K_Mac

A 7' MH-F BPS rod with an 7:1 Extreme reel combo would be a fine C-rig combo in my opinion. $99 is a great price. The faster reel will help you to get a better hook set IMHO. Good luck.

Chris I believe your intent in this post is to share your experience and knowledge, and help others be better crankbait fishermen. I thank you for that. Crankbait fishing is an area of weakness for me, and I want to be better, so I read your views with interest. I really like what Paul Roberts said about content being delivered by style. Great teachers are not always the greatest scholars, they are the ones who can communicate and share their knowledge effectively. Content is also revealed by context. When you use the context of Paul Elias said/I say, you're setting your views against his. You are not necessarily saying he's wrong and you're right, but in that context it can appear that way. When you do that with someone as respected as Elias you're going to ruffle some feathers. Just my opinion; it's worth what you paid for it.

Not having one too close ain't all bad. Getting in and out of the store without braking the budget can be challenging.

There are some seriously sick collectors on this sight.;D The Natural posted some pictures a while back that were very impressive (in an OCD sort of way). Raul still has some high end tackle from the early seventies (in its original packaging) hermetically sealed in a top secret storage facility. I don't really have the resources to collect, but would if I could. 8-) I do have a great time fishing with my modest collection, and I think for many of us collecting is just part of the joy of the sport. I do confess to getting a little thrill from pictures of the good stuff... :

I have spent $$$ at BPS and never had any problems that they didn't take care of professionally. I think you will like that PQ reel. It is a steal at that price.

"You're a hooker?!" Arthur "Did you order the code red?"

A friend of mine has a Shimano Castiac that he uses for flipping. To re-engage the reel you simply flip the thumb release up with your thumb. I've used it a couple of times. It works well . http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_44485_100001001_100000000_100001000_100-1-1

I would start with a good topo map to identify possible spots and try get as much local information as possible. Then I would spend some time looking at sonar to determine the depth fish were holding. If you can find structure at that depth, close to deep water you have a starting point. If you find bait fish in the neighborhood you're good to go. That is what I would do. Some would start shallow at the backs of creek channels. I see the pros catching fish shallow in all seasons, but that is not my strength. Good luck.

Hunt for Red October "I'll have what she's having."

Number 2 is my favorite. It takes concentration and commitment to stay the course even in the face of overwhelming evidence. : That's my story and I"m sticking to it.

+1 Cabelas ProSport II 20 plus on my boat. I have a 24V system and use the third bank for my starting battery. If I were usung a 36V system I would use this same charger and a cheap one for my cranking battery. The four bank systems are much more expensive. It is on sale now for $30 off. Here is the link: http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat21276-cat600056_TGP&id=0043939018868a&navCount=11&podId=0043939&parentId=cat600056&masterpathid=&navAction=push&catalogCode=9IS&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat600056&hasJS=true

I think "common" Trilene XL in 8# for spinning and 12# for baitcast would be a good safe choice. As others have said, unless I know what a fisherman uses I would not buy anything fishing related. Most of us are very picky about fishing tackle, i.e., brands, sizes, colors, etc. Some of us even take a strange pleasure in the process of looking for, and buying tackle. A gift card with the promise of a night/day out using it would make a fine gift IMHO. Good luck.

This is the combo I would recommend. The reel alone normally goes for $60. They have the combo on sale for $70. I have 2 of the 6730 size reels that I use all the time. Excellent reels for the money IMHO. I would suggest the 6'6" MF Rod (#TTS-664-1) and the 6730x reel. The item # for this combo is 9IS-124431. If he doesn't use it, it will make one of the grand kids or you a decent combo. Good luck. BTW I have a son-in-law who is nowhere near good enough for my daughter also. I get it. :-/ http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=cat20166-cat20287&id=0065078124431a&navCount=5&podId=0065078&parentId=&masterpathid=&navAction=jump&catalogCode=9IS&rid=&parentType=&indexId=cat20287&hasJS=true

Catt if I were a Saints fan I would be singing too. ;D They put a serious beat down on Brady and the boys. 8-) Drew Barrymore Breeze Brees had himself quite a game. I hope ya'll go all the way.

My main emphasis is to learn my electronics better, and to use this knowledge to create way points of the lakes I fish regularly. I'm going to start a log of way point details to use as a tool for seasonal changes, weather conditions, high or low water conditions, etc.. My ultimate goal is to improve my off-shore/deep water skills.

The Pro Qualifier is on sale for $80 ($20 off regular price). A great reel for that price. The Extreme reels are a good value also. The Extremes have magnetic braking. The PQ has both magnetic and centrifugal.

Sounds about right. 8-) I generally use 10# Trilene XL on Med and 14# XL on MH.

I am glad to see I'm not the only one that still sharpens hooks.8-)Many, if not most who post here will just replace a hook that is dull. I also use Gammy hooks which only need an occasional touch-up. Works for me.

A 26"per turn reel is what I use (6.4:1 I think).

I use spinning tackle: A 6'6" MF rod, a 6730 Flueger President reel with green 8# Trilene XL. Next season I'm going to try Yo-Zuri hybrid because several on this board recommend it. The jig I use is the Buckeye Spot Remover, most often 1/8 oz. The lighter weight forces me to work it slowly. You can go a little heavier in wind or deeper water, but I use 1/8 oz down to @20'. My favorite worm is a Zoom Trickworm in Junebug, Redbug, Green pumpkin, or green pumpkin red. Those three general colors are my preference. A Zoom finesse worm is a little smaller, and I use that when they won't bite anything else. This is a bait that will catch fish anytime of year IMHO. Good Luck.

Wickyman we agree that knowing your strengths is a major key to success. 8-) I catch a lot of fish on wacky rigged Senkos and Stickos, either weightless or on a weighted hook or jig. I can work it a variety of ways. Same with a jig; pitch it, hop it, swim it, whatever I know it works. Add a shakyhead and trickworm to the mix and I'm ready to go. I do have 3 or 4 go-to colors-not a sexy one in the bunch. : Edit: I usually have three or four other things ready to go... :-?

I just watched a repeat of the BASS Angler Of the Year final event, won by KVD. I think every fish he caught (on camera anyway) was on a SK Sexy Shad crankbait. He was in a tight race with $200K and AOY on the line. I know he is sponsored by SK, and that particular bait and color are his deal, but I have to believe he was using the bait that he thought gave him the best chance of winning. He is a seriously competitive guy. I think there are times when color means nothing. I have seen other times when it is the difference between getting bit or not.

I would start in the deepest channel near the pads, and work back towards the pads looking for irregularities of any kind. If I found anything I would thoroughly work that area. I would then work the edges of the pads pitching a jig, beaver, or brushhog. Any pads isolated from the main mass would get special attention. I would also carefully work back from the dam exploring the main channel. A good topo map will save a lot of time. Even though I have a good GPS/Sonar unit with a good maps installed, I still like a paper copy to give an overview while searching. In a shallow lake like this it doesn't take much to hold fish. I fish a shallow power plant lake that has a few little humps and stumps. If you can find those spots, you probably can catch fish, sometimes a bunch of fish. Don't rely on GPS to keep you located on the spot. A marker or two can make a huge difference. A Carolina rig is my go-to; others use crankbaits. Advice is often worth what you pay for it. Just my rambling thoughts. Good luck.

I use a 6'6' MF BPS Extreme rod with a high speed Extreme reel. This combo is on sale now for $99.

I don't think it makes much difference. Assuming the same quality, if whatever outfit you pick up is dialed in properly, there doesn't seem to be much difference IMHO. The real difference is going form lighter tackle to heavier, or heavy to light, and I think that is just part of bass fishing. I change tackle according to the conditions, and I like the variety. Just my .02