Hooligan

LOLOLOL This makes the rounds once every couple of years. Evening Secret, Walleye secret, Crappie Secret, Catfish Secret... many other names. It's certainly no secret that it's a submersible light that may or may not increase your catch rates. Don't waste your bucks, go over to bass pro and buy the same light for $200 less.

I'm currently fishing it. I've fished it about three or four times now. I'm rapidly falling in love with it.

Carolina rigging Rapalas is a great trick. As is running them on three ways, bottome bouncers, and drop rigs.

I've used AbrazX and InvizX a year or so now and have really come to like it. I have two new, to me, lines I'm fishing now that so far I like. The Tatsu is pretty incredible. I'm going to spool it on a couple spinning rods and see how it works out. The other is the Trilene 100%. Thus far I've been impressed, but am stand-offish about the actual strength. It seems like I have to retie about every second fish with it. Both the AbrazX and InvizX have been really, really nice to fish with.

#1 Smallie fly is a Clouser, without a doubt. #1 Largemouth fly is probably a slider I tie.

LOL that's definitely up there on the "crazy list." I'll see if I can find the post by Norm Wild about the time he caught a beaver. That one is hilarity of epic proportions; having this happen to you would make you enjoy it that much more.

In some ways yes. But then, since I'm switching over, most all of the Cumara Reactions, for instance, are doing double duty as crankbait/spinnerbait rods, as well as throwing buzzbaits and topwater baits. I just found it funny how I ended up with rods from so many manufacturers that are the same length/action but totally different. I'm happy to have found what fits and works now.

That's a gas. Couple of guys I know in the muskie world have "turds". They're a flaptail topwater bait. One is a Beaver Turd, the other is the "original turd."

A lot of WI waters are really tannic. The Chip is one of them for sure. Heck, the river all the way down to Eau Claire is tea stained.

That you've got three or ten rods for each application? I noticed tonight that I've got a whole bunch of duplicate rods (some from the series, some from different manufacturers...) The reason I kind of "took stock" is because I'm in the process of turning everything over to Loomis, Shimano, and St. Croix. Currently I've got everything from about 25 rod makers. I'm so scattered across the board. It seems, though, I've finally found the rods I like that fit my style, the proportions fit my body, and I can afford them now. (Within reason; I avoid picking up Steez for this specific reason... ) Am I alone in this? Or am I just indecisive?

I have the LTBC70MHXF (Have had it for about two months) and I like the rod, but if I'm pitching jigs of that size around docks and laydowns, I want a shorter rod. (FTR I"m just over or just under 6', it depends on how straight I stand) I actually use a "dirty word" rod for that purpose, but the length is right, it's sensitive, and likely the only rod in the entire series that's worth a hoot. It's a 6'10" XMLTi, and the only rod in that series I've handled that I didnt want to destroy on sight... /diatribe The LTBC70MHXF is a great rod for small jigs, but I've not had it in tight quarters as yet. I've been using it for deep jigs, which is why I bought it, and I love it for that. As soon as I can get it, the rod I want for pitching is the 6'8" Cumara.

Not really any different in the grand scheme of things, no.

Spooled it for the first time two weeks ago and haven't really had the chance to fish it much. My first impressions are good, though. The knot strength seems more than adequate, and thus far the abrasion resistance is better than what I'd expected. The biggest selling point, for me, is just how supple the line is. It's pretty incredible in that sense alone. As for what it cost in relation to other lines? Not sure. I've been fishing the Trilene 100% this year, and like that a lot but that line has nothing on how supple the Tatsu is.

The 3" Berkley Gulp Minnow in the smelt colour is fantastic around here. This is my most used bait on D-shot. Yeah, use a lot of that, too. The 2.5" part is the oddity here, I think.

Perfection loop: http://www.animatedknots.com/perfection/index.php That kind of loop? I use that knot for Rapala's and a handful of crankbaits.

The only one that I'd add is the SK 4" Finesse worm. I really like that bait on a drop shot. I like the Shad Shape worm, too. Early in the year, like now, I fish quite a bit of the Gulp Alive 2.5" minnow on a drop shot, but I really believe that's a local phenomenon.

don't listen to this remedial advice. Ya know, this is bugging me. I learned that trick from one of the most respected pro's in the business, too. I guess that's remedial advice, too? I mean..calling a pro stupid is the same as calling me stupid, right? While it may not apply specifically to Smokin Roster, it does apply to several other baits; in earnest.

I won a bunch of these at a benefit recently. Have yet to fish them, but they seem interesting.

My find of finds was at an estate sale last year. I bought a "lot" of fishing tackle and reels, intending to donate the reels because I didn't see anything of value. When I picked it up, there were three other boxes of reels that came with the lot that I purchased. Unknowingly, I bought two Calcuttas, 2 Luna 300s, 4 Records, a couple of Ultracast 5600c, 2 Citica's and a Curado NIB. $50 for all of it. (Not to mention, there were about 100 other reels from 202's on up.) There were a bunch of rods and stuff that were all trashed, in that one, the lot of rods I wanted had a few really nice ones in it ended up going for a LOT more than it was worth. Turns out the guy had owned part of a tackle shop that had closed just months before. All the reels were either repairs that people never picked up, or they were display reels that never sold. Occasionally, I'll get lucky and buy a Bamboo rod from a known maker in antique shops. I've gotten a couple Winstons, a Walker, and a Payne that way.

TBH, The Okuma Round reels are quite nice for the money, too. I have an Akena250 and a couple of the Induron 400s. They're good reels for the money.

Far and away the best color is pearl. (Cause you can take a Pantone marker and make it any color you want.) Actually, the above works, and I do it a lot. Other than that, there is no ONE color that's the best. Everyone else said it already.

Hit a river for smallies. There's ALWAYS slack water that you can access that will produce fish. When we were in Eau Claire, we'd make the short drive to the C+R zone and hit them on rivers.

Bluegill, black silver for cranks. Hot Steel for jerks.

I'm terrible for losing scissors. Remember the Culprit braid blade? I spent $150 on those things, and I still can't find one of them. I'm terrible about it. Gimme my pliers with a pigtail lanyard, and it's a non-issue

Stainless steel is a nickel alloy and not all stainless products will be equal in ni content and corrosion resistance, I agree that many stainless pliers do not hold up well. For my freshwater I use a $2.00 pair that work fine, lose em just buy a new pair. Saltwater different story, I was in the tackle shop yesterday and the clerk showed me his personal pair of aluminum pliers, most impressive I have seen to date, they don't sell them in that store and I missed the brand name but I will get the name........only $30, these I want. Extreme light weight, on a lanyard, side cutting tool for braid and replaceable blades. http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/64226?pi=1067876&subrnd=0&qs=3021021 Wouldn't happen to be those would it? I've heard super things about the Slicks but have yet to get my hands on them. At that price, they're worth another couple pair. The thing I like about my Ross (and others like them) is that the carbide cutter will cut absolutely anything I fish with(in terms of line.) Most cheaper pliers won't cut braid with any consistency, particularly not small diameter.