webertime

1/2 oz Rooster Tails.

I love Daiwa and Shimano. I have no issues with Lews. I would get my hands on a Tatula before buying one. I have huge hands and still find the Tatula large. The citica I (or E) is a great reel. I've fished the Lews and it was nice, but nothing that felt like, "woah I want this." Dicks in Rutland or Williston have all 3 of the reels to grope before you buy.

At this point it's Black Friday, X-Mas, Presidents Day and some sort of Spring Classic sale before our season gets going in 2016.

We have a ton of Skeeters up here in our club. There is usually 1-3 Electric/Live-well issues per tournament season with them (Caught fire, killed entire bags of fish, fish finders not getting power, etc). The Tritons have "dried out" over the last couple years.

A Tatula on a Fury would be great (as well as on a Rage I am sure). I have had Zillions, Fuego, Citica E's on my Fury and they were all ok. a 734 Fury would do reasonably well for what you are looking to do.

For the same price from St. Croix you can get the Rage, which is basically a 2016 Mojo. I'd go that route... However the jump from SCII (old Mojo) to SCIII (new Mojo) is dependent on what you are going to use it for. Moving baits, not so much. Finesse or touch techniques it's very possible. There is a lot more to a rod and it being good than just the graphite being used, the scrim, resins, mandrel, are all very important. I own a Dobyns Fury, *** Black and a Mojo. I really like the Fury out of the group.

I believe scent deterrents are dependent on the specific population. A bass in a local park pond already is battered by a billion different smells/chemicals. From run off to sun lotion to animals to humans and the scents on us... etc. So they are literally born into an environment that is almost overwhelming as far as scents go. However, if you are fishing in a pristine area, or at least a very very low traffic area where the only scents are related to the wildlife around/in the water then there are fewer scents, therefore something like deet or lotion or fabric softener or deodorant will more likely stand out as something foreign. Something foreign is usually a treat and that's not the attention you want your bait to have. So to me it comes down to this... if it is a variable that potentially can have a negative impact on my productivity and I can remove it, I will. Occam's Razor.

The 2.8 Keitechs murder smallies on a rig. 3.8's slightly less effective.

I missed AOY last year by 1/4 lb out of the back of the boat. Carolina Rig or spybait when the boater is drop shotting. Throw swimbaits (keitechs) when he is throwing frogs, senkos, flipping. Chatterbaits when they are shallow cranking. If he is smashing them with his techniques then fish those. Figure out how to match your boaters speed with a technique that you are comfortable with.

I grew up in South Burlington, went to UVM, lived in Hinesburg, now live up in Georgia and work in Burlington. I've got spots for you. Pm me.

Jerkbaits and topwater

BPS 6'8" M xf Carbonlite with a Shimano Sedona (the model they are clearing out) OR Pflueger President. Enough $ left to get Weights, hooks, and some 7lb Sunline Sniper.

I have the Fury 735. I like it a lot. Flex/taper is very similar to their higher end offerings, just heavier (not heavy mind you ). Great for frogs and paddle tail type swimbaits.

8lb Sniper or Invisx

CAROLINA RIG.

Yes sorry the S.I.F. is what I use. I fish them on swimbait hooks a lot... like ridiculously a lot. But I wanted to try jig heads again since so many people have luck with them on jig heads.

Just wonder what size jig heads (weight and hook size) you are using for your 3.8 and 4.8's. I'm going to give them another chance.

Lamiglas Excel and Excel 2 were/are off shore blanks, with the Excel 2 being entirely built overseas.

You can find really nice glass boats for $15k up here. Especially in the hills since there is such a limited customer base for a bass boat. For Example: https://burlington.craigslist.org/boa/5130065035.html

Linda Lovelace... Ms. Lovelace for the more discerning clients.

Most us are hunters anyway and have a trail cam or 10... I have a buddy that brings a trail cam to some ramps to watch his truck/trailer.

I know a guy that scubas and built a pyramid out of sap bucket on the bottom of Champlain. (we get bored up here)

Most Sebile baits Scatter Raps Clunn Jerkbaits

Sluggo or Shaky worm on that thing.... mmmmmm mmmmmm good

Aside from the grass carp... You can get away with fairly inexpensive stuff for bass. It's not as if they hit like a 6" brookie in some current. My brother is a very well regarded trout guide in VT and New Zealand, with that he's been a pro-staffer for Orvis, Sage, Scott, and others. I have access to many high end rods. You know what I use for bass? A 50 year old 8ft 8wt fiberglass Berkley with a Heddon reel. There is more technology in a tent pole than that thing. But a quality line and leader/tippet is VERY important with the small animals sometimes called bass flies, that we cast. If youare just starting out a basic 6 to 8 weight should cover 95% of the fish/flies that you will encounter.