stuff.

I don't own arm sleeves but I Imagine that combo could be cooler (temp wise) and more breathable. Air could get to your pits a bit better. The tighter fit against the arms could also be good for mobility when casting. It's also cheaper. Short sleeve shirts cost less than long sleeves. That being said, I'm definitely a long sleeve guy but I can see the potential benefits of these things.

$35.00 for the Revros here. 3000 or 4000 http://www.sierratradingpost.com/daiwa-revros-3000-spinning-reel~p~193rg/?filterString=fishing-reels~d~188%2F

I think it might have been said already, but Field & Stream has the same deal. They also have P-Line Tactical Fluoro buy one get one free. That's a solid deal. Anytime fluoro is on sale like that, I take advantage.

Unfortunately, being a co-angler won't get you very far. I don't believe you'd ever be considered a "pro" until you compete as a boater in the triple A tourneys (BASS Opens, FLW Costas) regularly. If you're looking to get a small taste of the sponsorship/pro staff game, check out NPS. A lot of anglers are getting pro staffer deals thru it. You definitely have to put work into it, promoting via social media, etc but it gives you a glimpse into that side of the sport. My suggestion is to learn all you can as a co-angler, talk to boaters/pros who compete in large tournaments, and ask them about the sponsorship side of things (if they have any sponsors). Once you get yourself a boat, then you can get a little more serious.

No problem. Depending on where the Open is, you may need to purchase a Canadian License as well. I fished one on Erie a few yrs ago and made sure I got one. You never know if your boater is planning on fishing across the border or not. If he does, and you don't a have the license, you're kinda screwed.

I use them for pretty much all my hard baits. Never had any issues with them affecting the baits' action.

I have an older crucial drop shot rod and love it. I really like the crucial line. At $60 i wouldve had a hard time not buying 10!

You'll have to purchase a license for that state.

There's a Gander Mountain and Dicks in Watertown. There's also the Thousand Islands bait shop near Alexandria Bay. It's a bit pricey as most local shops are, but it has an ok selection.

I spent all yesterday afternoon gawking at it. Looks like it'll be cheaper than the Chronarch MGL also. It looks pretty awesome. May very well be my first JDM purchase.

If you a lot of open water fishing, they are absolutely worth it. They're a must have when I'm fishing for smallmouth on lake ontario. You won't be able to maneuver the boat a lot when they're deployed though.

You could also head down south toward Syracuse. Oneida and Onondaga Lakes are down there and are open to C & R.

Nice collection! You'll have to report back on that HLC. I started a thread a little while ago asking about it but didn't hear much feedback. I was also looking at it for a potential frog reel replacement.

I appreciate that!

Yup. It sucks. I grew up in Jefferson county and still regularly fish all over there and St Lawrence county. Lake Boneparte is one of the closest places to go (Lewis County) that is open to C & R.

Unless it has changed this year, Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties do NOT allow C & R bass fishing before the season opens in June. Both the St Lawrence River (the area around Brockville) and Black Lake are in St Lawrence county so it's off limits for bass.

Would you mind snapping a pic of the guides? I'm interested in picking one of these up but was curious about the guide size.

Rayjus and G2 custom are the major ones I know of. I've never ordered one (bc I've never really had any sponsors) but they are pricey. You might be able to send them in and have the new logos put on.

Not a whole lot of sport pulling males of nests so I don't do it. If it's legal in your area, go for it. I tend to agree that all bodies of water are different and hence can suffer different effects from the practice. The good thing is, we as anglers, are more educated than ever before so I'm pretty confident that our fisheries will stay healthy for many years to come.

You'll drive yourself nuts trying to make sure you "cover all the bases." If you're fishing as a co-angler, you're limited on space. And in a tournament, you're limited on time. What you DON'T wanna do, is try and cover "every" technique available. I've made that mistake in the past. You end up spending more time on the water tinkering, re-tying, and trying to find the perfect bait, instead of actually fishing. Pick a few baits that you have confidence in and focus on those. Just make sure those baits can cover all columns of the water. Don't get too hung up on colors either, that's a good way to end up with a few hundred baits in your bag. I basically choose a light color and a dark color for all my baits. A good way to reduce the amount of stuff you bring is to focus on the details of the bodies of water you fish. I see that you're in WI so my guess is your lakes will fish like the ones I'm used to in NY. Clear, natural lakes, with a ton of submergent vegetation. If that's indeed the case, you can eliminate a bunch of baits that will likely not be very effective under those conditions, like jumbo crankbaits, jigging spoons, etc. Also try and figure out what the dominant species in the particular lake is. If it's smallmouth, you probably won't need a bunch of flipping jigs and frogs. If it's largemouth, don't worry about loading up on tiny finesse baits. Even though I no longer fish a lot as a co-angler that often, I still try and pack/prepare for specific bodies of water. Having too many options on the water is a sure way to make your head spin.

Definitely flipping/pitching baits. The destroyer you could probably drag like a t-rigged worm but the others are meant to be flipped to heavy cover.

I use a Chronarch CI4, Curado E7, and Tatulat CT. On the Chronarch, I set all the internal brakes on. The outer dial doesn't seem to make a lot of difference to me. I also tighten the spool tension a little more than I normally would if were just casting. With the E7, 2 sets of brakes on, same deal with the spool tension. I set the Tat to around 12 to 14, same spool tension deal. I still get overruns but rarely ever major backlashes. I think training the thumb is the most important thing. I've heard of others doing it this way as well, no brakes/all spool tension. I'm gonna give this a try this year.

I'm 100% baitcaster for skipping docks. Probably because I only like to skip jigs, frogs, and big swimbaits. If you go the caster route, 6'8 to 7'0 medium heavy to heavy (I prefer heavy) with a soft tip. I have 3 different rods I skip with, all have different lines. 17 -20lb fluoro or 50lb braid.

The 3.5" suck. Very little action. I haven't been able to find the right hook for them (one small enough but with a large enough gap). I use a 6/0 Owner beast belly weighted hook with the 5.5 inchers and they work perfectly. It's very important that the bait is 100% straight on the hook though.