Spankey

Can't comment on the Fenwick stuff but the SC Premiere Series Rods are great rods. 1 pc. ML 6'6" Fast rod is a nice stick. I don't own the 7 foot version but wish I did.

6# Trilene XL “clear” or “clear blue fluorescent” or low viz green. Stuff can be bought at any store selling fishing related stuff. I’m not too sure about having them spool it up. I’ve heard of tackle shop horror stories when it comes to line spooling.

It looks like you guys are dressing way too sharp for those fish. LOL. But my biggest obstacle I face is in August-September when these killer biting flies come around. Not sure what they are. Some type of horse fly. I still have leg bites that are almost healed now. In my one stow compartment I have in a bag a pair of Adidas long legged pants, a Cabelas Guidewear hooded pullover w/ thumb cutouts and a full head wrap. Muskol does not drive them away. I can deal with anything else heat or cold throws my way but those flies are the worse. What generally happens is you don’t get any warning when they are around. You’re fishing and your mind is not on them and before you realize it and before you have time to react you’re bitten a handful of times. In August and September this up coming season I’m gonna dress a bit nicer and see if they get driven away. Maybe I smell and it attracts them. I think not but you never know. Someone told me recently that some bugs are attracted by scent. I’ve been called many things in the past, smell would not surprise me either.

Sorry to say but to me that appears to be bent. I have a brand new Nasci in a box in front of me. And doesn’t have that much of a rake to it. Nasci/Sahara same reel. The Sahara and Symetre were always great reels.

I guess everyone has a different opinion on muddy, dirty or heavy stained. My experience has been good with black crankbaits, black and black & blue spinnerbaits on the river for Smallies. Dark olive is another color just as good for me. But a spinnerbait in dark olive I’ve never seen in my life. I seen some crankbaits in green pumpkin recently. But don’t remember who made them (6th Sense maybe ?). It would work for me, I just have to remember who put it out. Was a nice looking bait.

I’ve been told on numerous occasions that I have a very colorful vocabulary. And generally not short for words. But in all honesty while fishing it’s not to bad. I’m not the most religious guy. I do at times drag my butt to church. But I find on the water, Fishing is a real connecting time for me. I’m sure I’ve thrown around GD, JC, on many of fish. A lot of fish. Hope it doesn’t get held against me too much. But when the grandsons are around I got them saying “ Big’un”. We all say it regardless of size. Every bite is a Big’un.

You stay safe. You must be doing something down there correctly. I hope this turns around for us in ‘21. It will. Fishing helped me get through it. For the most part a solo event(except with grandsons). I have my clay shooting cut way back. I’m just not real comfortable with that crowd yet. Some clubs have had issues. I’m not looking to be part of the issue. You stay safe. Those fish will be there. They are the lucky ones. Don’t have to deal with this Covid.

Thanks for making this post. Off and on all day while working today I had a bunch of old times go thru my head that I’d love to relive. Thanks.

Probably about 1964-65, I was about 5 years old. Prior to first grade. Family pond that was not huge but had bluegill, bullheads and some bass in it. Live worm fishing on what I have to believe was a set up from SEARS ROBUCK or possibly Grundys Hardware. Remember being taken there for terminal tackle and bait. Place had a lot of fishing stuff there for those times. Fished with some minnows right around that time also. My family was never really into fishing that much. I was taught some stuff. I remember the guy at hardware store teaching me some stuff. I can picture his face but can’t remember his name. “Gus” maybe. Has to be long gone by these days. But in all seriousness I was and still am sort of a black sheep compared to some of my folks. More like all of my folks. Sort of see life a bit differently. I’ve fished, hunted and shoot clays my whole life. My great grandfather was the same way. So I’m told. In a different time and in a different set of situations. Have been told early on that I was of his mold. I’m ok with that, even though I don’t really remember him. Must have been one heck of a guy than. When you are young you either walked, rode your bike are had to have some one drive you to spots. So let’s forget about anyone driving you around to fish. Let’s not do that. That was a real rare occasion. I was fortunate enough to have some creeks, private ponds, pasture ponds and a quarry(not suppose to be there) to fish. Serious fishing or taking fishing a bit more seriously kicked in about ‘69ish ‘70ish because at that time i was fishing for trout. Livebait and spinner fishing. A farmer I use to work for as a kid loved his trout fishing and took me under his wing so to say. He was good for stoping at the old tackle shop and this general store that pumped gas. I still have a lot my trout stuff from a kid. He Taught me and showed me what I needed to know. It was a Whole new word now. Taught me some basics of fly fishing. I grew up with his grandson but he was not really all that interested. Sort of would just go along. Those trout were nice back in those day. Those creeks were stocked but had hold overs in them. Maybe not native per-say but wild. Those trout moments are ones that are really etched into my head. I realize this is a bass site. Bass fishing is a big part of my life but I still take my trout time serious. My trout times fishing with old farmer Walter is my own version of life’s “A River Runs Through It”. Hard to explain, probably harder to even get my family as a kid to understand what it meant. But that’s life. Fishing is not on most people’s list of priorities. Great post! Has me thinking about some priceless times. I could go on and on about some neat stuff about the trout fishing. But in April/May of 1976, if it wasn’t for me to drive my school buddies to a trout fishing spot I wanted to take them, they had just stocked, caught my limit the day before, it was the day that my eyes were opened about catching creek smallies. A light beam was casted from heaven. Could have been from Walt looking over me. Who know don’t want to get all religious about it. I had a stringer of 8 rainbows hanging off of my belt. I had killed them. 40-50 of them caught. Nothing huge with a few respectable. All released. These in a trout stream. Had no idea of them being there like that. I’m not talking about “Rockbass” “Opossum Fish”. I’m talking real Smallies. That day was another day that the worm turned man. The day true bass fishing started for real. It got real after that. Smallie addiction. A drug you can’t shake. Those Smallies in a short time after was the start of my river smallie fishing.

Not sure how old some/most of you guys are but BPS has taken a nose dive for a long while now. Heck I understand the world is a bit different and business and marketing in not my field of expertise. But there was a time that BPS use to be full line dealers of Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap, Bandit, Strike King and all the soft plastic mfg. and many others. They sort of jumped the shark when they went to push their own company brands. Myself I’m not all that interested in the XPS Lures and house brand soft plastics and terminal tackle. But to each his own.

That XL is basically all I ever used for years. And will continue to in 6# and 8#. But I’ve been on a bit of a SunLine SuperMono kick for a couple of seasons. I really like it. Probably more than the XL. Sort of fence straddling it right now. But I’m not gonna push the stuff. I stumbled upon it and was willing to give it an honest effort. I’m satisfied but would like to buy it in 3000 yd spools. 660/330 yard spools don’t cut it with me.

Don’t, it’s not that great on spinning stuff. I like it on a couple of my BC setups. Setups that I use the hardest. But I’m always stripping back and keeping fresh line on them. I change my line redicilously too often but that’s another story. I'm sure there are better and I won’t even argue it. But for the price and as often as I change my line, again way too often, it works for me.

I use braid on my frog/pitching/flipping setup only. PowerPro. But my cranking and spinnerbait BC setup are with Big Game. I’ve come to settle with that for years. I’m so anal about changing my line it truly is ridiculous. But sort of just the habit I’m in. Don’t take the spool all the way down just to my splice knot ?. My rods that I throw the most generally have fresh line on them at all times. Bulk line purchases.

Mix your silver and gold blades.

I generally have enough going on to keep me from going stir crazy. Wife wants a few room painted. I’ll knock that out. I’ll get some winter trout fishing in and year round I shoot a lot of clays and reloading goes along with that. Like you were saying I won’t mess around with my reels quite yet. Tackle is is good shape doesn’t get to badly out of organization. Will swap out some treble hooks. Want to find the new Abu Winch rod and check that out. Want to duplicate my current Winch setup. Not really in need for any baits and the ones I wanted to fish are not in stock yet at TW. Heck it will be time for bass again before you know it.

I’ve always been pretty much a Trilene guy. Still use some Stren mono. The Old Excel BPS Mono use to be some real nice stuff but those days are long long gone. Two line I’ve used the last couple of years on dedicated setups is McCoy co-polymer and SunLine SuperNatural Mono. 110% satisfied and was able to find them in bulk.

I was always a Shimano Symetre fan in a few sizes. Was told they lost the rights to that name and jumped on the Nasci bandwagon when they came out a few years ago. I feel they are a step, 1/2 step better than the Symetre. But to each his own. I really never had much of issues with the Symetre nor these Nasci’s. But I have other reel in the mix. The Sahara is another good reel if you want to save about another $10.

I’d be fishing with 7’ ML Fast, don’t think you need X-Fast but to each his own.

I’m up everyday early. It is my time of day. I’m not the most religious guy by any means but on the water as the sun or daybreak is happening, even during rain showers it’s a connection time for me. I can reason and understand better. Certainly see a better picture. I’ve had a lot of good things happen when others are still sleeping. I know I’m gonna continue to roll that way.

Sounds to me that you want a few to try. I go with that. Get a few that you feel good about and try them. You most likely will not be disappointed. Go with your gut. A year ago about this same time there was a bunch of hype, bs and hoop-la about Googan and 6th Sense Baits. I knew nothing about either. Still know little about both. And for all I know they could be the same Chinese company. But I picked up a couple of each in patterns I felt good about. I caught fish on all of them. Really wasn’t trying to prove anything. Felt the quality of each was equal and results were equal. Did not become a Googan or 6th head. Did not sell off all or any of my Rapala and Bombers either. Just got hung up in the small bait circus. Go for it. Only a few buck in the full scheme of things.

I thought when I started this topic this far in I would have changed my thoughts and have a different opinion. Not really. As one poster said they have that hindsight after every trip out. I have to agree with that 100%. The old should-a, could-a, would-a thing. I’m gonna get back home to the river for sure. Switching to lake fishing has been fun and productive and really a game changer. But I have to revisit what I believe Mother Nature has taken a toll on. This has been playing on me for a long time now. Home is home. If I have to seek out new sections so be it. Have to do what I have to do. I’ll revisit my old stretches first. I can fish both the river and lake but I have to see if the river is coming back some. Just taking it to heart too much I guess and it’s a situation I have no control over.

Real nice! That's a spotted? Not sure how wide spread they are here in PA. I'm sure somewhere.

I will eat deer, wild turkey, pheasant and grouse and rabbit. Not too crazy about squirrels. Would probably would like them more is I were around someone who cooked them up correctly or differently. I prefer dead cow, pig and chicken.

I don’t eat fish fresh or saltwater. I’ve tried it occasionally over the years just can’t seem to get into it. My bass fishing has been catch and release only giving away a fish on those rare time one has a problem surviving. I’ve had numerous requests for bluegills over the years. On those times I try to bring someone with me because than I can give the requester 100 of them. Pretty nice amount of Gills. Trouts, rainbow, browns and brook I try to feed the troops with them. My family and friends look forward to them. There was a gal at work the other year who was going through some tuff times and she and her kids loved them. I wasn’t counting but she claims I gave her 80+ trout. I like fishing? they like eating. I dress the fish to boot before giving them away. I think it is great you guy enjoy them.

I agree 110%. You beat me to that choice. I certainly don’t know him but I feel he is I guy that every part of an experience would go well. I think Mark Zona would have to be my next.