mod479

I've attached 2 pics of my 50e, it's an older model. The only notch I can see is on the handle side, above the spool tension knob. It doesn't push into my palm, it's pretty comfortable to hold onto.

The 692 is a good choice, it will cover a number of finesse presentations. The savvy series utilizes some of the lightest blanks in Dobyns lineup. That being said, it will be "light" action. If that's what you want, go for it. It'll work well for dropshot, light tubes, dartheads, grubs, and tossing weightless plastics around. Fluoro can be a pain on a spinning reel, some brands are more manageable than others. Personally I love fluoro on my spinners, but I use thin diameter stuff with a line conditioner. (sunline sniper, or seaguar inviz-x) You might wanna consider spooling up with a copolymer line and some line condtioner...cheaper and less headaches.

You can't go wrong there, the Ci4 is one of the best deals out there in terms of spinning reels. I've got 3 now of varying sizes, and they've been flawless all season long. Bring your rod to bass pro if you can and put a 2500 or 3000 on it first, then try the 4000 and decide! The 2500 balances better with rods under 7' in my opinion. Not sure what you're using for a stick, although I think I recall you saying a fenwick elite tech smallmouth rod? With my 4000 Ci4, it didnt feel right until I put it on a 7'6" Dobyns.

Standard gammie DS #1, 2, and 4. I also like the VMC spinshots when the water isnt gin clear #2 and 4.

Flip your bail by hand, dont just start reeling, that could be your issue there. As for the drag sticking? Sound like it needs a good cleaning/lube, or maybe something let go inside... Wont know 'til someone takes it apart. Did you decide on a new reel yet?

Dobyns savvy 703C M/F curado 50e with boca orange seals 8# izorline XXX co-poly

Tatsu is awesome stuff (you certainly get what you pay for), but it's pretty expensive. For half the price you could go with invis-x or sunline sniper, which are also easy handling and tough fluros. I've had good experiences with all 3.

No idea if it does, cant find the answer online either. If you're gonna get the new saros, why not spend a little extra coin on a Stradic FJ? It's slightly lighter, has X-ship, same number of bearings, has gotten excellent short and long term reviews, and you know the drag is waterproof. I love mine, the white paint is irredescent green and looks awesome up close.

If you dont wet the knot, thats why its breaking. Dry braid and chinese fluoro dont mix. Wet the line, 3-4 wraps is plenty, wet again, and cinch/tighten. Shouldn't break.

Points, channels and rock piles. Oh my.

Maybe if I believed that, or were you using a mickey mouse combo? I'm joking, but to me, it just makes it seem a little bit too dramatic of a battle with a small bass? Like I said, good connection for your article, I'd just reword it differently.

Well a second read of your article has revealed a few other things I thought I'd point out. Dont take these critiques the wrong way, I'm only trying to help you write a better article. If you have a new draft for me tomorrow, I'll give it another look.

Except you'd think a stocked and managed quarry is almost certainly located on private property. I think thats what Bass assassin meant by his honeyhole? Hence, this guy getting his bucket kicked over should be a lesson. Some people just dont care until they're caught red handed. I would have done what you suggest and involved the authorities myself. Fines for trespassing are far worse than someone making the guy look like a fool and sending him home with an empty paint bucket.

Nice, you'll love the champion, especially when you get a closer look at the paint/carbon wrap and cork. I've got a new Dobyns coming in the mail today too, DX703SF. It'll be my 4th gen2 Dobyns...no turning back now. Cant wait to get out on the river!

Nice article bass lover, I replied to your smallmouth questionaire, and it was cool seeing the answers to those questions coming from some pros. I noticed one spelling error, "Grapping" I'll assume you meant grabbing. Also, in that section, you use that word 3 times in short succession in two sentences, grab a thesaurus and rewrite that section maybe? I could follow the article easily enough, you have a great draft here. The only criticism I have is your section reliving your first smallmouth. It is a great connection, but it is a bit overworded in some parts, like describing the squirming smallouth. Otherwise, I am very impressed by your article. Well done!

^^^^Awesome way to lay down the law my friend. Catch, photo, and release if you want to consistently catch quality fish in your waters. Bass taste like crap compared to so many other freshwater fish anyways.

I hate using it, catch wayyyy too many fish on that sissy rig. In all honesty, I caught my PB on a dropshot. Always got one rigged up with a floating/finesse worm.

No doubt, they did a good job fixing me up .

I'm no pro, just an enthusiast of brown sunfish. Questions: 1. With Smallmouth, is stretch in your line good or bad? Depends on what you're using to catch them, a little stretch can be good when crankin' for smallies. 2. Do you go on the safe side, and go with heavier line? No, I use 4, 5, and 6lb test co-poly/fluorocarbon. Proper drag setting is key. 3. How much torque (or bend) do you keep in your rod when fighting the fish? As much as I can unless they are flying through the air, then I "Bow to the fish". 4. Do you use a Graphite or fiberglass rod for smallmouth? Graphite 5. What's the shortest rod you'll use for smallmouth? 6'6" 6. How Light/heavy is the tackle you use for smallmouth? 1/8oz to 3/4oz when it comes to jigs. 2-6" jerkbaits/topwaters. 2-6" soft plastics of all types. 7. Are you keeping your rod tip up or down when fighting the fish? Up, or to the side...always keep pressure on them! 8. Do you sharpen your hooks for smallmouth? Only if I am short on hooks...99% of the time I replace them. 9. How hard is your hook set? What determines how hard/soft you set the hook? I always set the hook the same, reel down some and set it firmly. 10. Are you setting the hook immediately after feeling the bite, or do you wait? As soon as my brain registers something different I set the hook. 11. When you hook a smallmouth with a little bit of line out next to the boat, how do you not break off? Ensure proper drag settings before I ever cast my bait, or back reel (spinning setup) if the fish makes a run right by the boat. 12. Do shallow water smallmouth fight harder than deep water smallmouth? They all fight hard for their size, regardless of deep or shallow. River smallies fight harder than a compareble lake smallie in my opinion, those fish fight the current their entire lives. 13. How do you deal with a Smallmouth's rapid movements/flashing? Not sure what you mean by flashing, but when a smallie makes a rapid move, I let my drag handle it. 14. Does Braid help with fighting smallmouth? I only use braid dragging tubes in deep water (25'+) 15. Where do you typically find that your hooking the smallmouth at ( Corner of mouth, etc.) All over, top of the mouth usually. 16. Does the type of line affect how you set the hook? No, I always set the hook firmly and keep pressure on the fish. 17. Since smallmouth have smaller mouths, do you use smaller hooks? No, caught them on 5/0 hooks before. All depends on the bait I'm using. 18. When a smallmouth is running, do you let your rod bend too much? Always keep as much pressure on the fish as I can until it starts taking drag. 19. Is a shorter or longer rod better for fighting smallmouth? Longer rod is better for controlling smallies. 20. Do you have any tricks on getting a smallmouth that is running side ways to tire out? Keep pressure on the fish. 21. Do you take any precautions after swinging them in (I've had the line break once the fish hits the dock and flops) I dont swing fish. 22. Is a stiff, short rod better or worse? A stiff short rod is good for certain techniques and baits. 23. Do you see any difference in how aggressive smallmouth are in clear water vs. dirty water? Not in my experiences, they're almost always pretty aggressive. 24. What size smallmouth is easiest to fight/land? Dinks, the big ones are always crafty. 25. How do you handle a smallmouth that eats a bait on the fall in deep water? Set the hook when something feels different, and set it hard. 26. How do you keep the smallmouth from bending out a light wire hook? Drag settings 27. When a smallmouth is trying to go under the boat pulling the rod tip down, what do you do? Pull him back up or let the drag do the work if he wants to pull down hard enough. 28. How far will you let a smallmouth run? As far as it wants to go. 29. How do you set the hook when you have a lot of line out when casting into deep water? I set it firmly after reeling down the slack. 30. How much line do you typically have out for your hook set? Anywhere from 5 to 50 yard. 31. What type of knot do you use for smallmouth? Palomar for most situations 32. How do you keep your thumb and index finger from slipping when back reeling? Not sure, its just natural at this point. If its cold and wet, I wear gloves. 33. How do you prevent line from tangling when Back reeling? You can slow the spool down with your rod holding index finger if you have to. It's much easier to just rely on your drag system. 34. Have you ever tried Back reeling combined with changing the angle of the rod pull from left to right? Yes 35. How “forgiving” are the rods you use? Most of my rods are medium action, so they tend to have some give to them. 36. Do you ever nose hook plastics for smallmouth? Yes, on a dropshot rig.

Try a watermelon or green pumpkin tube, dip the tentacles in an orange dye! Or keep throwin those cranks, if your lake is anything like the one I fish, it all comes down finding a school, and staying with them.

^^^ HAHA awesome! One time I had a big smallie that busted the divider in the livewell...that about the "meanest" thing a fish has ever done to me.

Can you describe the craws appearence? Dropshot baits? floating worms, cross tail shads, erie darters...etc. Check this thread out for more ideas... http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/105292-best-smallie-dropshot-baits/

Sorry to bring up and old thread, but I had to share a recent experience. Apologies for a long post. Last fall I was fishing salmon/steelhead in Pulaski NY...you fish them on a splitshot rig...a heavy one at that. Anyhow, hooked into a nice steelie and it snapped the line at the hook while running upstream. I took five 1/4oz split shots to the left eye via Maxima slingshot. Literally saw them coming. but it was too late at the point. Instant loss of vision in the left, followed by disorientation and fell in the river..... Undercover DEC officer pulled me out and carried me out half a mile with my brother. ER visit ensues, MRI reveals I am a lucky guy, and the impact has spared the lense inside my eye somehow. Morphine and a cute nurse make the first few hours bearable, but it was quite painful still. 2 weeks pass and the pressure in my eye is near critical levels...(onset of glaucoma) and the drops are not working. This kind of pressure on the optic nerve will make you blind after a week or 2, and I was nauseated 24 hours a day. Surgery time: This involved taking a scalpel the the side of my eye and letting the bloody fluid drain out because my eye couldnt handle it naturally. All this done while I am awake...needless to say I freaked and they put me out, and I woke up with the procedure completed. 1 stitch later I am back home. You might ask, Could you see anything? I could see the color red, and I could tell the difference between light and darkness. That was it, which was better than nothing. 13 days after the surgery, I woke up and I could see again, although it was like looking through a fishbowl or tomatoe soup. I prayed to god to give me vision back so I could fish and be normal again. I am not religous, but I believe it was a gift. Take that as you will. Regardless, it was the most painful injury I've ever had, and I've broken both legs, both ankles, 3 fingers, 5 ribs, and had a few teeth knocked out to boot. The optic nerve is nothing to trifle with my friends. It goes straight to your brain, and it will ruin your day...everyday. The impact has left me with angular deflection type glaucoma, and a non functioning pupil. I wear sunglasses outdoors from sun up to sun down now everyday. I have to take glaucoma drops for the rest of my life. The impact also formed a cataract which will have to be removed in time. 10 weeks pass and I was finally able to leave my pitch black bedroom. Yes, 10 weeks. All this because my brother and I were too lazy to turn around and grab my pair fishing glasses. 20/20 vision and still catching fish. I am one lucky SOB. Dont be a fool, protect your vision at all times. You take it for granted until its taken away for a while. I have pics, but do you really wanna see a gnarled deflated eye? No, you really dont.

There's way better places to wet a line in September around these parts, but since you asked, yes I did fish there in early October last year on my way through the Adirondacks. It was a rough day on the lake, ended up with 4 or 5 keeper fish...maybe you'll fare better? All those fish came on a dropshot.

5'6" ultra light rod / cheap abu cardinal from walmart + 4lb stren original + assorted topwaters = a good evening on the river