Spankey

I primarily fish mono. Have used plenty of XT, XL, and Stren. No major complaints. But I’ve been fishing alot of SunLine mono the last few years. I love it. I have no complaints with the big game. I strip my line back and change it out premature, habit I got into.

? sounds good, will work as well. I lump a lot of baits into basically their trade names. Roadrunners, rat-l-traps, pop-r’s. Too many mfg’s making the same thing. BPS house brands are nothing to sneeze about. I like to fish some of their plastics and get results. There are some Yamamoto plastics that I like. If that situation on not being able to get them soon doesn’t change, I’m eying up a couple more BPS plastics to try.

Abu Garcia makes a spinning version in the Veritas “Winch”, 7’ Medium Moderate. I fish this and a couple of the Winch casting rods. I don’t think you’d be disappointed. Give a look that way if possible. I’m not gonna rant and rave about it because it has to feel right to you. I like it and I throw cranks and jerks on it.

I like the possibility of the pink roadrunner and the pink fuzzy grubs for smallie. I’m putting a “pink” care package together now for giving the color a try for bass. Never in 63 year have I ever fished it. Good luck, looks good.

I’ve read plenty of negative Abu Garcia reviews about Veritas Winch casting rods and the Veritas rod line as well as the REVO reels. Well I’m sure glad I didn’t accept what I’d read about them. The reviews did not smell right to me and had to take my chance on the CB rods. Glad I did, I fish a couple of them now and am more than satisfied with them. I have no complaints with a REVO Winch and REVO SX reel. I rather follow the middle ground of reviews if I’m looking for one. Tossing the 5’s and 1’s.

Music ……To each his own. Whatever makes you feel good or bad I guess depending on mood. Mostly good in my case. Brings back great memories. My music taste has never really changed much since the 70’s other than artist I picked up along the way that I like. It’s cool to try to figure out the message or story behind a lot of tunes but I’m happy with just my interpretation or meaning.

If their contact info is only an email and no phone number I would not be interested. But that’s just me. Good luck. Chance you take.

I don’t pay any attention to that Joe Ragain show stuff. If I’m not mistaken Neil Young had a good relationship with LS., I could be wrong but I believe Neil served the song Powderfinger to LS to have, I can see them doing it. But the plane crash put and end to that. My facts could be wrong but I believe I heard this years ago at a NY show. I did see some great Neil Young w/ Crazy Horse Shows between 1978 - early 90’s.

Guys just throwing this song out there for ya. Woke up at 4:30 for work and when my feet hit the floor “Powderfinger” by Neil Young popped in my head. I’m a big fan. My early days were full of him and a lot of Jimi Hendrix. Still to this day. The river rat that I am “Powerfinger” has always been a favorite. Pull it up, crank it up and play a live version of it. Just a thought.

I believe there is something to it. I’m sure there is a science to back it and the studies of it. Years ago I tried to pay attention to that stuff. Wound up spinning myself into the ground. Nothing good ever came out, over thought about it, probably cost me some fish. For me it went out the window. I just go fishing and try to fish as hard as I can.

Mo, this is a great post. My head is spinning over some thoughts I’ve been having of days ago. You guys with some old pic and even you younger guys with your first or from not that long ago is nice. I can’t dig up anything when I was real small and pre-teen stuff but can of when I was a young guy. Just out of school. I wish I had them of me and my buddies I grew up with at the trout stream and when we were even younger fishing the quarry. Not sure how to put it but a camera was never a thought then. You just went and did. Would sell my soul to the devil to have certain pics of the guys and gals I grew up with. I really don’t remember when I caught my first largemouth bass. I’m pretty sure it came out of that quarry. Was not huge so it wasn’t lasting. My first that had made an impression was out of the river, about 1981. 23” long. Released. In all seriousness it wasn’t until recently (10 years) that weight was an important thing. We always talked about how long they were. Really still that way today.

I was probably about 5 years old (1964) folks would take me to a couple of park type ponds. My people were not fishing/hunting type people. I’ve been sort of a black sheep my whole life. My whole life I’ve been told that I was just like my great grand father. He, like I had been into fishing, hunting and shooting. I have been since I was young. He passed when I was a baby, never really remember meeting him. He Had to be a great guy regardless what they might say. I was exposed to trout fishing when I was about 10 years old. I worked for a farmer (an old retired guy from Philly Electric) and trout fishing was his passion and he took me and taught me what I needed to know. I took to it immediately, developed my passion for it really quickly. Stocked and some wild trout. I’ve never quit fishing for them. I put in a lot of hours a year fishing for them. I have a slew of people who want them. I don’t eat them. Can’t give enough of them away. Back in April/May of 1976 a few guys I grew up with wanted me to take them trout fishing where I would generally go. So I drove us on out to the next county over. They could fish but they were only so so at trout fishing. I don’t mean any disrespect in saying that but even if only fishing for stocked trout you have to do your homework, put in some time, get over a bit of a learning curve. I tried to show them a few things. I spread them out over a couple of decent holes. I had caught a limit fairly quickly. 7 of my 8 because if I had 8 on my stringer I’d have to stop fishing. I was using Panther Martins, CP Swings, worms and Velvetta Cheese. I moved up stream just a short bit to a spillway type ledge. No rush to catch my last fish, I fished the CP Swing throwing it into the spill and kept the blade and spinner moving in a big arc back to me. I believe within 3 casts I had a heck of a bite, one heck of a trout on I thought. A bit different of a fight. But no it was a smallie. To me it was like WOW. It was amazing and different all in one. I played around with some in-line spinners for an hour about. Must have caught 20 smallies. 10”-12” fish. Put them all back unharmed. My buddies started making their way back to me. They saw me throwing all these back and they presumed the were all trouts. I stopped fishing and lined those guy up in front of that spillway and kept them baited up. Those smallies took worms, corn and Velvetta Cheese also. A few more trout came off that spillway. Well that’s when bass fishing started for me. 1976. Mostly would fish for them with a fly rod ( I am not very good with a fly rod). Would fish streamers and live minnows for them. Got hooked on those smallies, started fishing were that creek went into the river. That was a whole new ballgame. Within a few years I bought a small puddle jumper to get around on the river. Became a river rat ?. I love the river. I am at peace there. Sun up on the river has very few words to it. Hard to explain or put in words. I have no complaints as to my fishing since as a kid.

Never a problem with that 310. Has only ever seen Trilene XL 4#. Its on a Mitchell 5’ UL, was not bought as a combo. Don’t know rod number or name off the top of my head. My UL stuff has been hammered over the years. Old Lew’s on an UL Loomis 80’s is my favorite. Followed by SC Premieres with some 750 Shimanos. Can’t find a 750 Shimano to save my life these days. No reviews back then.

I still trout fishing (sometimes) with the 310 ultralite version of that reel from back at that time. Wish I had $0.10 for every trout I got with that thing.

Walleye taste better than bass.

Nice looking spinnerbait.

I’ve been enjoying using a couple of Abu Garcia Winch Series Crankbait Rods the last few seasons. They have been working for me flawlessly and rod action of these have probably helped in fish catching and landing. (I like the rods so much I believe this to be true) But I bought and tried my first one after reading poor Veritas Rod Reviews. Rod breakage was biggest complaint. I’ll go with user error first. Handel of rod at shop the way I did if it were gonna break I think it would have in tackle shop. I fish a second Winch now. No complaints at all. If I were to base anything on reviews I’d have to throw out the #5’s and #1’s. Maybe base a decision in the middle.

I recently put together a “pink” care package (I’ll post a pic in my post about pink) curious how well it will go. 40+ years of bass fishing I’ve never thrown a pink bait for Smallies or Greenies. A few pink cranks, worms and flukes. I’ll try not to get frustrated with them. I did only buy baits that are proven in different patterns for me. I’m not familiar with that particular Jackhammer. The Rapala Red Firecraw has a chartreuse that runs through it. That color and the fact that it’s a Shad Rap is the reason to me that it works. I should take some outings and throw nothing but reds. Throw nothing else. Should do the same when I start throwing that pink. Force myself to make it work. Don’t even bring certain crutch baits to fall back and use.

My St. Croix Premiere Series Crankbait Rod (moderate) has had a Rat-L-Trap tied on it much of the time I've owned it. Older Shimano Currado reel. Real shame they discontinued these rods a while back. For the most part I fish the Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap. But do fish a few RES and Spots. Basically the same reaction bait to me. My first bass of the season on many years has come off of a rattle bait. A Rat-L-Trap bait has saved the day on many occasion and kept me from a possible skunking.

Good post. Reds were brought up a few weeks back. Myself I have no love affair for it. I do not do well with it. I have no self-confidence in it. I can do something with a Rapala Red Craw, fried green tomato and Redfire Craw but I'm not convinced the red in the baits draws the attention. I don't know. But if I were to use something like demon, delta red, chili craw, and baits that are predominantly red in color they are a bust. Head game I guess. I generally would say color is not important. I was really surprised in that last post as to the amount of guy who do not do well with it. I didn't expect to see it. Very popular in every crankbait line there is.

Plano, Flambeau, all the same for hard bait storage to me. Never really gave it any thought. As long as my old ladies label maker works all is good. But to your point. You make a good point.

I find myself off loading some stuff now days. Not a lot. Sort of lighten up some. May sound crazy but there are things I fish river smallies with that I don’t use on the lake. I don’t think I’ve ever thrown a Bandit at the lake for Mr. Greenjeans. I’m not leaving home and going to the river without them. Probably because I’m getting older and focus is changing. Maybe not focus but my approach.

That’s great that you keep a log like that. You have my respect for keeping some of your fishing a family thing also. Good fishing.

That’s cool. Nothing wrong with that. Everyone has their on thing going on with how they arrange themselves. My cut tail worms 4,5 and 6” worms are all together. I use GY for the most part but do use Kanami (?) Yammy spin-off ?, BPS and Cabela’s cut tails. All stored in one container. Easy find. Not like I have 30 pounds of cut tail worms I’m toting around. I have half decent storage on my Tracker. That helps a lot. Other than rods I don’t have a lot laying around on my deck when I’m out. This may sound corny or stupid but what I have out while I’m out is this plastic type vegetable or fruit type storage bin/basket that your old lady may use in the kitchen for stuff. I Have holes drilled in rim edge to hang crankbaits, spinnerbaits, I throw worm bags in it, cut off terminal tackle in it. While I’m out I put stuff in there and when I get home I put everything back in it’s place. It is what seems to work for me. Nothing get lost or blown around. Things don’t get put back wet. I’m by myself most of the time out. Do get my grandsons out. Can’t get many people interested in going. Was told I that the **** too serious. Don’t know of any other way of taking it other than how I do. Grandsons know what the bass are about. They can fish what they want of my stuff. It’s easier. They do have their own things but when they are hanging with me I try to do it more like a guide service. I’m more about them catching than me. Same if I was taking someone for the first time. Just use my stuff. Sorry for getting off track.

Alot of my plastics I store in Rubbermaid style containers or Flambau worm satchel type containers. Baits are In factory bags, sometimes that bag in a ziplock type bag. I label the stuff. Easy to find. And if you have to go digging it easy to find. Pretty much stored by style and manufacturer. My Z-Man stuff would not be with my 4” or 7” PowerWorms. Salty Spider Jig would not be with my kut tail worms. I know I’m anal and admit it.