Spankey

I have no desire to go at it that way. Not messing with any leader. I just spool XT, Stren, SunLine, Big Game, McCoy on what setups I have. I crankbaits fish with 6, 8 and 10 lb. on a regular basis. I buy my line in bulk spools. Change it more than I have to but thats just being anal. Generally don’t strip spool all the way back, strip back to a certain point (existing knot). I have no desire to mess with braid and leaders. For me I know I’m not wrong or right I guess. Just the way it works for me.

Guys thanks for the help with some pink/bubble gum. Didn’t realize there was that much out there. Recently picked a few things up, have a few coming delivered. I’ll post a pic of my pink care package when it all arrives. I feel d**n good about what I picked up to try but overall I’m not feeling all that about all things I found that were pink/ bubble gum. I refuse to buy just any old thing because it was pink. I went the route of sticking with brands and types that land me fish in other patterns and found pink variation they had. I believe I have half the battle won. Took the head game away I guess. The care package is not gonna too huge but if they are going to hit pink for me these will work. Hope they work. Rapala, Zoom, Berkley, Daiwa and a couple others all had pinks in existing things I use. Again thanks for the help.

The spooks and pop r’s I throw are not really all that big in size or heavy in weight. Smallie fishing on the river. Fish a bit heavier topwater on the lake. I fish a moderate fast action as well. Certainly not a true fast rod. I stumbled upon this rod years ago, a Rapala branded spinning rod. These top waters is about all I’ve used this for. Has been use very hard and should be retired. Has only had 6# mono on it.

I’ve been throwing the 50 Series of that this past season. 5/16 oz. Started also in mid-season. Only worked with two color patterns of it on the river and lake. Got a couple more in Shad colors for X-mas. Had immediate results with it on the river in craw patterns. I’m sure the Shad pattern will work at both locations also.

Being one who throws crankbaits from the time I begin my season to the time I pull the plug the Rapala Shad Rap is up there in my top 3 or 4 crankbaits. Produces all season. Wiggle Warts a good bait they are. I fish them deeper and a bit harder at bottom contact more like a Bomber, Bandit or XD’s.

I fish a few older Rapala flatsiders. Fished a couple of OG Slims this past season. I don’t relate them to cold water. I’ll fish them all season. Seem to produce spring thru fall, if fish are interested. The Rapala is like a DT but flat. Discontinued quite a while back.

A lot of soft plastic manufacturers have pros names associated to color patterns. If it’s a good pattern tough to get around that. Martin, Ike, Skeet, Nixon…..all have colors. Those guys probably don’t even fish them.

Greg Hackney and Mark Zona are my top fishing personalities. Two guy that I’d like to meet, fish with and hang out with for a while. Not sure what they endorse, not sure if they even are pushing anything.

Abu Garcia 6’8” Ike delay rod, REVO SX reel, a few SPRO and 6th Sense crankbaits. Not sure what I want to spool it with yet. Santa and the helpers got some good prices from the TW sale.

I’m a Pennsy guy, have fun here.

I throw a lot of crankbaits. Fish them at various speeds and depths but that all pretty fast fishing. Find it tuff to pick up soft plastics and immediately be at that real slow speed I want to be at. I have a transition time mode I need to get in. It all works out.

Out here in the Philly burbs Pudges and Pudges II gets a lot of rant and rave. They are pretty good but I prefer Jersey Mike’s and Lou’s.

Merry Christmas to you and your family. Best wishes to all here at BR. Hope everyone breaks their PB also.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all. You guys are a great bunch here at BR, my favorite site.

I’ve had a lot of things rattle around in my head this week, from many moons ago when I was a young guy. A few Rascal Flatts songs fit those times. Good memories man. I like those flash back moments now and again.

Mo I’m right there with you’59/‘77. I’m no computer wiz. I hate it and despise it. To me it’s just a tool no different than my 3/4” drive set or my multimeter on a day to day basis. I’m in heavy industrial equipment repair, a lot of parts locating and various tech support stuff. I could be a lot better on it than I am but I choose not to be any better than I am. I’m not gonna live and die by it. I can surf it for what I need, e-mail whomever, make work related charts. Don’t sweat it. The more you use it the better you’ll get. Same with the phone. I prefer to have a decent phone really because I use it for work related pics. They truly speak 1000 words. In a few months I’m pulling the plug on this work BS. I had enough. Don’t care if I have a computer or cell anymore. We’ll that’s not true I’ll need something to stay on here with you guys and to order from TW.

I’ll be honest I’m a crank head but Square bills are not that big big a part of it. Yes along blowdowns, lay downs, along a chunk of rock I like to fish a silent square bill. Pretty fond of a couple of silent Lucky Crafts I throw. Many moons ago I threw the Baby one minus and some shallow Bandits on the river a lot and they worked great for shallow rocky rip rap. But I’m mostly throwing a rounded diver type bill. I like the contact striking of them. And they can be fished in a certain water column but it depends how you crank them. My river smallie world revolves Bomber Model A’s, 200 Bandits, crap load of different Rapalas and SK series 3’s and 3XD’s. I’m pretty much a creature of habit, pretty anal as far as what I do and how I do it. I’m Usually late to the party on new things and fads. But on the crankbaits side of baits over the last few years I’ve ventured into some SPRO, Googan and 6th Sense hardbaits. I like everything about them. Been working out. Heck just a fishing lure not a control module for a spacecraft. But just that slight difference in them is a lot to me. I’m not poo pooing square bills I don't fish them a real high percentage of the time. I could stand to throw them more.

Can’t say I’ve ever tried it for bass. This was popular when I was a kid for trout. Or at least this is when it was taught to me. Floats are clear and adjustable. Good luck. Should work out for ya.

I’ve been through the double shot and booster. Moderna. I’ve had side effects with all 3 shots. It sucked but only lasted 24-48 hours. I’d heard of the side effects so it was no surprise. I was on board with it almost right away. But to each his own. I’d rather be fishing, hunting or shooting clays. Took my chances with it.

All my bigger bass I believe were caught between 4:45am and 8:00am. Bigger in being relative to other parts of the country. But this is my favorite time in being out. I’ve caught bass @ 10:00, 12:00, 2:00 & 3:00 but my most memorable didn’t occur during those hours. Some nice river smallies between 7:30-8:30 pm before sundown also. Probably truth to the video, most likely my approach.

Some routine maintenance and a bit of reorganization over the winter. Pretty easy, my stuff is generally in good shape. Want to make a repair on my trolling motor. That should not be too bad of a job, I should get a few parts on order soon. The old lady will probably love this but I’ll most likely do the work on the dining room table. I’m not gonna freeze my butt off in the garage. If I kick the season off on the river for smallies my baits will be ones I generally fish all year. Rat-L-Trap has gotten my first bass of the season for a lot of seasons. Husky Jerks, grubs, tubes, finesse worm. Bomber, Bandits or Rapalas. I’ll try to have my bases covered. Early spring smallies are tuff on the river. They do not wake up as early as some other parts of the country.

I’d try to play those cards just right and see if she gives up the whole tackle box.

Only time I truly ever fished for them was when I was a kid in late 60’s and early 70’s. A couple of Dr’s who lived out on Main Street would pay me to catch and deliver live ones. Could not be dead. I think they use to put them in the bathtub and some Rabi would come by and put the wammy on them so they could eat them. Something like that and I bet I’m not too far off base as to what was done. I’ve caught some monsters (to me) 30+ inches while smallie fishing in the river. They tend to hit on grubs and tubes. Taken a couple on a gold with black back Rapala. They do put up a good fight. The occasional accidental catch is enough for me.

Crankbaits size, depth and weights being thrown. One older SC Premiere cb setup I don’t think it’s had anything other than Shad Raps tied on it and one of my new Winch setups and never had anything but SK XD’s on it. I guess it all a matter of how big your crankbaits fishing is.

I hope you enjoy that rod. I’ve been very satisfied with the couple of Veritas “Winch” series rods I’ve been fishing with as of lately. I have an Ike Delay coming for Christmas, not sure which one, I threw a few models out there and I’ll fish with whatever comes. I’m thinking of going with an Abu fast or x-fast spin version sometime in near future. I have no kicks with the handful of Abu stuff I fish. I don’t trust much what I read in reviews. I’ll take my chance and see how it goes. Glad I’ve taken my chances.