Bluebasser86

It's for doing the hook removal technique where you normally use doubled over line around the hook shank. Push down on the hook shank and yank. Just a little more solid way to do it. I've actually seen a hook removal kit with something similar, but it was a plastic handle with heavy mono to loop around the hook.

It's been a long week, I need to smell that bass smell bad!

That's what I'm thinking. Probably the Albino color with a chartreuse stripe drawn on it. I'm guessing Amart could get on the phone and get about whatever color he wants from anyone made and shipped overnight.

Thankfully I have a boy so I have a Dock Demon instead of Barbie. You have to use them as leverage though. "I'm buying this because it's cheap now so he'll have his own stuff when he gets old enough". It rarely works but I'll keep using it.

X2, it's a very common thing to see during the summer months, especially towards the end of summer like right now.

You were fishing a frog, you're going to miss some fish plain and simple. Like others said, use braid and at least a 7' MH/F rod and set like you mean it. You're trying to drive 2 big, heavy hook points into what is usually a pretty bony part of a bass' mouth. Like I said though, it's going to happen regardless with a frog.

I fish the Pad Crasher in very thick slop as well as open areas and get bit both places. Are you fishing it fast across the thick stuff? It takes a little more time for them to find it and attack in thicker cover. I usually fish it pretty slowly so they have time to find it and it works pretty well.

Welcome!

There's lots of custom builders out there, but like I said I highly doubt you're going to find one for very cheap.

Rod thickness doesn't indicate rod power, except maybe in low end rods. I only have Vendetta spinning rods but I feel like they fish pretty true to their ratings. I'd still take both but I usually have about 30 rods in the boat at all times.

Big catfish would about rip the rod out of your hands on the strike and a big carp would take off very fast. A big bass could very easily snap 17lb copolymer in heavy cover like that. The biggest bass I've caught in KS was in a public body of water they call a lake but it's only about 10 fishable acres. I've caught 7 pounders out of ponds that I could cast across. Lots of factors play into fish size, not just the size of the body of water. It sounds like you lost a monster bass to me. Learn from this experience and get some braid on that rod when you're fishing heavy grass! I wouldn't go lighter than 50lb from the sounds of what you're describing.

Not sure you're going to be able to get custom baits for cheaper than a Deps. Mattlures offers a soft carp and catfish (also common in inner city lakes/ponds). I found a few goldfish baits with a Google search.

Almost every rod company is going to make a rod in that range that you described. Maybe help narrow it down a little by telling us if you have a particular use you're buying it for or if you have a company you like/have in mind.

I know some guys that like Eastern Kansas Bassmasters because of the buddy format. I use to fish in Leavenworth Bass Club and liked it pretty well. Don't know much about any of the others.

If you want bigger fish then throw a big shad swimbait. The smallies in Melvern seem scared of deep water. All the smallies 3-5 pounds I've caught out there I bet the deepest was 8' excluding winter months. The biggest was in less than a foot in the middle of the day and the biggest one I've hooked (6+) was also less than 1' deep, also in the middle of a bright, sunny day.

Only keeper walleye I've caught out there was on a trap during the spawn on a day so nasty that I was the only fool crazy enough to be out there. Trolling motor was coming out of the water about every wave with a 20+mph north wind pounding into the dam. Caught that 1 20" male and lost a much heavier fish shortly after it bit. I never seem to time it right though.

Welcome!

If anyone wants to tag along I'm heading to Cedar Valley Thursday. Going to be windy so be ready for that.

Going to be quite awhile before I've got that kind of cash laying around and wouldn't feel guilty spending it on myself instead of the family.

Looks like a fun day!

I usually have a pretty good idea about what a fish should weigh, so unless it's way off from that I'm not terribly worried.

Looks like a Megabass Spark Shad.

I've done it a few times. It works like most everything else does out there of you fish it long enough. Trouble is you go through a sinker about every drop.

Welcome!

You use muscles to draw a bow you don't use for anything else. I wish my shoulder was just sore. It's feeling a little better today though so I'm hoping it's healing up.