BradH

4600 for bass. Check the gear ratio/IPT to make sure it suits your application. Some of my 4000s are 5.3 and some are 6.3 and they will move more line than the typical "5:1" or "6:1" low profile reel due to the larger spool diameter that gives it more inches per turn. I'm not sure what the new ones are but I've got 4000 series ABUs with both ratios. For your viewing pleasure. 4600 in the middle.

Shallow- Rapala Crankin' Rap #5, same as the old Storm crank Mid- Norman Deep Little N Deep- Norman DD22

Trailer hook 95% of the time. If you rig the hook so it stays semi rigid behind the main hook you can even fish them through heavy cover without much additional snagging.

X2 for sharp knife. No sense making it harder than it is.

I've been carrying a Glock 30, .45 ACP for about 5 years and I love it. 9mm, .40 and .45 all have roughly 400 foot pounds at the muzzle, give or take a little, so just find a handgun, holster and belt you like and go with it.

The drum have fooled me many times! A month or two ago I thought I had hit a snag trolling flicker shads for walleye, smallmouth, pike, white bass and whatever else wanted to take a shot. Then the snag started moving but not really fighting very hard, usually the indicator of a very large pike that does not know she's hooked yet. Much to my disappointment it turned out to be a freakin' big softshell turtle snagged in the foot! Ahhhh!

Yep, and before you do anything with the prop adjust the outboard height and look at the tach to make sure you are still in the correct rpm range for the outboard. If you raise the motor the rpm will increase most of the time.

Anything where you move the bait with the rod instead of the reel.

Even though braid floats its small diameter (I run 20-30, 6 to 8 pound mono equivalent) has less resistance in the water and your baits will get deeper, likely only a foot or two tops, than running straight 10 pound mono. I do lots of multi species fishing for walleyes, bass, pike and anything else that will bite. One minute I'm casting for bass and the next I'm trolling for walleyes with the same bait on the same rod so I get to see how deep a crank runs with whatever line on my trolling runs as I'm always trying to just kiss the bottom. I also take note of hookup percentage. I will say using the right rod will more than double hookups. For instance if I tossed out two identical #7 shad raps, one on my ML BPS crankin' stick and the other on my MH Veritas Winch, the ML crankin' stick will outfish the MH Veritas 2 to 1. If I stuck a Deep Little N or DD22 on that Veritas the story would change, provided I was in the correct depth of water. Not that trolling is a popular way to catch bass but it has taught me quite a bit on matching the rod power & action, lure and line. Walleyes like bass lures too and vice versa Lures are lures. Braid's low-stretch properties help with long range hook setting ability. If you use a cranking rod your losses next to the boat on a short line won't be any different.

20 and 30 pound braid for me, gets deep fast. I always run a leader because I spend lots of time around rocks. I run heavier fluoro for a leader on squrebills for depth control if it's an issue although banging off the rocks and the bottom seems to be where they get bit the most.

My first boat was a 40 merc on a basstracker. 13 was the right prop pitch. If you are getting 31 you are doing good.

7' Shimano Crucial MH crankbait rod for me.

I've got one and it's a good reel. Very light with a strong drag. I just can't get past that stinkin' screw going into plastic! The Curado has a similar way of attaching the sidecover but they put a metal insert in the plastic, which I really like.

When you say handle I assume you mean "handle", not spool. The Citica has an anti reverse pawl as well as the IAR bearing, at least my Citica E does, not sure about the G model. That pawl causes some drag and the handle won't spin as long as reels without this feature.

Yeah............I'm going to say BIG thumbs down on the RC W&M jerkbait rod. Way too lazy in the action department. It would however be a great rod for medium squarebills & shallow divers around rocks or light cover. I'll remain neutral on the looks. It's not what I call pretty but for $50 I won't complain. If you have neon lights under your Honda Civic with a giant wing on the back you will love it . After playing with this thing I'd say the squarebill and deep crank rods should be winners at $50 but the jerkbait rod is a dud unless you want to fish squarebills with it. I'd say too slow for lipless too.

I will gladly continue to be "wrong".

I still fish in the cold. On braid I treat my line with Armor All, it helps. About the time my levelwind starts freezing up I switch rods When guides freeze up I just stick the whole rod in the water (not the reel) to melt everything. After I've had enough of all that I switch to trolling, drop shotting and jigging. With those two presentations I'm not constantly casting and retrieving adding water to the outside of my reel causing it to freeze.

I always put a dab of grease in mine.

First make sure the drag isn't loose but I'm guessing you know that, just gotta throw it out there. Sounds like a slipping IAR (instant anti reverse) bearing. It's pretty common when oil contaminates the IAR bearing. The oil needs to be flushed out and reel grease put back in there. The solution is to swap it out under warranty, send it to a reel service shop or do it yourself.

Yeah that buggy whip action on the front half of the rod really saves your butt when a smallmouth jumps unloading the rod or rushes into or out of heavy current. I've got other crankbait rods but those 2 are in the boat when I fish rivers. I think the rest of the rods in the line are a little heavy for the action they produce. The house brand BPS rods in the same price range seem more sensitive to me for the jig and worm type rods. I bit the bullet and ordered the RC jerkbait rod for my Dad for Christmas. I'll report back what I think of it.

I don't really like the W&M Reese rods other than the 7' and 7'10" crankbait rods. If you fish in current (rivers) they are great for medium and deep cranks and can double up for trolling #9 shad raps for 'eyes. For 50 bucks I'm half tempted to try one of the RC squarebill rods.

Awesome for walleyes. Try leeches while you're at it

I've never has problems with them shrinking down after drying and not returning to original size when I use them.

Military nomex flight gloves. Warm and thin with leather on the palms and fingers. I can operate a baitcaster or spinning reel with no issues. I carry two pair to swap back and forth when they get wet, although even wet they perform well.

If you don't like the Gen 1 drag these are the parts you need. You'll retain the 6.4:1 (or whatever it is, 6 something) ratio and use the pinion gear that is in the reel already. About $30 last time I bought them. # Part# QTY 41 1125758 Main Gear 1 42 1125760 Drag Washer 3 43 1125761 Keyed Washer 1 44 1125762 Metal Ear Washer 1 46 1129107 AR Sleeve 1 47 1125765 Washer 1 Also if you want 4 ball bearing handles these are the complete handles. 1125831 Standard size 1141299 Winch size (more torque) These handles will fit about anything else with an 8mm driveshaft (Shimano is 7mm, sorry) and are about $17 each last time I bought one. If you spend more than 50 you might get 20% off. Just call the ABU service number and give them the part numbers.