Tim Kelly

Those Mizmo ones look good. I've found an ebay supplier for them too, so have ordered a few packs - thanks. I hope they're not too bulky, as I was really after a slim 3.5" tube, but we'll have to see. Many thanks. The JJ's may be an option if I can find some, thanks for the idea.

Thanks Tom.

I don't know that particular brand, but I've had tremendous success with the 6" Lindy Tiger Tubes for pike. The 8" ones haven't been as successful for me. Thanks for the bearbaits link. They have some interesting stuff alright. Looking at the Canyon Plastics site again I notice that their two tone tubes are spray painted on top to give the darker layer. That might be an easier way to go if I can find a supplier of the right paint this side of the pond.

I might have a go at dipping a few here. I imagine that it might work if I dipped a base layer, then laid the tube in a second colour, then probably have to do a third dip in clear, but it's all getting a bit complicated. If I could find a source for Exude fat tubes in the two tone colours I'm nearly out of I'd be delighted, but they appear to have discontinued them.

Thank you for your offer, very kind of you. I tend to use the tubes as baitfish imitations mostly, rather than as crayfish imitations, so like the shaddy patterns and particularly the two tone ones. I don't imagine it's very possible to get the two colour effect with an injected bait, or is it?

Excellent! You have some impressive trout fishing up there. Couldn't believe some of the pictures from a couple of weeks ago. Niagara Falls frozen? No David Blaine in sight? Wow!

If you do crack it, please let me know!

Lol. Thanks John. You having it cold enough at the moment? Fishing through a 6" hole isn't quite like ripping it up in the bullet!

Plenty of forums in the Uk. No bass though! Tubes are virtually unavailable in the UK as people don't use them. I catch plenty on them, but am in no rush to make them more popular! I can make soft plastic baits myself, but have never worked out a way to cut the tails on tubes satisfactorily, so it is, or should be easier to buy them in!

Ha! Just had a partial success at Whiskey River. Thanks for that. They had an international option, so so far so good. They still have to calculate the shipping, so we'll see what happens, but it's a step in the right direction. Many thanks for the heads up.

Thanks The trouble with TW is that you have to pre register with them and fax (how delightfully retro) stuff to them before they'll accept an international order. Lousy way of doing business, so I won't! Dry Creek looks very promising, but you can only order directly if your in the States. I might try emailing them to see if they can do a shipment, but I suspect that it will be a bad deal if they're not used to doing it. The shipping quotes are usually ridiculous. If I could find a supplier on ebay it would be too easy, but I can't. Jeez, it's hard to spend your hard earned sometimes!

Thanks for the suggestions guys. Still a fail though sadly. I've looked at all the options suggested and most don't ship outside North America as standard. BPS will, but their postage charges are insane. They used to be OK years ago, but seemed to become bored with the business, so imposed a huge minimum charge. Canyon plastics don't have a non North America option. I emailed them years ago wanting to buy some gig curly tail grubs and they wanted $100 postage. I don't think they wanted my business either.

I like fishing some of the smaller slimmer 3.5" tubes. Things like the fat gitzits and zooms. Does anyone know a good source of these type of tubes (any similar makes suggested would be appreciated too) in shaddy smokey type colours, dark back light bellied type two tone ones too? I need to ship them to the UK, so places like Tackle Warehouse , Cabelas and Bass pro are prohibitively expensive for shipping, or in the case of Tackle Warehouse, a real pain to buy stuff from because they want you to jump through ridiculous hoops first! Any basement makers or similar you could recommend or shops holding a range of styles? Many thanks Tim

I don't think bass season opens until the second or third week of June anyway in Ontario?

I had some 6lb P-Line Halo on my drop shot reel for about 18 months, fishing year round. Got a lot of use. If it got too twisted I'd drag it behind the boat for a while and wind it back on, which got rid of the twists. Only stopped using it when the level on the spool got too low. Great line, and it didn't appear to lose any strength over the time, maybe got a little cloudier, but that was it.

The UK. No friggin bass for miles! LOL I've caught them in Spain, USA and Canada though. Expensive fish! Canada this summer. 5lb 4oz Spain 4lb 12oz America The "A Team"

Ok. thanks. Does that mean you have an average height for normal use, but then drop it down if there's a big wave and you're going slow or up to squeeze the last bit of performance in perfect conditions?

Hi John I remembered you came on here, so I thought I'd have a look. Great site and not as annoying to load as the new version of NYBass! Love the look of the signature jigs. I wish the perch over here would take them! A bit too big for them to take on I think. I understand what a jack plate looks like and where it goes, it's how you use it (the powered ones) I'm puzzled by. Do you use it every time you take off or is it just to help optimise the boat to the load or wave conditions on the day?

I don't have one, but have never really understood how they are used. Do they replace trimming the motor, or are they an extra to trimming the motor? Would you trim the motor as normal and then raise the jack plate, or is it there for some slightly different purpose? If someone could post a dummies guide to using a jack plate it would be great to understand them. Thanks

Me too.

Has anyone tried the newer version of the 100% fluoro (XL) yet? Supposed to be much softer and more manageable than the original, I'm wondering if that also means stretchier though? I would love to be able to use 8lb on a 2500 reel, but 6lb is the max I can use without major issues using the original 100%. Love it on baitcasters as it's stiffness and density work well, but not spinning.

Don't know whether this is any help, but I've got an Avid 7'6" ml x-fast 2 piece rod which I absolutely adore. To my mind it would be ideal for your situation, you can even fold it in half for the journeys through the undergrowth. I believe they make the same rod in the higher ranges too, which would be really outstanding, but a bit rich for my blood.