.ghoti.

Caught an old four buckle rubber boot from a local pond. Caught an aluminum folding step ladder out of LOZ. I landed that ladder on 10 pound test line. Not much of a fight though.

I don't care what color my spinnerbait skirts are as long as they look like a shad or a bluegill.

Sluggo's are one of the great, forgotten baits. I've heard a lot say that they don't work; can't catch a cold with a Sluggo. Not true. You really need to fish them slow. They do not have the weight, or the sink rate of a Senko. They do have a very nice glide, when worked slowly, that the Senko can't match. Don't jerk it. Don't twitch it. Think "glide", and pull it instead. Pull it slowly for short distances, and let it settle. When you think you're fishing it slow enough, go slower. If the slow pace of fishing a Senko bothers you, then don't even think about throwing a Sluggo.

I hate to say this, but, nothing about fishing bothers me enough to say I hate it.

That would be the one I saw.

I don't have any of the newer Elite series boxes, but I do have two of the original Falcon spinnerbait boxes and one spinner/buzzbait box. All three have been excellent. No problems with the baits coming loose. No problems with damaged baits. No problems with durability of the boxes or latches. I paid full retail for them, and would not hesitate to do so again.

I used to do the same thing with some old, cheap 40 pound test mono. Don't know exactly why I quit doing this.

I saw it at the Bass U in Nashville. Ike and Ish Monroe were throwing it in the pool. I WILL be buying some when they become available. It is not any version of a chigger craw, by the way.

ST CROIX LT 6'9" ML-XF DAIWA ALPHAS 103 #8 XL TUBES / WACKY JIG / SPLIT-SHOT KISTLER HELIUM LTA 7' ML-F DAIWA ALPHAS 103 R #10 XL FLUKE / IKA / SENKO SETYR RESPONSE 7' M-F TEAM DAIWA FUEGO #12 XL LIGHT T-RIG - SUBTLE BAITS SETYR TACTICAL 7' M-F TEAM DAIWA FUEGO #12 XL LIGHT JIGHEAD - SUBTLE BAITS ST CROIX AVID 6'8" M-XF TEAM DAIWA FUEGO #12 XL JIGHEAD-AGGRESSIVE BAITS SHIMANO CUMARA 6'8" M-XF TEAM DAIWA FUEGO #12 XL T-RIG - AGGRESSIVE BAITS DOBBYNS CHAMPION 7'6" H-F DAIWA TD-X 100 #14 XL JIGS / FROGS / HEAVY T-RIG SETYR TACTICAL 6'6" M-F DAIWA ALPHAS 103 F #10 XL JERKBAITS / SMALL TOPWATER SETYR RESPONSE 7'6" M-M DAIWA MILLIONAIRE 103 #10 XL CRANKBAITS (<8' ) SETYR TACTICAL 6'6" MH-F TEAM DAIWA FUEGO #12 XL SPINNERBAITS / BIG TOPWATER FLECHERO CUSTOM 7' MH-M DAIWA MILLIONAIRE 103 #10 XL CRANKBAITS (10+) DUCKETT MICRO 7'6" XH-MF DAIWA MILLIONAIRE 253 #17 XL SWIMBAITS AIRRUS TRADITION 7'2" MH-F PLFUEGER SUPREME #6 XL FINESSE BAITS / DROP-SHOT

Reaction Innovations has the most whacked out names for colors.

I may have the same rod. 7'6" Extra Heavy, micro guides, and a butt-ugly white finish. Looks like a catfish rod. ;D ;D ;D RW and I were at Bass U in Nashville when Kent won the rod in a raffle, held by Mr Velvick. It doesn't say GLoomis on it so I bought it from Kent right on the spot. There are no line and lure weight ratings on the rod. And, none on Duckett's website either. Somebody needs to tell Mr Duckett to provide this information. Many of us make our purchasing decisions based on this data. I know when I pick out a new rod, I have a specific niche to fill, and what I look for are things like length, power, action, line weight rating and lure weight rating. All of this data; not some of it. OK, rant over. I've done some backyard test casting with this rod, and it takes 2+ ounces of weight to put any load on it at all. Any less weight is like casting with a broomstick. The most I tested was about 4 ounces, and the rod handled that with ease. If you have the same rod I have, it should be good for the weight range you specified.

Lund E, my wife is a blond, and me being the caring person that I am, I feel compelled to share all blond jokes with her. The best ones get "The Look". This one got it. ;D

Year-to-date statistics on Airport screening from the Department of Homeland Security Terrorist Plots Discovered 0 Transvestites 133 Hernias 1,485 Hemorrhoid Cases 3,172 Enlarged Prostates 8,249 Breast Implants 59,350 Natural Blondes 3

couldn't have said it better.

I did post on this. I did not lap any of the metal washers. Instead, I put them all on a coordinate measurement system, and verified that they all indeed had parallel flat surfaces. I had a couple which were "out". I put those aside and robbed washers from a "parts reel". I found, by trial and error, that polishing the metal washers produced a better improvement in drag performance than simply swapping out to carbontex drags washers. Doing both is even better, but, with the metal washers were polished, the difference between stock fiber washers and carbon washers was subtle. When I talk about drag performance, I'm talking about smoothness. And about reducing the difference between running torque and start-up torque. I fish with lighter line than most of you guys. I have a dozen baitcasters in my line-up. Two are spooled with #12, 3 with #8, and the rest with #10; all Trilene XL. Using lighter line demands the smoothest running torque, and the lightest start-up torque. I care nothing at all about maximum, locked down drag strength. I set my drags at 25-33% of rated line strength. So, if I set the running pull at 3 pounds, I want the start-up pull to be no more than 3 1/4 pounds. If the reel won't do that, I tear it down, clean the drag washers again, polish them again, and try it again until I get it there. Proper application of a good drag grease is also crucial. I use Shimano drag grease. Is there something out there better? Maybe so, but this stuff is a consistent performer, I am accustomed to it, and I know how much of it to use to get what I want. I know, this sounds like nit-picking, OCD behavior, and I suppose it is. But a guy needs something to do during these long midwestern winters.

I have one Kistler Helium LTA, and would not hesitate to buy another at half price, if I really needed any more rods. It's a great rod, and one of my favorites.

The largest bass I've ever caught on a drop shot rig was a 12. a 12 incher, that is. Dink magnet in my experience.

I don't know yet. All of my baits land on top of the water and stay there ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D Mine too, but I can skip 'em a looooong way.

Poor Boys tubes 20 pack - $6.79 http://www.***.com/Poor_Boys_Tube_20pk/descpage-PRBOYTB.html NetBait Super T-Mac 9" 14pk - $3.79 http://www.***.com/NetBait_Super_T-Mac_9_14pk/descpage-NBSTM.html Zoom Salty Super Fluke 10 pack - $3.49 http://www.***.com/Zoom_Salty_Super_Fluke/descpage-ZSF.html

Got Pro Qualifier bibs and parka set for my wife last year, and the set has been excellent. Got a Cabelas MT050 bibs and parka set for myself. It's better. Hands down.

Don't like country music; never have. But that was a dead solid 10.

I'm red/green color blind. Got a ticket in Peoria once when I ran a red light. There was some construction going on, and the traffic light was hung up sideways over the intersection. They're not always red on the top. :D

Brilliant!!!

Ditto, minus the ground or lapped washers. I put all my metal drag washers on a coordinate measurement system; to see that they all had parallel sides, than just polished them to a high shine. Carbon drag washers, polished metal washers and Shimano drag grease = super smooth drag performance. Measured break-away torque was within 2 ounces of straight line pulling torque, or I rebuilt the drag stack until it was. My drags are set at 25-33 % of line strength for all applications. For #12 line that 3-4 pounds, and is more than enough for bass fishing. You think you really need 20+ pounds of drag? Try this simple test. Get a 20 pound dumbbell. Tie your line to it, then try to pick it up using your favorite rod. Make sure you a have the shipping tube, and check for the warranty / replacement fee ready to go. You're gonna need it.

Well, I just got a new swimbait rod. At Bass U. in Nashville, Byron Velvick did a nice presentation on swimbaiting, and raffled off three Duckett Micro Magic swimbait rods. Kent won one, and since it didn't say G Loomis on it, I bought it from him. It's a 7'6" extra heavy power rod. Velvick described these rods as mod-fast action. After doing some flex testing at home, I'd have to agree with that. I have no idea what the line/lure ratings are for this rod. No ratings on the rod, and none on the website. This is apparently information that Duckett feels none of us need. I have the reel; a St Croix Avid 250. This is a re-branded Daiwa Millionaire CV-X253. I was going to sell this reel, but have since done a little upgrading and tuning. It holds 200+ yards of #14 mono if memory serves. I have a few Brody swimbaits, a Japanese Pure Fishing bait I bought from FFO on clearance to use for muskie. They did not turn out to be good muskie baits, but I did get a few nice bass on them while fishing for muskie. Also ordered some Huds, Mattlures, and some Talon inlines. I'm staying with plastic baits in the 2 - 4 ounce range to start with. So, what line? I'm not a fan of braid, and do not use it for any application; but that's what Velvick recommends.