AndyTN

I was faced with the exact same decision and this morning pulled the trigger on a Ci4 2500. I've been fishing a 3000 for a year, and for the money it's hard to beat. Everyone that picks up the rod comments on how light it feels, and it's just a pleasure to cast all day.

3.5" BPS tender tube in any green/brown color variation.

In my previous life, I was issued gear, and always from the lowest bidder. As I tended to rely on it I replaced what I needed to at my own expense with the best quality I could find. I listened to many of my peers who had the attitude of "if they don't give it to me, I'm not buying it", and thought that was the most short sighted statement they could possibly make. I did learn the single most important lesson there is on equipment, "buy once, cry once". As was previously mentioned in this post, I have a tendency to put far more credence on recommendations from forum members then The Pro's simply because of the motivation behind the recommendation. I have received a tremendous amount of real world practical advise from here and try and put it to use. When buying gear, I research as much as possible, which includes handling rods/reels and will borrow one to fish if I can before making the investment. As I can afford it I upgrade my gear. I will note lately that more and more of my reels do say Shimano these days, strictly because I like how they work. Brand names are only a starting place form me, if there's better elsewhere that's what I will buy.

As soon as I get back from a trip the batteries go on charge. The next morning everything else is reset so that's it's ready for next time. The poles are always close to the door along with my tackle box. I either throw the Jon boat in the bed of the pickup, or hitch up the Tracker and I'm off. I love fishing tubes, and I will have a bag all pre-rigged (stupid rig) in the tackle box.

Add me to theTournament Pro fan list. Once you get it set correctly it casts really really well. I do believe that there are better reels out there, but at a much higher price point so for me I am more then satisfied with the TP.

I could not state it any better then this. I avoid the big lakes around me weekends and any warm holiday like the plague.

Where I am it's not even an option. Getting skunked to me is part of the game. Thankfully it happens much less often then when I am turkey, deer, or coyote hunting. Weeks freezing in a blind makes you appreciate a warm day on a lake, fish or not.

I grew up in FL and was spoiled by the fishing there. TX is also pretty close. Here in TN you seem to have to work a lot harder for the big bass. I can match quantity here without to much difficulty but cant's do it with the size. Now they are here but are often caught in the very private "farm ponds", and you could sooner sleep with a mans wife then fish that pond.

Well last week I tried after one of those storms and my partner and I both got skunked. Today it looks like we are in for the same weather, but we will be out there trying again. A bad day fishing is still a good day.

Approx. 35 Feet on a 10.5 worm.

My PB was on live bait that I had caught beforehand, but for an artificial lure - How deep was the fish caught? 14-15' Did the lure contain rattles or have hinges? No - BPS 3.5" Tender Tube Was the lure a natural color (brown, green) or was it an unnatural color (chartreuse, orange)? Brown with gold specs If possible, what moon phase was your PB caught during? Unk.

The only liberal/peta member that I would run into where I live would be too worried about banjo music and looking for the interstate signs.

Favorite bait to fish is a spinner bait. My most productive is a tube. I can fish it in several different configurations, and it flat out catches bass.

I've recently been getting more and more perch in my local reservoir. In the past year I also boated crappie and a 10lb+ carp. 2nd ugliest thing I've ever had in the boat.

I've towed a boat, horses, and ATV's for over 30 years. I've used all manner of different greases. I will say that I have used waterproof grease on the boat trailer almost exclusively though and it was almost always salt water use. Although I have never had a bearing fail, I don't credit the grease so much but the regular maintenance. Servicing the wheels was drummed into my head by my dad and it has paid off. I pull the boat trailer wheels and repack at the end of each season. This gives me a chance to get a good look at the bearing and races and replace the failing ones before something happens and there's never any possibility of water in the hub left to freeze. Bearing Buddies are not foolproof. I also check for wheel play every couple of months when I'm towing. It's a chore sometimes, but my fishing time is too valuable.