fowlskies

You can't beat using a Mr. Clean magic eraser; simple, quick, doesn't cost much and gets your cork looking like it came off the shelf. Some guys use a sealer but the name of it escapes me...do a search on here for cleaning cork and you'll find more than enough info.

Good topic for us northern guys that are getting cabin fever. I can't wait to try out some new spinnerbaits I bought. I have been using War Eagles the past couple years, this winter I picked up a new War Eagle, a Terminator T-1 and a Stanley Vibrashaft. When it comes time I'm gonna put the three to the test and see what brand I like the best, I might have to post a thread on my review of the three. I'm also thinking of buying a Strike King and Booyah spinnerbait to do a full on test with some of the most popular brands on the market. I also picked up two new Real Image hard swimbaits from Cabelas that look awesome and I am bursting at the seams to see how they work. That and I also picked up some Berkley flatback shad soft swimbaits that Doug Stange is always pitching on In-Fisherman. It'll be interesting to see how these work also. Those are the new baits I'm excited to try but I am also going to try a new to me technique this year. I'm pretty pumped to get out there and put a good effort into learning the dropshot.

Excellent read and gives good insight to whats going on at the other end of your line that we can use to boat more fish. Thank you.

I picked up the Razor M this summer and it has one of the best batteries I have ever had in a cellphone. In fact when I was researching phones this was one of the high points that almost every tech review had mentioned. The only phone to beat it out for battery life was the Samsung Galaxy S3 by a slim margin. It also is one of the fastest phones that matches all of the higher priced alternatives. The only downfall when compared to the Razor Maxx or Smasung Galaxy S3 was the screen resolution is not quite as nice but is still really nice. As far as android vs apple OS, I think androids system blows apple out of the water. My wife has the iphone and I like mine a lot better. The Razor M is made to fit the look of an iphone but with a large screen for basically the same dimensions because of Razor's "edge to edge screen technology". The Razor M is also markedly thinner than the iphones. You also were questioning the ruggedness of the phone, the Razor M screen is made out of gorilla glass that is much tougher than normal glass used in phones. Coming from a guy who has broken a few screens on my phone I do believe they are telling the truth when it comes to its toughness. I dropped mine while sitting in a 15' ladder stand this fall and it hit 4-5 rungs on the way down, glass is fine and the metal frame on it had a small chip out the paint. I was very impressed, although I do need to get a case for it before I find out the hard way that it isn't totally lifeproof. I did a lot of research before I pulled the trigger and this phone was by far the best option for quality at a good price. I haven't been disappointed in mine. In fact I don't think there is another phone that I want thats out there over this one. I really like how it is compact with the larger screen.

Put down the pole and pick up a shotgun. Duck breast wrapped in bacon is delicious, the action has switched from fishing to waterfowl, you just need to follow it.

I bought a pack Spike It scented markers. I've dressed up some of my soft plastics just messing around and I made some nice perch swimbaits with my left over money minnows. I love being able to put my own personal touch on any of my baits. Now I just can't wait till the waters warm up. But WOW those things knock you on your can with an explosion of garlic when you take the cap off and it definately holds the smell on the bait.

I keep my knife razor sharp, it cuts braid like a hot knife through butter. I've used a few different scissors in the past and none have worked as well as a good sharp knife. I've used those wescott scissors mentioned earlier and they sucked, I had a Berkley pair of braid scissors that worked well for about a season and a half but started to loosen up and didn't work all that well after that. Interesting enough what works as well as or better than your standard pair of braid scissors are the Fiskars child safety scissors. They just pop right through the braid and leaves a nice clean end. But the same thing eventually happens and they loosen up and lose their effectiveness.

I'm gonna guess you use War Eagles. They are by far my favorite spinnerbaits. I never use a trailer hook but I do use a trailer if I use a non-War Eagle spinnerbait.

I like the shopping bag idea. I always carefully weighed them by the gill plate/jaw area. I think I'll start doing it with a bag now, it seems easier to do it that way and you are not hurting the fish. I weigh a fish when it comes into the 4-5 lb range, which is a really good fish for the waters that I frequent. I like to guesstimate the weight and then weigh it to see how close my judgement is, I have gotten pretty good at guessing weight by teaching myself this way. I now don't weigh every 4-5lb bass, but do just to get an exact weight if I feel like it or if the fish gave a particularly good fight. This also helps me judge the fish as I am reeling it in, making the whole experience more fun.

Yup done with them. I have a few more orders that I am getting this winter (I usually stock up in the offseason). I was looking at a couple lures and some Redhead gear for hunting from them but I won't be anymore. I always liked Cabelas better anyways and this is just another reason not to shop at their competitor. A bass jumping out water is ubiquitous, I hope a judge looks at this and sees it for what it is,the big guy just trying to run the little guy out of town, and throws it out of court before there are to many legal fees. Especially when the little guy already went through legal avenues to acquire his logo. Should EMS (Eastern Mountain Sports) sue Gander Mountain because they both use the word mountain? There is about as much similarity using the word mountain as there is using a jumping bass in a logo.

Cabelas is another good site to order from, and their return policy is top notch. I ordered a few things the other week, it came in and one of the swimbaits had a couple small chips in it. I called their customer service and they sent me a new one and told me to keep the other one, no questions asked. Hard to beat that customer service. They have a great selection and bargain bin and their shipping is usually free for over $99. If you google Cabelas coupons you can find deals like free shipping over $49 or $20 off orders of $100-$150. TW is a great site with great selection like mentioned, not sure how their customer service is though. I have never had an issue with any orders from them.

Why not just put a couple finishing nails in it like suggested before. Either that or Rage Rig it.

I think my boss just heard me lol on that one, JFranco. Its not the size that counts its the motion in the ocean. To be fair I haven't tried any of the ones that are more expensive than the Magic Swimmer, but in its price range ($10-$15) I think its one of the better ones out there. Not that I have the most experience though, the only other hard swimbaits that I have tried are Strike King's and Storm's version.

Am I the only one who likes the Magic Swimmer. I have had a lot luck using this swimbait, its the best one I've used so far. Although the grass pig has put some numbers in the boat, but I use that in different areas than I use the Magic Swimmer so its not a fair comparison between the two. I just got a couple real image swimbaits from Cabelas, can't wait till the water softens to see how they work. I also got some Flatt Back Shad from Berkley that Doug Stange is always pushing that I'm waiting to tryout also. But if I had to suggest two it would be the Magic Swimmer for open water and the grass pig for the nasty stuff. I love the way the Money Minnow swims but I have not caught nearly as many on it as the ones previously mentioned.

I have 3 spinning setups, one of them I always bring with me for weightless plastics like wacky rigged senkos and flukes, the other two I usually use as loaner reels if a buddy needs one. I left the spinning setup out of it since I only use it for weightless plastics and I plan on getting acquainted with the drop shot this and will use the spinning setup for that also. Probably leaning towards a MH, now to decide between shock rod, lightning rod, sellus or vengeance.

As far as the application of the rod goes...I am not sure of what I want to use it for and I guess that is what my real question is. With the two I have already it kind of covers everything I do and I am not sure what I should use the third rod for. The M rod I use for cranks, small swimbaits, in-line spinners, lipless cranks, etc. The MH I use for jigs, spinnerbaits, larger weighted swimbaits, frogs and buzzbaits. I use both poles for plastics depending on the weight. Now with a third being added to my arsenal I'm not sure what I want to use it for, I was thinking more of an all around rod but I was thinking a M would be better for that instead of a MH

I just purchased a reel that will be my third baitcasting setup...my other two setups are: one of them is a Pinnacle Matrix low profile reel on a 6'6" M Berkley amp rod and the other is a ABU C3 4600 on a 7' MH Berkley Shock rod. What I'm asking about is what rod (mainly backbone) should I put my third reel on a M or MH? I was thinking of putting it on a M rod, since I don't fish too many baits over a 1/2 oz. I was thinking maybe a Vengenance or a Sellus, either that or I was thinking maybe putting it on a Berkley lightning just to round out my Berkley budget rods....lol My price range is at most one of the $50 "budget" rods, and my reel will be spooled with braid.

You took the words right out of my mouth. Are there cheap junk lures, yes, but there are inexpensive very good producing lures just like the OP is asking about. I have a few and lost a few $15 dollar baits and it sucks when you lose them. I definately hesitate throwing my more expensive lures into areas I don't think twice of throwing my bombers or Cotton Cordell Super Spots. So my "best" lures don't always get used in the best fishing areas. Also, we all don't want to spend as much as our mortgage on our recreation, don't get me wrong I love fishing as much as the next guy on here but I have other passions that cost money and a wife and three little girls that enjoy their yoga, dance class and their other interests that cost money. It blows my mind the amount of money some of you guys spend, for me and my budget it would be far to selfish to spend that kind of money all on myself. As far as a lure lasting you a lifetime...that is a bunch of bs. Lures are not a thing bought for longevity they are bought to be thrown into nasty places where slobs, toothy or not want to hammer them. Reels are an item to get longevity out of and you "spend your paycheck" guys sometimes have a valid point but I'm not looking for longevity out of my lure. Besides I have Bombers that look better after yrs of heavy use than some of my rapalas in my box.

Really??? Looks like you live up to the saying in your header, "I am not afraid to suck", because your attitude sucks.

Tell me about it I'm in the same situation trying to find a rifle. There are always sales for righties with scope included, not so for us lefties...luckily I use right handed BCs coming from using spinning reels exclusively.

Haha...no hate going on here. I thought that comment might get a few you guys riled up. Just trying to have a little fun on a day where the Giants didn't make the playoffs.

LOL...just ragging on the Shimano guys, gotta get those jabs in when you can

Whoaa!!! This thread got out of hand. A guy was simply trying to let people know of a good deal on a decent reel. I guess thats what u get for going against the Shimano posse. I'm a pinnacle fan myself for their quality at a given price, I find them hard to beat, since not everyone can afford a $200 reel. I might get banned for this by the Shimano crew , buuuut I just purchased a US Reel Hibbdon 800SX for $40 off Cabelas and can't wait to get it in.

I've bought one reel out of the display case and it has been flawless, it was/is a Abu C3 4600 that was on clearance and then after 25% off for being a display model it came to $30 and some change. I would do it again, but always check it out as best you can before you pull the trigger. Although the C3s are tanks so this took a little worry off my plate.

I can't believe no one has mentioned In-Fisherman with Doug Stange. I like his approach to teaching technique and the learning process, the multi species he goes after and it also doesn't come across as 30 min infomercial. There is some branding in the show but far less than most shows. Others include: Ultimate match fishing, and the one where the Brauer father and son compete against each other, it reminds me of my buddies and I out on the water talking smack and trying to catch the most/largest fish.