Brian Needham

what we mean is take for instance my lews 6.4: which is 28IPT and my shimano core 7.1:1 which is also 22IPT, but my lews 7.1:1 is 31IPT......so which GEAR RATIO IS BETTER??? Neither, as IPT is what matters when making an informed choice as to what reel to buy. and that is taking in account the math of half spooled and all that.

bouy and GPS.... both work, both have their place. GPS with the heading sensor does make it easy for me to line up on a spot, but I still like a buoy to see my relation point to what I am looking at.

no time spent on supspended fish unless I have to, meaning I cant find anything better. looking for fish within a foot of the bottom, or bait or both..... what I mean is if the spot has all the ingredients I am going to fish it because even on sidescan and the best electronis not every fish will show up all the time.

I been throwing a bullshad on a 805 RMcb and like it.

does it touch you, or do you just want HER to touch you??? HA HA HA. it is always good to see folks stay true to thier roots, and not go off the deep end when they hit the big time.

thats been my experience too, when I find something on my hummingbird I will make about 10 cast to what I think is the sweetspot.... if not bit by then, I will make a few random cast, no bites, then I move. they are usually turned on or they arent, if they arent then you know it is a timing spot and I will check it later...... I am still waiting to pull up on a spot and catch 20+ pounds on 5 cast, I havent done that yet, but I still got at least a summers worth of idleing to do too.

with fish stedily moving out on the TN River chain......... I need to start re reading that thread to get squared away and brushed up!

I have no doubt about that.... I forgot to mention that on the 804. normally I do spoons on the 784ML but on the bigger spoons I think it can get a little overpowered, so when I got the 804 and casted it a few times one of my first thoughts was a 6in spoon. Glad to hear you have actually done it and liked it!!!! Last time I called the office to ask Richard questions I asked him when we were going to get a 785.... he said hopefully next year.... I hope so, becasue the 784 is a GREAT platform, just needs to be a bit beefier for heavier stuff IMO.

Catt, Roadwarrior, and myself have all answered that question.......and it is a BIG YES.

I agree, you have to have the laws be black and white, followed as written. otherwise you can have interpetation and preferences play a role.....when that happens it is all a judgement call and nobody can fairly be assessed at that point JMO

I might be from Arkansas but I think the above quoted text answers the question of what you will catch offshore. My personal best came off an underwater point that had a sharp drop to 12fow then to 18-20fowthe that spot was a couple hundred yards from the nearest bank. I am new to offshore fishing too as I started last year .... seems like everytime I do, I catch one bigger than 4# I hope this helps

yeah but you aint power poleing in 25 fow out on a river ledge. hence drop the anchor or buy a terrova. SPOT LOCK.

I am wanting to see where the OP lives and what he fishes.... the 765 flip is a STICK.... I had one and sold it as I never had the need to use it. it is my opinion unless you are punching mats, THICK brush and that kind of deal, it is hard to justify a true flipping stick. the 735 and 736 can handle A BUNCH of stuff in the pitching/flipping department I throw a 1oz 5inch big hammer on a 735 just fine so if weight is a concern it shouldnt be. also another rod that is rarely talked about, but one I just got is the 804c champ.... I fling a double rig of 5in swimbaits on 1/2oz heads, and that rig will LAUNCH a 3/4 carolina rig. I am just startting to use this rod, but I am excited when the time comes to stroke 1oz jigs. this rod sets up much differently than other 4 powers in the line up.

it irks the crap out of me too.... and sadly those bank fishermen dont have license either most of the time.

another best practice on measuring..... find out what bump board your tournament director uses and buy THAT board..... and find out what board your warden uses and buy THAT board. problem solved..... if we want to get serious and not have question, then we have to use the board the officials are using, then there is no arguing.

Dunham- there is no doubt I agree with you in princple.... but the rules are the rules and thats all the warden is going to see. Like in my crappie example, it is a big issue down here so they pop everybody and pop them hard so they dont do it again. and with the tournament example above maybe that warden has caught several tournamnets keeping short fish and it has become an issue, so he popped the guy. I know one lake I fish it has a slot limit of 13-16 inches.... I like to keep fish for day end pictures, if it is a 16inch fish I let it go, all fish that go in my livewell are OVER 16inches just so I dont gett hassled. In fact the slot limit reads "13-16 fish must be released mmediatly" which means it better be OVER 16 if you want to keep it. It is always in the vocabulary used, and we all have to be careful and measure correctly. To the point of err on the side of caution. Dont make the rules, but we as fishermen better follow them...... cause there are plenty of people that dont.

while I understand.......it is also things like that, that protect the lakes. the game warden is gonna say " you have a bump board, use it." and the warden is right.... there is no excuse for short fish.... it either touches or it dont. Most times, if it is a "coin flip" or it is not perfectly clear, without question I throw it back. if you thiunk that is bad, come on down to Mississippi and get caught with a few short crappie, and you'll be lucky to keep your boat..... but that is also the reason why Mississippi has world class crappie fising too.

select few meaning us on the boards right???

shallow and deep are relative terms...... I fish some water where 15 foot is dirt shallow, and some where 15 foot is super deep. 1.look at the map follow the channels and points out of the coves...find the drop from there. 2.then idle around scanning promising looking drops/cuts/ledges 3.post pictures of hawgs

I am torn between Speedbead and A-jay on this one. I could 100% agree with both of their wordings....... it is a good problem to have, that we all agree on.

exactly.........either shoot it, or bug out....but I aint hangin' around.

I remember seeing that too...... I looked up and said "oh look a stake bed"...... wait a minute...... this lake is at full pool right now. I don't remember seeing the cross in front, but I remember feeling weird, not to the point of saying anything to others in the boats, but it just felt odd!

I am getting the hell out of there.............and THAT is the reason I will not and can not fish at night.

they are probably chosen