38 Super Fan

I throw traps with a 6'10" MH-F Cara often, and it handles them pretty well. Different rod manufacturers can throw you off though, my St Croix 7' MH-F is nothing like my Cara though it sounds similar on paper, and is far from ideal for cranks.

Good looking jig.

I was doing very well with Flukes in the early Fall, but that bite has totally died for me now.

Very nice!

I notched the PB trifecta this year, PB largemouth, smallmouth, and spot. This was my most serious fishing season ever though, I fished a lot.

Nice!

Thanks for the kind words everyone!

Yep, looks like the new version of the President XT. I can't speak for the Purist, but my XT has been rock solid. I've had it well over a year, and fished it a lot in that time, it still feels just like the first day I got it. Not bad for a reel I paid about $55 for on ebay.

Banking it this time of year can be tough, I'm no expert myself, but getting skunked is pretty common in the late Fall for me. Try to find the deep spots, those with cover will likely be the best. I seem to do best with small jigs and Senkos, just dragging them real slowly, but hard jerkbaits, tubes, among others all can catch fish. Live bait can be hard to beat this time of year too, if your into that. Good luck!

Thanks! And good luck, smallies sure are addictive. I don't normally let the losses get to me too badly, but losing a PB Smallmouth is tough. I'm a brown fish lover, I'd rather catch a 4lbs smallie than a 7lbs largemouth any day.

And I didn't even bring a camera. I don't usually do a lot of fishing reports, but I couldn't help myself this time. I mostly just beat the banks of my local river this time of the year, fishing the deep bends, and that's just what I was doing today. It's a small river, locals tell me all the time that there are no big fish in it, and I always get a kick out of that because I know better. Anyway, I was throwing around an Eakins Jig, Green Pumpkin, with a matching Rage Craw I'd cut down a bit to fit the small jig better. (I can't find baby craws locally, but this works for me) Just about 15 minutes in, felt that solid thump, and set the hook on, and landed, a nice 20" bronze fish. I'd lost another 4+lbs smallie last month, and that memory had really been hanging with me, I didn't know if I'd have another crack at one that size for a while. Just snail pacing jigs around is slow, concentration demanding fishing, but fish like that will always keep me coming back, year round.

I keep hearing great things about Denali, would like to try one.

My line was icing up a little today, I still enjoyed the trip, I like cold weather fishing.

Man, karma jumped all over that guy.

I'm a little slow, so yeah, I guess that matches my personality.

Natural colors are usually the way to go, downsizing may not be necessary but it's worth a try, I've had good luck with finesse jigs/spinnerbaits in those conditions.

It does seem like red hooks are a little more rust resistant.

I can't help on which one, but I'll throw in that the new improved 2nd generation Recons are now out. Even though you won't see them on many websites, (not even the Phenix site) they just started shipping last week.

IMO a fast tip graphite rod is a must, as for power my MH St Croix Sweeper Spinnerbait Rod handles big spinners fine, but I don't know how Ducketts power ratings compare.

^ Same here.

That's what I'd go with.

I'm not usually real big on changing hooks, but I always change them on Spooks, those stock hooks are terrible.

Love that "Sportsman" description, I know some of those guys, that's them absolutely to a "T". I guess I'm a banker, lock jaw, addict.

You could stretch the budget $20 and grab a St Croix 6'6" MHF Legend Tournament Rod out of their bargain room. Can't beat that price.

Awesome! Great post.