gulfcaptain

I care that I actually wasted my time reading this post!!! Should have stopped at "Who Cares"

Sounds like the food chain might have moved if you are noticing both have relocated suddenly. Bass aren't going to stay where there isn't any forage to support them. Find the baitfish, more then likely you will find the bass somewhere close by. The larger ones just vacated the area first.

I have 2 of them made buy Pursuader Baits. When you retrieve them it gives them a slight side to side motion. Did a bit of customizing and clear coated some duck feathers on the bottom of one (other is a back up) to give it a more natural look.

Mend -It will do that to ANY plastic bait. It's ment to react with the plastic and then reform. It pretty much bonds them together by melting the plastic and then reforming. If you're Senko is ripped, apply the Mend-It to the rip, then push it together and set it down. I normally repair my baits after I get back home unless it's fishing a big swimbait. I normally add a couple coats of Mend-It repairing small areas at a time and then coating it after I have gotten most of the bad spots fixed.

Falcon Rod fisherman as well.

I've used them for Wacky rigging, but they also make great dropshot hooks as well since all you have to do is reel.

Well since it's a skip and pitch jig.....why not name it the "Hop Scotch jig".

I don't seal it. I'm not worried about it staying clean and pretty. It gets worn and dirty catching fish then so be it. If I want to clean it up a bit I use a bit of 200 grit paper to bring it back. But not a real big priority on my list.

Hey not sure if this will help, but did find on BPS looking under replacement handles that one user had a BBI and another listed a Quantum. So they may be interchangeable if you're looking at replacing the whole handle assembly. Might be worth looking up a Smoke handle on Ebay and if you can get it cheap try it out and see as long as it comes with the cap to lock the nut on. Just a thought.

I wouldn't know if the knobs or handles on my Smoke's, EXO's, or MG100 will fit on a Lew's reel as I'm not a Lew's person and don't fish with them. Some reel handles from different companies will interchange and fit, just not sure about a Lew's or Quantum. Leave a message with DVT on here and he may be able to answer your question.

So I'm gonna probably be the only one that recommends these, but I like the older Quantum Smoke 150's in their 5:3.1 as well as the EXO 100 in the same ratio. One just holds more line then the other but both perform great for me. I've picked up both off Ebay as well for great prices NIB. Both under $125

Yes I would replace it. I'd Keep an extra one on hand as well in the boat (vacum packed if possible to keep any moisture out). If you think your fuel line is bad here's a couple ways to check. First if you have extra hose you can spare, then cut a small piece off and split it to see. Also if you bend the fuel line and it shows cracking, then it needs to go.

I'm gonna have to try that around where I fish. You rig it with a regular EWG?

E bay gives me access to many places to shop tackle as well as deals sometimes 75% off retail. TW is always the old stand by. Acadamy, BTD, can't forget Siebert Outdoors on here. And then Amazon works also. Lots of options, just depends on how much time you want to invest in looking for tackle and deals.

and if he can one with more thrust as well which would let him turn down the motor hence using less power and less draw. Always better to have more then you need then not have enough when you need it. But I'm like you, no dog in that fight.

First, you can't fish his way. You're going to have to find fish he's passing or missing. May be a different angle on the weed line. It happens. Don't throw the same bait, throw a variation of something either bigger, or slighty smaller. I've fished behind someone throwing a chatterbait and a spinnerbait and while he was struggling I was killing it on a rat-l-trap. But fishing behind someone and out of the back of the boat will make you a better fisherman simply because you have to be and make you fish out of the box and comfort zone and become more successful with other presentations. Now if you start catching fish and he positions the boat to cut you off or mess up what you're doing then that's another story. I'll still fish tournaments from the back, but prefer to fish a team format where two people can work off each others strenghts and weaknesses. Don't let yourself loose the mental game or you're going to take yourself out of the tournament before you ever start.

Yeah, then it sounds like it was starving for fuel which would lead to your loss of power. If it was constant and missing then it could be the plugs. But I'd change the filter and test it if you can.

^^^^^^ Funny you said Daiwa for being quiet. I have two that make noise no matter what I try to do to them. Still function as they should but the squeak does get a little irriating after a bit so they have been retired to the box of extra reels.

Fuel Filter would be the first thing. When was the last time it was changed? Also did it loose power at low rpm's or just on the high end? If it's just at the high end odds are your engine isn't getting the fuel it requires and the fuel filter would be the first place I'd start.

You can do the old Paul Elias (think I spelled his last name wrong) method, cast out, and stick your rod in the water and kneel and reel. The extra rod in the water should get you the extra depth you want.

Depends on the size of the football jig. I tend to use the the Bass Patrol jigs in the 3/8 to1/2 oz size. Trailers for them I tend to go with the Trigger X 3" Flappin Craw which also gets used on the 3/8 oz Dirty Jigs. Also use the Net Bait Baby Paca Craws and Tiny Paca Craws. There is enough trailer there for action but still stays compact and suttle for the conditions I tend to fish.

That's not the 8" version. That's the next size up. I haven't had any issues with the hook up ratio on the 8". If they are going to eat it they eat it. If you want to set up a trailer rig, heres an easy idea. Get some 65-80lb braid (I use 50 but some like heavier), tie a smaller treble (#2 or #4) to one end. Then figure the length you want for the stinger. Make a loop knot (big enough to pass the hook through, run it through the eye of the main hook then place it in the back. To keep from damaging the bait, cut the bottom hook off the treble so you just have a small piece that will be inserted into your bait, cut a small paper clip in two pieces, paint flat black, and use it to hold the hook in the right upright position. And make sure you have several spares as they will be lost on each fish caught. Hope this helps.

Found out they are discontinuing the Heddon Poppin Image Jr, so I hit up Amazon and ordered a few in my go to colors before they disappear or those "hard to find" sellers try and sell me a $6 popper for $16. But I feel your pain, I loved their Hula grub beaver style baits, then they were discontinued. Found the VM brand on TW, well their gone now too. That bait was my go to bait under tougher flipping conditions when they wouldn't eat a regular beaver style bait but would crush them.

Please understand my wait to feel the fish is a not sit and wait. I see the bite, the slack comes out in a hurry and if the fish is there I'm swinging. All this may be at most 2 seconds. This lets me visually make sure my frog has disappeared and not still there as well. If they missed it, I let it sit, then twitch and sit. If they don't come back, then they aren't wanting that size or color. The more you fish the frog the more you will get the technique down. Also, if you're missing them and they aren't commiting to the bait, you may not have the size frog they want or the color. They may just be rolling on it. You find the right size and color, the fish will let you know and there won't be any question if they have that bait or not. You have another 2-3 months depending to fish the frog. I fish them all the way till the water hits 60. Some of the best days frogging I've had have been in late fall.

Welcome to the forums. Never fished much of the IE, but do fish a lot of Northern OC area.