Hooligan

Actually there have been tremendous numbers of studies done in regard to net bags and the material used therein. http://www.frabill.com/about-frabill/press-room/conservation-nets/ The Conservation series nets from Frabill are getting more and more use from guys across the board. It's without a doubt one of the least damaging methods of safely landing and handling fish that's currently out there.

Weigh the fish in the net bag, subtract the weight of the net...

Odd they work for me. In regards to the first link, there are multi-species guys here, too. I suppose that's the only reason I added that in. A friend of mine is a biologist and we've had the conversation over and over again. Subluxation is a common issue. THere was a study done on post release mortality of tourney released fish (particularly black bass) and it tracked fish that were held vertically and those that were held horizontally. There was a remarkable increase in mortality on fish that were held vertically. I'll try to locate the full study, all I have access to is the abstract and that's perfectly pointless to use. I'm stumped as to why the links work for me, though.

With as much information is out there about the damage they can do to fish, not just big fish, why do we still see so many people cranking those fish by the lower jaw and hoisting them around? It's something that bugs me. I see it so often from forums to weigh ins. I try very hard not to do that to a fish, sometimes there is no other way to land a fish, sometimes it just happens. What shouldn't happen, though, is the hero shot with the fish out of the water, being held only by the lower jaw. Much less, that fish's weight should never be levered on the jaw. There's such a huge rate of post-release mortality due to such actions. Some good words of advice on the subject: http://www.nwtigermuskies.com/horizontal.html http://myfwc.com/docs/Newsroom/Photo...ines_notes.pdf http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/v...lunker/handle/ http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Default.aspx?tabid=18624 If one of the top trophy programs in the US recommends it, can it be all bad?

Casting: 7' Heavy Xfast Jigs/Rigs/Spinnerbaits (usually a Carolina to start.) 6'10" XH Xfast Pitching rod. Jigs/Trigs 6'10" M Xfast Topwater/Small Crank/Jerkbait 6'6" Glass Crank/Spinnerbait/Topwater rod. Spinning 7'2" Med Fast "finesse" Rod 6'10" Tube Dragger 6'3" plastics rod All, typically, are rigged based on the lake I'm fishing before I leave the garage.

My favorite spinnetbait rod is the Crucial CRCX70H. It has the ability to put a tremendous amount of force into a hookset at long range, it is sensitive enough to fish ligh spinnerbaits, and it can really rip a biat when I'm working grass or slop. It's one of the more accurate 7' rods that I've fished, as well. You sacrifice a little accuracy with it, because it doesn't load as easily as..say an IMX..in roughly the same class. One of my partners fishes a SBR812C and loves the heck out the rod. @ $215 it's a pretty darned good value IMO. I'd like to own one, but I really can't justify it.

The only grudge I have against Tyger or American Fishing wire is that it kinks horribly. Since I switched to titanium, it's a non-issue.

Modified nail knot for me.

I've fished the 822 and it's a different beast entirely than the shorter rods in the series. I'd agree with RW that the 6'10" model is indeed pretty soft. The 752 is a much better rod for tubes, provided we aren't talking 5" Craw tubes.

I have that rod, and 750, and the 811. The 752 is a killer rod for med plastics, skipping docks and that sort of thing. It has plenty of power, but is still soft enough to provide a little insurance against being heavy handed in those situations. I love it, too, for small minnow baits.

KVD Shiner Pointer Staysee

Or, you can take ten seconds to sharpen that hook with a diamond file. The first time you pop a hook on a rock, you ought to sharpen it anyhow, be it Owner, VMC, Gamakatsu, Trokar, or otherwise.

Swim baits have a sound underwater. Some of the biggest fish we've caught in years past are on big rubber. I love Suzie Suckers, for instance. Hard Swim Baits are excellent, too. They're becoming more and more popular because they are so effective.

The system I use for my muskie and pike flies: http://moldychum.squarespace.com/home-old/2010/3/2/titanium-bite-tippet.html (We catch a LOAD of smallies every year on the same rigs.)

I tie commercially, typically in the neighborhood of 1200-1400 dozen annually. Like fly-fishing, it's something that takes time to learn and get used to. When it comes to spun/stacked hair, I might tie 2-3 an hour. A stonefly nymph pattern? 1-2 dozen an hour. It just depends on what you want to accomplish with it. I tie all winter, fish all spring and summer. Fish and tie in the fall. It's a pretty good gig.

I just popped in to Cabela's here and they had a PILE of Mini MRs on clearance as well as a a bunch of the other SKT baits. I bought a few, but just giving a heads up that sometimes they do silly things like that company wide.

Yes. I Crig them a bunch, too.

Kudo's. I just feel bad for Montgomery, he's been dragged through the mud because of an OP ed piece that was politicized. People taking what they want, and making it into something it isn't. Bum deal for the guy.

Jerkbait Suspending shad bodied crankbait Jig

I've had really good luck with SK Finesse worms on the old style of spot remover, too. Drop of glue and they stay pegged for what seems like an eternity.

Xrap is much more an aggressive bait than the LC. I tend to really be ripping Xraps, almost constant motion, no deadsticking there. In summer, Xraps are one of the first baits I'll throw.

Didn't end up with either of these. Ended up with the CUS72M Cumara. It just felt more "right" in my hand for the prospective purposes of the rod. I went to what's known locally as "desperation hole" and dropped a shakey in and fell in love with the rod.

Anyone fish these? I ran across a guy that has 80 of them for $35, all new in package. I bought them, thinking what the heck. Went and picked them up today, and they're an interesting little bait. The free riding hook seems like it would be much less likely to let fish throw it, there's nothing for them to leverage against. I'm thinking the bait monkey I keep reading about around here has struck. (What can I say, it's been a long, cold, hard winter.)

Year round. Same with rattle baits.

I don't buy into the clarity thing much. Here in NE we have a tremendous amount of stained/off color water, rarely do we have clear water. A jerkbait is what accounts for close to 60% of my fish spring through summer. I do tend to lean towards clown/chart colors in our water, though.