jbsoonerfan

I am close to that. The last few "big fish" 6+ I didn't use the net and practiced lipping them.

What kind of boat do you have? I have a Triton tr186 which doesn't have a very large front deck and I usually have at least 3 rods on the deck and the net. How much room do you need to fish?

Sorry, I guess I don't understand. Do you not fish from the front deck? I fish solo 95% of the time. My net just lays on the front deck. When I need the net I just bend down and grab it.

Why couldn't you get to it? I have found that to be the easiest spot to get it from

Latest reel purchases. I wrote about them earlier but that post was deleted. I guess I should have posted it here instead of latest tackle purchase thread. That is no longer for rods and reels I suppose. Anyway, here they are. Brand new in the box Citica 200e, MINT condition 13 Met and a clean Chronarch 50e

The latest tackle purchase thread has been moved around twice in the last 24 hours or so LOL

A lot of guys go with a 5 gear for deep cranks, any guesses why?

I bought 4 of the locks to use on my Helix units. That initial purchase hurt, but they have been well worth it. I can go in to the store or restaurant or wherever and i don't have to worry about taking them off. In fact, I leave mine on 24/7, they are on at the house and on the way to and from the lake. One of the best investments I have made.

Cue the "Why would anyone pay to advertise for a company that they don't get anything from?" guy.

I use the SLX MGL 70 for 1/8 oz texas rigs. I throw them on a 6'10 ML Zodias rod with 20 lb braid. The reel handles them great.

I have a 50e headed my way!

Well, you guys are going to be seeing some oldies, but goodies from me here in the next few days. I went on a mission to find some older Shimano reels and I feel like I was pretty successful. Most of these were bought from the classified section of different forums that I am on. I got most of them shortly after they were posted. First up is a MINT Chronarch 200e7. I replaced the handle with a 96mm handle from a Chronarch 150 G XG. All it needed was a washer used as a shim and the drag functions perfect. This reel will be used on a Shimano Crucial (original green model with cork grip) 6'6 MH for 3/8 oz spinnerbaits in creeks. I have a few more reels coming that I will post as I get them.

Shimano Expride

More like 4 months on a teacher salary

Yep, line dig in happens with braid when you reel in slack line and then hook into a good one or get hung up and try to free it. Of course, there are guys here who have NEVER had braid dig into itself. How that is possible is beyond me, but hey, I know guys who have hit 20 hole in ones, just never any witnesses'.

I don't know your exact budget, but there is a pretty popular auction site where the Curado DC can be had for $200 or a few dollars more. In fact there is one right now that is $200 BIN with free shipping.

Warning *Long read I am not one to brag often, in fact it was about this time last year when I posted a similar thread. I do want to take a minute to brag on my daughters and their team. I posted last year about us winning our league and qualifying for the state tournament which was a big deal to these girls. This was a team that I agreed to coach because of some "small town politics" so I basically took my girls and a group of other girls that didn't make it on the other team. We were so proud of what they accomplished and they all had a blast. We continued that success into last fall and won first place in a different league but that would be the end of 10 and under softball for us. We knew this year was going to be different as my oldest daughter and 2 other girls on the team had to move up this year to 12 and under softball so we weren't real sure what we were going to do. Before we could make a decision as to what exactly we were going to do the league we play in canceled the season due to the virus. We found another league in a town about an hour away but this was known to be a pretty tough league and here we were with only 3 girls that could play 12u and a bunch of girls that could still play 10u. Since 3 of the girls are mine we decided to keep the same team together and just go try to compete and get them some experience. A couple girls decided not to play since we were playing up in age so we lost a couple and had to get a couple. When the season started we had one 12 year old, two 11 year olds, seven 10 year olds and two 9 year olds. My assistant coach and I didn't expect a lot this first year in 12u but we drilled it in their heads that we were going to go compete no matter what. These girls practiced 2 to 3 times a week for 2-3 hours a day and played double headers every Monday night. The first night of 12u wasn't the best as we were beat by the "Monsters" 9-1 the very first game. We ended up having a good season and finished 3rd in the league, which we were very happy with. Our only losses were to the Monsters twice and Storm twice. The end of season tournament would determine who qualified for state. There would be 2 teams that would make it from our league. We went into the tournament expecting it would probably be the Monsters and Storm. We won our first game which would set us up to play the Monsters in the next round. We played them the closest we had all year and they beat us 6-3. We came back through the losers bracket to face the Monsters again in an elimination game as they had been beat by Storm. Our girls played their hearts out and we came out on top in 3 extra innings with a 9-8 win to advance to the finals. Unfortunately we had to play immediately after that game was over in the championship game against Storm. I didn't figure we had a chance but at least we had qualified for state and beat a team we had lost to 3 times. Once again our girls battled hard and the game went into extra innings again. This time however we lost 7-6 and placed runner up in the league. A third place finish in the league and a second place finish in the end of season tournament was quite the accomplishment though. We traveled to state and didn't fare nearly as well. We won our first game 12-1 and had to face the defending state runner up in the next round. They had a pitcher that we just couldn't get around on and they beat us 8-0. We thought that maybe hitting the losers bracket would help us and we could play our way back in. We stayed in the same hotel as the team we were going to play the next day and they had told us that they had 5 girls that were already 13 and the rest were 12 so that is the kind of competition we were up against. I joked with my wife that all the teams we played had girls that had to wear bras and only a couple of our girls even owned a bra lol. They ended up getting the best of us, once again in extra innings. We chalked it up to a good season and we would start again in the fall. Well my wife was looking online at some open invite tournaments and she found a USSSA sanctioned tournament called the YSO World Series that was going to be held in Oklahoma City. We had never played in a USSSA tournament so we didn't have any "points" but since it was an open tournament all we had to do was pay the entry fee (which all costs this year for uniforms, bats, balls, tournament fees, etc. came out of my wife and I's pockets). When she told me about it I just looked at her and laughed, pretty hard I might add. She said it would just be for fun and a good experience for them. I told her I would do whatever she wanted so she signed us up. There were 12 teams in it, all of which had competed in numerous USSSA tournaments. She looked at their rankings and there were 6 of the top 20 teams in Oklahoma and 2 of the top 20 teams in Texas in it. Being as how we had no points we were put up against the highest rated team in Oklahoma in our first pool play game. Well that game was a quick one as they beat us 12-0. The next game we played another high rated team from Oklahoma called Velocity and once again we were beaten badly (9-0). We obviously were last place in our pool and had to play the #1 seed from a different pool in our first bracket game. They were undefeated in pool play. We played great defense and was able to play some small ball and come away with a 5-2 victory. On to the next game where we played a team from Texas who also was undefeated in their pool. We got an amazing pitching performance from my daughter who faced 12 batters, striking out 8 and walking none. We got the victory 3-0 and was one win away from the finals. We were going to get to wait till some of the losers bracket games were played so we were off till the next day. After that day there were only 8 teams left (4 winners bracket and 4 losers bracket). Over night OKC got a bunch of rain and the tourney was postponed. Because it couldn't be finished that weekend, it was pushed back 2 weeks. The directors decided they would only play the winners bracket games because they were going to have to fit them in on Saturday morning because they were having another tournament at the same fields that weekend. Two of the teams couldn't make it so that left us and one other team to play in the finals. Well unfortunately for us it would be a rematch against Velocity. A team that had already beat us like a drum and were far and away a better team than us. Game time was 9:00 am on Saturday morning. I had my girls show up to the field at 8:00 and we went to work working on bunting, hitting, fielding, throwing, etc. The way we warmed up I knew we were doomed. It was too early, we were lazy, we weren't focused, it wasn't going to be good. I won the coin toss though, so at least we won something. We started out the first inning with a walk, two subsequent errors (a drop to centerfield) and just like that we are down 2-0. We go up to the plate in the bottom of the first with a lead-off single. I have the 2 hole bunt and she lays down a perfect one and gets on first and the girl advances to third on the throw to first. I fake bunt with my 3 hole and steal second. I then have her sac bunt to score a run and advance the runner to third. My cleanup hits a shot to the fence to score a run and get a double. Now we are tied with this team, back to a ballgame. I have my 5 hole lay down a sac bunt to advance the runner to third. Now we have 2 outs and I'm praying we can get this girl home. The next girl up can fly but she can't hit very well. I don't like to bunt with 2 outs but I give her the sign just hoping she can get it down. She fouls the first one off so I give it to her again and she fouls it off. This time I give here the show and hit sign. I'm hoping the corners stay moved in and she can get one by them. She shows bunt and they come in. She pulls back and hits one over first base and we take the lead. Still have to play defense though. We shut them down in the 2nd and don't score. They get one in the third to tie it up. My daughter is throwing a good ball game up to this point so I am hoping if we can get one more run she can hold them as I know we are getting close to time limit. My daughter is up in the bottom of the third and she starts in off with a drive to the fence and a double. My next two batters both hit ropes and we score two runs to take the lead 5-3. We go into the top of the fourth and have 4 minutes left so I know if we hold them it's over. They are at the 9 hole and I have preached to her how important it is to never walk the first batter and always pitch the the bottom of the lineup. That's right, she walked her on 4 straight pitches lol. The girl steals second and we get a ground out to the second baseman. Now they have a runner on third with one out. They have the 2 hole up and she strikes out. Two down with the 3 hole up and she has already hit a shot so I call all low and outside fastballs. Didn't get any help from the umpire and she walks and advances to second. Cleanup batter is now up with 2 outs and runners on 2nd and third with a 2 run lead. I almost intentionally walked her to get a force at any base but I didn't want to put the go-ahead runner on base. I just told my daughter to work the zone and throw good pitches. She got her to work the count to 2-2 and I called a low screwball. She left it up a little bit and the girls hits a screaming line drive to centerfield (remember the error from earlier) runners are moving on the hit. The centerfielder is my assistant coaches daughter and when the ball was in the air I looked at him and said "BALLGAME", she came charging in and caught it like she has done a thousand times in practice. This girls in 9 years old and made a play that won this "World Series" for these girls. I know it may not seem like much to some, but this is a group of girls from a small town (pop 1,600) that went and beat some of the best hand-picked travel softball teams in the state. I cannot express how happy I was/am for this group of girls.

You can get a 96mm handle shank directly from Shimano and just use your knobs off the Curado. I have done this with many of my Shimano's. I always replace the bushings with bearings as well. Depending if you want a black or silver handle you can choose from the Chronarch MGL XG or Met MGL XG handle shanks. I always order the handle retainer and screw as well since they are just like a dollar each.

It can be done with a variable speed drill set on the slowest setting, preferably in power mode if it has it. I cant remember the size paddle I used, but you can find a paddle bit that will work, you just need to figure out the hole size on the empty spool. Or, you can use a regular drill bit and wrap electrical tape around it until you get the spool to fit snug on it. I haven't done this in years, way easier to just buy new line.

Texas rigged with a 3/16 or 1/4 oz tungsten weight pegged with a 3/0 Trokar mag ewg hook. If it's a 3/16 it's on a 6'11 M+ Poison Adrena with a 20 Met and 40 lb Sufix 832. A 1/4 oz is fished on a 7'3 MH Poison Adrena with a 20 Met and also with 40lb Sufix 832. My favorite colors are Watermelon or Green Pumpkin. Always sprayed with Crawfish BANG spray. Caught some decent fish on them back in the Spring.

New jig setup. Scorpion 70XG mounted on a 7'2 H Expride spooled up with 16lb Sniper. There is a new handle and knobs on the way for the Scorpion. Feels pretty good, can't wait to get it on the water.

Well, pretty embarrassing month of July for me. I had a lot going on with the girls softball and trying to get some training done for back to school (or whatever we decide to do). The times I was able to get out it was so hot and the water was above 90 degrees most days so it was slow fishing. I only caught 3 in the pat 2 weeks that broke the 3 lb mark. These here went 4 even, 3-11 and 3-6. Nothing great, but it beats a kick to the rear I guess.

Crankbait: Spro Lil John 50 - Old Fire Tiger / Spro Aruku shad - Texas Craw Jerkbait: Megabass 110 - ITO Wagasaki / Jackall Rerange 110 - Matte Pearl White Topwater: Megabass Pop Max - White Python / Booyah Pad crasher - Bull frog Soft Plastic: Zoom baby brush hog - Green Pumpkin (reg, blue, or red fleck)

I have the 20 Met, Chronarch MGL, Scorpion MGL, Scorpion 70, SLX MGL, Bantam, Aldebaran 50 & a Curado 70 on order. The Aldebaran is what I go with for down to 1/8 oz. In fact, I have it on my 6'10 ML Zodias for weightless senkos and 1/8 oz t-rigs. I use one of the Mets for 3/16 t-rigs and it is a GREAT reel. I really like the Scorpion MGL a lot as well. For light weight lures, my order of preference would be Alde, 20 Met, Scorpion MGL, Scorpion 70, SLX MGL (I don't use mine a ton, but need to try it more) and Bantam (one of my favorite reels but I don't have the right line on them to go down to 1/8 oz as they shine with heavier baits.)

Didn't say anything about an hourly payout....Asking if someone could weigh in at any time. I wouldn't want to fish all day if I put a toad in the box first thing in the morning. I would want to get it weighed and released. I wouldn't want to keep it in the live well all day if it was going to get hot and take a chance. It happens in 5 fish tournaments but getting docked a pound is different than not being able to weigh in at all. How many can you keep at a time? Just one at any time, or two, three?