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.

I've had one for a couple of years now and I have never found a better scale out there. I used to be fortunate when I lived in S.FL to be about 10 minutes away from the IGFA museum/facility which is in the same parking lot as the BP shop down there. I too went with the 15 lb version and it will probably outlast me. You pay for the quality, but it's well worth it in the end. It grips easily, and it's accurate. That's what I want.

My PB was caught on a live Blue Gill in S. Fl some 30+ years ago. My fishing budget was severely limited back then and I could not even afford the live shiners that have always been the ticket down there. Small hook and a bread ball got me the bait, and a larger hook and the blue gill got me a > 9lb bass. Here in TN the largest LM I have yet seen caught approx. 7-8 lbs. from a local reservoir was on a 1" crappie bait with a small gold hook so small baits can work too if presented properly and/or luck is on your side. And a 5 lb LM is a nice fish by any measure.

A 3.5" tender tube with a 1/8oz tube jig. Second would be a 10" T-rigged worm in a dark June bug.

My fishing partner always uses a black light at night. His line is clearly more visible then mine (non reflective). When casting near obstructions, I can see the benefit. Away from the shore, not so much. I prefer a good floating/underwater green light. No bugs, soft background light that doesn't hurt you night vision as much, and they do attract bait fish.

I change hooks only when they need to be changed. If on a new lure the hook(s) seems too small or flimsy for a good set or to hold afterwards it gets changed. If it's good to go from the factory (regardless of the brand) it stays until it's condition warrants replacing.

For almost thirty years of fishing in S. FL I never even tried a tube. Once I got to TN everything I thought I knew about fishing changed. Fortunately I was introduced to the tender tube by my fishing buddy. When I asked about what color I was told "anything you got". I have brought in more large mouth on that bait then any other around here. I have also landed small mouth, catfish, and a carp out of Lake Norris that had it been a LM would easily have been my personal best. I T-rig when fishing around submerged logs/rocks, but I prefer a simple inserted tube jig for better hookups when I can. I cleaned out several colors on the opening day of the BPS Spring sale.

On my older, large capacity spinning reels I have always used a mono backing to fill. It's just enough that my knot is well buried and never interferes with casting. By the time I get down to it becoming an isse, it's time to replace the PP that I use as the primary line. As I replace/purchase new gear I find myself going for the lower capacity spools for my bass/crappie rigs. For me personally the extra unused line capacity is not wasted which makes for more economical fills. I have also pulled logs of the bottom with 15lb braid so that's another vote for > rated line strength.

Walmart batteries along with several other large brands are manufactured by Johnson controls. I contacted them last year when I was looking for a new trolling motor battery as well and was able to speak to an actual engineer who was extremely helpful. Although he would not comment on the specific line to line differences in brands he was pleased with their Walmart branded construction/performance. When I asked him about chargers he kind of chuckled and said that most "smart chargers" are actually really dumb and not suited for deep cycle marine batteries regardless of their advertising claims. He recommended purchasing a dedicated deep cycle charger designed specifically for that purpose with the same amp capacity as recommended by Jig Man above for my needs. That range is well above all the compact form factor "smart chargers" I researched. The battery should never be left in a discharged state any longer then absolutely necessary. Get home and get it back onto charge. As for Optima batteries, there's one in my truck, top notch, but you pay a premium for it. For that reason, there's a Walmart Maxx in the Jon Boat with zero complaints as well.

I also have two of the wooden handled versions. For three years they have seen constant use and I have never had an issue. If you maintain them properly they will serve you well and represent one of the best bang for the buck reels out there.

I am very similar to this. In my local lakes for me a 3 1/2 tube with a 1/6th jig inserted has been the most consistent bait this year. Fishing it is not at the top of my preferred baits. I do use it as a barometer of sorts though to see if the bite is on. I usually go out with three poles of what I'd prefer to use and then one rigged with the tube. If they are not biting any of them it does get to be a long day.