backcast88

I keep my lures tied on unless I break off right before loading the boat. I do retie before the next trip. If I am going in the morning I retie the night before when I am packing the boat and truck. But if I am going in the afternoon I retie in the morning when loading everything.

I use one of my worm rods all the time for cranks and very very seldom do I loose fish. It might be my designated crankbait rod this summer and I am more then fine with it. Use your worm rod with confidence, just back off the drag a hair and your set.

I took both quizzes and just got a pack of 2/0 EWG worm hooks. I was kind of hoping for something different since I just bought a 25 pack of EWG Gamakatsu's. Anybody have something they might want to trade?

I am down to my last Spot Remover and need some new shaky head's and want something different b/c I am not pleased with the hooks on my Spot Remover. Does anybody have any experience with the Stand Up Alien Heads from Gamakatsu? They look pretty nice but was hoping for real world experience before buying a pack.

I have Seaguar InvizX on a spinning reel and find its ok but will not be buying anymore. Its soft for spinning reels but has a lot of stretch. I have another spinning reel with BPS fluoro and like it a lot. Its not as soft but still very manageable and its lacks a lot of the stretch InvixZ has and I get it a good price. I want to try Sunline Sniper when I use up all my InvizX but might just pick up some more BPS, still undecided.

It doesn't matter much to me as long as its comfortable. I used to only buy full grips but recently started getting into split grips. I do like my split grips a little better but I still reach for my full grip for throwing crankbaits and jerkbaits.

My perfect setup is my texas worm rod. Its a Daiwa Aird 2500 spinning reel with 8 lb fluorocarbon on a 6'8" medium xfast BPS Carbonlite. Its very light weight and sensitive. And it has plenty of back bone for hauling fish from under docks and out of trees drives any hook through a fish's mouth with ease. A very close to perfect setup is my finesse jig/drop shot rod. Its a Daiwa Aird 2500 with 8 lb fluorocarbon on a 6'6" medium fast BPS Carbon Black. I got the rod on clearance during the Fishing Classic and found it to be very well balanced and plenty of back bone with a soft tip.

I caught my personal best in the summer of 2006 in a small pond when I was 17 while working at a Boy Scout camp in the NC mountains. I was working as a camp counselor teaching fishing and fly fishing and the week was coming to a close and all the scouts had completed their merit badges but I was required to hold class so I told them all to meet me on the dam of the lake. We had been there almost 30 minutes and all the kids had caught a good number of Bluegill and a couple real small bass and I had been working to take their fish off to maximize their fishing time. When there was a lull on the action I took my rod with a texas rigged Zoom Pumpkinseed u tail worm and tossed it into a submerged tree top. I felt a small thump on the fall and set the hook. The kid closest too me chuckled b/c he thought I had hung the tree but once he noticed the action in my rod he yelled out "he's got a giant" and all the other kids came running over. It took me a couple minutes to get the fish out of the tree top but once I got the fish to the bank I knew it was my best. One of the kids grabbed the digital scale from my backpack and it came in a 7 lbs 11 oz. I fished around the edge for the rest of the day with my other classes and by myself and landed several dozen bass between 1 and 3 lbs and it was a blast.

Same here.

Does anybody know if Gander Mountain in Mooresville, NC carries Lews reels? I might head there and try out a Speed Spool if they carry them and I am still looking for input from everyone here.

I played with the Citica and Pro Qualifier at Bass Pro for nearly an hour and the Citica is out. I played with 2 different ones that were brand new from the box and neither was as smooth as the Pro Qualifier. I asked the guy behind the counter for his opinion and he said the Lews gets a ton of great reviews and he uses the Pro Qualifier. I know I can't go wrong either way but u can't make up my mind. I wish I could find a Lews to handle before making my decision.

Right now the reel will not be used a ton but I want to get more comfortable with a baitcast reel and will probably be looking to use it more in the summer to pitch jigs under docs.

I had a baitcast reel several years now and recently got rid of it b/c it was collecting dust and I was finesse fishing all the time. Now I am kicking myself for getting rid of it and feel I have to replace it. The reel will be a general purpose used for jigs, spinnerbaits and medium/deep crankbaits. I have narrowed it down to: BPS Pro Qualifier Shimano Citica Lews Speed Spool I know I cant go wrong with any of them but need help picking the reel. I have never held a Lews so I am not sure about it but heat loads of good reviews. I have easy access to he other 2 and will make a trip to BPS in the next week to play with the Pro Qualifier and Citica. I will not be making my purchase for another couple weeks or even a month so I have plenty of time to do my research and make my decision with your help. Thanks.

I use a 6'8" mxf BPS Carbonlite for all my soft plastics except drop shots. I really like the x fast tip because it gives a little more power to drive the hook into a fish. My experience with weightless plastics has told me a medium heavy is usually too stiff and doesn't throw very well compared to a medium but your milage may vary.

I have always kept it simple because I don't really have the time or money to be buying tons of plastics or other baits. I keep mine below 50 bag. I have 3-5 confidence colors and use Zoom and Roboworm products in my colors. Simple, easy on the wallet, and effective for catching bass.

I have a good number of shallow crankbaits but am looking for some suggestions on a good medium diving crankbait (about 8-10 ft). I would like to keep it $10 or less if at all possible. I like the looks of the X Rap Shad but am open to suggestions. Thanks.

I really like square bill crankbaits but don't really like the KVD's. They have nice action but seem to chip easily. I like my Rapala Clackin Cranks and Lucky Craft the best but XCaliber makes a very good crank and I have been fairly impressed with it.

I decided to get the XrK in foxy shad.

Any colors I should look at getting? My lakes are fairly clear to stained. I was thinking of getting Foxy Shad and/or Ghost. Are they any good?

I have my free hooks on the way. If I get something different I will be willing to trade with you if your interested.

I lost an old lipless crankbait and need to replace it. I have become fond of the one knocker sound and narrowed my choice to the Rapala Clackin Rap and XCalibur XrK. Which do you think is a better performer? Any color I should look at getting?

Pumpkin and chartreuse are my go to confidence colors but I am experimenting a lot right now to open my color selection and comfort level.

I picked up a 6'8" medium xfast BPS Carbonlite during the fishing classic and have used it several times and landed a fair amount of bass with it and never felt lacking in power. I would look for an xfast if you are getting a dedicated texas rig rod. If you are going to use heavy plastics then you might want the medium heavy but if you use smaller/lighter plastics I feel a medium is plenty.

I have 2 Rapala Clackin Crank's in Parrot and Helsinki Shad but am not really digging the Sure set hooks on the back. I have caught fish on the Helsinki Shad and just picked up the Parrot so I know they work pretty good. I kind of want to change to different trebles for the back. Rapala says they have #8's which seem to be a little harder to find. Should I keep the factory hooks or switch them to something else? If I switch, should I stay with 8's or could I go to #6's and not hurt the action? Thanks.

I use the improved clinch with my flouro. I know a lot of people say not to use it but I have never lost a fish due to my knot failing. I use 8-9 wraps and have landed fish from 1 lb to 6 lbs with the improved clinch. I might try the San Diego jam just to add another knot my arsenal.