Spankey

Not very popular or a secret weapon?

Guys I want to say, no way am I dissing these baits. I found out that that they make these baits literally in my backyard and never knew it. I’ve always tried to make some experimenting comparisons to baits that perform and work well for me. Some are better and others work worse. Most I don’t do as well with. Thought let me get on board with these. The “Angry Beaver” a 3.25” creature bait, I’ve gotten some fish on. If and when I start fishing the “Salt Tubes” they my produce. Have done pretty well with any tube I’ve fished. What I can’t get to work for me is the “Bamboo Bomber”, “Twig”, 5” Stikz, can’t be my rigging. The GY, Strike King and RoboWorm I Rig the same. Has to be pure mental. No. Just curious how you guys are doing with the Zee stuff.

A big thank you to you. Love my bass fishing. I'm not in the bass capitol of the country by any means but do have both smallmouth and largemouths fairly close to me in local lakes and rivers. I had King Salmon on my Bucket List. Well I went and we killed them, went again to get it all the way off my bucket list and slaughtered them again. So I have the Salmon Bug. The fight is unreal. I need to do the west coast salmon next. Hope to do as well.

Great Post. Good baits mentioned. Just a few more soft bait to mention. Easy to still get and they are ones that I've been using for many many years now. Cabin Creek Salty Spiders, Slider Worms and Grubs and the Original 4" Power Worms. All rig weedless. Storm has a pop r' type called a Chug Bug its a bit more slender than a Skitter Pop or Rebel Pop R and it seems to have a slightly different walk to it but it has been very productive. The Rebel Craws are always productive as well as the Rat-L-Trap. But these will cause you headaches when throwing to deeper water bringing them back shallow. I don't think you'll regret throwing the Original style Rapala Floater Divers in sizes 05 & 07. Even an 09 is not oversize. I still find fishing a bit old school on the river to be fairly productive still.

Fish the Mississippi River Delta Area. Fish the Pacific North Western Area for Pacific Salmon.

If I were you I’d fish the Crappie Magnets. A bit larger, a bit heavier, I’d be willing to bet your success will be greater. Use their line. Why not. It’s just a label put on that package. Nothing special about it. There are tons of good mono and flouro out there.

Somehow, someway I’d bet that fish will make it just fine. I’ve seen a couple worse than that also. It’s a tough world down under where we can’t see.

The old triple grips were great hooks. But they are easy to find and swap out. I’ll have to take a pic of some of the old patterns that they don’t put out anymore. Really just basic bass colors. To each his own I guess. But you try to find a 200 Series Firetiger Craw, Black w/ Chart. Belly, Baby Bass. You won’t find it. They’ll (Bandit) probably get a bit better. Bomber took a bit of a nose dive and they seem to have gotten better with the selection of 7a’s and 8a’s.

Not trying to sell you on any lures. I’m a Rappy fan from way back to. Try a couple of Bagley Balsas also. You won’t be disappointed either. Bandits are another good river lure also. I’m lucky to have some good patterns of them. Bandit took a nose dive the last few years. Bought out I believe.

I Rubbermaid bin my like plastics and label them. Seem to work great. Everything in in one spot together. I’m sure I could organize even better if I tried. That does look like a good idea. Impressive looking and probably works good for that guy.

I like that crappie pattern!

Personally I think very early and early morning are best. I have times by 8:30am I’m trailering up and going home.

Shad pattern seem to be the most popular to stick yourself with. Dangerous pattern I guess.

I want to see (feel) that rod also. I could not find it on a local level over the late winter. I may just order it and use it next season. Make up another setup over the winter. In my case I want the medium version for smaller crankbaits. The softer tip should be perfect for CB’s and spinnerbaits. I hate to to buy a rod site unseen or unfelt but it not a rod that would be used for sensitivity. Mostly shock absorption. I did buy the Abu Garcia Viritas Spinning Winch Rod over the winter. I love it. Soft tip. Graphite rod no fiberglass to it. Good luck with it. Let us know how you like it.

Great to hear. For $99.99 combo a lot of guys are liking it. Things happen. Things are overlooked. Glad to see you are taken care of. Lew’s puts out a good product. Back in the early 80’s all my trout rigs were Lew’s. I thought they were were a spin off of one of the big guys or vice Versa back then.

From Dicks? Should be easy to replace. I don’t own one but reviews are good.

I would love to see a 3 lb. version of that fish. One thing I do like about them is the color and how some of their fins are trimmed out in off white and yellowish color.

Great post. Just make a good conscious decision to whether you go with a med. or med. lite. Keep in mind you weights. If you can buy a nice med. setup this year and get a ML setup for next season. You will use them both for what you are trying to throw. You might find that an X-Fast set up is not needed either. I would not buy a rod untouched. You’ll get 1000 good suggestions on your post but get to touch enough rods and you’ll find the one that has the right feel to you. Good luck, sounds fun.

Probably my St. Croix Avid Rods with Shimano Stradic (older series, don’t on newer ones over the last few years) or Symetre reels. Have a real nice spinning setup for crank baits. Abu Garcia Winch reel on a Abu Veritis Winch Spinning rod. Soft sweet tip to that setup. But to each his own. I’d like to think all my setup are pretty decent. And get the job done.

That’s pretty dang big for a fish like that. Only for it to hit as hard as it did and on the hook set to flounder out like reeling in a piece of loose leaf paper. But maybe bigger ones act differently but most likely not.

Do you have any idea as to how big the largest one caught is? I have no idea? Just curious. Even though I’ve caught some over the years on Panther Martins and Trout Magnets I’m not too sure these fish like to hit lures. Seem like you could clean up on them with live bait.

But do catch them. For sure on that. Balsa in general is not as forgiving as plastic. They will permanently nick. That heavy clear coat will crack. Majority of plastic CB’s lips is in the mold. Rapala and Bagley Balsas not really the case. I do agree that if you beat the tar out of them while casting at exposed shore line rocks they will break. I must say that the cast-ability of the DT’s is one of the best of all time if not the best. But my experience is only with 4,6 and 10 series.

I still use a 1300 Gold Long Spool SS from around ‘92. Possibly a bit older than that. I love it. I replaced parts and sort of done my own rebuild of it back some years ago. Wish I could buy another just like it. Not sure if the new versions are every bit of the old Japan versions. But I do own newer Daiwas that have been great.

You are probably right on that. I don’t eat fish for the most part but my dealings with them have been in creeks with better quality water conditions out in my area.

Say what you want but I’ve found St. Croix an Abu Garcia to take care of you quick and cheaply. I’ve not experienced many rod problem over many years of fishing but those two companies will hook you up. Probably BPS and Cabela’s would also. Not real sure but assume they would.