smalljaw67

You missed out on the Cabelas $60 Supreme MGX, that reel is a good deal at the $99.00 retail and is great at the current $80 price but it was an absolute steal at 60 bucks. The president is one reel with a graphite frame that I have to say it works and it will last. I'm not a fan of graphite framed casting reels and really don't like spinning reels but my friend has 4 of them and not once has he had any problems, he never cleans or lubes his reels and he has had them for quite a few years, more than 5 and they perform well every time we have fished together, I was going to change my mind on graphite frames until he had a Shimano Caenan go bad after a hard hook set into a snag, after that is was a coffee grinder but his presidents work like a champ.

I'm waiting for the outrage that Luck-E-Strike got when the RC STX came out.

WW2farmer nailed it for you, I'd look at smoke colors too like plain smoke and smoke purple, if you go for smallmouth use green pumpkin tubes and smoke purple tubes and target rocky points in the spring and main lake humps and deep rock flats during summer.

Go lure making *, that is all 1 word, the name of the place is called real pro sport fishing, they are very good to deal with and are based in Canada. EDIT The thing that didn't come up is what is at the end of a web address like bass resource blank blank. So go to luremaking blank blank.

Cabelas has a big store near me, they have such a messed up selection of rods it isn't even funny but they have all of their own brand rods. Anyway, WIGuide hit it pretty much square, I talked to the manager as to why there wasn't very many rods and he said the store is stocked according to demographic, they will have around 10 models that are over $200 but the majority are under that amount because they just don't sell. There was an article in an In-Fisherman magazine I think, it might have been a different one too but I remember it having a bunch of stats and that it was less than 5% of anglers spend more than $50 per rod and it was less than 3% that paid more than $100 and fewer than 1% paid over $300 for a rod and it was almost identical for reels. We here consider $100 for a reel entry level, a lot of my friends who don't fish think that is insanely expensive. I think a $200 smart phone is ridiculous too but I'm not into that so it doesn't matter to me if I can geo tag or not with a phone. I also saw a little tid bit somewhere about Shakespear selling more rods in a Month and G.Loomis does in 2 years, but remember, this is a niche market and even among serious anglers it is a niche market. The last jackpot tournament I fished last year I only saw 1 NRX rod out of 40 boats and I have yet to see any Megabass but I saw a ton of Skeet Reese rods, Vendettas and Veritas rods, and I was the only guy that had a Fenwick Aetos but that is just popularity, not price.

Look up Karl White, he has a website, he has a section in BassMaster called "What's it worth" and he gives approximate value on antique tackle.

You do know you can slide a regular ball head jig up in a tube right? I use jig heads for tubes that are 3.5" and under, when I hit 4" I'm usually Texas rigging them but I know a lot of guys use an inside jig head with a 4" tube and it is usually a ball head with a 3/0 hook.

I have 2 Smoke reels, these have been really good to me and I have a Catalyst and it performs great, but those store models like the Escalade and Octane that you can't even find on Quantums website aren't made for someone who is going to use them on a regular basis. They are made for the casual angler who will use it a handful of times a season, but the Accurist on up are OK. You don't have to pay a lot if you shop smart, the ICAST show happens every July, pay attention to new rods and reels coming out because you know that Tackle Warehouse and other vendors are going to discount the old, discontinued items and because they are discontinued doesn't mean they are bad. Look around at a bunch of different sites and you can get a good reel for less, just be patient.

You can fish just fine with a spinning set up, my problem with them was larger baits and speed baits. I don't like really big spinning reels, a 4000 size is where it begins to get too big and in order to get the speed of a casting reel with a spinning reel the spinning reel has to have a large spool. The same thing with power, even medium heavy spinning feels softer than a casting rod and then you have the weight issue, a big spinning reel is heavy, unless you buy one of the magnesium ones which will run a good buck as the ones for less are still up there in weight, I have MH casting set ups that I can throw 1oz baits with easily and both the rod and reel together weight less than 10oz. So casting to me is something I love doing and I can't imagine running all lure types with a spinning rod but it can be done and if you are comfortable like that then so bie it but if you feel like you are missing out, try casting for a bit.

The Supreme is the hands on winner. Anything Quantum under the Accurist I'd stay away from, the Pflueger Supreme is a work horse, in fact they may be the best bang for your buck reel, and they are positioned right in the middle of the Pflueger line up, not near the lower end like the Hellcat.

What kind or blanks are they using or where are they getting them from? That is a great price for that kind of rod but a rod is only as good as the blank and there are some cheap blanks out there.

I was hammering river smallmouth in 1988 with a Slug-O and it is still great, in fact the Slug-O and the Fluke are 2 different baits. That said my favorite is from a small manufacturer, River Rock Baits Jointed jerk and Case Plastics Sinking Salty Shad, both stay down better so they can be worked faster but the River Rock bait is pure money, nothing has been able to get fish to bite like that bait has.

Sorry man, I reread my post and it sounded a little arrogant and I didn't mean it that way. I love jerkbaits and I have a few 110s, I even have the Hi-Float model but if you want a winter jerkbait I believe there are better options that one can simply take right out of the package. I feel you on the hooks too, the same thing with the Luck-E-Strike RC STX, the difference is they are weighted to the point that even a slightly heavier hook will make them sink, they have black nickel VMC light wire hooks but like the 110 they copied, it is intended for light line and spinning rods, 8lb test max and you play the fish, use 12lb and a bait caster and force the fish to the boat you end up with bent hooks. For me the Sting ST-36 is stronger and it works well on the 110 but can cause the RC STX to sink in water over 50 degrees, so for that bait I like the VMC 8540 but it looks to be the hook that is on it stock. Sorry for sounding like a jerk, I just wanted to let you know it wasn't meant that way as I tend to over complicate things all the time when it comes to new anglers.

You won't loose weed guards after every fish but it does happen but all you need to do is look at the water because they float right up to the surface if they do come off. The design is simple and it works better than I thought it would, I now throw my hair jigs around brush piles. Is it 100%, no, nothing is, you will still have times when the line ends up wrapping around a limb or you pull hard and actually set the hook on a branch, stuff happens but it is a decent weed guard and just as effective, if not more, than a traditional fiber weed guard.

The line is still dense and it still sinks, and even though I always knew it stretched, I didn't realize how much it did. Not only the OP's test but if you google it there have been a number of test done showing how much stretch is in fluorocarbon. If it works for you then great, I tried it and I didn't like it but it doesn't mean because it stretches it isn't any good, but a lot of anglers claimed that the near zero stretch is what made it better and that is just POS or power of suggestion.

That isn't something a new jerkbait angler is going to do. I like the 110 also but I don't believe it is for some just getting into jerkbaits, if I had to change different size and brand hooks out of the box to get a crankbait to run right when I was first learning, I probably would have just said forget it. We have to remember, what is easy and logical to us isn't that way for someone that is just beginning a technique, how many want to pay $25 for a bait in the first place, and then have to buy heavier hooks in order for it to suspend? We can overload information to someone new to fishing or to a certain technique and it could result in someone just giving up because it was made too complicated and I tend to do that sometimes.

They work very well but I've only tried the size #2 and the 1/0 so far.

When I tried fluorocarbon, I tried it on a spinning reel and I hated it and had so many tangles that I didn't give it an honest try, it just was too unruly for me. So I tried it on my casting set up, well when I said that it seemed to stretch as much, if not more than my mono did, I was told it was old line or perhaps it wasn't stretching but just felt that way ,etc. etc. The line was Seaguar Carbon Pro and it was the last fluorocarbon I used, my buddy had me try his Tatsu on his rod and I told him after pulling on a snag that it stretched too, it just felt slightly different, he said it was my imagination and now I see it isn't just me. I fish heavy flipping and frogs with braid, I know when a line is stretching and when it isn't and fluoro doesn't feel the same as mono but it does stretch. Here is one thing I tell young anglers, try things and don't knock something until you tried it, for me fluorocarbons don't work, I don't feel I get any advantage using them and I don't feel disadvantage not using it. Some anglers like fluorocarbon, the sinking line may be better for them with wacky rigs or drop shots, you have to try it to see if the pros outweigh the cons.

I fish a lot of jerkbaits, and I feel to cover a wide variety of situations and water temps you should have at least 3 different brands. For ice out up to 44 degrees I like the Lucky Craft Pointer 78 and 100, I would include the Xcalibur XT3 but they are now hard to find as they have been discontinued for some time. The Lucky Craft is high in price but it does suspend really well in a wider range of water temperatures than most others. For 45 to 49 degrees, the Luck-E-Strike RC STX 4.5 and 3.75, both sizes work well and I know some will get mad I have these over a Megabass 110 but truth be told, the RC STX suspends a lot better as the 110 isn't a true suspending bait so it tends to do better at higher water temps. 50 to 55 degrees it is hard to beat an X-Rap, it has the ability to be fished slow if you have a slight drop in water temp and during warming trend it is right at home being worked in an aggressive manner. There are others that can go here easily but I didn't put on because of price or other problems for new users, the Smithwick Rattlin Rogue is awesome and affordable but there are so many different models that it can be confusing to get the right one. The Storm Twitch Stick, this is the steal of the jerkbait world, it is the most inexpensive jerkbait but it has quality hooks and works very well, the smaller versin need a suspend dot to suspend in water temps below 54 degrees but the larger size 10 suspends pretty good at the 48 to 50 degree mark. I didn't include the Spro McStick because I feel the Pointer covers the same zone and water temps but the McStick is a little better be worked aggressively, and I left out the Megabass Vision 110 because it is more of a specialized jerkbait, this is for someone who has used all the other flavors and needs something different, it is more for a seasoned jerkbait guy as it doesn't suspend, it is a slow floater and at the current price isn't a bait I'd recommend for a new jerkbait angler.

I would use it for weightless 5" Senko's , perfect for roll casting and skipping to close targets. I'd also use flukes with it, and northern style swim jigs.

Here is what I can tell you about plastic in general. When you look at prices you also have to look at the additives like hardener, softener, and heat stabilizer. More expensive plastic normally, not always but normally, handles a higher temp without scorching better than less expensive plastic so if you use a microwave where you really just guess at temps, you end up having to use heat stabilizer in greater quantity. The same deal with the hardness of the plastic, if you buy say a medium plastic to make a soft bait but somewhat durable, the more expensive plastic, on average, is going to require less softener to achieve your desired hardness versus the inexpensive plastic. Now, if you just want to make a bait and don't care how hard or soft it comes out and you don't care about color consistency, well you can buy the cheap stuff and have at it but there is a lot more involved with it that just heat and pour. You know if you have everything right with your plastic recipe if you can do white or pearl, those colors are heat sensitive and with cheap plastic and a microwave you often see more of a cream color because the plastic will scorch and so you need to add heat stabilizer to get it right, sometimes it is 2 ounces and sometimes it is 6 ounces but you pretty much get what you pay for. Good luck.

Since nobody addressed this I'll try and help. Any rod in your price range is going to be good but you have a decision to make, a 7'MH-F is an all-purpose rod but you aren't going to throw crankbaits with it and have them rum correctly or land many fish with it. The rod is too stiff for treble hook baits, your best bet is to get the 7'MH-F all purpose set up and then look for a value based cranking rod, an ugly stick is heavy but is good for cranking because it has a moderate action which you need for cranks. Technique specific isn't necessary but I do believe in a moderate rod for crankbaits as the action of the bait is better and so are the landing percentages.

Try it and see, it may be a stock everything but I don't have that mold so I don't know. I'm guessing it was the Mustad 32746 since it appears to be a black nickel but I'd go with a Owner 5318, it is just a wicked hook, but give a 4/0 a try if you have any, it may very well take it without being modified.

Super Spook Jr. , that bait has the right length and weight and is fantastic. I also have a discontinued bait that does a great job but I use them sparingly, the Yo-Zuri Banana Boat, it weighs the same as a Super Spook Jr. but it has a thinner profile so when they want something a little smaller the banana boat is what they get!!!!

Bill Norman Fat Boy has a lavender shad bait, get yourself a quick coat lure marker in chartreuse, not a sharpie or spike-it dye, and add a small chartreuse stripe and then you have sexy lavender shad. Quick coat lure markers are actual paint, they have a ball inside and you shake it just like a rattle can of paint, they come with 6 different felt tips so you can get the right width of line you want, you put the felt tip in and then press down and hold for 5 second lift up and then repeat 1 time and you'll see the paint begin to flow into the tip. I think they are fantastic because it is permanent because it is paint but the pain is you have to shake for 30 seconds or so but they are worth it.