JIGFISHERMAN.

Personally I think the wearing out thing is likely overrated. I haven't fished the A rig but I've tossed 4-6oz musky lures, and I'm a fat turd that is out of shape. And IMO, there is no reason to have a ton of weight....I'm going to work the weight down to a total of 3/4-1oz

I've got the Loomis SHR. I really like it. Sure the GLX version is probably better, but it's also a hell of alot more expensive. The length, action, sensitivity is a perfect combo for shakey heading IMO

It might make you tired after a LONG day of tossing it for hours, and fishing nothing else.....Those guys on the FLW tour show, were playing it up for the TV. There are 60+year old guys that will toss 6oz musky lures for hours on end.

Ben, I usually buy all my jigs from Lurecraft....Poor Boy's lure building division. They use quality hooks, you can get a Darter (Mangus style jig), Football, or a more traditional swimming/weed/universal jig. Great prices too. I have a lead pot, that is the bottom pour design. I have no molds. I'll check it out and make sure it works, and if so, you are welcome to use it.....Then, at some point maybe I could borrow your molds, and that would be a way for us to cut some of the costs. For me, I'm really interested in pouring tube heads, ball heads, and shakey heads than bass jigs. It's just really hard to beat the cost of those poorboy's jigs.

We live on a creek, not far from where it dumps into the lake. The creek is clear water, decent amount of current, with rock bass, bluegill, and largemouth (no smallmouth, but the lake has plenty of them) Anyhow, those fish become very conditioned to just about everything. The closest I have found to not being conditioned is with a wacky worm, but even then you have to change up colors. With jigs, you have to use them every other week, or so. Based on observing bass in the creek I've changed my position on a few things. Color and how important it is, how much fish become conditioned to certain things, and their reaction to different speeds/actions.

OK finally....Had some issues with our internet. This isn't the prettiest solution, but on a 7'6 rod, it isn't as ugly as what you would think. Plus, for me, the balance, at least on my jig rod, is worth the trade off in looks. This picture is of the butt with the balancer off obviously. That foam butt cap, was a rounded one, that I had to trim with a razor, and then sand to get rid of the flat cut marks from the razor blade. Then cut down the balancer, and sand it, and slip it on. It still fits very tight.

Ill post a pic later today of what I did. Basically just some trimming and some sandpaper on the balancer and on the rods foam butt..the butt was very rounded so I had to trim it down to the diameter of the rest of the cork butt

2012 is going to be an interesting year....but to stick to strictly fishing goals.....have my boat done before the smallies are on their beds. Catch a 6lb smallmouth. Finesse up all my presentations. Fish some oldies but goodies.....and fish a tournament out of my own boat....one of my other goals...not really fishing but I'm excited so....learn some primitive living skills and practice them with my boys then take a fw"survival" camping trips.

I will type a more thorough response when I'm able to get to the comp. But I will say I very much disagree on how much and to what fish are conditioned to. Some observations I've made watching bass in the creek in the back yard

Other than maybe jerbaits or topwater there is no reason to be way up. I may just be a sally, but I wouldn't deck some of the boats I see decked either. I prefer to be able to sneeze without the boat rocking.

Me personally, I would never spend that much $$$ on a spinnerbait rod. I don't even fish them anymore. But if I did it would be with a 7' MH rod.

IMO, yes, that is the biggest issue. I had a roommate who signed up as a boater...I fished with him. And I've fished with and against some guys who are pretty good. Fishing out of his boat would have been a real downer.

I'll offer some thoughts. I know a handful of guys that have fished them. Now, if you take the time to read this I do actually want to fish a few. Keep that in Mind. And I'll get to the reason later. First....GAS. I've heard as low as 20 bucks, and as high as 1/2 the boat, AND truck gas, and possibly even more. That is ridiculous. The boater is NOT there to provide a boat for you. He is there to fish his tournament. He, by signing up as a boater, has decided to fish his tournament in his boat, and that tells me he would fish it, whether he has a co-angler in the back or not. $40 is more than enough. I would toss a tip if he is A) a good guy, and has you on fish Rods. IMO, it depends on how you will be fishing. Some of the BFL's are more than one day (or at least used to be) In this case you will end up fishing with two different guys. It would be a good idea to discuss with them, the night before, about where, and how they will be fishing. That is all up to them, and you have no say (part of their benefit of being a boater-see above) This will help you narrow down your rod selection. However in this scenario I would bring all my rods, and then pare down my selection based on how you will be fishing. Again, two different boaters may be doing two different things. Value. Don't go into it thinking because you are a co-angler that you are going to get paired up with a "PRO" You just might get teamed up with a great fisherman who is on fish, and you whack them like crazy. Or, you just might get teamed up with a guy with less skills than you, and there you are stuck in the back of his boat, sitting in water with few small bass, and you catch nothing. Now are you going to pay half that guys gas? I know I won't. By signing up as non boater, you get reduced cost (again back to the whole gas thing) and a possible learning experience. Not just from the boater you are fishing with, but the water you are fishing. Personally, I would rather sign up as a boater. Then, if you don't catch fish because of the area you are in, it's on you, not somebody else. However, I do hope to fish a few in the future. I'm doing so to A) learn from the person I'm fishing with, and Learn more about water I plan to fish in the future, but is a little to far away for me to just go any old time. I've had friends who fished with guys who just simply were not on fish, and with guys who had a great boater, and whacked them all weekend long.

I caught more bass in one day on a pre rigged worm than anything else ever. A purple-ish blue with white stripe on the back, with three single hooks, and mono leader. I would go out on the dock while camping, and toss that thing with a Rhino rod, and Zebco 33, and wear them out. Give them a break, and come back 1/2 hour later same thing. It's funny how as you get older you quit using things that worked so well.

I agree 100%. I'm a stickler for college football rules, so I'll go one farther. No player on a team that is on probation should win the Heisman. For that matter, there is no way in heck Cam Newton should have won last year....

Just to make sure, is the console unit on SI/DI when this happens? Not even sure if the unit you are talking about has SI/DI. But, if it does, regular sonar, will show fish, (baitfish, and gamefish) much better than SI/DI images. EDIT: Nevermind, it wouldn't be SI/DI if it was shoot thru hull

Transom mounted can give a better signal. I don't really think they wear out. IMO, I wouldn't remove the transducer that is shoot thru. Just leave it. I'm curious what one shows, and the other doesn't. They won't be exact, because of the power, and resolution differences.

Right on!! Done.

Like I said, it's regional. Everybody and his brother throws a shakeyhead up here. I do think fish become less conditioned to some of the soft plastic presentations, but with that said, the shakeyhead doesn't work like it did a few years back.

Post a picture if you can.... I can tell you that some of the electric models can be easier to mount than cable steer motors. The mounting area is MUCH smaller. It not just a matter of fitting it on the bow, but having it at the appropriate angle so the motor, when folded, doesn't hang off the side of the boat.

Removing the motor is a simple task. In fact, last monday, I removed a 75hp Evinrude, unbolted, removed cables, and all wires, and steering...Took 10 minutes w/the neighbor helping. I removed the 150 Evinrude, on my old boat, in about 15 minutes. Installing takes slightly longer. Just something to keep in mind, if you ever price out any kind of work that involves removing the engine.

Might sound kinda harsh, but an answer to this question, when received online, won't be a good one. What I mean is, if you get a consensus from guys on here, it's already being used enough, that it's one of the baits used to increase pressure. Plus things like this can be regional. Big time.

Welcome! Maybe we'll get a chance to hit one of the local lakes together this year.

I would rather do some pretty terrible things to myself than ride around in a big boat trolling.... No desire to fish most salt water fish.

DT cranks aren't the most durable. Not sure I would rely on them, if I were banging into rip rap