RoLo

I'm with you Captain Glad to see the other Roger is still on the map

No open water up here in Ontario. :'( ;D Yeah, but just being in Ontario makes the wait worthwhile Roger

You make an excellent point (three-zone coverage) and one that isn't mentioned nearly enough Roger

Dodgeguy, The fact that invisx doesn't behave like fluoro is probably a RED flag! According to a line study conducted by TackleTour, Seaguar Invisx was the absolute worst performing fluorocarbon of the bunch. The abrasion-resistance of Seaguar Invisx was 35% "worse" than Trilene XL (nylon mono). As though that weren't bad enough, Seaguar Invisx was also the very worst for stretch-resistance, demonstrating 38% MORE stretch than Trilene XL (nylon mono). Roger

;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D I had that comin' Muddy, and your wish will most likely be granted. Roger

Welcome to the forum (Lake Monroe is a sleeper, but I'll bet you know that) Roger

OH BOY, I'd give that one a long hard look, before jumping into the pot. I'm not being a smart alec when I say that I've used wire leader for pike that was more supple than some of the fluorocarbon out there. Bone-up on the REAL STORY about fluorocarbon monofilament, not manufacturers claims or their sponsoned tourney pros. I think you might be shocked to learn about the true stretch-resistance of fluoro, it's true abrasion resistance and the true worth of refractive index. Roger

I think you raised a very critical point, and a good case for braid. Roger

Well, I know how good it feels when someone else appeases MY feelings of guilt, so I decided to return the favor She's just some women who enjoys outfishing me...every chance she gets ;D Roger

> Gambler Cane Toad > Heddon Super Spook Jr. > Cavitron Buzzbait > Booyah Buzz (clacker) > Spro Bronzeye Frog Jr. > Stanley Ribbit Frog > Rebel Magnum Pop-R > Ah, who are we kidd'n? When the topwater bite is on, bass will hit a bobber on a string if it's properly worked Roger

Welcome to the forum As a rule-of-thumb I use as little hardware as possible in both freshwater and saltwater. Nothing comes through nasty weeds better than a plain line and a tiny knot. Hardware gives the line one more place to wrap around, it increases water resistance, it's a horrific weed catcher and after protracted use, the wire will ultimately test lower in strength than the line. Even triple-tempered spring steel becomes work-hardened over time because continual flexing crystallizes the molecules which causes brittleness. All that said, for rigging Carolina-style a barrel-swivel is needed (#10 Spro). When there's a lot of lure switching, it's nice to exploit the quick-change convenience of a "coastlock snap". Where lure rotation in involved, a "ball-bearing swivel" can be a godsend to prevent ugly line-twisting. Nonetheless, I've never found the need to use them both together (snap-swivel). Roger

We've had good success with the giggy heads in conjunction with giggy sticks and roboworm zipper shakin worms. Right now though, we're doing better with strike king finesse worms (jiggled on bottom). Unfortunately, the giggy heads can't handle the springback of 3x plastic, and push backward off the retainer. For the SK finesse worms I use the "Slider Spider Classic Head - SPCH8B-U" (direct from Charlie Brewer). This is the breakdown: > 1/8 oz > Z-bend shank (retains elaztech plastic) > 3/0 hook > Heavy-wire hook > Round-bend hook I have one issue with them however, and it's that 'short' hook-barb. I lost a real good bass just days ago, and I'm still not sure what happened > Roger

Polyethylene Braid (PowerPro) On the downside, you need a good hook-remover Roger

Apparently I fish rat-l-traps differently than most, because I fish them at any depth I want. The Rat-L-Trap to me is a countdown lure, and the 1/2 oz Rat-L-Trap sinks roughly 1-foot per second. The beauty of a lipless plug is that it won't dive any deeper once you begin cranking, but runs at a reasonably stable depth. Regardless of the depth, if I want to the trap to hug the bottom, I just stop reeling after a given number of cranks, wait for the plug to reestablish bottom contact, then resume cranking. In this same manner, you can run the rat-l-trap 30-feet deep if you so desire. While some plugs like a bandit 100, will rise over brushpiles when stalled, the rat-l-trap sinks fast when its paused, and this gives the angler full depth control. Of course, rod-tip height will alter the running depth, and needs to be incorporated with most lures, but really isn't necessary with a rat-l-trap. Roger

I've been highly interested (obsessed) in wildlife since around the age of 7 or 8. Today I can identify close to 100% of the birds I hear based on their song or note. Toting artificial din into the great outdoors would only make me feel lonely and disjointed. I've spent years fishing on the Atlantic Ocean and never once even thought about music. Sorry Steve Tyler, I'd rather listen to Franklin gulls ;D The unmistakable splash of a feeding bass can be heard a looong distance, but not if natural sounds are overwhelmed by manmade noise Roger

Florida lakes are fluid now, and there's no sign of iceboats or skaters :

5" Gambler Flapp'n Tail Worm Without any appendages, she slides nicely through the slop. On a 1/2 oz Owner Sled-Head Jig, the tail thumps on the fall. Roger

It goes without saying, bass can be caught on a spinnerbait in calm, clear water, but that wouldn't be playing the percentages. The number of unproductive retrieves can usually be reduced by using the most appropriate lure. "ANYTHING" that skews the image of the spinnerbait tends to improve it's success: > Nighttime > Overcast Skies > Choppy Water > Murky Water > Any Combination of the above Roger

I don't think you'd be unhappy with any one of those blanks. I'm pretty sure that most anglers would recommend the St Croix Legend, but I'm 'very' pleased with every Shimano rod I ever owned, and would probably go Shimano all the way. Roger

Spinnerbaits are an excellent imitation of NOTHING! Accordingly, they work best when the bass's vision is sharply compromised, for instance at night, in murky water or under a wind-blown surface that skews the image Roger

Another PowerPro here

Welcome to the forum At night, the name of the game is "Max Vibes". Two or more blades tend to override each other's vibration, producing a muddier signal. Nothing produces a crisper thumping action than a large "Single Colorado" blade. Roger

I believe there are 14 pits in Tenoroc, and the two largest pits are also among the best: Lake-5 - 227 acres - 2 ramps Lake-B - 206 acres - 2 ramps Honorable mentions include Lake-2 (25 acres), Lake-3 (76 acres), Lake-4 (43 acres) and Shop Lake (26 acres). Roger

"Tacklebox" as in singular? Surely you jest Well, That's Some Of It Anyway Roger

Welcome to the Bass Resource forums Before Spruce Run was inundated, I used to hunt small game there when it was known as the Clinton Public Shooting Grounds. When it was first opened to the public for fishing, little bass could be caught everywhere from the shore of Spruce Run. A few years later, bass weren't everywhere but their average weight was much improved. I guess I'm a poor reference because I haven't fished Spruce Run since 1992, but at that time, we did best in the headwaters toward Willoughby Brook in the upper third of the reservoir. (don't forget Cranberry Lake, it's loaded with bass & pickerel). Roger