buzzed bait

hahahaha not around me they won't!!

also from the soundtrack for one of my favorite movies The Big Lebowski

i try to better my casting accuracy and lure entry every time i go out. i think it's made me a little better. i also have been much more conscious of using the wind to my advantage instead or cursing it and avoiding it!

12lb mono would be my suggestion. either trilene XL, big game, suffix siege, any of those will work to learn on. i have that exact same rod and LOVE IT!

i have a recon 2 and it's a nice rod and sensitivity is nice on it. Not really sure what average sensitivity means since it's purely subjective, but it's a nice stick. the m1 rods look very nice and i've heard good things about them, but never tried one. i have a fury, have had champions before and have a couple champion extremes but never used a savvy. i've never really heard anyone rave about them so for the price i'd probably look elsewhere. too many good options at that price point to gamble on it.

from the title i assumed that's what it was.... and the answer is still no! there's a shop in very North GA that still had 2 of them brand new in the box last time i was in there like a month or so ago. if they were bringing $300, i'd go buy them both and sell them!

yep, the yakattack cellblok. i have one on my kayak, works very well.

nice catch man, i enjoy catching them on a mixed bag of lures myself!!

of those 2 reels, i'd take the lew's lfs all day, every day. but i have no experience with either rod, so i can't help you much there.

you're lucky that she's right there in the thick of it!! mine doesn't have the patience required to fish.... my dog on the other hand, now that's a good fishing partner!

i won't say work of art..... but when i look at the schematics for both spinning and casting reels i think "how in the **** did someone come up with this?"

easier said than done for me Mike!!

dobyn's fury is a good option at that price point, i like mine. i'd second the original tatula though, and at the price that Sportsman's Outfitters has them for..... i'd jump on them.

i was only kidding, but seriously the wind is a deal breaker! not to mention, people like @gardnerjigman and @Bluebasser86 just give KS a bad reputation!!

well it sounds like you've studied for this test!

i don't know that i can speak to how rigid the reel is to be honest. i've used it for nearly 2 years now and it's performed very well for me. i will say though the pflueger supreme is a fine reel too and even cheaper. i've used a few shimano spinning reels and they didn't feel nearly as smooth and a couple had a bit of an issue with binding, but none were the stradic fk nor the ci4 so i can't really speak for those. if you have some local retail shops, i'd try to take your rod in there and mount some of the display models on the rod and find the one that balances well with the rod and has decent reviews and go with that one!

i'm not big on subtle color differences making any difference to the fish, just my opinion. so i'd just opt for one and try it out. as choporoz said above, on that moving bait, i doubt a fish will discern the difference in the two.

i prefer the heat shrink tube method for prolonging the life and being able to hook the bait perpendicular vs parallel

those are some stud LMB's Jim!! sounds like a nice day out with the better half!

beat me to it man! i was going to ask if this was a pet in your swimming pool?

nice going on the limit! 18+ sounds like a pretty heft sack!

what is it with these young kids annihilating my PB smallmouth?!?!?! my 4 year old nephew still has me beat! that's absolutely awesome man! she looks about as happy as a kid on christmas morning!

i won't lie hootie.... i was a little hesitant to open a thread about an old dude getting his "mojo" working!!!! glad i did though sound like an awesome day for sure, both size and numbers!

nice going man! those are some really nice looking dark colored fish there! also, far off topic, but i've got 3 of those contigo coffee mugs and they keep the coffee hot for an insane amount of time!

nice going man.... but, 35+mph wind, another reason to never to go Kansas!!