.ghoti.

I've been trying to decide, over the last few weeks, if I want to get into swimbaits or deep crankbaits for next year. Flechero made up my mind for me when he put that sweet custom crankbait rod up for sale. So now I'd like some suggestions for some deep cranks. I have a few old DD22's and a handful of other older baits. Maybe a dozen in all. I don't remember what colors I have. They are all in one old 3700 box that hasn't seen the light of day for quite a while. They're probably all rusted up by now, and mostly useless, so I need to start over. I may be able to salvage some, maybe not. So, what are your productive deep cranks? I'm open to any suggestions, but I may as well tell you I probably won't be buying any baits that are much over 7 or 8 bucks apiece. I know I'll have some DD22's and some Rapala DT's in my cart the next time I go to BPS, but what else should I be looking at? Thanks, GK

I surprised you didn't top it off with root beer. ;D

http://www.gillesvidal.com/blogpano/cockpit1.htm

Thanks Bass Brat. I looked at the Symetre, but by the time I decided to pull the trigger the size I wanted was sold out. I have two older Symetre's that i got for 20 bucks each. They're on my crappie rods, and I hate to take them off. They do a very nice job handling 2 and 4lb test line. I like the idea of the Supreme's light weight. The Airrus rod I have is super sensitive; it has no cork, or foam, or any kind of grip material at all. The blank and grip area are one piece, so when you grip it, your hand is directly on the blank. This is the rod. http://www.tackletour.com/reviewairrustrad.html A nice light weight reel will just be icing on the cake.

Still a good question, Bass Brat. How's yours holding up? I'm in the market for a new spinning reel since my sweetie appropriated mine. The Supreme is on the short list. I don't want to spend much more than $100. I don't use an "eggbeater" often enough to justify a top of the line reel. Whatever I get will be mounted on an Airrus Tradition spinning rod, 7'2" medium fast, 6-15lb line rating. I was thinking the 8030, at 7.4 ounces would be just about right. Any thoughts?

As long as your drag is set properly you should have no problems. Most 8lb line is not 8lb test anyway. You might need to ease up on the hookset, as most reel's drags have significantly greater start-up torque than running torque.

just do it in the correct order. i timed it, 18 seconds

Hey ghost, I have no idea about the Cabela's rods. I do have a couple of thoughts about recoil guides. I have two Setyr rods, a SPB184M, 7' MF, 8-17#, 1/4 - 5/8oz a CLS184M, 7' MF, 8-17#, 1/4 - 5/8oz Both have the same split grip, no fore grip design, same reel seat, nearly identical grip dimensions, and what appears, and feels, to be the same blank. The only difference is the first has Forecast guides and the other has Recoil guides. If their is any difference in feel between these two rods, it's imperceptible to me. I even tested this one day when bored. I fished one with a Revo Stx, 10lb Xl, and an uweighted Super Fluke for about an hour. Then switched the reel to the other rod. Same reel, same line, same bait. I could not feel any difference. Used that one for about an hour and switched back. Still could not feel any difference. There is one other difference between these two rods. MSRP for the one with Recoil guides is about 40 bucks more. I would not pay more for a rod just because it has Recoil guides. On the other hand, I wouldn't let Recoils scare me away from a bargain. It has been reported that Recoils become grooved, particularly with braid. I have not noticed this, but I do not use braid. I've used this rod a lot, and the guides still look new. No problems at all with them, but no noticeable advantage either. Cheers, GK

Leaving the front hook off will insure that all fish are hooked on the rear hook only. The mass of the bait will than usually be outside the fishes mouth, resulting in more lost fish. They can throw the bait much more easily if the mass of the bait is allowed to swing outside their mouths when jumping and thrashing around. Upsize the front hook, by all means. But don't remove it. Just my fifth of a dimes worth. GK

Private Ghoti, I love it. ;D ;D ;D

Check these out. They're on sale quite often. http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_74068_100002002_100000000_100002000_100-2-2 I have 2 of the 7'UL model. Got one for 30 bucks, and the second for 25. 2500 size Shimano Symetres on both. 2lb test on one, 4 on the other. I would not recommend a short rod with a tiny reel. No casting distance compared to a 7' rod with a normal size reel. The tiny reels are also good for line problems. More twist, more memory, less distance and control, and poorer drags. I know I'm talking about more cash than what you're looking at, but he's your brother, man. How many of them you got?

It's a lot easier to slow down a fast reel than it is to speed up a slow one.

A case in point. A rattletrap used to be a good choice in my area. It is not now, and hasn't been for quite a few years. Tie on a rattletrap; catch a few dinks. That's it. I quit carrying them around with me until this year. I got to fish for two days in January with George Welcome on Stick Marsh. The rattletrap is one of George's go to baits. I caught some nice fish on a trap at Stick Marsh. After that trip I added the traps back to my selection, and got the same results I'd had previously in this area. Tie on a trap, catch a few dinks. The traps are back in the garage, out of the tackle bag. Sorry, George. The trap works nicely where you're at. It's a dink magnet around here. I had similar results in the "stickbait" game this year. I carry around at least 25 pounds of Senkos at all times. I can count on my fingers the number of fish I caught on a Senko this year. In the same locations I blanked with a Senko, I caught fish with Ikas, jigs, tubes, flukes, jigworms, etc. That suggests a conditioning factor.

I showed this to my sweetie, when Dominick sent it to me. She said Walmart has been doing this for years.

Thanks for the well thought out post, fourbizz(le). Swimbaits are something I want to experiment with next year. I have the reel; a Millionaire 253. I've already ordered a 4 bearing handle, carbotex drag washers, and bearings to replace all the bushungs. it will be a smooth cranking machine before next season. I just need the rod. Sounds like an Okuma might be just the thing for a newbie swimbaiter. Now, how about a list of your dozen must have swimbaits. Since I'm in Illionois, how about smaller baits; say four ounces or less. That will let me pick the right power and action rod. At this point in the game, I will need to concentrate on one size range, and one rod to fit that. I can always expand the gear collection if I decide that swimbaiting is something I want to pursue further. Cheers, GK

Interesting, Kent. here's one area where we are at opposite ends of the thing. I have three round reels, two Millionaire 103's and one 253. I use them all for moving baits. One 103 is on my crankbait rod, one is on my spinnerbait/jerkbait rod, and the 253 is on my toad/buzzbait/small swimbait rod. These reels are all 5.8:1 gear ratio. I like a little slower reel for these techniques. I don't palm the reel when using these type baits, so the round reels are good for me. I use all of my low profile reels for "feel" techniques. I find them easier to palm. And they are all 6.3:1 or 7:1 ratios. Once more; personal preference. A good reel is a good reel, whatever shape it is. And, for me, line capacity is never an issue. All of my reels have el cheapo line as backing, and about 60 yards of fresh line on top. I like to change line often, and this saves me quite a bit of cash over a season. I'm changing line 5 or 6 times every year on at least 14 reels. it adds up.

That's just plain sick. I have coffee coming out of my nose, so I guess we're both sick.

PM sent. I'm in.

You think Mike's a cranky old fart now, just wait for spring. A winter's worth of lead fumes, and a little wrestling with C syntax? I can't wait.

And, if Lee can learn something from it, it must be EASY. ;D ;D ;D

It depends on what I feel like cooking. I've done Chinese, Mexican, Italian, Greek, Spanish, etc. I almost never feel like cooking a turkey.

Plenty of water, iced down in the cooler. ziploc bag of grapes, cherries, apple slices, any bite sized fruit. ziploc bag of jerky ziploc bag of cheese, chunked. thermos of coffee in cooler weather no beer, no soda, no firewater. A glass of whisky, scotch or cognac, with a fine cigar is for apres fish.

Everybody knows that bass do not have ears. That's why you never see a bass with glasses. ;D ;D ;D ;D

I like the translucent skirt with the feather in the middle. very cool.

You may also ponder this. The Ten Commandments of Electrical Safety I. Beware of the lightning that lurks in an undischarged capacitor lest it cause thee to be bounced upon thy backside in a most ungainly manner. II. Cause thou the switch that supplies large quantities of juice to be opened and thusly tagged, so thy days may be long on this earthly vale of tears. III. Prove to thyself that all circuits that radiateth and upon which thou worketh are grounded lest they lift thee to high-frequency potential and cause thee to radiate also. IV. Take care thou useth the proper method when thou taketh the measure of high-voltage circuits so that thou doth not incinerate both thee and the meter, for verily though thou hast no account number and can be easily replaced, the meter doth have one and as a consequence bringeth much woe upon the supply department. V. Tarry thee not amongst those who engage in intentional shocks for they are surely non-believers and are not long for this world. VI. Take care thou tampereth not with interlocks and safety devices, for this incureth the wrath of thy seniors and bringeth the fury of the safety officer down upon thy head and shoulders. VII. Work thee not on energized equipment, for if thou doeth, thy mates will surely be buying lunch without thee and thy space at the table will be filled by another. VIII. Verily, verily I say unto thee, never service high-voltage equipment alone, for electric cooking is a slothful process, and thou might sizzle in thy own fat for hours on end before thy Maker sees fit to end thy misery and drag thee into His fold. IX. Trifle thee not with radioactive tubes and substances lest thou commence to glow in the dark like a lightning bug. X. Commit thee to memory the works of the prophets, which are written in the instruction books, which giveth the straight info and which consoleth thee, and thou cannot make mistakes.