Spankey

I would just buy the “0” ring mandrill and forget about it. I know I am not that interested in the rings with the sm. ring for the wacky hook. The hook is not where I want it to be. I use the o rings and still penetrate the bait slightly some with the hook.

Well finesse/drop shot worms have worked. Along with nose hooked shads. I tried some tubes and Grubs that have worked. Have never tried a beaver style, craw type or brush hog yet. No desire to. Might work. Might not. But my true answer for will not work is these baits call Zee Baits. This manufacture is basically in my backyard and I thought why not give some local guys baits a try. Have tried and not working out for me. They have a small variety of types. Only a style call an Angry Beaver has produced and that was jigging. River smallies seem to like that. Not gonna dis them because the next guy might kick butt on them. Can only say drop shoting, t-rigging and c-rigging has been no ball of fire. Really don’t have much $$$ tied up in them but next season they will be given away to some wanting soul. Have been giving some C-rigging an honest effort and will give it a bit more time but any confidence is lost or never has been gained.

Berkley 4” and 7” PowerWorms. Berkley 3” Power Grubs. Bill Lewis Rat-L-Traps Rapala Shad Raps Zoom Lizards I have a boat full of stuff but this is all I really need to bass fish with. I choose to make it more difficult at time fishing other things. I believe I can catch bass anywhere in the country on that short list.

I really don’t fish for Catfish or Muskies. But I’m generally good for a couple a year on my smallie lures. A few crankbaits are good producers depending on water clarity.

Both good reels for the $$$. 3000 series is the same size and weight as the 2500 series. 3000 is 6.2 : 1, bit more line capacity on the 3000 series also. Do the Shimanos have 1 1/2 dozen bearings in them? No. And it doesn’t seem to be necessary.

Great clip. Thanks for sharing. I’ll have to dig up some of my old stuff from when is was I kid. And let my grand kids fish. Not as old as your old crawlers but rods, reels and lures from the 60’s and 70’s.

I had gotten a new Nasci 3000 a few weeks back. Kicked around the idea of the Stradic. I have an old Daiwa Tournament SS on a Loomis Rod that has seen better days. Might replace it with that. Winter time find and project. Good I’d luck with. You’re ready for the fall bite.

I do not use very big buzz baits. It does not work out for me very well. I use the 1/8 oz. Mini Pro Buzz and the 1/8 oz. tru-wings by Strike King. They draw more attention for some reason or another. I had been using a trailer but recently switched to using a Zoom 4” Curly Tail worm. I bit off shortening about an inch off the body and keep the long tail on it and it has gotten a few fish as of lately.

Catch and release trout areas only. But never bass fishing.

Rat-L-Trap : Chrome w/back back Chrome w/blue back Gold w/black back

I have not fished them. A big Berkley fan though that fishes some of their products with confidence. Seems that you like their stuff and you probably have half the battle won. Try them and see how it goes. Good luck.

Good luck on your find. There are a few threads like yours recently. A lot of options mentioned. Check them out. St. Croix make a yak rod that is cut shorter in the butt section and is various lengths. Must be popular but I’m not a yak guy. Seeing it around at a few shops. Good luck on the Skuke and over at Marsh. We are in the same neck of the woods. Have fun.

I’ve used it for as long as I can remember. Garlic and Anise the most. I won’t touch the debate as to whether it is necessary, if it works or not, or whatever. I find that it doesn’t seem to hurt. But some of my soft plastics I will not spray at all. Berkley stuff. I’m sure it’s all a head game. I find, and only an opinion, that garlic is more appealing to river smallies. I’m sure it just a coincidence. I really have no fact base study done on this. I just go with the flow and continue to use it. But I don’t use that much of it that I would buy stock in Baitmait or Chompers.

This might be a dumb question but are you running the hook point all the way through the worm and backing it all the way out until the point is at the worm outer surface. With a straight shank hook. Or just burying it onto the plastic enough to be weedless? On a southern sprouted hook from the end of the hook radius to the hooks point it lays exposed along the back of the worm. It’s exposed but still weedless, no resistance from penetrating the worm. Don't mean to ask a question so simple. Everybody has their own way to rig things. I’ve never fish with heavy super line hooks.

Will do. I’ll have the out in a week or so.

That's it. Has been 50 years since those days and yes it was always easy to remove the hook. A number 12 or 10 trout bait hook gets swallowed and we were always having to retie. I remember this farmer we worked for as kids that took us trout fishing a lot picked us up some Aberdeen hooks. I remember them coming in a small can and the metal lid slid off and on. Wish I had one of those cans today. Thanks.

If you have a full line St. Croix dealer that close you have to go. Don’t guess or let 1000 opinions confuse you. If you go to the factory I bet you come out of there with a ML & Med. of some lengths or actions. Maybe they have a special going on or something. You’d be covered for fishing soft plastics. No need to buy their top of the line rods. You may find out they don’t feel any/much different from one series to another.

Guys just throwing this out there for a little help. This summer I’ve been enjoying taking the two grandsons to the lake. I’ve been trying to run a full guide service with them while we are out. I really don’t get any fishing in. And I’m fine with that. They’ve been catching a lot of fish. They have fished various live and lure baits. We have not tried crickets yet. We are going to this next outing. I’m throwing it out there for recommendations for the proper hooks. I remember as a kid we use to use long shank Gold Aberdeen hooks. I have no idea why I was using them. Could not tell you if they were a #6 or #10 or any size in between. I do know that I don’t have the correct hooks to do it today. Any thought are greatly appreciated.

I think you’ll find more than enough choices in the St. Croix Avid Series. ML or Med. rods, from 6’3” to 7’ lengths, fast or x-fast actions. I can’t tell you which will feel best for you. I do the majority of my finesse, lt. T-Rig, Ned, Slider, shaky head, drop/split shot, senko, and tube/grub & sm. creatures, styles on both ML and Med. S.C. rods at those rod lengths. I fish some docks and overhangs with a 5’9” Avid in Med. power and have gotten a lot of smallies with it. I’m not real tall and that length comes in handy. For my soft plastics I have a need for both ML and Med., I have a need and desire for Fast and X-Fast actions. Avid Rods are not necessary. Premiere, Mojos and Bass X rods are very good rods. To each his own. I’m a shimano fan. I have Daiwa and Garcia’s that I like. The Shimano Nasci is a nice reel for the $$$. The Sahara is decent. The Stradics are great but not really necessary. To each his own. The Nasci replaced the Symetre a while ago. 3000 series in 6.2:1 ratio is nice. You'll get 1000 different opinions and most will be good choices.

I’ve been fishing a Crankbait version of this rod this season. I love it. I knew I’d like the rod before I even got it on the water but after fishing it, it exceeds my initial thoughts.

Those were my conditions yesterday. Caught a decent fish before conditions changed and one almost immediately after rainfall ended. Same soft plastic. Did have a few hits during the torrential rain but could not say what kind of fish hit. If I had it to do all over again I would thrown a couple of crankbaits. Would-a, could-a, should-a. Next time.

I think if you look at a Loomis or St. Croix line of trout rods you’ll find one that will fit your needs and last half a lifetime. Doesn’t have to be one that cost $300 + either. But you could certainly go to DICKS and find an Ugly Stik or house brand that is more than adaquite.

Could not be put any better. Get a few of these and you’ll be fine. Rapala puts out a good product that catches fish.

That sounds great. I have an old cane pole setup from a passed relative and a few old pics to go along with it. Have it as a wall hanger. Personally I’ve never tried one. The kids have a bit of a thing going on to catch all the members of the Pennsylvania Panfish Family. They have put a pretty big dent in the list. Got some good pics of them doing it. I need to work on getting them Rock Bass and Longeared Sunfish.

I enjoy bass and trout fishing for the most part. I have grandson that I love to take fishing. Fishing I mean on the lake with my bass fishing stuff, panfish stuff and a variety of live baits. I don’t get any fishing in when I’m with them. I keep them rigged up, switched up. They like to catch whatever swims. They count them and make it a contest.