Kevinator1

Chromedog, Well, I have found a lot of things you could have done differently.......Just kidding. That thing turned out beautiful. Nice job. Maybe you should go into business upgrading older boats.

my mistake. My Veritas Winch is Medium. The Crankbait was an Xcalibur squarebill Xcs100. And as far as the Shimano on an Abu...once I saw the price of the Veritas rod at the boat sport and travel show - $69.00 through Thorne Bros. and the Shimano Chronarchs with a $30.00 rebate, I thought what the heck.... They look good together so I'm going to try it....Don't knock it till you try it because it is a sweet combo no matter who's name is on it.

7'0" MH Throwing a crankbait.

Yep, West Boggs. Some still spawning most done. I love that place. Never know when you might get one 8 lbs.

Just got back from fishing this week and used my Veritas Winch / Chronarch combo for the first time and wow. Awesome, cannot even describe how great this combo is. The winch rod has the perfect flex to let the fish get a hold of the bait and to fight the fish. Just a blast with the Chronarch and they look like they were made for each other with the color schemes even though the manufacturers don't want to hear that!

Went camping with my family at one of the best bass lakes in Indiana and had a great 5 days of bass fishing. Caught probably 23 over 14 inch limit and had great weather. Caught majority of fish on a lucky craft square bill but on Saturday lost my lucky bait right at the boat to a nice 5 to 6 lb bass. Line broke right when I was trying to lip the fish. So she's down there swimming around with an expensive crankbait. I do hope the fish is able to get rid of the bait sometime though. Heck, who knows maybe I'll find my bait floating around the lake someday in the future.

Guys, I have always heard that your crankbait needs to run perfectly straight to give you the best chance for a strike. After fishing yesterday and watching some shad moving in the shallows, they hardly ever move in a straight line, always zigging and zagging back and forth, sideways etc. I understand that you want your bait to move straight so you will know where it is when you are wanting it to hit some structure that you have located but I sometimes wonder if this is not overblown, that is if your bait slightly tracks to one way or the other will it have a big impact on lack of strikes. I do know that I have had great success by making my crankbaits track way off to one direction so that I can get it completely under floating docks where some feel that you can only access by skipping a bait under it. Just getting some opinions on this.

I'm with you Ima on this one. People get too worked up and say and do stupid stuff like "they would need dental work" etc.(A moderator at that) They were 2 old guys who probably felt bad enough the way it was. I had an experience last year where I was fishing around a corner and a young guy on a waverunner came around the corner and was probably 10 feet away from me before he realized how close he was. I could have went crazy on him but the kid turned around and came up slowly towards me and apologized for coming so close to me while I was fishing. I told him it was ok and that him stopping and apologizing was the only thing I could have asked for and I told him to have a good day. I think what we have these days are too many MMA fighter wanna be's just wanting to go off on someone.

Since you are low on cashage, the Revo S is one heck of a reel for the price. I had both the S and the SX and to me i could pitch lures just as good with the Revo S. Let me give you another possibility.... Lews Speed Spool...the $99.00 model. You can probably find it for $89.00 and I can pitch every bit as good with it as I can any other reel I have. Very nice.

Don't say that Sausage! I still want to buy a few more at that price. They are a steal at that price.

I've got 4 of the $100 Speed Spools and they are every bit as good as the more expensive reels that I have, which include Shimano and Abu Garcia. Great value.

I've got both and you can't go wrong with either. The Citica is slightly lighter though.

Guys, which do you feel does the best job? I have read what each manufacturer says their own stabilizer does but I am considering switching from what I am currently using due to a slightly rougher running engine. I change out my plugs every year and keep my engine in my garage. I am currently using Stabil but may try out Startron.

Stabil helps stop the gasoline from degrading. The Marine formula helps reduce the damage caused by the ethanol found in almost all gasoline.

I've had trouble with Rapala too. The DT crankbait line has a problem with the lips breaking. I always bump the bottom or rocks and I have broken 4 DT 10's so I e-mailed Rapala and never got a response. Normans or Bombers can be run over by a truck and you still can't break the lips. I know that the thin lips on the DT's help them dive and go through the water easily but they are way too flimsy. Really disappointed with Rapalas customer service......If they have one.

Xuron, hands down. Pay the extra and get the best.

I would say my new Chronarchs or my Revos but if my lower priced Lews Speed Spool keeps proving itself like it has over the last 5 weeks, I'm not too sure it might be the one.

Guys, I love my new Shimano Chronarchs, but like Hi Salenity says you have to try the new Lews. I received the $99.00 Speed Spool for a Christmas present and I cannot believe how good this reel is. I don't know how long it will last but it is absolutely ridiculous how well this casts and performs. Unbelievable, every bit as smooth as my Chronarchs. I've been using it for pitching and then tried it for cranking and there are no weaknesses. If Lews is trying to make a statement they have succeeded. I wonder how good their high end reels are.

Sherlock, I keep telling my wife the same thing but she isn't buying it. Maybe I should hit the bars to change her mind!

I was just talking the other day about the Lews Speed Spool reels. This is the $99.00 reel that feels and performs like a much higher priced reel. Don't know about the long term with these reels but I'm very impressed with the 2 I have at this time. (And I fish with high end Shimano reels normally)

Try the Mr. Clean eraser pads. Get them a little wet and lightly scrub. Looks like new afterwards.

Just thought I would give my 2 cents worth on my early observations with my new Shimano Chronarchs and Lews Speed Spools. I bought the 5.5:1 ratio Chronarchs for crankbait fishing. After my first 3 outings, they perform as I had expected. Excellent casting distance and very smooth retrieve. Now I received 2 Lews $99.00 Speed Spool reels as Christmas gifts, one from my wife and one from my parents. I usually like the higher end reels but thought I would ask for these just to try them out. WOW!!! I put these on my pitching sticks and they totally shocked me. They are sooooo smooth and pitched a jig and a tube with ease. Of course since the Lews brand is new again, we will have to see if they hold up for the long haul but my early impressions are very favorable. I cannot stress how nice these reels pitched baits without hardly any effort. They felt great to palm also. If they prove to be durable, then they are worth every penny.

1. Needle nose pliers 2. Line clippers 3. Lure retriever 4. Measuring board 5. Cross bow to shish kabob waverunners and speed boats that get too close

Thanks Jeff, I was just wanting some reassurance on this one. I appreciate it.

Will an 800 lb trailer jack be good enough for a Tracker 17.5 ft boat? Of course it is aluminum and also has a 50 horse mercury on the back. I know the trailer wheels take alot of the weight but hope the 800 lb jack will be good enough.