Spankey

I have that exact Bomber. Purchased before my oldest daughter was born so it had to be before ‘81. Probably bought in ‘79 ish. I have a decent amount of old Bomber Model A screw tails. Not sure what their deal was but they have sort of fallen off the earth a long time ago. Real shame because they had some great productive colors for river smallies. I don’t use some of that older vintage stuff anymore.

I’ve never fished the exact rod you are talking about but I’m a big fan of the Veritas winch series of rods. I feel they are correct to power and action. Their Moderate actions for crankbaits fishing have become a favorite. I fish soft plastics on others but have been satisfied with the Veritas series. They are hard to find on a local scale. I’d be up for trying a 7 foot fast or x-fast action, ML or Medium power spinning rod for soft plastics. Abu is tuff to find near me.

I got in a stretch this summer where I was loosing fish on multiple outing on a few of my XD’s. Ticked me off big time they were quality fish. Nice fish, bring a tear to your dang eye. Not immediate lost fish. They were on. I blamed myself, rods, reels, hooks, the boat, line and everything going. Changed out my hooks and touched up a lot of my hooks. Even replaced some of the crankbaits. I don’t know why it happened. It was not meant to happen or to land those fish. I’m not a real super religious guy but the man upstairs did not want me to lip those fish. I tried to reason with that situation 7 way to Sunday and I have no idea what the problem was. Just was not meant to be.

I’ve never touched one. Willing to bet it is a fast action. Pretty sure all the soft plastics or the majority of the ones I use can be fished with it.

I agree 110%. They have been going downhill for years. That’s all I got to say about that.

I don’t mass replace either. Not many crankbaits I use that I despise the factory hooks. Some Strike King stuff but not much. That’s the replacement I use as well as some of the KVD’s Mustads.

I’m not really all that surprised reds don’t work out real well for me. I’m at the point it in my head. Been there a long time actually. A bit surprised to see a majority of these posts have an issue as well. Didn’t expect that at all. But there are not many responses. Hope to read many more on both sides of the red color. I have a post in another section on “pink/bubble gum. I’ve been at smallie fishing for a long long time and have never used is. Don’t even own anything in it. I walk right past that color. Gonna put that phobia behind me this coming season. I have a few things coming from BPS & TW. Gonna give it an honest effort. If it works fine. If not that fine also. Didn’t buy enough to break the bank and what I did buy was items that work and have worked in different patterns.

I think you’ll be around for quite a bit longer. I wish I was 42 again. Happy birthday.

Black and blue will work for me but a solid black will out fish it. Referring to soft plastics use.

I have never had days where I’ve set the world on fire with reds. Not a real fan. Not a go to color. But that said I do know it is a good color pattern. My problem with reds is between my shoulder blades.

Great post ?

?

I have some various Rapala tools on the boat to get me out of a jam. They work, they don’t rust, they don’t break the bank and are readily available easily. What’s there not to like about them.

? I’ve retired that a long time ago. Good luck.

I’d like to have $0.10 for every bass I caught on a 4” Power Worm. I’ve never stopped using them. They've been around since the early 80’s. The younger guys now were not fishing when that worm was available in many more colors. At one point in time I thought they were gonna stop making it. Berkley had a 4” crawler that has been stopped for many years. Flatter tail like a Charlie Brewer Slider worm. Ton of color choices for it and real popular. Don’t have any idea why Berkley cuts back. A lot of competition and styles out there I guess.

I’m a holic and a junkie. Have been at it a long time. My addiction has lightened in more recent years. But I have a real admitted addiction to fishing crankbaits. What I buy gets used I really don’t have much hoarded away outside of duplicate/triplicate of a good pattern. I have a pretty impressive collection of well used Bandits, Bombers, Rapalas and Strike Kings. But no word of a lie there are a very small few that I did not catch a bass on. Lately I’ve expanded myself into fishing SPRO, Lucky Craft, 6th Sense and Googan hardbaits. All my recent patterns of these is working great. I’m buying them, but not overdosing on any of them.

I’m also one who is not Mr. Sunshine the majority of the time. Been working on that for a life time. Some work issues can make you miserable as cat crap but I can’t and won’t let that carry over into my fishing. My biggest peeve is with myself not throwing a bunch more different looks while out. This coming season I’m going to have things laid out a bit different. Not beat certain lures, patterns and colors to death. It’s not like I don’t have the stuff to do it. Gonna throw more and more different.

Don’t overlook a 3” grub or tube. I understand about the craw info you need. But as a change up to the craw when needed a tube or grub will sometime produce. Good fishing.

We are the same age and the same graduating class. We are not antiques but vintage. Share the same memories and have not one regret as to how I grew up. And I didn’t have a real lot growing up.

Thanks for that heads up. Found that in 1/2 oz. Just had to think outside the box some. I've been throwing some of the rk 50's over the last couple seasons. They have been a productive Bomber substitute for me. Thanks.

Found something I like the look of. Daiwa SC Shad 5 SP. Bubble Gum. Fall right in line with the Shad Raps I throw year round. I see that the hardbaits may not be as hard as first thought. I really appreciate all the responses.

Thanks guys I’ll try it. Have been somewhat wanting to try it, as I said it has not bit me hard enough to try it. I’ll put together a pink “care package” over the winter. I don’t have a lot That I need or have to replenish. I’ll do pink searches of plastics I do well with now. I’ve seen some pink Zoom stuff over the years. All of which went over my head. A place to start first. I’m willing to bet there is not a pink crankbait out there. I have never seen one and I own a lot of them (more than I need) but there are not many that I didn’t catch a bass on (even if only dinks or runts).

Guys I’m anal, bullheaded and a creature of habit. For my river smallies and lake fishing for greenies this coming season I’m gonna throw a few pink/bubble gums for a first time. Something that never struck me or appealed to me very much. But I guess it whether it appeals to the fish. Still doesn’t, but I want to at least try it. I see it talked about here on occasion. An experiment, will either work or not work. I have all winter to find a bag of 4” flukes, 3” grubs, tubes and a finesse worm. And a pink medium diver crank bait. That I have never seen, may be tough to find. I’ll dedicate a day to pink or a few hours here and there to try mixing it in with other stuff I’m using.

They have the same sale at tax season. You’ll be ok. Hope you can pick it up at a good price.

I basically don’t use anyone but TW these days. Their sale plus the 15-20% discounts can’t be beat. I don’t buy much during the season. Pretty much an off season thing to get what I need and want for upcoming season. Pattern choices are better than most places. Some of the newer stuff coming will be out after the beginning of the year. A lot of on-line choices but I’m not gonna deal with eBay or Amazon for any of my fishing needs.