loodkop

Those are very nice. I love the photo finishes! I run around with phone in hand showing it to everyone in range. Even my wife is getting into this asking if there is anything new posted. Thanks for sharing.

I have had the misfortune to use an Antix. I will not repeat the mistake. I don't have experience of the others but my gut feeling would be to go with Shimano.

I really love fishing. I guess this means that I would rather be fishing with a cheap rod and reel than not fish at all. That doesn't mean that higher end gear doesn't improve the experience in many ways. At this stage I own a range of tackle collected over 20 something years covering most of the techniques I like to fish. This allows me to be selective in the new tackle I buy. I would rather wait a while longer to buy the rod or reel I really want than be satisfied with the lower end alternative as I'm already covered in whatever I want it for. To people who raise their eyebrows at what I'm willing to pay for equipment I can only point out that there are worse things to spend money on than a healthy outdoors sport I can enjoy with my sons (wife to if they are biting).

This forum is great. In fact I would pay for this if needed. I think I'm addicted. I have to get a daily dose of BR. There is always something to learn, inspire or make me smile. There is even occasions where I feel I can make a contribution out of my personal experience. Thanks goes out to all contributors.

Nice colors. I like the first one best.

I enjoy the devil spear as pitching bait. I have not really fished to much of the others but the grass pig might get a workout tomorrow.

I'm an artlure angler which means that I try to catch as many species as possible on lures in competition day. This often means that there is no time to really chase trophies. This makes a trophy all the more special to me. I agree that size alone doesn't make a trophy. I treasure a number of big Zambezi river bream I have caught more than my national and provincial record fish of other species. Those are lovely fish.

If I can't catch the "train" I have to get a "bus".

Great post. It makes me anxious to try out my 1st spool of YZ.

Some of the flouro brands have the same stretch as mono and will not improve hook setting ability. There are a lot of recent threads about flouro lines you may want to check out. For hook setting power braid is hard to beat with or without a leader.

Looking at my combos I believe that the only one that would be difficult to improve would be my frogging outfit. Kistler LG micro guide frog rod (7.6) with a curado 200DHSV and 65lb P/pro. Bring it on.

Reading this thread I've tried to calculate how much money I've saved in the 20+ years I've used my simple homemade one. While I'm not able to come up with a figure I know I will buy a Core 50 this week with the savings. My sincere thanks to the OP for reminding me to spend all this money I had forgotten about.

I find the color putting me off. It would have to rated higher than a NRX or Z bone before I would even consider buying something that ugly.

Mine definitely don't read the same books and magazines I do. They are hardly ever where they are supposed to be eating the lures they are supposed to eat.

Shimano Bantam Crestfire in the 80's. Have tried other brands since but always come back to Shimano.

That looks good. Perch patterns are killer in my local waters.

Straight black.

Another vote for the spatterbacks but they are all very nice.

Nice fish, where is the lure pics? I agree that there is nothing better than catching them on a homemade lure.

The baby big o has a honorable spot in my panic box and has filled a limit more times than I would like to admit.

Thanks guys. I'm fishing "the salad bowl" this weekend. I will see if I can do some monkey business.

Those are seriously good looking baits. I've been using a broken billed DLN as a key chain for years. Yours look much better.

I received a pack of Rage tail Space monkeys instead of the craws I wanted. However I like the looks of this bait. What is the recommended rigging for this. I thought it should do well on keel weighted hook with a swimming retrieve through grass. I'm open to suggestions.

I have the opposite problem. I struggle to put the spinnerbait down long enough to give my cranks a fair go. I have thought about locking my spinners up for the next couple of trips. I have caught both numbers and size on the blades. Give it a go and good luck.

It took me years to start believing that bass actually could be caught in water so deep that I couldn't see the bottom. Putting faith in my electronic eyes is still a struggle but I'm learning at last.