Spankey

Most likely Chinese. 80-90% of most fishing stuff available. Not much of a way around it. The US has to get China on the hook for high dollar more technical products.

You are probably right, but it’s a real shame. I like hear the results good or bad on the Googan baits. As well as any other manufacturer. I’ve had my few posts hacked and deleted by mentioning a few good things about them. I’m not a big fan of them but their crankbaits run good and I have a few patterns that catch fish. I’m about the bait, quality and the pattern. Not who’s name is on the box. The name on the box has nothing to do as to why I bought it. I don’t care what goes on in the big box stores. Corporate buyers that do not fish most likely. Heck some of you guys don’t remember this but at one time BPS use to be full line dealers of many manufacturers. Now they only want to put any effort in their house brands. You’d be pretty hard pressed to go there and find a decent selection of Rat-L-Traps. Oh well.

I bet they do. Two patterns Of it I’m after. But, too many slim baits out there that don’t rattle.

Thank you.

Does the Berkley Frettside Rattle? Thank you.

I’ve never been a fan of DICK’S. Never will. They have that store named perfectly.

Grubs far more often than boot tail.

On that day you are really feeling it, get out. Rewarding in many ways. Good for the mind and soul and most likely you’ll have the whole place to yourself. I know I get on the trout tangents once and awhile, but not that there is not a love and passion for bass. Stocked, wild or native trouts just a different game.

I’m getting bit. And I glad. Maybe should not be complaining because few bass are getting caught by the word on the street out my way. But my fish are small. I’ve been cove fishing thinking the numbers of bluegills there and Shad potential being there in shallow water. Vegetation in pretty good shape yet, bigger fish should be there. Admittedly I do struggle in the fall, but my bigger fish have also come in the fall. I’m gonna get out of that rut. This next time out I fishing harder bottom rocks, steeper rock drop offs, deeper water. Make it a point to mark things better. Points that drop off faster and deeper.

OP, great post. I’m not gonna tip the scale one way or the other about Abu. In my area/region I can’t find squat that I want to see or touch. Very poor selections of rods, reels, baits. The whole show. Abu has a lot more that I might be interested in trying but I can’t access it. Big box stores like DICK’s or Wally World are terrible. Local tackle shops are narrow minded in their thinking. But I hear they are not created equal across the country for fishing supplies. My Winches were a good choice. I’ve touched and handled the Revo SX and am leaning that way to purchase one. But the lower end Max X, Pro MAX, and Max STX I’ll never get to see or touch. Want an IKE delay rod for Christmas and one of those really might be good enough for that setup. Sorry for being so long winded but AbU doesn’t market themselves very well and get themselves out there.

Been fishing a couple of Revo Winches here no issues all. One was at a close out price, the other at the holiday sale. Have them on Veritas Winch rods. Has made my crankbait fishing more fun and more rewarding. 10 years ago I would never gave Abu a thought.

Not generally for bass fishing. Bass is more like let’s hook up the trailer and head to the river or lake. During the time I fish for trout that’s a different story. Have myself prepared to spin fish or fly fish at any given time. I’ll trout fish before work (get there late) and after work on my way home. It’s an everyday type of thing. My wife works for an accounting firm, during tax season they are late and put in a lot of hours. This is the height of my trout time. Have nobody to go home to. Kids are long grown and been out of the house. Unless I have something pressing, which happens, I have a lot of trout time. And love it.

Curly tail and straight tail worms they’ll cut my tails right off. Same with my craws. Orange or chartreuse tipped that’s even worse. Hit hard also. Saturday when I was out I was getting hits and bangs while throwing a SK 3XD. Thought for sure they were bass, figured a school of small bass. Was all heck bent of fishing this small cove. I figured a bunch of bluegills would be back in there and bass would chase them around. Bluegills slamming the 3XD. Had a handful of hookup of them. It was crazy. Had mouth, fin and some side hooking of them. They didn’t like the 3XD for sure. (I took a few pics, I’ll try to post). Switched to soft plastics and got a couple of runts. Anyway would have a heck of a time getting a live crawler to a bass through the bluegills. Maybe if they were pulled back into deeper water.

You’ll never hear me bad mouth anyone for what they use. To each his own. I’ll encourage someone to try to use an artificial who is a live baiter. Try to steer them in the right direction with using it. The same as I’d be receptive to a live baiter telling/showing me how to properly fish live bait. I honestly would not know how to fish for bass with it. And feel I’d be catching panfish only with it.

Probably will work out for you. I let Opt. Talk me into the transitions and got a real good price on trying them. Some special package. January when I do my eyes up I’m dropping the transitions. My amber/brown polarized I fish, hunt and shoot clays in them. Good luck.

Mo, was blowing through BPS site and seen the liner jackets for the 100mph or 200mph coats and they look like they would work. But they are a bit steep. I still prefer the fleece line Tourny. More practical in my opinion.

I’d have to look up my specifics of my specs. They are a transition type but I can’t fish in them. I have prescription brown/amber polarized that work out great. The brown/amber will brighten certain things up when low light occurs.

Very nice was thinking about the preorder from TW on them. I won’t need them for winter because I’ll have ice. The OG Slim has worked on river Smallies all season. Fish it no different than a DT really. There are two patterns of the Chick I should do well with. Good luck.

No bead for me. I do different things to peg my weight. Seems interesting to try.

I’m not into smoke worms but when the river gets clear (late summer and fall) Smoke grubs work best for me. As others mentioned great baitfish imitation. Blue, purple and silver flake. Would like to try a red or green flake in smoke. The worm should work good for you. If I were to rig it up it would most likely be on a Slider for river Smallies.

Worms Grubs Tubes Craws and Crankbaits Spring, Summer and Fall my river baits stay about the same. But have a few color patterns that work better in the fall.

I sort of had the same situation happen to me yesterday. I was getting hard thumps and taps fishing the edge of some grass lines. Would have lost the house because I was sure they were Bass. They wind up being bluegills to my surprise, not huge. They were hitting the heck out of a 3xd in Bully. Was wild. I took a few pics because it was a bit unexpected. I’ll try to post. Stopped using that pattern. Caught a mixed bag along these weed lines on cranks. Bass (runts), channel cat and those bluegills were all short strikes.

My set ups and baits carry over also. Really just a matter of what I take down to the river. Generally don’t fish Smallies real heavy. Shimano Symetres and Sahara’s on St. Croix Premieres and Avids Spinning. X-fast and fast. Cranking on two old St. Croix Premiere Crankbait rods Med. & ML w/ Shimano Corrados. Moderate tips with great cast ability. Shame they eliminated that series. On the river my hardbaits will not exceed 1/2 oz.. Majority are 5/16 and 3/8 oz. I’ve become a pretty big fan of Abu Garcia over the last handful of years. A bit heavier set ups for lake fishing. Heavier and deeper as well as the baits. Smallies will hit so many different baits.

My intention will most likely never exceed the 3/4 oz. Maybe 1 oz. But do intend to throw a lot of 5/8 to 3/4 with it. I’ll have to buy both Med. and Med. Hvy and send one back. I’m so anal I’ll have to hash and mull it over.