Spankey

The new kayak will put your mine in a good spot next season. Good luck, good fishing.

I don’t use one for any of my fishing or hunting nor do I carry one on weekends. It seems like I’ve had one on my belt forever while I’m working. The Gerber version. I would not carry one except for being electro-mechanical my whole life. Worked well for a quick fix on something you were scoping out. Always keep the knife sharp at least. Not a pen knife guy. Been retired since the beginning of June and I have not used or carried it since. Something that is pretty cool and is alway in my truck console is a small multitool called a turtle. Not very big, a bit bigger in diameter than a silver dollar, stainless and does come handy on occasion.

On a Great Lake I believe I would. A monster on the river and lakes I fish that would not happen. I would not even report it to local FC person. I won’t flat out lie to locals when asked how I’m doing but I certainly downplay what’s going on. I don’t post many pics because of the trolls.

Thanks to all that have served.

Nice big budget you have for the combo. A lot of options. But call me crazy, call me stupid but, a St. Croix Premiere Series or SC Bass X will get it done for finessing soft plastics for river Smallies. I’m a fan of the Avid Series of rods. But still fish my Premiers often. I guess as I get older I’m realizing that something’s are overkill. I’m referring to my stuff I’ve purchased. I’ve been fishing some of my older stuff more. I’m not telling you to go big. Be happy. I’m just fishing with some of my older stuff. I retired some months back. A couple of work buddies got me a SC Victory (spinning rod) as a fair well present. Took a bit of use but has grown on me to the point it is one of my favorite rods. I may look into a ML version. But I’m gonna bring along one of my Avids to compare it.

It will be awhile before I’m back on the river. Dang river looks black when that frigid water temp sets in. But, not exactly what you are asking but as winter starts to fade a hair jig fished slow have gotten me some smallies over the years. Spillway of a dam I can walk down to.

I see where some of you guys are doing the Japan JDM thing. Sounds good. I have not jumped on that bandwagon. I’m one of those touchy feely guys when it comes to my rods and reels. Thanks I’ll run with that.

I’m an old Shimano Symetre fan boy. They dropped the Symetre back some time ago because of some trade name of “Symetre” disagreement. Was sorry to hear that but the NASCI was its replacement and after owning a few they are better than the Symetre. In my opinion. Wish they hear one down to 5:1.

Monday was it for me for the season. One of the most beautiful fall days in awhile, got to 76 deg. Very slow bite. Really only fished one section of the river. Various type rock bank, water dropping off to 9 feet than 12-13 feet quickly. Didn’t expect to set the world on fire but somewhat had expectations that fishing bugs, grubs and craws slow through those rocks would have produced. Managed an 11” and 14” Smallie cranking down to the drop offs on a 7A, Bomber is usually productive for me there. Nice and healthy. I realize they are no prize but my season has not had many prizes. I believe I had a hookup with a Musky. On a very short time, probably on a single hook of the trebles. Not far off the bank. Nice surface swirl created but I couldn’t tell exactly what it was. Did not show itself well. Catfish? Maybe. Don’t have myself convinced it was a large Smallie. Best part of that was I didn’t have a Musky walk off with one of my favorite Glass Shad Raps. I’ll consider it a positive way to end the season. Give it a bit and reflect back on the season and think about what I’d have done differently. Don’t have any big tackle or equipment plans over the winter. Search for more spares of productive hardbaits. A lot are obsoleted. A lot of current patterns are unavailable. Have a handful of months now to pull it together.

Guys thanks for all the responses. Been feeling like a new person. I was walking around with pneumonia and a pre pneumonia (whatever that is really called) for some time. Was too stupid or ignorant to get it taken care of. Got to the point that I had to. Thanks again.

I like your reel choices. Throw in the Shimano NASCI also. The St. Croix Premiere Series Rods is the way I’d go but to each his own. The MOJO’s have nothing on the Premiere Rods.

Have the same exact same thing. But my meds are kicking in now. I’m on this antibiotic called LEVOFLOXACIN, a huffer called Symbicort, he gave me this prescription if I get into those coughing fits but it hasn’t been an uncontrollable cough since last weekend, and this other huffer in case I feel short of breath but I didn’t need to use it. Dealing with hockers is a full time chore. I feel pretty good about getting out Wednesday. Maybe before, but rain is coming and I don’t want to get back into this condition again. Couple of rock banks along the river that drop off steep to about 13 ft. I want to get on these. Cranks, craws and bugs might get that big one. Should have the whole river to myself.

I’ve been a member for as long as I remember. One of those things where I should of become I life member years ago. Done tournament fishing when I was a lot younger. Not really my bag but can say some of those guy I hung with did show me some things. I like the BassMaster format. Not a knock to MLF but I’d rather see results of five big fish. Twenty five 1 1/2 pounders doesn’t keep my attention especially when waters they are fishing have larger fish. But I understand different formats. Not to compare BASS to In Fisherman but that publication has shrunk quite a bit also.

30-40 years ago the mom and pops would order you up what you wanted. You got it and didn’t take forever. Those day are over in my area. Now they’d tell you they will get that in for you, you’ll never see it. Tell you some line that they’d like to stock that also. The shop dude has a small spot with some Lucky Craft Baits. But not the ones I wanted. I gave him a list of six baits I wanted. Colors, size and Model no’s. right to the tee. Figured that amount would be sufficient. Not like asking for only one or two. After 3 weeks this is going nowhere. Told him to forget it but I truly believe he never ordered them. Heck I can order them online and get them in three day. I’m in no rush but let’s do what we talked about. I don’t want to hear how great a guy the Lucky Craft guy is. I could care less. I wanted to order up a new galvanized wade bucket. Sort of like an oblong can you put minnows in for trout fishing. Clip the strap to your wade belt. Should be a no brainer for a bait shop to order especially if you sell minnows for trout fishing. Thought I’d make a wall hanger out of the one I had used since I was a kid. Well that was like pulling teeth and went nowhere. Fraybill/Amazon got it the next day. I’m in no rush for anything but how about just doing what you have to do. These are simple tasks for a fairly simple type of business. I have myself convinced that they don’t need the business.

I’m like a pack mule, I keep going and going and get oblivious to how I’m really feeling. Had been to Family Dr. They sort of want to blow everything off. Unlike myself, I had wife run me up to Urgent Care Center, couldn’t take it any longer, never been there before. Dr. there within 10 min. Had me shooting X-rays and doing some nubulizer treatment, and hooked me up with the right meds to try to kick this. I’m not down and out on my back just laying low for a few days as they suggest. I’ll clean up a few tackle trays during the down time. Thanks.

Heck of a sour note to be winding down my season. Getting treated for pneumonia and some type of Bronchitis. Hope by mid-week I’m ready to get out a few more times. Coughing, phlegm and shortness of breath sucks. Got a couple of river runt smallies the other day before the rains moved in. Tough bite, only bites on firetiger. But all the conditions were perfect for that pattern. A pattern I rarely throw these days.

You like I were in the trades. We seen it all on the job sites. Some of the things that would wiz you off you could not help but to laugh your butt off about. Especially during install jobs.

I sort of miss what some of what you guys have on a local scale. My area is not a bass Mecca of the country but we did have a few decent shop in the area. There were two shops here in the Allentown area that were fantastic. Not identical by any means but both were geared toward trout, bass and the live bait supplies. Full scale. Not small holes in the walls. Both were full line dealers of rods, reels and tackle manufacturers. One bailed out and closed up shop right before Cabela’s opened up. The other shortly after Cabela’s opened. They got scared. Had to be because Cabela’s didn’t put either out. This was years back but both could still be open today. I think they had loyal customers and as a customer I thought they were fair and knowledgeable on what they were selling. I have not had a real tackle shop since.

Much like many here in PA. Not like bass fishing means nothing to them. They realize bass guys can get specific with their wants and they do realize the outlets for bass fisherman for items they desire. Hard to inventory all that stuff. Out here in PA if there are trout streams in the proximity, trout items have to be their top priority. Having the full scale of items keeps those places hopping. Baits and supplies for catfish, panfish and carp has to be next. I don’t think any local bait-shop really cares that I successfully smallie fish with Rapala Shad Raps and DT’s and whatever with. They don’t have anything there to sell me. Use to have a great selection of Zoom and Berkley baits there. Decent crankbait selection for local fishing. I guess those two great companies went out of business (not). I see they like to stock some trendy baits, not selling any. They try to tell you how great they are. Looking for a bite. Flavor of the month baits. I’m not gonna tell the bait shop what I successful use or give them any insight for river smallies. They should be serving me up some info. They can’t, they don’t even know the river. The lesser people I see on the river the more I like it.

Not all the “Mom and Pops” are created equal. Inventory or lack there of, quality, and brands they stock have a lot to be desired. I’m fortunate to have two fairly close that have a decent selection or quality rods and reels. These are two things I’d rather not buy sight unseen. I have no problems buying from them and after all these years of that’s all I buy from them they must know I’m not all that interested in their bait selection. My baits I’d sooner buy from a full line dealer.

We are pulling out of drought here in PA. Hope we keep getting it.

I’ve been in heavy industrial equipment repair my whole life. Pretty much work solo and problems I encountered were mine to deal with from start to completion. Not a bad gig if you are not a people person. I Alway got along well with steel and electrical components. The real suck was going behind guys that were hammer jockeys and not very skilled. Guys with a poor work ethic’s. They sucked at what they did but I can’t really say that they sucked at being human beings. Just in the wrong field.

We are probably fishing the same water. Don’t overthink all the specifics. Keep it simple. The overthinking can cost you fish. Not sure about your equipment but for soft plastic, 6 and 8 lb. test should work fine. ML and Med. power spinning rods with fast and x-fast actions will fish all soft plastics. Grubs, tubes, light T-Rigs, Senko and swimbaits. My crankbait fishing ranges from 1/4 oz. to 3/4 oz. Done on a few setups. No braid for me, too many good monos, flouros and copolys out there. I’m not interested in leaders. Fishing 8 to 14 lb. test. The moderate action on these rods means the most to me. Up here, where we are at is not the most overpressured waters in the country but pressured enough. Maybe not the numbers of fish being caught but guys on the water. I’ll continue to fish like I’m fishing the most pressured water in the country. Keeping it on the lighter side. Finesse approach if that is what it’s called. Line type is something that you settle into. Don’t want to say trial and error till you get it right but more toward your liking. I could personally get away with and be satisfied with fishing Berkley XL and XT but have come to liking Big Game for my casting along with some McCoy and SunLine mono for my spinning. They are simple, good quality, perform well and catch fish. There are so many good products out there, there is no right or wrong ways. There so many products and directions one can fish. We all have a different style and approach to it. We all have strong points and strengths to our fishing. There is most likely not a one answer. All opinion based. What worked for one may not be for all. I think you are going the right direction and I guess you’d call it you’re working on your game with the changes you have in mind.

Sorry for your loss. Combo and lure can easily be replaced. Glad you didn’t do anything too drastic and unsafe to try to get it back. Be safe. I think a lot of us at one time or another and under 100 different situations have lost one. Now you will be in search of your next ultimate combo. You’ll find it, the hurt will let up.

I’m happier than heck for her. Sort of somewhat know what she’s feeling. When I caught my PB Smallie it took a while to compose myself. When you fish your whole life and that gift from god comes along you can’t help but to shed a tear to some degree. I’m lucky to have a live well system. I fish solo for the most part. I tanked her and got my wife on the phone (6:15 am). Had her to stop at the ramp on the way to work to grab a few pics. We put her back into the same hole she came out of. OP thanks for sharing that.