Hooligan

Lets see... I've got 38 Shimano USDM, 18 Jdm. 21 Daiwa, 14 JDM.. 11 Abu Garcia. 12 Lews, 6 Ardent and a couple megabass. Oh, some pro qualifier baitcast, and some others like VanStaal thrown in there too. Of those, 27 Shimano, both USDM and Jdm, 11 Daiwa, 1 Revo, 6 Lews, one Ardent, and one Megabass get any sort of regular use. Those are the sticks in the boat, or the ones I grab when I fish with someone else. Of what is in constant use, it's 2 Daiwa, 13 Shimano, and 4 Lews. Posse schmosse.

Yes, you'll notice a difference. Both in accuracy and distance, with the 6-6 being more accurate. I can generally cast a 7-2 about 30 feet further than my 6-8 of the same series and spec. Yet, the 6-8 is fifty times more accurate.

Rip em, drop em, burn em, twitch em, straight retrieve, vary the speed, yoyo, tick grass tops, rip em out of grass, flutter them... Red Eye Shads are endless. The only other rattle bait I really use is the Aruku that I tend to fish more as a jig.

More info here. http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/109887-rod-designations-and-what-they-mean/?fromsearch=1 One of my pet peeves is referring to a rod as a "fast tip" or "extra fast tip". It is the blank taper, not that of the tip section alone. I can't stand that terminology; generally it is repeated by many that really don't have any idea what it is that they're describing in the first place.

The brake inserts are spares based on weight, as in any other Shimano reel. I like the form factor, the speed, weight, and general feel of the reel. I've got half a dozen of them and I am constantly on the lookout for more.

Modern braids are far more manageable in terms of noise and feel through the guides. I've long been known as a braid hater, however have recently changed my tune with some of the advances made.

Agree with WarEagle. Pegging doesn't weaken your line if you do it right. Doing it right is using sinker stops, no reason for toothpicks anymore. I like bullet weights tstops, as well. My favorite bait? Northstar jig and a rage trailer. Second is a Northstar new gill 3/4 ounce spinnerbait.

I never, ever don't have a Texas rigged worm on the deck. From ice out to ice up here, and everywhere I travel it remains a constant. Sometimes it varies, it may not be a curl tail, it might be a recon, or a thumper, or a gtail, or a straight tail... Never without a Texas rig worm on the deck. In response to some general comments, we very often don't hear about people fishing all of the baits they fish in a tournament. There were a lot of fish caught on Flukes and Senkos at the classic, just not by the top four or five guys. There was a lot of Senko fishing done on Smith in the FLW, just didn't hear about it. Yes things come and go, but the staples remain, and always will.

I do know the ins and outs, that's what I get paid to do. It's the principle of a system. And you're correct, there are a large number of rod makers that are already producing mag crankbait rods. I'm in no way telling you what to fish or what not to fish. I simply made a comment based on your response, insinuating that if you don't agree with the manufacturing practice of rod and reel makes specializing gear, don't fish the specialized gear. It's not meant as snide, or as a prickly remark. It has nothing to do with me liking or not liking the comment, it has nothing to do with anything other than the subject at hand. Moreover, the specialization of techniques and tactics- leading eventually to the specialization of tackle is what conti he's to advance this sport. It's also a situation in which we, as anglers, benefit from the design principles that manufacturers hold. Be it Daiwa, Shimano, Pure Fishing or any other. When they make advancements in gear and goodies we only benefit. The 10XD being a very specific situation that previously was near impossible to repeat. I'm willing to go to great lengths to catch more and bigger fish, I see the specialization of gear as being just that.

I used to use siege a lot, before Seaguar Senshi. It's a very good line as an all around casting line for those that don't want to use fluorocarbon. I still use it for top waters and some spinnerbaits from time to time.

CH50/51 MG are my absolute favorite reels. I love them more than any other reel I own. I've tuned a couple with no ill effect, and I have upgraded bearings and drag on all. It isn't necessary at all, in terms of bearing upgrades, they're fine without them. The drag definitely benefits from C-Tex washers.

I'm with Jeb. I had terrible luck with mine, breaking several brake pins off, and a spool that was out of round. Be extremely careful with the MGX and having inadequate tension. If the spool can move to the side at all it is very likely you will break or bend the small pin on the spool shaft that aligns with the hollow portion of the shaft assembly. I did it, as have several people I fish with. The MGX is not, in my opinion, worth the money paid.

I misunderstood you then, sir. My apologies. After your second response I much better understand what you're getting at. I agree that many pros will endorse a product for the returns, and market it to gain the sales, to start the fad, as it were. The benefit, however, is that very often the ingenuity that comes along with it is entirely beneficial in that it opens many doors. I don't disagree, either, that fads do come and go, some much more readily than others.

You act like it hasn't been occurring for years already. Shimano has the waxwing series, which in truth, isn't going to perform as well outside of having the exact equipment. The same goes for the LJV series of paired rod, reel, and lines. It is no different than having a dedicated swimbait rod, or for the a bama rig. Having a mag crankbait rod is no different than any other specialized tool. It is as expensive or as cheap as you want to make it. Don't want to buy a rod that can properly handle 10XDs, don't. Better yet, don't fish them at all.

They're tools, period. All have their place and time. I use 7-11 and 8-0 crank rods because of the increased casting distance. I use 6-3 and 6-5 rods for top water and jerkbaits because of their control. I have rods that range from 6-0 all the way to 8-0 for a variety of tactics. I have no preference for length other than in those situations where accuracy is needed or distance is needed. Those times are t so much preference but dictated more by the situation. Also, in response to Snooks advice on moving your hand to the blank on long rod to add backbone- be careful with that one. Doing so can increase the strain on the rod in places it isn't meant to carry that load leading to catastrophic failure. I've seen it and done it, it wouldn't be my recommendation. Then again, to each his own. There are those who say an ugly stick is the best rod made, and those who say they'll fish with nothing less than an NRX...

I would like to think that I am a very versatile angler. I've fared very well in, and won many, tournaments from the West coast to the East coast and from North to South. At the level I currently fish, I have to believe that I'm as versatile as any that I fish against. I have also mastered many things, not the least of which is the ability to use my electronics. That single thing is what has really spurred my versatility more than any other. Electronics do not lie to you. Thy give you everything you need to know, and they are the first step in your plan of attack. As a result of mastering the use of my electronics, I've been able to move on to many other techniques. That said, I do not compare myself to many other anglers, in terms of versatility. Many of the elite series guys are head and shoulders above my skill set, it's incredible. I'm good at what I do and at the level I compete, but I cannot compare even slightly to what they do . I tend to disagree with your statement that many wont fish a lure or dig them out without having seen firsthand what they can do. That's part of the reason I love to fish so much. Learning is a large part of why it is so I interesting to me. Whether learning new tactics, lures, or patterns, the knowledge aspect is huge. That's part of the drive, for me, too, in seeking out those lures I've not used or have little experience with. It is rare that I fish a new tactic without success. In response to fads and embracing them, they're a far for a reason. Generally the public doesn't hear about it until it has become successful enough that it will increase your catch rates. Few situations arise in which a fad is a hinderance.

The two are entirely distinct baits for me, that is to say they aren't interchangeable in the least. 99% of my spinnerbait fishing is structure oriented. I fish them around humps, drops, and swings as a primary tactic. They are not, generally, a searching tool for me. I do use them as a tool to find fish on deep flats and in situations that suggest a pattern may develop around that, however, I usually am targeting specific areas and patterns even when that is the case. Squarebills are, again, very specific in terms of what I am asking of them and when I am going to throw them. I usually look to a squarebill for specific things like working shallow grass edges, working in flooded Tim Ed, and working lay downs when a moving bait is preferred. I tend the throw squarebills around much of the same things I would a spinnerbait, but it is far more cover oriented than the spinnerbait for me. What I mean by th statement that that I am not generally using them as search baits is that I am not fan casting a given area with them, in random fashion. Do I do that with both? Yes I do, but that generally is not the tactic that I employ with either of them initially. That said, if you know that fish are on a predominantly moving bait pattern and you have limited ability to thoroughly break down the structure and cover in an area, a spinnerbait is far and away one of the best tactics to employ. Start with any visible structure and cover and make repeated casts from all directions. The single greatest advantage of a spinnerbait is that you can vary the depth of that bait to cover all of the water column. When I am fishing spinnerbaits, a 3/4 ounce Northstar is where I start, almost without fail. I can fish that bait in shallow water or in deep water, equally as effective. Squarebills are limited in their ability to cover water because of their lack of variability. They're a versatile bait, but they are quite limited to specific depth. There are situations that I fish a squarebill in 40'+ of water, but it is very specific. My primary use for a squarebill is in grass, followed by wood and rock and rip rap. I've been extremely successful ripping a squarebill in grass for a couple years, and it's a tactic not often employed by others, so it's a variety that not a lot of fish have seen.

Confidence baits are those we have confidence in because of the results we have had in the past. Period. It's not a guessing game for us. We are comfortable with the way we work it, how we rig it, and where we put them. In part, our confidence in them forces us to pay closer attention to the bait, and what's going on. The anticipation of getting bit, if you will. I don't believe that they make us slow down, but make our senses more honed. My confidence bait is without a doubt a Northstar Jig with a rage craw trailer. I've caught fish on that combination in 29 states and two provinces under terrible conditions, situations in which no one else was catching fish.

2/0 Owner st41 is my preference.

I throw my Arigs on a couple different rods. I throw the vast majority on a Carrot Sticks Wild Black 8' xxh. I've grown to really like the way this rod loads and feels. I have the Cumara A rig rod as well, and use that primarily for rigs with blades attached. It does better with a heavier rig on it for some reason. The third rod I use is when I am throwing a three wire rig, a lot of times I end up throwing the three wire when I am really burning it or with buzzbaits. The rod in that case is a Cumara 7-11 MHXF. I have a Lexa 300 on the CStick, the Cumara A rig has a 300 Calcutta D, and the pair of Cumara 7-11s have a Calcutta200 D and a Chronarch E.

This isn't entirely correct. Their warranty as stated is that they will cover any manufacturers defect free of charge, you pay shipping. That's a lifetime warranty. Now, if you break the rod being a knucklehead- They will replace it for $100. Dobyns- They say they'll cover the rod for defects, but I've never had that happen, even when a reel seat broke on one of my DX795. The $60 was paid by me to get my rod back. A friend of mine, same thing on a different rod. Me, again on a Mike Long Swimbait that broke an inch above the handle- they said it broke because I applied too much pressure. I was casting a 3/4 ounce SPRO BBZ Shad. If you're going to give warranty information, do so correctly, and unbiased. They both have advantages and drawbacks.

On the Pop Max, I've never seen one that does have a ring. There are baits, including a large number of walking baits and topwater lures, that a direct tie is optimal.

So many closed minds. I can understand brand preference in baits, but refusing to use a technique because you'll get tired or because you used it once and it didn't produce... I will fish almost every bait and technique that people have listed in this topic at some point this season. In most cases I would bet dollars to donuts that the reasons you've not caught fish on certain colors, baits, or techniques is because you have failed to execute them under the correct conditions, situations, or failed to execute properly on the whole. There is nothing that I will refuse when it comes to catching fish. A-Rig cheating? HOW? That's a poor rationalization. It is an extremely situational technique that perfectly strikes the instinct of predatory fish to eat. If that's cheating, then treble hooks are, too. Might as well add hooks to cheating as well. Refusing to use a bait like a swimsuit because it's too big? Biology doesn't say that at all. A black bass will eat anything it can get its face around, in many cases that's quite a chunk. There isn't a body of water in North America that a four or five inch swimbait won't catch fish. I'm really kind of amazed that so many people refuse to use certain baits and techniques. Shocked, actually. Refusing to throw spinnerbaits because too many people throw them? That's the silliest notion I've seen yet. I can understand not liking tactics or lures, but refusing to use them is doing nothing more than shooting yourself in the foot. That is simply ensuring that under the circumstances in which that bait or tactic is the best option, you're going to not catch fish. Mind blowing. For the record I hate, HATE, frogging. I will do all that I can to avoid it. But, when that's it, a frogging I will go.

They fish well. They're different than the trash fish, really. They're similar but harder plastic and don't have the same "thump." The entire key to the bait is using the right hook. My preference is the Owner Beast 4/0 on the 4.5" version and the 6/0 on the 5.5". Using a standard swimbait hook places the hook too far back in the body because you have to use such a large hook to get the clearance. I DO NOT like them on a jig head at all. Some will say it works fine, but the action is dead and you lose the horizontal glide of the bait. I've caught a few fish on them at Table Rock and on Beaver with them this spring.

The Lexa is a "new" reel. It wouldn't be leftover anything. For $89.99 I'd buy it all day long. They're a great little reel for the money.