RichF

I got a regular Tat CT at the beginning of the year and like it. Definitely more compact than the original and comfortable. I don't own a Curado 70 but I handled one in the store and I thought it seemed WAY smaller than the Tat (and more comfortable). The retainer colors do look a little funky but I like weird colored stuff. I honestly don't really notice it now though. As for performance, the Tat works well. It's a super easy caster but I don't think I get anymore distance over any of my Shimanos (Curado Es, Chronarch Es, Curado Is, Chronarch CI4s). I bought the 8:1 to use for frogs but changed back to my E7 after the first day with it. It just didn't seem super sturdy for winching in bass with that technique. I don't know if I'm just used to the big septon grips on the E7 but it seemed like I just couldn't get great leverage with the Tat. I didn't have the same issue when I moved it over to a pitching stick. I think the regular CT is worth its price and I imagine the Type R would feel a bit more solid given its higher price point. They can also be had right now for $119.99 which sweetens the deal.

http://www.sierratradingpost.com/product/index/174vc/?colorFamily=99&itemCode=174VC-99-7.3FT-H Not my style but super cheap vendetta casting rods if anybody's looking. My coupon code only lasts thru the day tho.

HA! I was totally thinking the same thing! I really like the new version. These sales kill me. I haven't used Pflueger reels in forever but couldn't pass up the deal on that xt. Gonna be even harder when the zillion tws drops in price again...

Darn it Tacklewarehouse...now I have to return the Patriarch XT I got from G Mountain and replace it with another Stradic CI4...

I love glass and heavy fluorocarbon for bladed jigs.

I need you to give me a lesson in organization. My room is a mess!

I don't crank a ton but anything diving over 10ft is getting thrown on a Curado E5. I'm a big Shimano guy as well but I'm really liking Daiwa a lot more these days. If you don't wanna spend a ton but want a decent reel, check out the Tatula CTs. They can be had for $120 (even lower on ebay) and come in a 5.5:1 power ratio.

Obviously I'd have to find out what the pro has his Hydrowave set to...we all know that's the most important factor in catching bass

I have a gen 1 revo premier spinning reel that now has a broken stem after dropping my rod from about a foot off the ground. I was bringing a few rods inside after a trip (holding them vertically). The legend tourney that had my revo on it slipped and dropped with the butt of the rod hitting the ground. It was only about a foot off the ground and the reel itself never hit anything. The "impact" snapped the reel stem. I thought that was pretty extreme for a $299 reel. Especially one with the "nano shield" body that was supposed to make it 300x stronger than graphite... I contacted Abu about it and they wanted to charge me for the replacement part (about $65), repair ($30), and return shipping ($20). Needless to say, it's still outta commission. Suppose I could just buy the part and fix it myself...or just put that $$ towards something better.

3/4oz green pumpkin is my go to most of the time. 1/2 oz when I'm "finessing." Very rarely will I go lighter.

Could be something other than bass biting your jig..

I believe what my eyes tell me. If they "help to keep the bass swimming around in the live well and oxygenated therefore healthier and stronger allowing those bass the ability to swim back down after being in the livewell for hours," then I'd say the clips are doing what they're designed to do.

I think the point of the fin clip is to keep the fish upright in the livewell. The air will eventually bleed out of the swim bladder on its own. If that wasn't the case, the numerous smallmouth I release and see released from other competitors would not swim away but stay floating on the surface. Smallmouth out of that deep absolutely roll over. Bass absolutely bloat at 20+ft. Nearly every bass I've caught from 20+ ft and put in the livewell has experienced some bloating and has some trouble staying right side up. I might agree with you're gimmick opinion if I hadn't had the experiences I've had with bloated fish and the clips.

I don't think fin clips are a gimmick at all. I've used them with success and a lot of experienced anglers I know who regularly catch smallmouth from 25+ ft on the St Lawrence river swear by them. They survive in the livewell and show no ill effects when released after weigh in. I don't like fizzing and don't feel comfortable doing it.

Here's a list of all the vibrating jigs I've used: 1. Phenix vibrator version 3 - my new fav, great vibration at all speeds, hook is a bit small but really good, comes in 3/4 oz 2. Original D&M Piranha - awesome bait, great running, good hook and trailer keeper, good luck finding them! 3. Z-Man project Z - great, tight vibration, good hook and really nice trailer keeper, not enough natural colored blades 4. Picasso shock blade - pretty good, nice hook, don't run great at slow speeds 5. Revenge vibrator - nice looking, nice running, not enough natural colored blades 6. SK pure poison - cheap, decent running, NO trailer keeper (unless they added one in the last few yrs) 7. Z-man original - decent running, crappy hook 8. Booyah boogie bait - least fav, runs really high in the water column 1-5 are roughly the same price ($7 to $9). 6-8 are around $5.

Definitely.

4inch chigger craw, rage craw, and zoom big salty chunk

I love chatterbaits in the fall but nothing beats a jig for me.

I like the Bite Me fat heads. The hook is too small in my opinion but they're one of very few heads I've found that go up to 3/4 oz. I like SK tour grade tube heads as well. I'm normally using 3.5" to 4" tubes with these heads. I haven't really found anything I like for sub-three inch tubes though.

Rapala shadow raps are great shallow runners.

Yeah they really were a steal at $50. I got four for me and four for my dad!

My father an I used to use fireline a lot actually on our spinning gear. Not so much anymore, but I liked it then. Only used 6lb on ultralight gear. I'd go with 8 or maybe even 10lb. The only problem I found with that line was knot failure with sharp snaps or impacts every now and again.

Give them a call. They may still have some lurking around. Never hurts to ask.

Very cool! I've only fished on the Potomac once since moving down to Northern VA and can already tell that it can be a fickle and stingy river. Your bro's gotta be pumped with the win. Nice work with the "care" package too!

I've definitely had those days before. I just made the trip up to NNY again this last weekend to fish and just about everything went wrong. Massive cold front blew through and killed the bite on a lake I ALWAYS have fun on in October. I'm talking easy 18 to 20lb bags and 40+ bites a day. Managed only 6 bites! To top it off, my motor alarm starting going off. Couldn't for the life of me figure out what was going on. Seemed like it was overheating even though water was running through the engine and spittin. Super frustrating since I had planned on fishing a tournament the next day (which I decided to do anyway). Could only run at 25-30 sec intervals before the alarm would sound off. I'd shut her down and troll around until it cooled. Made for a tough day mentally in addition to the tough bite from the cold front. Managed 5 keeper bites and dumped one. Finished 3rd. I definitely wanted to throw in the towel a couple hrs in but stuck with it. Glad I did. By the end of the day my motor was miraculously back to normal and I got to see my father kick all our butts and finish with the win. Keep your head up and definitely don't put the boat away just yet! The best is yet to come up in NY.