Michael DiNardo

I felt the same way about the Shimanos. I bought a 200E when DSG had their sale on them last summer. All I can say is wow, I am very happy with it and understand why their is a so-called Shimano Posse. If there is one, I guess I belong to it. I loved my round Abu G's too, until I tried a Calcutta. Don't get me wrong, still love my Abu G's, but they don't compare to the Calcuttas. You won't be satisfied until you get the Curado though and see for yourself. I have read all the pro-Lew's responses though and have checked them out and I think I would be very happy with those as well. Mike

Kodiakcc01, Great response and an honest comparison. Good things to consider. Mike

Ok, so you don't like the garbage pickerel/pike/musky that eat the bass fry. What do you do to the garbage trash "father bass" that eats it's own young. Nothing personal meant, just debating the issue. I totally understand respecting wildlife, but to say that you care more about a fish than people: well you are just looking for an argument on that one. If that is how you feel, don't fish. Mike

Nice find, a buddy that does not fish anymore gave me the Mitchell look-alike to that reel. It still works fine, wish it had a thumbar. As someone said, late 80's vintage. Mike

Is this a trick question? Just kidding. Mike

I took both quizzes early this week and got my hooks (1/0 worm) and a decal today 4/27. I read where someone didn't like the size. if anyone does not want their 1/0s send them to me and I will have kooks all summer long for my 4in ringworms.Thanks to BrandOn and Eagle Claw. Mike

I am going to give it a shot, thanks for the replies. Mike

So do you cast this knot through the guides? Do you retie after so long? Sorry if these questions seem stupid, but I only use braid on my musky setups. Does this not wear the knot? Mike

What is the "30 second count"? Fish don't have hands; if you feel a hit on a worm, take up slack and set the hook. Mike

I have to agree with everyone else, they are very versatile. We used them like hollow body swinbaits before there were ever hollow body swimbaits; cast them out and reel them in slowly. I also love to T-rig them like a worm. Love the tail on Kalins. Mike

Probably the Pop-R type baits, can't catch a fish on them to save my life. I have no confidence with them. Mike

I think you gave the answer to your non-success when you said you walked up on the beds and the fish swam away. Mike

I don't think it is anything more than marketing something that looks different. Mike

Use the NADA value and say that you cannot get a boat loan for over this price. When using the NADA value, be careful some boats are priced to include the motor and some boats do not include the motor in the price. Also consider the electronics and trolling motor when figuring your price. Mike

You will not catch a fish on those and in good conscience, I cannot let you watse time with them. Send them to me and I will properly dispose of them for you. Hee Hee. I will even pay for the shipping. Good luck with them, Mike

Stick with mono for starters. Buy some cheap 20 -25 pound test for practice. IT will not backlash as badly. If you get the Citica follow the manual and use all the brakes available. Use the tape on the spool that DVT instructed. Practice casting with a spinnerbait rather than just a sinker. I think it is harder when a single heavy weight is used, it seems to develop too much spool speed too quickly. Mike

What Catt said! Mike

I would save a little more money and buy a kayak, or start saving for a boat. Mike

Good luck with the shoulder Agent P. Love that show. Mike

Catt gave the key to this whole situation: bass don't have arms. When you feel the bump take the slack out and SET the hook. Don't "pull" the rod high overhead, Set the hook hard by rotating your hips and keeping your rod parallel to the water. It should look almost like you are swinging a baseball bat backwards. At least that is how I can best describe it. Mike

Skoal brother... Mike

I would suggest black, purple, brown, or white wooly buggers for subsurface. Any type popping bug should work for surface action. Mike

Wading a strip mine lake with a buddy at night. He snags his lure near shore. Just as he frees his lure, we hear the loudest scream/holler/growl/shriek from the woods a few yards from where he is standing. Well it took about 0.5 seconds for a combined 500 lbs of fishermen to be standing as far into the middle of the pond as we could get. We figured we were getting the HE double hockey sticks out of there. As we approach the other shoreline, roughly 100 yds from the first encounter it happens again right in front of us. We immediately assume we are being stalked. After a few hours, we finally wade to the end of the lake where we parked. I have never heard anything that terrifying in my life. I was told later it was probably a grey fox with pups. I think it was a 'Squatch... Mike

One thing to remember is to always load the gun through the magazine tube. What I mean is don't put a shell in through the ejection port and slam the slide closed. It was not meant to work like that and bad for the extractor. Mike

As far as a leader I have no advice I would probaly just use a 1X flouro. Jacob34 may have better advice for you. Mike