Sam

Now you have something to do instead of homework. The paint job is excellent. Just practice with the hardware and before you know it we will have another Gary Yamomoto on our hands, making millions of dollars each year with "Dave's Hardbaits and Ultra Super and Never Break Lines." Engineering. You need to study engineering in college.

Don't forget Campbell University, home of the Fighting Camels on Buies Creek in North Carolina. One of the top pharmacy schools in the nation. And the Medical College of Virginia pharmacy school is very good, too.

And P.S.... Tru the old trick the pros use on their baitcasters. Cast out as far as you can and then take about another 20 to 30 feet of line off the reel and put some Scotch Tape over the remaining line on the spool. Backlashes will stop at the Scotch Tape.

Be sure not to overfill the reel. This can cause line twist. After closing the bail with your hand, pull on the line to get it tight and keep it tight as you reel in the slack. And do you run your line through a silicone or KVD's Lure & Conditioning spray to get it soft and supple? Give it a try. Soak a washcloth making a wet spot and run the line through it when you spool your reel. As Roadwarrior says, try the Yo-Zuri Hybird Ultra Soft line and see if it makes an improvement.

Mike, one other consideration when setting up your baitcaster. Set it up as you are going to use it when fishing, but.... Point the rod tip into the air to an 11 o'clock position and let the bait fall to the ground or a floor (not carpet). When the bait hits the ground or floor the reel should stop spinning. If the reel continues to spin then you have the setup too loose so tighten it up. By doing this you will prevent backlashes. And another trick. Get some Clam Shot weights and use the smallest size you can on your spinnerbait to give it some added weight when throwing into the wind. The added weight will help you stop wind-caused backlashes. You clamp the weight onto the middle of the spinnerbait's hook. Give it a try but don't tell the guys on this site as it is a secret.

Depends on what you are going to throw. Remember, just because you are not in a boat you still use the same techniques and applications as if you were in a boat. I use baitcasters for early AM topwaters, including a buzzbait. Then, I have a spinning reel setup ready to throw with a Senko or a jig after the bass misses the buzzbait. I use both for wacky, shaky and Texas-rigged setups. Baitcaster for flipping and pitching (yes, you can pitch and flip from shore) and my cranks and spinnerbaits, pointers, Rat-L-Traps plus frogs and if there is any heavy cover. So just because you are on shore does not mean that you eliminate any bait or technique. It only means that you cannot cover the vast amount of water you can while in a boat. Personally, I like wacky rigged Senkos and finesse worms when fishing from the shore, on a spinning set up using no more than 8 pound flourocarbon line. Six pound test if I can get away with that works beautifully. So give it all a try.

Hey, HookedinNY, The fish is bigger than the boy. Super pic.

Hey Hawgin, Does the Plaza Shopping Center still put up Christmas lights on all of the buildings? I lived in KC back in the 50s, in one of the apartment buildings across the cement creek from The Plaza. I understand they were torn down. But I still remember those buildings outlined in Christmas lights at the Plaza. I also attended an elementary school on State Street across from a fantastic hamberger place shaped like a circle. Fantastic hambergers. Are they still there? Just wondering. Thanks, Sam

Don't forget the pros tip. Cast as far as you can then take about 30 more feet off reel and place some Scotch Tape over the line on the spool. Limits how far the backlash can go into the line.

OK guys, NASCAR starts off its 10-month series on Sunday with the Daytona 500. Who do you think will win the race? With Junior on a new team; Rainbow Warrior really wanting to get the Sprint Cup Championship; Martin being back at it; Johnson still showing signs that he is equal to last year; and Hamlin looking very good, it should be a good race. Maybe Stewart will pull it out unless he is wrecked. By accident, of course!

OK guys, lets have at it! I have always been told, and have seen this technique on Ike's DVD, that when you spool a spinning reel you do so by having the lline come off the spool in a counter-clockwise manner. The reason is that the line comes off the spool in a clockwise manner and the counter-clockwise spooling technique allows the line to come off the spool clockwise, therefore greatly reducing line twist. So what do you guys think? I also make sure not to overfill the spinning reel even though Ike says that it is OK to do so. And the barrel swivil is one of the secrets of reducing line twist. They are expensive but worth every cent. So what is it? Spool clockwise or counter-clockwise??? :exclamation

x2, and it doesn't help when the cost of the medication is through the roof. And if your insurance won't cover you, well, you either pay out of your eyeballs, or go insane. Insurance will pay. Copays of $10 Generic; $15 Name Brand; $30 High End are normal in a group health insurance program. Also, you can visit a shrink or a psychologists for the same copay as if you visited your family physician or a specialist. So don't blame it on the group health insurance industry. We can't post political posts on this site so I will not cross that line and leave my post as it is.

24 hours unless the shop is in an unheated shed. It can take some time for the glue to cure and the colder it is the longer it takes. Maybe he lost it?

Can you wait for the BPS sale that should be on the horizon at the end of this month? Great deals on Shimano combos and reels plus other rods. Right now the Shimano Spirex is on sale in the Cabela's 2008 Master Fishing Catalog, page 66. the Spirex Fish Eagle II Combo is only $109.98 for the size you will want. as is the Shimano Sahara. But if I was you I would take your MOM to the BPS and get a Shimano Stradic Combo and tell her what a great deal it is and that you will never catch another fish unless you get it and then you will go off the deep end and be a politician in Maryland where they are the biggest crooks other than for Louisiana. This is your future and mental health we are talking about.. ;D

He will be a great fish to catch when he grows up in three years. Those small bass will hit your bait just as hard as they can. But it seems they come out of hiding during tournaments the most!

Well it is about time you get your priorities straight! ;D Glad you nailed her. Sounds like a great fishing location so close to your home. Congrats on the new tax deduction. Send pics of both fish and baby. Not necessarily together.

Hey guys, To set the record straight, I do what Roadwarrior says to do and have never had any problems. I also do whatever Reel Mechanic says because he knows better than all of us. However, in this instance, I cannot do what the Reel Mech says as I do not have the room so I have to do what Roadwarrior says to do. Make sense?

I store them in the house, in my office. Standing up in a rod holder with the reels on the ones I am using at this time. Otherwise, the reels are removed. As Road Warrior says, release the pressure on the reels when you store them. And be sure to secure the hooks as they can get tangled in the carpet and you have to remove them before your wife finds out. Wives just don't understand that it is OK to get all three trebel hooks of a crankbait caught in your new Berber carpet.

P.S. Where is Louisville, Mississippi? Northern or southern Mississippi? I am from new Orleans and know the state, somewhat, but never heard of Louisville.

Welcome aboard. First question and you have the guys stumped!!!! I have no idea of what to use so I am absolutely no help. But keep asking and sooner or later you will get your answer. And send us a picture of the boat - both before and after. Glad you are with us so just ask your questions and then go fishing.

When Billy Wells in Richmond upgraded my trolling motor from 47 to 62 pounds (12 volt to 24 volt) I belieive he told me he used 6 gague wire. So far so good!

Skipping with a baitcaster. Humm. Interesting thought. As you know, the best rig for skipping your lure is with a 6 1/2 foot medium action spinning rod with 10 to 12 pound mono. Buy making that low sidearm cast, like a whipcrack, your bait skips across the water two or three times close to the water's surface and then enters the water very gently. Now doing this with a spinning rig is difficult, at best, and as said above, takes a lot of practice and patience. I would summarize that doing this with a baitcasting rig would take even more time and an enormous amount of patience. Plus the fact that you would have to set up your baitcaster by putting Scotch Tape over the line on the spool to help stop the backlashes. So I must agree with the guys when they say to perfect your spinning skipping presentation. Maybe by being able to do it both right and left handed. Or perfect it so that you always get three skips before it gently sinks into the water. But with that said, give it a try and see what happens and let us know. For now, I will start to practice my skipping technique, which I have never perfected and am still amazed at just where the bait will go when I use the technique on the water.

Competitive Shimano Prices!?! Isn't that an oxymoron?

Son took his Australian Sheppard with him and the dog kept jumping out of the boat so, in answer to your qurey, no --- no more dogs in boat unless it is a fun time for the dog.

Catt, Looks like the guys champion Champion. So which one will you get?