Spankey

Hope I’m posting this in the right area. I’m a S.E. Penna. angler and just throwing it out there if getting a fishing get together is possible or there is any interest. I know it’s a bit late for this season but it’s possible for next. I’m willing to do my best to help pull this off. I’ve been involved with this on previous occasions. A lot smaller scale than what this site generates but it is possible to do I would think. Maybe this was something that was done in the past and its time for another one and I’ll be glad to help out. Maybe it is being done already and I’ve never picked up on it. Just a thought that been rolling around in my head. Maybe it is something that takes place already and you guys could use a bit more help in any way. I have not done any type of search here at BR as of now. Might be a huge undertaking due to the distance guys have to travel. Finding the right state ramps. Some are boaters some are yakers. Not sure what the interest is. Certainly not looking for a disaster or failure to happen either. I would want it to be put together well. Appreciate the feedback.

I'd rather catch (1) 10" river smallie on a beaver or 3" Power Grub than (15) rock-bass on a garden worms. This is not a dis to anyone who fishes live bait exclusively. Go for it. Stay with it. I can only say that in my bass fishing I'll never fish with live bait again. I remember all to clearly back when i was a young guy trying to make that transition to all artificials. I'd fish with some lures awhile and maybe didn't like my results and would dig into some type of stash of live bait I brought on the boat with me. Same thing on the next outing, and the outing after that...... Than that day came and I said to myself no more, I'm making this stuff work. I did, it happened and a complete different mind set set in. I probably have not bass fished with anything live since '81 or '82. I feel that I've worked too hard at artificials and paid my dues of live and learn with different artificials. But if someone want to fish with it, use it.

All species of fish other than just bass? Are you just talking bass smallmouth/largemouths?

In season I’m not buying many baits. So the Memorial Day, 4th of July and Labor Day sales sort of blow by me. But Black Friday and Easter I will take advantage of their price cuts. By than I know what I need to restock on. Get what you need to carry you through and stock up later. Especially if it’s a go to bait for you. On a local scale I can’t find any of the soft plastics I use. TW is the best outlet out there for me. But I understand everyone’s situation is different.

I had always been a big fan of the Shimano Symetre. Have a few. That reel was not sealed. A workhorse for me. That reel was stopped because of a name copyright infringement or some thing like that, at least that is what the factory guy told me. It it was taken over with the Nasci. This is sealed. I fish with a couple of them now also. I believe the Nasci is a step up to the Symetre. Priced the same. Newer technology. I think the seals are a great idea. What is there not to like about it. Whether you fish from the bank, boat or trout angling standing in a creek the potential for your reel to take a dunk is equal. When end it comes down to price difference in sealed vs. not sealed is roughly $20. I believe the Shimano Sahara is not sealed, $79. Nasci is sealed and $99. Plus most likely the Nasci has something else of an upgrade. Please correct me if I’m wrong. But this has been my logic since being a Nasci user.

I’ll take (3) tees, hat and decal. Can’t have enough decals to advertise for them for free.

Expand. Experiment. There is a lot of good stuff out there. I will not buy a rod rod or reel sight unseen or unfelt. In my area Abu Garcia is mostly in Wally World. Low end stuff. Quality that would turn you off. BUT Abu does put out some nice quality rods and reel. It’s in the true bass type shops.

That’s good stuff man. Good luck, have fun, be safe.

I bit on buying two 3/8 oz. patterns. I ‘ve gotten a lot of hits, bumps and taps in on them. I’ve landed a few smaller 1 - 1 1/2 lb. fish. I’ve made it a point to fish them every time out since I’ve gotten them. I believe I have to modify them or eliminate some of the head shape. I believe that is where my hook problem exists. The claws/pinchers are holding up well. They give you a spare replacement set. I posted a thread on buying these. I don’t have any regrets as of yet. I don’t have $100 tied up in them either, not going to overthink their live look effectiveness all to much. I have to hang in there with them. When I first got them I thought the smell of the material they were made of was a bit strong. I left the outside for about 5 days before I tied one on. That was not necessary to do that. I did get big hits and bumps from my first batch of casts with them. I feel I’m going to get a nice one on them. I’m willing to stick with them. I really don't fish much of anything LIVETARGET Brand. I do pretty well on Rapala crankbaits for the most part. Back a few years ago I got on a short kick to fish some Shad Raps and DT’s in their live image patterns. They produce very poorly for me. Channel cats seemed to have liked them. Oh well they caught me I guess. But it’s not like I have $100’s of dollars tied up in live image type stuff. I’m sure there is guys kicking butt with this stuff. LIVETARGET baits are hard to find in my area. There is a guy who had a good selection at one time but he is cut way back in his selections and quantities. When he had that selection I really wasn’t all that interested. I’m not a fan of that baitball look or what it is trying to mimic. Seems bogus. Especially on a 2 1/4” crankbait.

I’m 60, doesn’t feel old. How old are you guys.

Should you run into a jam again I’m pretty sure I have a couple stashed overhead in the basement from many moons ago. Maybe older than what you are using. Most likely a BPS Rods you can have. My grandsons just put a zebco closed gave on one of them.

I do like the McCoy. I’m using that on two spinning set ups that I throw nothing but lighter crankbaits on. Not to exceed 3/8 oz. stuff on. Using 8# clear on moderate rods. But do like it. I did not buy it in bulk. Just a couple of 300 yd. spools. Just willing to experiment before making 3000 yd. bulk spool purchases of 6# and 8#.

I ordered 6# and 8# SUNLINE mono, a spool of Sniper Fluoro and a few things to make life easier while fly fishing on Monday. My stuff was on the porch when I got home yesterday from work (Thursday). I hope the SUNLINE is better than expected. Hope they can be used again for big bulk spools in near future.

I hear that. I’m probably from your area. I’ve been catching Greenies since June. The nicer fish in August. Just not having days of catching 10-12 fish. Probably fishing pressure related. I’m a river rat at heart, spent my whole life there but Mother Nature as ruined the river I call home over the last handful years. Have not missed a beat fishing. Just converted to lake fishing the other year. I have a few Rapalas that have always worked well in the fall. Should produce again, why not. I don’t fish that pattern spring thru summer. Time to tie they on I guess.

That combo was $99 at DICKS not long ago. One of the young guys at work was looking for a bc combo and I turned him on to it. He loves it. Forget what he said he spooled it with. I thought I may have been pushing him that direction so I told him if he didn't like it I'd buy it from him. He thinks it's great. Glad ya'll like them. I fish a Lews LFS reel and like it. Granted it's only a $99 reel and BPS discounted that some so i tried it. Have it on a Dobyns Rod. Works well for its purpose.

Good luck and have fun. Sorry to hear about your dog.

This is a great reel, I fish with a couple. The 2500 and 3000 are the same size and weight. The 3000 will give you 6.2 ratio. The 2500 is like 5.0. Not sure if that means anything to you. They are made well and don’t break the bank.

I’m a river rat for the most part. The smallies I fish for, I’m sure do not hail in comparison to the greenies most of you guys fish for. I have gotten some respectable nice smallies skipping dock and overhangs with that rod. 90% of it use is with Grubs and tubes along with 4” lizards. When I saw and touched this Avid I knew I wanted it. And I knew exactly how I was gonna use it. Most guys on here at least don’t even talk about or even want a rod that short today. I’ve had mine for quite some time. I paired mine with a BPS Pro Qualifier 6.2 ratio reel. Back when I got it I was skeptical about any BPS Reel but the whole combo has worked out well.

Thanks for the heads up. I Stumbled across the SUNLINE doing a searching for it. I ordered some from a place I’ve never dealt with before most of their SUNLINE looked to be 25% off. I need bulk of 6# and 8#. I have 660 yd. spools coming if I like it I’m ordering the 3000 yd. bulks and catching the sale price on them. On one of my BC setups that I use the most the Sniper is experimental on that. Thats what is nice about this site. You can pick up on some small things that will possibly enhance what you are currently doing. I would never tell anyone not to buy Berkley Line. It is good stuff. Just experimenting a bit before I buy two bulks. When I re-spool I don’t take it down to a bare spool. I take it back to a knot. I’m just anal on changing my lighter lines and don’t want line being an excuse to loosing a nice one. It can happen too many other ways.

My wife and I have a similar understanding: what’s mine is hers and what’s hers is hers. My wife is a great gal. She has no interest in being on the river or lake at 5:00am. No desire to get up for that time of day to fish. It would be nice but I’m not gonna push it. But she been salmon fishing on Lake Ontario and some salt water outings with me. Wish my wife would ask for a Stradic.

Just ordered some SUNLINE FC Sniper Fluoro and SUNLINE Mono. They are referring to it as Super Natural Super Mono. I go through a lot of 6 lb. and 8 lb. mono each season. Anal about replacing my line on few setups. I've been (still am) a Trilene XT & XL guy. A creature of habit i guess. I feel it is a decent product but just not as good as it once was. The old BPS Excel line use to be great stuff. That has clearly went down hill moons ago. Back some years ago it was as good as XL. With all the lines out there, this season I've strayed a bit and tried a few different lines. Been satisfied with the original Stren and the McCoy Copolymer I've used. I guess I should have asked for some opinions but it didn't really cost all that much and was on sale. What looks nice about the SUNLINE is you can buy it in bulk 2000-3000 yd. spools. I'll respool some for fall and see how I like it. I've been buying my line in jumbo spools for so long that I have never really experimented all that much. How has your experience with SUNLINE been? Thanks.

Great post. Was not sure what I was opening. Neat stuff. At 17 I could at least drive to where I wanted to trout fish vs. where someone was taking me.

Great post. Been rigging with the wacky hooks and have wondered if others have been doing differently.

I have two daughters. 31/37. When they were growing up I’d get them out with me. We go every year at fathers day as tradition now. Never had to worry about them with specifics. But I have two grandsons I have hooked on fishing. Within reason I have them using my stuff but like you say they still want their own things.

I use to trout fish for years with an Ugly Stik version called a Ugly Stik Lite. I gave it to one of the kids down at the club at a trout derby I was working. Was old and time proven but was better than what his mother and father brought him to it with.