Spankey

Reel or Rod trade-in looks like it could help you out big time. Fishing Line deals also looks good. Pretty good haul for me to go to a location. On-line pricing looks good if items are in stock.

Z-Man stuff, grubs, tubes, drop shotting, split shotting, lite t-rigs, small creatures, 4"-5" finesse worms.

I went the reverse route. I recently bought an Avid 6’3” ML X-Fast. Using it for the same purpose you are for the most part. The Shimano is on the top of the list but want to compare it to a Daiwa, Abu and a Lew’s first. Taking my rod with me to get the right fit.

I hear that. I didn’t go overboard. Felt the need to bag of each. They only have two colors but productive colors.

The ones that are steep in price are the new comers. To me not time proven. Last season I bit on these called Zee Baits (few packs) local company to me. They suck. I’ll give them away to some kid down the river. Hope he catches a state record on them.

I’m sticking to my first reply about use of a curly tail grub. But a 4 1/2” Power Worm or RoboWorm is right there also.

Placed an order to stock upon a handful of Zoom things I use and saw and picked up some of the "Original Zoom Worm". Zoom is making and bringing back the 1970's style worm. I do not remember this worm. I was just a teen at that time and getting into a lot of artificial lures. I've been into Zoom since the 80's so I bought some to try. Colors were very limited on them. 6" worms only Green Pumpkin and Watermelon. Will work for me. Might be old news, I'm known to live under a rock. This site BR might not want to mention the well know supplier. Easy enough to figure out. Worm looks slightly smaller in diameter than the Finesse Worm and the Trick Worm with a flat tail. I bit, looks good.

There is nothing I love more than 4:45 am with the river like a sheet of glass and a Smallie exploding on a Rapala Skitter Pop or Pop-R. That will fire me up anyday. Finesse worms, tubes, craws and grubs I'm up with doing that. As well as crankbaits. I love it all.

I know you want to protect it and all but I would do anything to it. Keep fishing it. Look to getting a spare or second one and even start fishing that one also. Maybe I’m crazy and maybe I’m stupid but I find that my Old crankbaits Work better than when they were new. I fish a lot of Rapalas for Smallies and rocks can put dings in them (not cracks) down to the balsa. I fill that ding with nail polish. Couple of coats.

Much like swhit I do the labels thing on my Plano boxes and Rubbermaid containers. The ZipLoc gallon bags have really worked great for many years for deck stuff. Assorted plastics, assorted terminal tackle. Keeps things from Blowing if you move to a different spot. I just picked up two of the Bass Mafia Money Bags to use this season. They are heavy duty. I think they are gonna work out ok. BUT I really don’t think they are that superior. I just had to try them.

I have a decent selection of color patterns but I feel that I really only need a chrome w/ black back, chrome w/ blue back and gold w/ black back.

They are a great bait. I have my favorite Rat-L-Traps duplicated in the Spots as well. They may be slightly different in action, maybe but the results are the same to me. Many of years my first bass of the season has come of a Trap or Spot. I only own a few RE Shads but have had good results with them.

Falling out of the boat while acting like a fool was probably the worse. All was good, didn't break any of my stuff. Didn't loose the fish. Mid summer and was a bit refreshing but won't do that again. In about 7 feet of water. Paper stuff in my wallet get wrecked but that was the worse.

Nice fish man! My peeve (not really) is loosing a decent lure to those toothy critters while smallie fishing. Happened a handful of times. What can you do. I really don't fish for them, their just around. I can't boast for one that big but catching 40" and under on 6# and 8# test is a hoot.

I’m a Yank. Rat-L-Trap and Shad Rap is what I’m likely to throw first. But I use a Rat-L-Traps or Shad Raps all season with my other crankbaits.

Have never netted one. Don’t truly have a Musky net. Guess I have been under the impression their slime layer is sensitive or more sensitive. Lip gripper has been working fine. Have never let one hit my boat carpet. Not many bass either to be honest.

Fighting a 40” Musky on a 6’9” ML X-fast rod with 6-8# test is something. But as thrilling as it is, I really hate to exhaust a fish only to get my crankbait or spinnerbait back. This has only happened twice to me. I’m pretty sure the fish were alright. I was told back when I was a kid not to touch or hold Musky with your bare hands. So I never have. 24”-30” Musky can be handled half decent on 8#. Sometimes they make it easy on themselves by chomping and cut through your line. I am no Musky expert. Caught a hand ful smallie fishing. Lost a slightly bigger handful Smallie fishing. I never really fished for them. My catches were accidental. Along with a few nice sized channel and flathead catfish.

I know a guy who will throw a firetiger crankbait almost exclusively on the river for smallmouth bass. He told me one day that's what him and some game warden were talking about as being the most productive bait is for the river. I know a firetiger crankbait is one heck of a pattern. I'd like 10 cents for every smallie I've caught on one. But river smallie fishing goes deeper that the one trick pony firetiger CB. He's went home many of days skunked and chatted at the ramp about how bad the bite was. I know that I don't live or die by a firetiger pattern CB. Way too many other CB patterns that are just as productive. Way too many soft plastics that can be more productive on the river. But to each his own. Probably no right or wrong. Do your own thing, all I can do is offer him some other suggestions, we've been river rats for years and years.

As said this is a good post and thread. I appreciate the help I gained off of it. Thanks. I bit last night and ordered some 10” Power Worms. Black, Green Pumpkin and Watermelon. If it is in the cards to work for me these should work. Another option for this season. Got me thinking outside the box and away from the norm/comfort zone.

My biggest problem is I’m a creature of habit and I don’t try new approaches or think outside of the box enough. I’m gonna order two bags and have them to give it heck. I have everything to approach it. I see 10” worm as huge. Maybe it’s not. Thanks.

Great post, great replies. Y’all got this Northern Yankee Boy giving this approach some serious thought. I love soft plastics but generally am intimidated of anything over 6 1/2”. A pack of black and green pumpkin in 10” is all I need to get started. I would fish this with a 5/0 EWG and maybe a 1/4 oz. worm weight to keep it slow on the fall. Is my thinking correct?

Rat-L-Trap

Prescription progressive polarized glasses, mine happen to currentlybe in Columbia frames. Good stuff. They work great in low light conditions. Mine are brown polarized. The didn't break the bank and I can see better than any of the fit-over types I use to use before.

I have a phobia with braid. But I’m trying to get over it and using it more. Up here in Yankee Land I use the Trilene XT and Big Game. My line weights are not that heavy 12 - 15 lb. my buzz baits are on the light side also 1/8 oz., 1/4oz., 5/16 oz. & 3/8 oz. Max. I guess my lure weights increase a bit by eliminating skirts and tipping with frogs, toads and 4” grubs. My results have been a lot better since skirt removals. GREAT POST!

Most guys will say the Mojo blank is better. Might be SC III now. But back some years ago I got a taste of fishing with Premiere Series Rods with some boys that were trues Susky guys. I was hooked and have been since that time. I fish a few Avid Spinning Rods also. I just picked up the ML XF 6’3”. A rod is of personal feel, personal preference, the reel you are going to match it with is important. What feels great to me may not to you. I have a Mojo dropshot setup, oh I like but I FEEL the Premiere and Avids feel better in MY hands. I can only suggest you go and feel as many as you can during the winter and get a feel. I by no means am looking to sell you on anything. I have no stocks in St. Croix. I could be wrong on this also but don’t think so. I was at the shop last week to pick up my new rod. While there I handled a couple of Bass X’s and their lighter ML and Med. spinning rods did feel decent to me. Not as nice as an Avid, but very nice. It looks to me that they build them with one guide less. Not sure why they do that. Seem like I’m attracted to rods that are not painted or with finished blanks. Maybe that why the feel lighter.