Bluebasser86

I've had Cabela's Guidewear and currently have the BPS 100mph suit. Guidewear was great, but I bought it when I was 17 and it seems to have shrunk and no longer fits, although it's still very functional. My 100mph suit I have now is the second set I've had and it is coming apart at the seams just like the last set and it's only 2 years old. I just had to reattach the Velcro that goes around my wrist on one side because the adhesive gave up and the Velcro patch came off. Thankfully I was able to find it when it happened. The zippers are sub-par, the main zipper broke on my last suit after just 1 year which is why I had to return it, and like I said, the seams are slowly coming undone all over. It's a decent suit, but not at all impressed for what I paid for it. If I had the money, I'd love to try the Simm's suit that Glenn suggested. If you're on a budget, I'd suggest looking at the Academy H2O raingear. I know a few guys that have them and like them very well and you can get the whole suit for less than one piece of the Cabela's or BPS suits cost. Frogg Toggs are great too if you're not using it in colder weather. I have a set that I use during the heat of the summer.

Cool looking fish! Very prehistoric.

I use a 6' 10" MH/F Ethos and a 7' MH/XF LTB. The LTB is obviously more sensitive, but the Ethos does great for a rod I paid $40 for.

Albino, Arkansas Shiner, and Disco Violet are my favorites in the swimming flukes. I only use them on A rigs though. If you're looking for a stand alone paddletail, I'd highly suggest spending the extra money and going with Keitech.

I went to Mexico for my highschool graduation present. It was a trip I'll never forget!

Welcome!

White or pink are ideal for me I found.

I have that model of LTB and love it. I use it primarily for fishing a Ned rig, but it is capable of fishing the baits you listed as well. I have the 6' 10" M/XF as well and fish 3" tubes on 1/8oz jigheads all the time, but I'm fishing less than 10' deep a vast majority of the time.

Sapphire blue is a killer jig color in stained water or at night. I fish that color a lot with plastics and my homemade bladed jigs too. It's a big fish color too it seems like, maybe because nobody fishes it.

You guys are too organized. These two boxes are just what I had in the boat today, the blessing and curse of pouring and tying your own.

Welcome!

I was so pumped to get that bait man. I went straight to that spot because I've caught so many big fish on swimbaits before. 10 cast in, BAM! There she is! Moving her away from the rocks when she jumped and Snap! Maybe 5 minutes of on the water time with it before it was gone along with one of the biggest fish I've hooked this year. I only fished for a couple more hours because I just wasn't feeling it anymore after I lost the bait that I'd gone out there to fish with. That along with the fact that I tried to cut my finger off was just icing on the cake.

Palomar. I wouldn't use it for frogs but that doesn't mean you can't (I couldn't throw a frog on my swimbait rod anyways).

I've held one in the store, it feels and looks very nice. Beyond that I can't say.

Welcome!

I use a ML for wacky rigs all the time, you'll be fine.

There's almost always an armada at WC this time of year. Just get in line on the merry-go-round at the discharge or try to stake a claim on a good producing spot.

I usually look at the average cost of what I'm making goes for and try to keep it around there as long as I'm making enough versus what materials cost.

You could buy a really nice, new kayak for that much and still have plenty left over to deck it out. No need for a trailer either since you can load it in the back of a truck or on top of a car. You can save money on batteries, trolling motors, and battery chargers also. Obviously, if you're wanting something you and your dad can still use it's no good, but if you just want something for you, I'd suggest considering it.

We had two hookups and lost both on bladed jigs last time I went muskie fishing. Buddy of mine that lives on Minnetonka likes the big 1.5-2 ounce ones made for muskies. Seems like he catches a lot of pike with it but that might just be the lake he's fishing.

I've done some with tinsel in the skirt. I don't really think it makes any difference though.

If it's working for you, why switch?

I use a heat gun from Harbor Freight. Makes it much easier, especially when painting large numbers of heads. I use the Pro-Tech paint for some of my colors. If you use black, red, yellow, or white then get it from Harbor Freight. You can get a 1lb tub of any of those colors for $6 VS $7 for 2oz from Pro-Tech.

What kind of bait and line are you fishing? How big are these piles?

Nice fish! Looks almost like the same one in your avatar!