Spankey

Guys thanks for the Cricket Hook suggestions. Worked out great. Not much surgical work went on yesterday with hook removal. The Aberdeen and extended shank hooks worked perfect. They were using a combination of hooks. They have been fishing giant meal worms, dug worms and crickets. The oldest had on one heck of a bass at the edge of Lilly Pads. It was a black silhouette in the water that took a cricket. 3 or 4 head thrashes all but straightened out the light wire hook and he was gone. All is good though. They want to go back for him. So don’t I because he’s in a spot I’ve the hooking up some fish. That style hook works well with all live baits. They want minnows for next trip. We can trap them in the creek below the house. They have a good time. I have a good time with them. I can’t and don’t get any fishing in with them. Try to just be a guide. I’m gonna try to attach some pics.

I like their product. But I would not try to convince someone to buy it because everything else is inferior. That’s just not the truth. There are so many other manufacturers out there the choices are endless. I’ve just had great results. I have pretty many of their rods. Their “Trout” Series of are fantastic. I get my share of trout time in down here where I live. Stocked and wild trouts. An Ugly Stik or Fenwick Eagle is more than adaquite. I know I’ve fished them but I have no regrets in buying SC.

No problem I got bit by the St. Croix bug years ago. For next season I’m gonna look at the 6’6” MLF & 6’3” MLXF. Make a good comparison between them. Breaking down and look at the New Stradic. I’ll Start a slush fund soon for them. I’m not a huge fan of the Mojo or Bass X either. I like the Premiere Series. I fish a few ML in that series. Just stepping it up some. My Medium Avids do not fish real heavy. I really don’t fish plastics that are very heavy. Pretty much a finesse guy. The SC X-fast Rods I fish I love. I have a MXF 5’9” that I fish nothing but Grubs, tubes and small creatures in close spots, under overhangs and some docks. That is one heck of a rod.

I keep them in the original package but I use Rubbermaid storage containers to put them in. They are by style, brand or type. Generally in an opaque container and labeled. easy to stack in boat storage lockers, easy to find when labeled.

Back some years ago some boys from out around Central PA, Some real Susky guys, came out my way. We had a bit of a get together on the river. Was fishing solo but a couple of guys handed me some St. Croix Rods and told me to fish them and let them know the end of the day what I thought. My fishing gear has never been what I would call junk by any means but I turned to St. Croix than and never look back. I do have some others I like and when others who go with me on that rare occasions use those.

You are right I’m sure. If X-Fast tapers are in 6’3”, 6’8” & 6’10” probably just no reason to produce it. Not impossible to do. They could make it. But I’m pretty sure at this point in time not worth marketing such an animal. The ML is the way I’m gonna go. Winter time project. I don’t own an Avid X or anything better than an Avid. I do fish a couple of Premiere ML. Looking to step it up a notch. The Premieres, MoJo’s, BassX’s, Walleye Rods are all good/great rods.

Guys I’m about as big a St. Croix fan as any. Have more than I really need but that came with being 100% satisfied with their stuff and many years of fishing. The last month or more has been primarily soft plastics with some cranked fished mixed in. The majority of my fishing and fish were caught on an Avid 6’3” Med. X-fast and a Avid 6’8” Med. X-fast both with older Stradic 2500fh and Symetre 2500 reels. I don’t own a SC better than an Avid or a new Stradic version yet. But I would say these are the best of my soft plastic combos. I got to thinking about next season already and was thinking for next year I’ll put a 6’6” Med. or ML X-fast right in there. After all these years I just realized or see that SC does not make a single rod series with a 6’6” X-fast taper. Why is that? I went as far as calling SC. A woman there tried to help. She was clueless. Asked for Dan but was not there. I’m clueless as to why that would be. Must be a reason. Maybe the answer is just because there isn’t. Seems odd, and surprised I didn’t pick up on it along time ago. The answer is probably “because there isn’t”.

Hold on to it. My oldest daughter is 36 years old I have her Disney Rod and Reel. I’m sure she’ll want it some day. She knows I have it. Good stuff.

Enjoy the site. We are from the same region. Good luck.

I think your post is cool. I don’t think you are dissing anyone. Everyone of us who has this bass bug or addiction is different. The dudes who fish in many different location I can see them having a far greater variety. Heck you can’t go by what you see hanging in Ike’s garage. That is not the norm. I’d like to have that garage though.

It was a bit out of line for me to comment like that. I don’t know him. Just a pretty strong feeling about how that guy fishes. No dislike or anything toward him.

I hear that. I have my core plastic worms and colors. I tend to try colors and patterns that are close to but slightly different and try them. Majority of the time with success. Black happened to be the color I tried a few different variations of this year.

Bill Dance is king of fishing private pits and holes that the bass in them have never ever seen a lure. Did you ever take notice there is never a boating angler or bank angler in the background in any of his shows.

I don’t know dude about that one. Admittedly I’m not short on soft plastics or crankbaits. Not wall hangers but very well organized on my boat and I take everything out in the winter. Easy to see what I need and don’t like that stuff stored out in very cold temps. During the season I don’t buy very much stuff. I’ll replenish my soft plastics during the winter. If I want to try something new I try to get it in the off season. I try to buy my line in bulk. I’m anal about re-spooling I guess. Some of the pro guys probably get everything handed to them. I’m not gonna buy 10 of a certain DT 06 Rapala for the heck of it to stick on a peg board. I have some that I’ve fished religiously for years. And the more beat up they get the better they are at catching fish. I do have some doubles and a few triples just in case a do loose a good producer.

Ok, the Ned Rig is fine but to me it’s a grub type fishing and not as special as they make it out to be. A lot of guys have fished a version of Ned Rig long before it was ever heard of. A lot of us have been making that out of our Yum Dingers that get torn up and fishing it on jig heads. Don’t be in a rush to throw away your torn up Senkos and the like. I’m not downing grub fishing, I like it. But what I am implying about fishing a 4” - 4 1/2” Worm is it is small, finesse in style. You might/can become one with how you are fishing it. Fish nice and slow. Easy to work easy to see in some situations. Keep some slack in your line and watch your line. I don’t want to come off all Guru, Zen, Dalai Lama and crap about it. It’s just stuff I learned on my own. With those smaller type worms I’ve caught Smallmouths and Largemouths from 6” to 22” long. I’ll never not use them. I’ll be out on Sunday. I expect to catch at least one bass finesse fishing a 4” or 5” finesse type worm. I don’t anticipate the fish to be 6” long. Everyone has a different confidence bait. I have a few like most guys. But right now (last few weeks) it has been soft plastics.

I think you should pick up a bag of Berkley 4” Power Worms and throw them lite t-style, jig head, shakey head, split shot rig and weightless t-style. I think you will be surprised with your results. Very surprised. I am not dissing you on the live bait and please don’t take it that way. Fish whatever way you like to. But if you like worm fishing, which I do. They (rubber worms) give you better rigging options. I think PowerWorms are a good choice because I believe they will catch smallies anywhere. There are many finesse type out there but start there first. You my never go go back to fishing livebait (real worms) again. Believe in them, they will work.

Deepest between 15 and 18 feet. River fishing smallies. One of my nicer smallies out of the river. Was caught fishing Guido Bugs. A form of craw. Not around or popular any more. Still have some and still fish them on occasion. Yes, they are always about digging their way to the bottom. Especially when they are closer to the boat.

I think you’ll get an appreciation of fishing some of your lures from shallow water into deeper water. Especially at drop offs. You may not loose as many but I’m not sure of that. I don’t lose all that much stuff. I hope that makes some sense.

I like the way you think. Good luck with your new setups.

^^^^^^ This ^^^^^^ * can’t say I’m a huge huge lake water guy *

Nice fish man. I have no idea what it’s like to fish 1 1/2 oz. - 2 oz. for bass. Fall pattern has not really started for me yet. My baits will not really change much. I switch up to a few more different colors but I think it’s all a head game. I have a couple of Rapala cranks that don’t even get tied on until September/October. I’m a Mental case but what can I say. Again nice fish.

This was a decent thread bub. A lot of good advise. Try to move on, seems like you feel a bit better about it. It happens. Would imagine it happens more Often with live bait. Getting some good tools is a must. Especially a good pair of diagonal cutters. You might fish another 4 years and not have it happen again. Good luck.

I’ve fished 6# and 8# XL (spinning setups) as long as I can remember. This season I’ve been fishing some McCoy & Stren and have been very satisfied. Being a creature of habit has probably handicapped me in many aspects over through the years.

Gonna fish hard for a few hours tomorrow. Be out for sun up and fish a couple sections. Hope for both greenies and smallies. Have a good holiday.

The river smallies where I fish love the Chompers Garlic. Put some of your worms or craws in a small ziplock bad and spray some of that on overnight. You’ll have all the scent you need.