Spankey

Hard to really recommend rods for the most part. I would never buy a rod sight unseen or rod untouched. Maybe touch one first than get it on line. I would go to a shop that has a lot of rods and get one that feels right to you. Would look for the feel of the rod and not the mfg. or price right away. The rod will probably fall in your price range. I find that some of the Shimano rods are softer in the tip than specs. Claim to be fast and more moderate or moderate fast. Cabela's rods are more moderate also. How something feels in the shop and on the water are two different things anyway.

Guys I appreciate all the responses. I stopped at the tackle shop after work and was able to get some VMC crankbait snaps. Picked up a pack of #'s 0, 1 and 2's. I'll see if it make some changing on the XD cranks easier. As long as I've been doing this type of fishing I should have had some. Well I have them to experiment with and try now. I'm short on rods for these heavier and deeper running crankbaits I'm going to play with. This will eliminate a bit of tying. If I find that I'm deeper water fishing a lot or more than expected I'll get myself another set up. The responses are appreciated.

You're leaving the Cowboys hanging. You like or dislike the Cowboys. I'll go on the record I'm a Cowboy fan in the middle of Eagles Country.

Ive been using a brown/Amber polarized lens for 5 or 6 years now, my opinion it's far better than any black or prescription mirror type I've had. Not a big fan of fit overs at least Cocoons.

I have a lot of crankbaits and am pretty sure I've gotten at least a dink or runt on all of them. Some of the colors are more of a novelty or just to see if I could get a Smallie on them which I have. Bandit has some wild patterns out there that work and I would not hesitate to tie on. I tie them on as a change up and most often if I fish it hard enough it comes through. But anyway orange and black is the Cincinatti Bengals, Delta red and black Arizona Cards, Red and black is Atlanta Falcons. They claims color does not mean much.

I appreciate the help. My thought were I only have one BC setup that I can use for these heavier CB's. All I know up to now is to retie to my split rings. It's easy enough to buy a pack of 2,s 3,s and 4's and see if it works out. If I don't get swamped out this weekend I'm going to fish this deeper water and deeper water around bridge pileings. I'm not opposed to tying looking for an easy time with a few new deeper running cranks I aquired over the winter. Have been overlooking some deep water for years. I'm expanding my horizons some. Those smallies are there I can feel it.

Everyone has a different comfort level as to what they want to share. Everyone doesn't fish with the same intentions. I C&R all my bass. I don't want to kill one or see one killed. But realize things do happen. I've been on that end of things like everyone else. On a local level I don't share much info at the dock, ramp or parking lot. Whether I do well or not it's "I didn't set the world on fire". I'm not a troll, or going to be trolled. I don't leave a lot of tackle lay all over my boat deck when I come in so not much info shared there. There is only two guys that I've known for years that we really get into how things are going, stratigies, got a nice one here, bunch of runts there, color patterns choices and lure actions, structure. We are one in the same as to how we fish. My comfort level on a local level stops there. Some of the above may sound negative. But mostly it's not being a socialite at the dock or by engaging in a lot of running my mouth as to how it's going. My good time and mental relief doesn't get spread across the county. But, this is a great site here. This site has great guys on it. I like dealing with people on here. I don't hold back on anything, like to help and like being helped. Guys in my own backyard are going to have to find out on there own or the DB at the tackleshop who doesn't even fish.

No idea but nice fish. If she is around 20" and being that chubby I would say not less than 3.5#. Thats a guess from my experience. I would love to catch them all day long like that. Good luck good fishing.

In all my time of bass fishing I have never used them. I tie to my split rings provided on the lure or tie a Rapala knot to Rapala floaters and pop r types. Wiggle Warts come with a snap and I tie to that. But keep it with the lure when not tied on. Thought about using them this season when fishing some of my SK XD and Rapala Deep type lures. Thought it my simplify things a bit while changing them out trying to make things happen. This season I'm going to fish deeper than I normally fish. I believe I've been overlooking some decent fish for many years by not running cranks that deep. Is is there a rule of thumb as to that size you want to use. Snap vs. Split Ring size? I realize they sort of run #1,2,3 etc. A #3 being larger and having a higher tinsel strength than a two or one. Maybe you guys don't even recommend them. As said I really don't use them. I'm a man on a mission this season to river fish at about 15-16 ft. This may not sound deep but deep for me with a Crankbait. I appreciate your opinions on snap usage.

I remove mine when I shut down. Stays on my seat with kill switch lanyard attached. You can never be too safe I guess and should wear it all the time. But, I don't.

Great price, can never have enough. Or at least a spare or two.

Zona and Hackney could do a whole season. Love it. But it fish time now they don't want you setting around watching tv either. TEVO or what ever you call it. I'm leaving the house in 15 min.

Chunk rock at bridge pileings and wood debris caught at bridge pileings are generally a place to find them. In my area the fish are not real shallow yet. I'm also doing the Crankbait and jerkbait thing.

It will come around. I'm probably more north than you and always go through this. Admittedly I've always had problems figuring out the spawn. Hope you have an easier time with it. They will show up they will be back. I'm sort of going through the same thing. What I'm catching is not even worth talking about. Good luck things will turn.

Sorry dude. My bad.

I struggle early on every year. I've been doing this Smallie fishing for a long time and have a hard time with the spawn. I just can't figure that out. Varies from year to year. They are a fish in my opinion that gets lockjaw early on until the water warms. They are like ghosts and just show up. Once I'm on them I can somewhat predict how things will go. Their patterns will change but once they get on a piece of structure they like post spawn they will stay there. Crazy fish but I've been hooked for years.

You got any of the straight tail finesse worms? What colors you got?

Seem like it might he a great Crankbait Rod with that moderate action.

The surface area of the lure is equal to that of a DT10. It not like you are throwing something the size of a softball with it representing a school of fry in mass. I believe they will work. But I don't think a bass presieves it as that. I believe it's just a reaction to and object. Don't believe they look at it and study it. Bait ball the size of a golf ball? It will catch fish. Can't wait to get mine. Meant to catch fisherman also. I have times where my all solid black Bandits works fantastic. What does solid black represent? Reactionary behavior of bass. Most guys believe color means little to nothing. They are probably right. I have a Live Target lifelike Smallmouth Bass. Had to have it. Big Smallies have to eat little smallies. Had to have the Rapala Shad Rap lifelike image Smallie. Won't say they suck but both have only been productive on channel cats while bass fishing. Lifelike means nothing to me. Rapala has an original bluegill pattern. I find it very productive. They also have a live image bluegill pattern they came out with. I'm a sucker. A Rapala junkie. This live image one just doesn't get it done. Don't want to say it sucks because someone else may be doing terrific with live image over the original patterns. I just glad I can resist all this stuff that comes out but I am willing to give some stuff an honest effort.

I have two coming as a birthday present. I'll give some feed back after using them for awhile. I'm just somewhat curious about them. I'll use them and throw them. I have a few hard craws that work but I have rapalas, bandits, and bombers that out produce them.

I hear ya on that one. There are a few older discontinued one I'd like to get ahold of also. A lot of the older good stuff is no longer.

Truly kicking off my bass season on Sunday. Do have some bad weather moving in. I'll have to deal with whatever is dealt to me. But I feel it will most likely be on a Rat L Trap or a Rapala jerkbait of some type. I picked up on this pattern over the winter (carbon). I'm hot to use it. If that doesn't do it maybe one of the old standbys will.

Going to truly kick off my bass season on Sunday. We have some nasty weather rolling in Thursday night and all day on Friday. Not sure what I'll be up against. Feel sorry for the Midwest guys. I know it will not be to that degree.

Maybe not any new methods but a new twist to current techniques. Got myself hooked up with 3 Whopper Ploppers. I feel pretty good about them, have never fished them before. I duplicated a handful of Rapalas that are my most productive color patterns and models to deeper running versions. Making it a point to get deeper in certain areas this season. Have gotten away from fishing jerkbaits some the last couple of seasons. Making it a point to Countdown and Husky Jerk fish more. Most of my worm fishing is done with finesse style and size worms. Made it a point to get some bigger 7" Power Worms and Texas rig some larger worms.

No plan on letting it take away from my bass fishing but might make for an interesting day. I'm from a bit more north. Not hearing of their existence up here. I understand you guys want to have them destroyed. I'll be glad to give a hand at this is it comes about for me.