OkobojiEagle

Shak-e2 is a good stand-up head. I don't know why you think the bait needs to stand straight vertical. Defensive craws and feeding bait fish don't spend much (if any) time in a perfect vertical position. If the tails suspend above the bottom it seems good enough to me. oe

Warmouth... good system. I limit myself to one 3600 box for all hard baits, top to bottom. I think of them as a set of tools, each for a different need. Top water, one each: LC Gunfish 95, smaller Gunfish, Zara Puppy, Frenzy popper, baby Torpedo, Jitterbug, slow rising Flat Rap and a Storm Wiggle Wart wake bait. Colors are pretty much bait fish/ reflective except for the bullfrog color popper. The jerkbaits are ghost/ reflective or perch colors. 1: Pointer 65, 3:Pointer 75, 2: Slender Pointer 75, 1: Pointer 100, 1: Pointer 95 silent, 2: Staysee 95, 1: Flat Rap weighted to suspend. I'm considering replacing one or both Staysee 95s with a Pointer DD100. These jerk baits and the top waters are my most used hard baits. Lipless rattlers... 1 each Excalibur X-50 blue/chrome/orange; the newer Strike King (can't think of the model name) sexy shad color; and a firetiger Frenzy rattler. Unlike Farmer, I like the Rapala baits and haven't had quality problems with them, but I do fish them slower and more gently than many anglers I've fished with. Suspending Shad Raps: 1:4, 1:5, 2:7s and 1:8 perch and shad colors. Floating cranks consist of 1: Bandit shallow diver; 1: original Wiggle Wart; the original DT series in blue gill color 4, 6, 10 & 14; DT 4 & 6 parrot; DT 14 & 16 crawfish. That pretty much fills my 3600 box. I fish smallmouth over rocky points, weed edges and docks (no fallen timber). I'm always open to suggestions if I've made a glaring omission. oe

I've never purchased a Norman lure, but have fished Bandit cranks... why choose a Norman over a Bandit? oe

Apparently Dave Mercer got it wrong. oe

Thinner diameter braid = less visible, casts farther, drives hard baits deeper, cuts weeds easier. oe

For those of you that limit the number of crankbaits and jerkbaits you carry, how few have you gotten to and which ones have made your cut? I'm most interested in those used for lake smallie fishing. oe

Thanks for the thorough review Mikey. oe

Thanks McBob... making memories. oe

Thanks Teal, I'll look, but it must be 3 or 4 years old. oe

Teal... I believe Invisabraid is un-dyed Ultra-Cast. I've been disappointed since Pure Fishing discontinued my favorite... hi-vis yellow Ultra-Cast. oe

A REAL man wears pants big enough to have his laptop fit in the back pocket!!! oe

I think Shane has the right idea. oe

I fish 15lb Ulta-Cast... Is it invisible...No... Good braid... Yes... Worth the price... I think so oe

My recommendation is to try a spool of SpirderWire Ultra-Cast... and 50lb listed test braid of any variety (actual breaking strength >80lb) is way over-kill for bass. oe

I think this thread could use a little balance... I've used NanoFil for two seasons and like it. If you're comfortable using sub 10lb line I think you'll find this line has some nice attributes. oe

If you toddle on over to the "Rods, Reels & Line" forum, type "nanofil" into the search function box you'll be able to read up on it for the next hour or two. oe

Looking for someone who has fished the Pointer XD78 in clear enough water to watch it... Does it suspend and walk horizontally as the shallower Pointers do, or in a slightly nose-down attitude as the Staycee 90 does? oe

My conditions im fishing: Ponds 7 to 13 ft deep, Lakes 7 to 50 feet deep. I will be fishing these in early spring when ice thaws. Water temp would be 38 to 42 degrees (late march). Most likey be fishing from 5 ft to 10 ft of water at most. Pointer 75 & 100 and Slender Pointer 97 will run 5' - 7' deep... Staycee 90 will run 8' - 10' deep. I think you'll have better success suspending your jerkbait a couple feet above the bass. I also prefer my jerkbaits to suspend perfectly horizontal and walk as horizontal as possible. The Staycee suspends nose down and doesn't walk as smoothly as the Pointers. (I've never used the DD Pointers or XD Pointers) oe

I'd be fishing the Pointer's and Slender Pointer's more than the Staycee over that structure. oe

Will you be fishing these across points or over rock piles or grass flats? oe

I've thrown curly tail grubs as large as 6", but have settled in on 3" & 4" versions. When I want a larger "grub" I move to a boot tail grub... these days more commonly referred to as a swim bait. The larger curly tail grubs require a heavier head or faster retrieve to set the tail in motion. I most often want to fish them slower. I spend my winter months "tenderizing" grub tails to be fished the following season. Tenderizing = thinning the tails with an emery board till they are "wet noodle limp". Tenderized tails will undulate at a much slower speed with less jig head weight. oe

Buy a smaller reel. oe

Danica Patrick... on a really hot day... oe

My experience with Flicker Shads is they are harder to present than Shad Raps because they are smaller and harder to cast. They are good baits for both walleye and smallmouth when trolled. As said above... this isn't the best time of year for presenting any crankbait in your waters. oe

send it to DVT. oe