rangerjockey

I can't say it's absolutely the best but I like the Cool Baits.

The SLX MGL is such a great little reel. I could be perfectly happy with a boat full of them. I have the Curado MGL's also and honestly I don't think it's worth the added cost.

I don't. If the bait comes with one fine if not I won't add one. For some reason, years ago we got some Vision 110's for Japan and they never had a split ring but some of the one's we bought in the U.S. had them. Mega Bass sent me a handful of those really nice black split rings they used but I could never tell any difference in how the bait fished.

I don't fish in enough current for it to move the bait so I couldn't say. I would always let it sit for a few seconds. Wind is your friend with topwater. But you should adjust the size of the bait. Just some ripple I usually throw the spook Jr.. or a Sammy. If it's more of a chop the full size spook , Vixen, Shower blow 150 etc.. The idea it that you want them to be able to find the bait.

The gammy G finesse hybrid is really good and I'm not a fan of EWGs.

For me a popper doesn't move the water or have the same sound like a spook , vixen, repo man ect. If covering water is my goal I'd pick up the plopper.

I guess fish are different everywhere but I've had them hit a walking bait while it's sitting still. If I pull it to a likely spot like a tree top or buck brush ect. I like to just twitch it around the brush. I'm not in a hurry to pull it away from a likely spot to get it to one less likely.

1/4 oz shot 12-18 inches above a 1/0 hook and a Zoom fish Doctor.

No, I mean they will bite anything at times but you will be better off fishing it the way it was intended to be fished 70 years ago. The horse is a prop bait and I would give it a twitch now and again as you retrieve it.

Personally no. It may work some but I can't imagine it working as well as a stickbait around here and I'll take 2 or 3 treble hooks over 1 EWG. It's a post spawn deal for me, it and the ol' floatin' worm.

I use the Zoom Markers.

Truer words were never spoken. The name Lew Childre built is now a Wal Mart blister pack deal. Lynn Reeves wasn't a young man when he got the rights to use the name from the Childre family so it was a build it up and sell it deal. But, Anybody but strike king or whoever the parent company is. Well, I guess it could have been pure fishing that may have been worse.

I don't think covid closed them it was the Strike king buy out that did it. I don't think they are in that building on Hwy 44 at all anymore. I'm sure you know that Bait WRX off Hwy 65 has some of the same guys .

Cliff Pace bought the Duplicators from the Chambers family so they are as close as we are going to get. I fish my WEC's but I understand the collector side of it also.

I would think it should run a little better but I can tell you who would know for sure. Call Kelly Power at Ulrich marine in Branson West mo. He was the guy behind bringing back the old Champion hulls with Charger and he was the Champion rep back in the day.

Kistler has his blanks made overseas now. When he was using the NFC blanks he had a great niche And made some outstanding rods. Even if he would have raised the prices and stayed with NFC I feel like he would have been better off. Now with the Helium and Z bone using the same blank the whole line up seems kinda muddy to me.

I personally like the finesse rod more for any jigs. The swim jig rod is a really versatile rod and You could use it for ball heads but I like the rod that was designed for them.

Like many he's been changing almost yearly. Okuma, Favorite ,ect. At least it's a step up from googan and favorite. I guess. I personally wouldn't have used those to stoke my fireplace but he's always been a good salesman and his daughter seems to be following in his footsteps.

Cara finesse jig rod.

I would look at the Cara and the Expride. I have a bunch of Cara's and I did own a Expride. Personally, I like Falcons actions better but that's personal preference. I've been fishing the NRX since they were introduced and now the plus model. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind I can catch every fish on the Cara that I would have on the NRX.

Mine too. She can do it without looking up from the TV and she has over 30 years of experience . If I'm in the boat I drop the spool into a Plano spinnerbait box and crank away.

Mike Russell , Bag 5 baits or Tim Hughes down the road in Reeds Spring Mo. Tim is the originator of the Table Rock shad color as well as Norman flake. A good painter will either remove the existing paint or start with a blank. Tim always used some sort of soda blast deal to remove the paint on the old Warts and stickbaits.

War Eagle and the screamin' eagle in particular. The Megabass is also a really good bait along with the Ozark Flash, Reminds me of the Ol' Missouri short arm.

I don't believe they make them any longer , at least I haven't seen them in a long time. I still have some of the old pre Rapala suspending warts and they do work but they always were inconsistent. It usually took a suspend dot or 2 depending on depth and water temp. It's pretty much like tuning a old Rogue stick bait..

You may want to pick up something in red for the early spring.