OkobojiEagle

What is being meant by "direct drive handles"? I've read some older spinning reels had no drag system and the spool was solidly linked to the handle... you were constantly engaged in a "backreel mode". These spinning reels have been referred to as direct drive. My hunch is the reference in this thread is of the handle being screwed directly into the main gear not running "through" the main gear and screwing into the cap on the opposite side...? oe

I believe the "stoutness" of your hook isn't as important as the amount of gap when using a relatively light swimbait. I want to have at least twice the hook gap as I have depth of plastic bait. A lighter gauge of wire will penetrate more easily... the hook barb will have a bigger impact upon keeping the bait hooked than the gauge of the hook. oe

I don't fish Senkos... I use caffeine shads instead. They "shimmy" to the bottom nicely when fished weightless with an Owner twist-lock hook but can also be actively fished through sparse weeds in jerk bait fashion. Grubs I fish on a mushroom jighead exposed point or small wide-gap weighted swim bait hook. Tubes I fish as my grubs with internal weighted exposed point tube jigheads or the same weighted swim bait hooks I use with grubs. Good fishing... oe

I'm not a fan of skirted jigheads with "weed guards". They bury themselves too often in rocks and usually require more than a sweep-set. That said, the Neko rig and drop-shot are presented and retrieved very similarly, as well as, both techniques employee a sweep-set effectively. Fished 20" apart maybe you've got that "lookin' down/lookin' up" thing covered. I usually use a leech pattern bunny "hare" tied bait when drop-shotting. It is virtually weightless when fished and would just follow along as the Neko rig is actively fished. Just an interesting idea as I wait for the rest of the ice cover to melt from my local lakes... oe

Come on, admit it. Someone out there has tried fishing a drop-shot tied bait over a Neko rig... fess up and spill the beans about how it worked! oe

Sure you can..."I do, I do!"

Someone lands you "below the belt" and you'll quiet down pretty quickly also... oe

Small world, so do I... You're revealing some pretty heavy bias. oe

There is nothing magical about 26" IPT, 22"IPT, 19"IPT or even 15"IPT. They are simply measurements that can be used to compare different reels. They are not indicators of the speed at which your bait presentation will be.... a more important factor is how fast you are turning the handle. Paying attention to how you're presenting the bait and hundreds of repetitions will develop a successful retrieve cadence. The most important statement in Tom's response was "I use 5.8:1/24-26 IPT size 300 round reels for deep diving cranks FOR DECADES..." oe

Since you asked... I do a comparative measurement between my reels by pulling about 20' of line off the reel, measuring the distance returned with 5 handle revolutions then dividing by 5. Gets me what I want to know. (My casts are more in the 30 yard+ range) oe

The above responses assume that the original bait is the bait that will most attract a bass... it is entirely possible the subtle difference that a knock-off posseses may actually be more effective. oe

One more life lesson learned... oe

23"- 25" line retrieve rate oe

LMAO

Fish the trickworm... oe

Updated 4/17/2018... Nice bass Andrew! (let me know if I've missed any) oe

My modus operandi for grubs is skittering them across the bottom as I interpret craw dads to do, so I keep my colors to pumpkin or green pumpkin. I use a soft plastic swim bait in Ayu colors to swim higher in the water column. oe

Mepps #3 & #4 are my choice. Only a couple posters wrote about the line twist... listen to them, it's a real problem with this lure. A swivel attached to the front helps but doesn't eliminate the twist. This lure will grab and foul on absolutely everything in the water! If a northern pike is within 6 miles of this lure it will find it!!! Like RoadWarrior, I choose an underspin before I grab my in-line spinners. oe

Good rule of thumb... oe

Which anglers are catching the bass? oe

When buying socks always buy two pair of the same style/color. When you put a toe through one or the dryer eats one, you still have a pair and an extra. When you lose the second sock, you're still golden. oe

There should be several factors to consider in choosing a spinning reel. Line capacity, balance with intended rod, line retrieve speed, drag strength, having a bearing under the line roller, having a backreel toggle. All of these considerations should be important to you, especially as you're handicapping yourself with such a light power rod choice... oe

Comparable quality?... I can't honestly tell you as Lunker City's Swimmin' Ribster has worked just fine for me over the last several years so I haven't had a need to spend more. oe

When in my boat I prefer the Emperor's sandals... oe

3 & 3... oe