ChrisAW

I've had a few guys come in the store telling me that the Michigan spawn has already come and gone. I haven't had time to get out on the water so I can't say for myself if its true or not.

Almost all of my reels are left hand retrieve, but with the chance to get a Pflueger Patriarch BC in right hand retrieve for under half price recently had me trying to break that habit. I'm now capable of casting with both hands, and reeling with both hands. Casting with my left hand is a little awkward still, but roll casts are easy enough and I haven't had much problem after a little practice.

I use the 7" Thumpers for swimjig trailers, cut #2 as in ETB's write up. I Depends sometimes though, I'll use it the way it comes, or cut all the way. I also have 10"ers but I can't say I've used them yet this year, Spent most of my time with search baits so far, just trying to get more confidence in them.

Oh yeah, I know they are. Just seems like a waste to order such a style of sun glasses if I never plan on using the seal. Also, seems like the glasses would be designed to fit someones face with the seal on, and would be an awkward fit without the seal.But I found a local dealer and I need to go and check out how some of these fit. I still haven't ordered any and I'm probably screwing myself over here with one of my first tournaments days looming.

Lake Fork Hyper Worm with a keel weighted hook has some nice action as well. Instead of riggng it with the tail in line with the hook, rig it sideways so the tail is flat and the tail will still work, as well as making it shimmy flat on the fall. Works with both big and small worms with a 1/4 oz hook.

I actually caught most of my fish last trip with a 1/4oz Blk/Blue finesse jig and Yum F2 baby Craw Papi tied onto my 7ft MH w/ Syemtre 4000FJ. Its a little more difficult to pitch with spinning gear but you can do it. You just have to be a better judge of the power behind it so you don't have to try to control the line, just more or less stop it when you get it where it needs to go, and then use the rod allow that slow fall for a silent entry. Although, with that little finesse jig, I was just casting up into the reeds I was fishing. It was a strong wind and pitching a 1/4oz jig was a pain that day.

Thats what I was hoping to hear Looks like I will be getting some Jakes.

Thanks, so far I've been getting more replies about the Jakes than anything, kind of leaning that way. Anyone else?

I'm looking to replace my Wiley P17's that seem to have been stolen over the weekend. I'm almost sure it happened at work, and I plan to try and find out what happened, but when asking around today someone mentioned that we get a huge discount (Off MSRP) from Wiley if I never come up with them. So I was planning on buying another pair based strictly for fishing, hoping I find my old ones to use for every day. Anyways, I'm looking for opinions on what to get. I had P17's, and they worked great for me. But I dont like the straight arms, or the rubber behind the ear. The only other problem I had is with peripheral light when the sun was to my back. It would cause reflections inside the glasses. I figure the wrap around style with the thicker arms will help keep peripheral light from being a problem. I wanted the Revolvr's, but they aren't available with polarized lenses. So that pretty much leaves the ZAK's, or maybe Hydro's. I don't think I really want any of those facial cavity style ones, but I won't count them out completely until I hear some opinions, most likely the Jake's or Rout's if at all. Help me pick out my new glasses. It might take 3 weeks to get them to me so the sooner the better, tournaments begin in about 3 weeks for me as well so I need to get them ordered ASAP. I'm just looking to find out if the ZAK's/Hydro's keep out light better than the P17's, or if the facial seals are worth buying.

Nope, no dyes. But I still better just not chance it. Thanks guys

Is this really a problem anymore? I remember way back when I was fishing with my uncle all the time, some of my plastics that would get thrown into the wrong spot, the colors would bleed into eachother. So I'd end up with some tie-dyed baits I have some plastics stored in boxes, and I'd be able to make a lot of room if bleeding isn't a problem anymore. More or less, I'd just be letting my chigger craws mingle among eachother in their own slot, and the same for my Rage craws/whatever else I have that are matching brands/styles.

I use the Alberto knot. One of my braid rigs is using 20# flouro tied to 40# braid if I feel the water is too clear for straight braid. It's normally a flipping/pitching rig, but I do cast with it when I'm fishing drop-offs or even swimjigs/swimbaits. And I've actually had the backing knot on my punching rod make it off the spool multiple times when casting it out to allow me to respool the braid when it starts to spool lopsided. Thats using 60# braid and 15# Big Game for backing, the knot easily passed through the micro guides on my punch rig. It scared me, but nothing happened. Those are the heavier two. The rest, the knot is so tiny, I don't even hear it ticking through the guides. Using around 20# braid and 8 or 12# leaders.

Any of my reels that have braid with a leader have NO problem with casting distance because of the knot. And most of mine are tied with 6' or so leaders.

I do plan on keeping and fishing these ones, but I'll talk to the guy I bought them from and see if he still has the ones I didn't buy. I think there was about 4 left or so.

I thought so as well but then there is this on the underside of the nose, sort of "popper" indent.

One of the guys I work with told me he wanted to sell off a bunch topwater baits that he'd never even thrown before, so I took a look at them and found a few that I did like. I ended up buying three different colors of one kind, not really knowing what they were, but that I liked how they looked. I just finally took a minute to look them up, and I guess I got a pretty good deal! I bought three of these Chug Minnow 35's for $5, still in new shape. From what I read, these were $10 a piece off the shelf. I haven't had a chance to fish these yet myself either, so I'm curious what their action is like and how to work them? Are they more of a popper or walk-the-dog style bait?

Man, you have me wanting to get out there so bad right now.

Well, while I was working, I couldn't help but play with the reel and I decided to go ahead and get it. We had a deal running this weekend that some of our "discontinued" models were 40% off, plus another 20% off I get for working at Gander. So, I bought it, got is spooled last night and tried it out this morning. Man, I'm glad I did. I don't really have any problems like I thought I would. I remember trying to use a few of my friends right hand reels before and couldn't get used to it. Now, I have no problems cranking, I can roll casts with my left hand instead of switching as well. And as for the reel.. Wow. The dual braking system makes a huge difference. I'm probably going to take a little bit to truely get used to adjusting it for best results, but it still casts like a dream. Overall I'd say I would have been stupid to pass up that deal.

I think I'm convinced to stay away from it. I may instead spend the money to replace one of my cheaper rods that I'm not very fond of.

Well before I left work today, I did put it on the same rod I have here at home for crankbaits and it didn't feel too awkward just cranking like anyone would. The thing I have a problem with most would be working a bait like jerkbaits, imparting all that action. And I know slower gear ratio is normally better, but I'm already using a 6.4:1 Revo SX on my crankbait rod, and I'm pretty used to fishing real slow with that when I need to. I don't do a lot of DD crankbait fishing. The majority of cranks in my box are shallow divers or lipless. I keep up to 16' divers in my box but most deeper than 6' are still pretty much new.

Its the 7.1:1 actually, and I'll be getting for around $100 instead of the normal $200.

No, I'm not worried about the quality really. I have an opportunity to get a brand new off the shelf Patriarch for less than half price, and I really don't want to pass up the chance. The only problem I have is that its a right hand retrieve, and I'm a lefty. I've gone out of my way to get the left hand reels that I need because I can't work any action with the rod in my left hand. It's just awkward seeing as I've ALWAYS used a left hand reel. But I decided that what I could do is use this reel on my crankbait rod, since I don't normally impart a TON of action on crankbaits. A few twitches here, a rip through grass there.. I think I could get away with it. I'm ambidextrous with just about anything else but casting/reeling, so I'm hoping this may could be a way to break me of my inability to fish right hand reels if its the only thing I can get my hands on. Has anyone else had this problem?

I would think if he was having problems with the line getting through that gap that a snell would slip through it as well, maybe even cutting his line in the process? Are you using super line hooks or regular 4/0 hooks? You could be straightening the eyelet out with 50# braid. I don't have any owner hooks or I'd look, but just throwing another possibility out there.

Yep. Right now my store actually put all of the GM spinnerbaits on a clearance rack at 40% off. Being an employee, I get an additional 30% off of that! I filled my spinner bait box at 1.75 a piece for the same thing SK sells for 7 or 8

Yeah, the name was a bit of a throw off when I first found them as well. But I use them just like a beaver bait, flipping and punching. The appendages have a nice action, they use a small lip like the Rage baits to make the claws flap around, but nowhere near as wildly.