Spankey

St. Croix Premiere Series Crankbait Rods Abu Garcia Veritas "Winch" Rods Mid Range, Low Range? They work.

I think you will be surprised and satisfied with the Premiere Series of St. Croix Rods. I see you mentioned fishing an Ugly Stik. There is nothing wrong with an Ugly Stik. You will see night and day difference between the two. I can see your point on keeping the Mojo. But one who fishes both I prefer the Premiere Series Casting Rods.

Rapala’s are great baits and that pattern will work anywhere in the country. If I could give you a suggestion, try that in the bluegill pattern. Not the live image bluegill but the original Rapala bluegill. Crankbait fishing is a big part of my fishing. I have no plans to cut back on it.

I label stuff also. Not quite like that by in a way that makes thing easy to find and go right after. My soft plastics I store in RubberMaid types of containers. By style. Some I keep the associated terminal with it but for the most part I don’t need to do that. My crankbaits and topwater I store in Plano boxes and label them by style and manufacturers.

I use the Shad Rap and believe in it. Like Harold I've been using it close to 40 years. But, I have not tried the Berkley Bad Shad. I might buy a couple to compare them. Without using one I feel you'll do well with it. You have to try it and believe it. Make it work for you. It is a reactionary type bait.

Body is the same. Lip is deeper diver. The majority of the XD I throw are 3XD. My patterns I have in the Pro 3 and the 3XD to get me deeper. I do like the Strike Kings Pro Models in that size range.

There are 4 DICK'S in close proximity to me. 15 - 30 min. drive. Just have not been to one in awhile. I take it this is going to take place at all DICK'S? Guns and ammo have been a recent issue with them. As Sportsmen they deserve to be boycotted. Which I have. But I'm not going to push my views in that. To each his own. If that's a direction they want to go with their stores I'm fine with it. I hunt and shoot sporting clays also. So this establishment is not geared to me for support anymore.

I had gotten to Galyans on a few occasions when I'd get down to Virginia. Nothing like that was at my finger tips at home. Was able to pick up many things I couldn't get at home. Would shake my head and say this wasn't fair. I don't live in the bass mecca of the country. Things will be limited and only be what they are for me. There is only one true mom and pop shop in my area, they've been there since the 50's, true family run since than. They are a pleasure to do business with. I use them as much as possible. My grandsons love it there. Hope they can keep it going for them. There was a pop shop (not sure of any mom) in my area that many of the locals including myself did not patronize very much. Guy had an attitude and possessed no people skills what so ever. He sold out to a young guy who is giving it heck. He's doing good and turning that place around. It's a bit of a pleasure to go there now. Pick up a few things, share some fishing tips, order in what you want, share a few pics. Things are looking up there. Word on the street is locals are liking it a lot better. Owning a tackle shop is a tough business. Location means everything. Internet doesn't help. Maybe have on-line ordering. Have a decent web site. Have to have good hours. Have to have hours that revolve around fishing. Have good live bait selection. This is what most guys complain about in my area. It doesn't really affect me but I can see where people are coming from. I grew up trout fishing at a pretty young age and hammered all the trout streams in the tri-county area. And still do. I remember being in quite a few bait and tackle shops that are no longer around. Different time, different way of life than.

That rod would have never broken if he had kept this hand off of it. He took any mechanical advantage of the rod away. That fish was not even that big. The rod was most likely a quality rod. You can get away with that with an ugly stick. GREAT VIDEO. Everyone should see this clip. Most educational thing on here in awhile. That thing went off in his fingers like a firecracker. I'd bet dollars to donuts he never done that again.

Get a nice Frabill net it will last you lifetime.

I Just started my rituals with my lines , reel tear downs, cork and foam cleanings on rod handles. Dinning room looks like a tackle shop. I have a relatively short list of things to stock up on and new things or colors I want to try. Don’t need all that much. Last season I fished some McCoy line and some SUNLINE Super Natural. Liked them both. Want to see if I can find them in bigger bulk size spools. Cured one bout of depression last Saturday and picked up a new St. Croix Rod I had ordered the week before. Will do a reel search on my next depressed state of mind.

I’m sorry to hear that but now hearing it from someone else I might feel just a Tiny bit better. I’m not gonna dis them. I’ll give them a try again here or there, sometime again between now and never. Do like the beavers though.

Gentlemen I’ll tell you why I hesitated. Has nothing to do with price. Last season I tried to get on board with these baits called Zee Baits. Another batch of guys from my area that are putting out baits. And I’m not Dissing these Zee Baits. It’s not like I tied up a small fortune in them or anything. I’m not doing for diddly with them. They do put out this angry beaver that I’ve caught fish on. I’m using a few color patterns that have been working. Other mfg. of creature beavers work well for me and I did feel from the get go these Zee’s would also. I could not buy a fish on their other styles. Again I am not dissing the baits. It’s me. Not meant to be for me. Was not a lack of fishing them hard or not hard enough. So I turned my back and moved on. I had to. I’m not going to be totally frustrated with a piece of plastic. I can’t. I might try a few of the FITT creatures and craws. This will be my starting point. I did not look to see if the were doing tubes. I’ve made out ok with any tube I’ve generally tried over the years.

FITT Baits, what do you guys know about them? Seen them for the first time today. Saw half a wall full of them at the shop today. What did catch my eye was the company was d**n near in my backyard here in Penna. Made here or just packaged here? Japanese baits? Chinese baits? Doesn't say made in the US, just reference Timbucktoo PA. Just curious, not dissing anything. They are what they are. Packaged well, premium priced. I know it didn't bite, at least not yet. Would like to get a sample first. Some patterns were unique. A few on the line of standard craws. They might be the next best thing since sliced bread. Who knows.

Like most of you guys it is a bit of a hike to go to Bass Pro Shop or Cabela's. I use to enjoy going there. Not sure if its just me or not but I think they slipped off when the started to push their branded items. I'm not interested in all the XPS Lures, Line and BPS Worms and all. Cut back on that stuff and put real tackle manufacturers in the stores and go back to being full line dealers. But maybe it's just me.

I have to agree with you on the Abu Veritas gen 2 rods. The ones I have are great. No regrets on buying those rods. I’ve been using a REVO “Winch” Reel with the lower gear ratio and been loving that also. That “Winch” rod and reel set up was one of the best purchases I’ve made. Made for crankbait fishing and that’s all I use it for. Didn’t break the bank either. TW sale days made it too good to pass on. Hard to believe some of the negative Veritas reviews but what do I know. I’m not having issues now. Who know what tomorrow will bring.

You and I are from basically the same neighbor hood. I hated to hear about French Creek Outfitters to some degree. But that place has been on a real slide for awhile. They have not had a good selection in a few years. Plenty of stuff guys didn’t want. Their selection of decent rods and reels has not been there for a couple of years. They were good for Salty Spiders and SS components. But I’ll get around that. I Recently wanted them to order something for me and they sort of blew me off. Sort of glad I got blown off, better than getting stiffed out of $200. I should have put two and two together when their Zoom selection went down to nothing A long time ago. Oh well nothing last forever.

Over rated, under rated I guess that’s all in the eyes and hands of the beholder. I like the St. Croix sticks I use. I fish the Premiere series spinning rods and Premiere Crankbait Rods. My Avid Spinning Rods I fish all plastics on them. Don’t own a St Croix that is a grade higher than them. No need for me to really. They could be over rated. I wish they were a bit cheaper in price. I don’t know. I like my results with them and I like their warranty. Over all the years I’ve used it twice but they took care of me. No $$$$ out of my pocket. Had to pay shipping one way but that was easy. Rod went back, I got a new rod. Register your stuff, save the headache later. Abu Garcia Rods. Have been fishing a few of them. “Veritas” series. I am way More over pleased as to how that is going. I like them. I like what they put out as a Moderate action rod. Shimano. I’ll always be a Shimano guy. Have always been able to get a partS if I needed it or just wanted to replace something. I somewhat recently had a issue with a 3000 NASCI. Just did not feel right after short usage. Called them, boxed it and sent it to the person they told me to. Few weeks later a new 3000 NASCI is on my doorstep. Daiwa I feel just about the same way. I’m still using a Tournament SS from the 80’s. I rebuilt it. Big deal. At least it was made with the ability to rebuild. Still use it on the river fishing grubs for Smallies. The higher end Daiwa spinning stuff is good. You couldn’t give me a Quantum reel. I’d give it away or sell it for cents on a dollar. Their Customer Service sucks. Parts source is terrible. Had A simple issues with a reel that I really did like. Their answer was to send it back with what ever the $$$ amount was and they would sent me what was an upgraded reel. I wasn’t going that direction. I machined a part and fixed it myself. I’d just never go the Quantum direction again.

I found that out in a similar situation. Had to step it up. Cured that cutting in problem.

RoboWorm and Berkley Power Worm. Power Worm is gonna be a Curly Tail these days. Their straight tail finesse and flat small paddle days are long gone. I still have some but have not seen them in years. RoboWorm puts out a nice straight tail and curly tail. I do use a variety of colors but I don’t think color that important. Again I stay away from red. It just does not work for me. Other will swear by it. Don’t over look Don Ivo brand, YUM stuff, GY and others. There are a few BPS branded worms I like also.

Drop shot, Split Shot and Lite T-Rigging is my favorite way to fish. I fish the most common colors but I like to pick up a slight variation Of them and fish it hard and get some type of positive results. Then at times I like fishing Shad, Bluegill and baitfish patterns. Admittedly I am not into reds. A color I just do real well with. Have a developed a phobia about them.

The river is pretty much my home spot. I can be at 3 ramp locations anywhere from 20 min. to 40 minutes from home. Locations are pretty much equally as good from one to another. The lake is a home spot for me also. Fishing that more and more often. The river has suffered some Mother Nature issues. I fish the norther most part of it. That’s about 45 min. I could be at it quicker if I wanted to fish the lower section. My times are not rushed, sort of just take my time and diddly bop my way up. Not that it’s a big road trip or anything but I make to the Big “D” and the Susky a few times a year also.

Great post. Like all of you I been handed the same scenarios. Takes me a while to get over it. I have to blame myself 7 ways to Sunday first. Have all the could-a, would-a, should-a’s play through my mind first. It’s what keeps you/me fishing.

I don’t think river smallies care about Ned Rig head color. They don’t seem to care about jig head color on a Power Grub or Kailen or Zoom Grub either.

I did not catch a personal best this past season. Did catch both a Smallie and Greenie over 4+. Very respectable fish in the North East. Power Worm, RoboWorm and GY KutTail. Will be producers this season as well I suspect. I’ve jig fished more this past season and produce a mixed bag size wise. One particular jig I gotten huge hits on but have only managed smaller bass with it. Not sure if I have to modify something with the jig or possibly the huge hits were Muskies. Might not know the answer until I hookup a decent Mr. Green Jeans or a Muskie. I am sticking with that jig this season.