OkobojiEagle

OP... I think you should deal with your aversion to leaders. oe

Sounds like you're getting what you paid for... LESS oe

Buy fewer baits... oe

Not since my college zoology class 40 years ago... oe

I'll try to frame this question more precisely than my last attempt. If you carry a multi-tool (or Swiss army type pocket knife), what model is you're favorite? More importantly, what tools does it have you consider necessary and what tools does it have you consider a waste of space. While I've been given several "no name" multi-tools I haven't found any of them to be useful enough to carry either in my boat or my pocket when hiking/shore fishing. I do carry a Victorinox Swiss army knife... camper model. A 4" knife (closed) it has 2 knife blades (the smaller of which I wish was serrated) a saw blade which I consider indispensable, bottle opener/flat head screw driver/wire stripper, can opener/smaller flat head screw driver, awl and a cork screw which I wish was replaced with a hook. The toothpick and tweezers I consider useless. Thanks for reading and contributing. oe addendum: If I could redesign this knife I would replace the cork screw with a hook, exchange the shorter knife blade with a serrated blade (both mentioned above), and replace the can opener with a diamond dusted file.

What is your multi-tool of choice?

Shimano drag grease has stayed put the best of several brands I've tried. oe

I have a couple rods I shortened that I now wish were a little longer... oe

When did "finesse" become synonymous with "light weight"? oe

If I'm ripping it through weeds give me a closed bend... if open water a R-bend. oe

Can you attribute more or larger bass to either reel? oe

x2... Ribster has a very subtle tail wiggle when presented "Brewer style". oe

I think more in terms of representing prey of some type to the bass... when dragged along the bottom it represents crawfish or some species of insect -- when swimming in the water column it represents some species of prey fish. The weight, whether mid-hook shank or at the hook eye, is only to assist in the presentation. A "jig" and "fly" are the same in my eye... only presented at different depths. Whether or not a trailer is used doesn't enter into my thought process. oe

I've tied/fished various patterns of hair jigs over the years, but for the last few years I've favored a Brewer Spider head tied with bucktail and either a thin zonker strip or a Brewer boot-tail grub. I prefer the zonker strip be tied "fur downward" as it fishes with less " fur poof". oe

Noise bothers me oe

Even with a leader this line will abrade above the leader... oe

Rapala Flat Rap oe

Yes, the RS model... I don't know anything about the glass Raps. oe

The plastic Shad Raps are suspending... oe

Do you find yourself throwing #5 (2") or #7 (2 1/2") plastic Shad Raps to your smallmouth? oe

Yes, the Ribster and Swimmin' Ribster have been two of my mainstay smallie baits for the last couple years... oe

I know people who have had their PayPal account used by thieves just as many people have their credit card accounts stolen... there is some security to using cash when possible. oe

That isn't an average Joe's usual outfit... oe

Warm lined golf gloves. Spray them with a waterproofing spray... oe

Found Hooked-Up Tackle this morning... you might have to phone them with an order as their website was acting up for me. Thanks for getting me started Logan. oe