.ghoti.

What's the proper thing to do? Well, there's really only one thing to do. Yell YEEEHAA at the top of your lungs. I love it when they jump. It's even better than a topwater bite. Cheers, GK

I'm doing some line testing this year. Still looking for the perfect line. I know there is no such thing, but I think there may be lines better suited for particular applications. It makes a certain amount of sense, at least to me, that lines with different charateristics would be better suited for specific applications. I spooled up my crankbait rig with 10lb test Sufix Elite.This is a BPS Rick Clunn model; 7' MH worm/dropshot rod, with a Daiwa Millionaire reel. I spooled up an identical reel with 10lb test XL, as my basis for comparison, since XL is my current favorite for cranking. The two reels are as close as possible to identical. They are both the same age, and have very similar usage histories. Here are my totally unscientific observations. I used the same baits and the same rod with both reels, so I could compare the two lines. The Sufix is clear green and the XL is blue/flourescent. First off, the Sufix line is very smooth, and very nicely round coming off the filler spool. You can see what they're talking about when they say "precision winding". I like the concept. There are absolutely no kinks or deformations in the line as it comes off the filler spool. The winner: Sufix Casting: The Elite feels just a bit stiffer than the XL, but there was no noticable difference in casting between the two lines. No winner in this category Memory: Sufix has just a bit more spool memory than XL, but not much. The real assessment will come at least a month down the road, when the line has been on that small spool for a while. For now, I'll give the nod to XL. Stretch: I have no way to scientifical test stretch. I did not catch any fish that put any kind strain on the line. I did toss the crank into some small brush that I knew I could break off, and could not tell much if any difference between the two lines. I tried breaking the lines, with gloves on, to see if I could feel a difference in stretch. It seemed to me that Sufix had less stretch than XL, but it also seemed to be stronger. It's very hard to compare these things because of different manufacturer's line weight ratings. Not all 10lb test line is actually 10lb test. But, I'll give the edge to Sufix Sensitivity: I could feel a real difference between the two lines. Sufix gave me a lot better feel for the vibration of the crank the did XL. This may be the ultimate test of stretch. The clear winner; Sufix. Visibility: The Sufix line is hard for me to see, both on and in the water. But, I'm color-blind. XL, in the blue/flourescent version, is very easy for me to see, and I can see it in the water too. The winner, for cranking, is Sufix. But, I would not use this stuff for soft plastics. I'm a line watcher, and Sufix would present a real problem for me in this application. There you have it. Totally subjective and non-scientific. For now, I'm going to leave the Sufix on my main cranking rod. In another month or so, I'll be able to tell if I've found a new crankin line. Cheers, GK

Noob, welcome aboard. When you select line, first look at the line weight rating on your rod. Use that as your guide for what to use. If casting distance and low memory are most important to you, go towards the lighter end of the scale. If strength and abrasion resistance are more important, go towards the upper end of the scale. Just stay within the rod's ratings. Balance is the key. Cheers, GK

Make mine a tube. You can T-rig it, and fish it like a jig, or a worm. You can weight it internally, to get a nice spiral on the drop. You can rig it weightless, with a piece of foam inside, to fish it as a topwater. And, you can swim it. Very versatile bait. Cheers, GK

Blade Dancer and helicopter lure. Yep, I'm ashamed to admit it, but I bought the whole helicopter lure kit. That was the last thing I bought endorsed by Roland Martin. Never again. Cheers, GK

;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D Thanks for the chuckle

Quote "Yes, I won a bet on this that is how I know. " I knew it. Somebody had to have done this. ;D ;D Fast sink rate and no wiggle, eh? What a hoot. Cheers, GK

An interesting report. They debunked the idea that flouro has less stretch and knots are a major problem. Breaking strength was interesting, but not of much significance. The line makers can rate their line whatever they want to. It's all about marketing. They know that at least a few people will buy a line marketed as the "strongest ten pound test in the world". They just won't say that it's the same size as the next guy's 14. I started copying the numbers into a spreadsheet, so I can do a little analysis on the data. I'll post up my results, for what little they will be worth, when I get around to finishing. Cheers, GK

Another vote for the Catalyst PT. In my opinion, this reel is the best value in the Quantum line of spinning reels. The Energy PT is 40 bucks more, and doesn't feel like 40 bucks better. I have both. The Shimano Symetre is a good choice, at 20 bucks less than the Catalyst. I like the Catalyst better than the Symetry. I have of couple of those also, and I think the Catalyst is worth the extra $20. Do yourself a big favor and don't get one of those dinky little 10 size reels. I know they're lighter, but what you trade for the reduced weight is reduced casting distance and a lot more line problems. Been there, done that, cussed "em a blue streak. Cheers, GK

And there you have it, from a man who should know. I've had one magnesium bodied spinning reel that took a bit of rash. Over a relatively short time the scratched spots did show some corrosion, and the reel never got within 1000 miles of saltwater. I don't know if it did any serious damage, but it could not have hepled. It may have been weakened enough over time to have split under stress or when dropped. Don't know, I gave it away. I have no idea what you should use to seal it, but I think it would be a very good idea to do just that. Fingernail polish may do the trick, but will probably need a regular touch up. Automotive touch up paint would last longer, if you can find a close enough color match. Cheers, GK

Reelmech, if I may be so bold, what are you using to polish the shafts and pinions? I've tried my Dremel, with a felt wheel and some jeweler's rouge to do the shaft, but had no idea how to do the inside of the pinion gear without increasing the inner diameter, or taking it out of round or off center. Thanks for any insight you have to offer. Cheers, GK

Hey, give it a try. it might work, bass being as dumb as they are. If it doesn't, at the least you'll have something to munch on between bites. Cheers, GK Oh, take the hook out of the worm before you eat it.

I foyu caught a fish on the fourth cast, using a worm, you must have thought a bit about where to throw it. Do the same thing with your crankbaits. You have to consider depth of the location, and choose a bait that will get there. As BassXL suggested, you need to think deflection. Bang the bait into anything and everything you can. If you can't hit anything with it, then do something with your rod and reel to make it change. Jerk it and pause, twitch it while reeling, change rod position in the midle of a pause, etc. The idea is to make it do something different than just cruise along in a straight line and wiggle at the same rate. You'll occasionally catch a fish just chucking and winding, but the percentages are not with you. Depth and speed are the other important factors. Keep in mind that lighter line will allow the bait to run deeper. If you're paralleling a bank or breakline, a longer cast will have the bait at the running depth for a longer period of time and distance. Don't worry too much about colors. Use something natural looking in clear water and something bright in dirty water. Have some fun with it, it ain't rocket science. Cheers, GK

Holding your rod tip high would be the main thing. You'll need to experiment with speed and rod position to get it right. Also, if you have a rig with heavier line, you may try that. The larger diameter line will not let the bait run as deep. It will also help when ripping the bait free of the weeds. You can get a few reaction strikes just after the rip. Cheers, GK

Hey tipp, quit the chew and ask her out. I have yet to find a woman who is any way at all impressed by a wad of chew. They just flat don't like it. I think she's given you enough cues. Just go for it, man Good luck, GK

A passenger in a taxi leaned over to ask the driver a question and tapped him on the shoulder. The driver screamed, lost control of the cab, nearly hit a bus, drove up over the curb, and stopped just inches from a large plate glass window. For a few moments everything was silent in the cab, and then the still shaking driver said, "I'm sorry but you scared the daylights out of me." The frightened passenger apologized to the driver and said he didn't realize a mere tap on the shoulder could frighten him so much. The driver replied, "No, no, I'm sorry, it's entirely my fault. Today is my first day driving a cab. I've been driving a hearse for the last 25 years."

#1 choice for me, Shallow Shad Rap Second choices, Minus-1 and Bandit 100 Just started at aend of last year with the Rapala DT-4's. They may end up being at the top of the list. Cheers, GK

35% A definitive Yankee. I would not have guessed that one. Neat concept. From Hahvahd, eh?

Quote "A 10 point change in a barometer would probably not affect the fish as much as a 5" change in depth. That could be calculated but I have never bothered." Well I was bored, so I did bother. ;D Here it is. The highest recorded barometric pressure was 32.06"Hg The lowest recorded barometric pressure was 25.69"Hg So, the absolute wildest possible swing would be 6.37"Hg. I expect to never see such a change in pressure. But, if it did, it comes out to 7.28' of water column. That's it, a little over seven feet. Typical changes in pressure are much less than that. I've just given a worst case, impossible scenario. A bass experiences pressure changes much greater than any possible effect of atmospheric pressure on a daily basis. Diving down 33 feet doubles the pressure on the fish. Pressure increases by one standard atmosphere for every 33 feet of depth. Makes the usual swing in barometric pressure seem trifling by comparison. Having said all that, I do believe fish use their sense of changing pressure to put on the feed bag, but not because the pressure changed. They're using the change as an indicator of changing weather conditions. Bass are opportunistic feeders, and have "learned" that falling pressure indicates inclement weather. I'm using "learned" in an instinctual sense. That means more food could be washing into the water shortly. I'd buy the idea of more insect activity also. It also means cloud cover, with a decrease in light level, making the fish more comfortable in shallower water. All this has nothing to do with pressure felt by the fish. On the other hand, rising pressure means clearing skies and an increase in light levels. This is what pushes them back into deeper water. The fear of predation. bocabasser may just have the best answer. If you can get out the house, go fishin'. Cheers, GK

I like these T-rigged with the weight pegged. I normally do not peg the weights on a T-rig, but with this bait, I've caught a lot more with the weight pegged. I use as light a weight as possible, and a rubber bobber stopper with a small bead to pin the weigh against the head of the bait. Any wide gap hook in 3/0 or 4/0 will work. I haven't tried it rigged backwards, yet. Cheers, GK

Spinner baits are good almost all year, around here. I use willow blades for flash in clear water and Colorado blades for thump in dirty water. The dirtier the water the slower the retrieve. If you can bang it into something, so much the better. If you can't hit anything, use quick pauses or rod twitches, along with a change in rod position from one side to the other, to give a direction change to the bait. My best producer for the last several years has been a Terminator 1/4oz single willow in a translucent color, worked just deep enough to be almost out of sight. Some wind really helps. A wind blown point is a good first place to try a spinnerbait. Cheers, GK

GYCB Creature and Berkley Power Brush Hawg. Gotta agree with Brad, the beaver and the beast really belong in a different category then creatures. Cheers, GK

Hey Catt, I'll share, for what little good it is. I'm not a very experienced swimbait guy. I've been using the Storm 6" baits, the ones with the internal weighting, and the Berkley Brody series swimbaits. I've had the best success swimming them very slowly, just off the bottom. Both of these baits are basically big pieces of soft plastic, and both sink. The Storm baits sink quicker than the Brody's. To keep the storm's near the bottom just atkes a slow steady crank. To keep the Brody's near the bottom requires a slow retrieve with pauses to let the bait sink back down. They both have a considerable amount of "lift", rather like a large spinnerbait. The only other fish I've caught with them is by cranking the bait just fast enough to make a bulge in the surface, leaving a wake behind. I've only caught a handful doing this, but I've had a lot of follows. I've caught none by cranking mid-depths with either of these baits. My best tactic, so far, has been cranking one down a point, trying to keep the bait as close to the bottom as I can. And yes, you will catch some fish that are entirely too small to be trying to eat such a big bait. There you have it. That's all I have on this subject. I've only been using these two baits for the last two years, and I do not have any of the high dollar, super realistic, giant baits. I'm sure some of the Cali guys will weigh in with a lot more info. Cheers, GK

Another vote for the Roadrunner for bass. I always have a 1/4oz with a 3" grub for a trailer tied on in the early part of the year. I rarely use one in warm water. It tends to be a dink magnet in warm water, but in the early spring, or late fall, they are killers. I favor the larger sizes with the willow leaf blades. Cheers, GK

Rented a boat from Lilley's Landing. I'd highly recommend these folks for anybody wanting to fish Taneycomo. Great service, spot-on advice, and excellent rates. The place was spotless. Give "em a shot if you're going that way. Anyway, the wife caught her first trout. Actually her first 16 trout, in about 4 hours. She doubled my take. No giants, but a lot of fun. Saw a giant brown caught off the dock right before we arrived. Went about 9 pounds. Don't know if that's actually a giant, but I would have been happy with it. It was released to fight another day. Didn't get to fish the Rock the next day. It was just too cold and windy to justify spending the money on boat rental. I'd looked at the weather forecast before leaving, and packed accordingly. Yeah, I know, STUUUPID. Didn't have the right clothing for the conditions. I know better, just didn't act like it. Good trip anyway. Big Cedar is a pretty cool place to stay. We'll be going back later in the year. The wife's ready for some more trout. Cheers, GK