DogBone_384

I use a small pick set & very narrow needle nose pliers.. Thanks, Snap-On.

I've got both. My CI4 is JDM and tuned by DVT. It's a toss up between it and my Core 100 (also tuned by DVT). I choose one or the other based on what gear ration I want to use.... They're both great reels. If memory serves me right I got my Cores (50 & 100) on sale from Gander Mountain towards the end of fishing season.

Yes, I've experienced slumps where I'll goose-egg consecutively. I downsize and simplify baits and try not to 'over think' it and just go out and fish. The membership here is a great resource of information and support. Your slump will come to an end. Best of luck with it.

I'm just south of Boston. I don't get out to Smallie country too much, Great Herring, in Plymouth, mostly. I consider Ponkapog my 'home' pond because it's pretty close to home and is never really crowded. Good luck with it.

I get out of work around 7:30 and have to ride home to get my truck. Maybe I'll take the drive down there. I'll look for you if I do. What color Plopper do you have? I have bone and bluegill. I've used each once at Ponkie (averages 5' deep this time of year with beaucop weeds) with different retrieves and have struck out so far. I'll try longer pauses next time I'm out.

I have a 11.5 And a 128T. Buy the Lure. Too bad you're in Georgia or else I'd buy it.

Fished Little Pond on Sunday while with the family. One dink and one 2-2. It was a strange day though. While tossing my go to Zoom t-rig on a ML Villain/SupremeXT (more on that later) I got a tug-tug, so I set the hook. OK, I have something, but it's not putting up much of a fight and doesn't feel big, so I don't put a lot of effort into it.... When the fish gets close to the surface I see it's at least 3 or 4 pounds ... Because I didn't put much into it I didn't have a good hookset so the fish turned over, shook me loose and cruised on back down. Had one more just like it late in the day on the south side of the pond. I had two bass north of 4 pounds in March that fought similarly where the water temp was in the 40s, not high 70's.... Hit Ponkie around 7:00 tonight after work. Discovered a bad connection so no Lowrance; no biggie, I know it well enough, so off to my spot. Got a dink on a 5" T-rigged swim Senko straight away and Perch picked the tails off my gourd green Zoom worms, just like the last few times here. Switched to a bone colored Whopper Plopper (left the green/striped one in the truck) for a while but did nothing but weed removal. Landed a 2-1 late in the evening on the Zoom. I parked my ML spinning rig and tried a green T-rigged Kreature for a bit but was having a tough time dragging it through the weeds so I reached back for my bag to get a Senko but as I did, the hook on the ML grabbed the bag (or visa-versa) and my Villian/SupremeXT dropped in the water and got away from me. It was almost dark and as luck (read: poor planning) would have it I didn't have a flashlight to try to find my rig. Total bummer, I hate that feeling of seeing a rod float downward away from you. It happened a couple years ago with a Veritas, but I managed to grab that one. It's been a tough year at Ponkie for my ML Abu Garcia spinning rods... Snapping one and losing another over board. If I have time before work tomorrow afternoon I might go back to Ponkie and search for my rig. Who knows, I might get lucky. ADD: I got out for about an hour before work today (27 July) to look for my rig, hoping it landed at an angle, but for not. Thanks for the well-wishes, it's part of the game.

I have a '14 128T. It was my first one. A great value for the dough, once you reseal the hatches and beef up the foam supports. The swiveling seat is all day comfortable, it's got huge storage space, is stand up stable, and accepts a transom mount trolling motor easily. It's rigged very well for a $800 kayak, something to think about if the 12 is only $200 less, meaning, will you spend more than $200 to get the 12 rigged like the 128. The 128 could use rails, a better paddle holder, and rigid handles on the sides. As far as the weight, it's manageable. I use BPS's wheel cart to get it from my truck to the water. I can get it onto my ladder rack by putting a rubber floor mat on the ground behind the truck, bear hugging it and using the back rack to lever it up.

It seems to be a President with Supreme XT handle. Typical Pflueger smoothness. I bought a 25 & 30 size when they came out. Worth the money. ADD: errr, thanks to the membership for showing me I need to read more carefully... I'm speaking of the LE. I see a President XT on Pflueger's website, 'coming soon'. Is that the one you're asking about?

Welcome to TAXachusetts... Follow this thread. It should help out:

Zoom U-tail in gourd green:

We have Long Pond in Plymouth, MA up here. There's one spot my Lowrance reads 108'... I wonder ?

I started with a BPS Pro Qualifier and 7' M/F Ugly stick. I put 12 pound mono on it, watched videos and read set up threads in this forum. I'm glad I did. I prefer casting reels over spinning and consider myself proficient, even in the wind. I started with the brakes cranked up and practiced as much as possible. I'm almost brake-free now. It's worth the time/investment. Best of luck!

I've been in your shoes. Listen to the membership. Grab some live bait like worms or shiners and verify there are fish where you're casting. Keep your artificial baits simple. A Texas rigged worm, spinner bait, or even in-line spinner if need be. It's also Summer, which is the slowest time of the year in places. Lastly, there's plenty of support here from the membership. Things will turn around for you. Good luck out there.

Any Pflueger at or under your budget.

I use Gander Mountain's aluminum pliers with integrated braid cutter and Gerber's 600 series multi tool (it's made in USA).

X2. Think of it as a mini monopoly. It could go two ways: prices could just go higher because of less competition, or the new corporation could dump prices, a.k.a Walmart, and drive small retailers and mom & pops out of business, then raise prices.

The few times I've fished past sunset I put the baitcaster away and stick to spinning gear and use black or black/blue baits (chatter baits, Whopper Plopper, etc.), only because I can't see nearly as well at night anymore - 50 Y/O eyes aren't what they used to be?. I use a red headlight instead of white/natural: fewer bugs.

X2 - congratulations on a great fish!

I send my reels to Delaware Valley Tackle at the end of every season. Mike is a site sponsor, does great work, and is resonably priced.

Hopefuflly you had a great day at the Quabbin. I had to postpone my trip with JG233 (Derek), but are going to get out there as soon as possible. Derek and I are going to hit Aaron Reservoir in Wampatuck State Park instead. It's car top only. There's a bit of everything there - points, drop offs, shallow & weedy, etc. Hopefully we'll have a good day of it. ADD: Did a warm up @ Ponkapog after work tonight, hitting the water about 7:15. Water temps were 84.x, barometric pressure was 30.1 and falling, and wind was light: perfect conditions.... but .... Most fish were on siesta. I landed a 1-1 Larry and had only a few strikes otherwise. My ML Vendetta snapped while pulling my t-rigged Zoom worm from a weed bed. Must have found the blank's weak spot because I wasn't pulling very hard. Oh well, it served me very well, and I'll just HAVE to replace it with a Veritas. Lastly, water levels are 4.6' where they showed 7' in April. We need some rain.

Thanks for the advice. I'm going to bring my Vexilar SonarPhone (castable fishfinder) and a lot of water. It'll be my first time out there. We're meeting @ area 3 / gate 43.

Derek and I are heading out to the Quabbin in search of smallies Monday AM. We're going to rent one of their boats. What are your thoughts?

Do you have any days off in the next couple weeks? I work a combination of days & nights, so I'm flexible. Derek is a teacher if I remember right.

I have some, but haven't given it much time. Will do today.